The Ruling on Affiliation with Islamic Groups
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What is the ruling on affiliation with the Islamic groups currently present in the scene? We want clear guidelines for dealing with them.
First: My brother! I do not approve of or agree with religious factionalism,Meaning: where every party sees itself as distinct from the others;For this falls under the saying of Allah the Exalted: [Al-An'am: 159] .
Therefore, you find that these divided people have a hatred for one another that is more intense than their hatred for the open sinners who declare their sinfulness—as we hear—until some of them declare others misguided and declare them disbelievers without a reason for declaring them disbelievers.
So I do not see religious factionalism and partying, and I see that it is obligatory to erase these parties, and that we should be as the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were: one nation. If any of us errs in a matter of creed, speech, or action, we must advise him and guide him to the truth. If he is guided, that is what is desired. If the truth is with him, it is obligatory for us to return to what he was upon. And if the truth is with us and he persists in what he is upon without a permissible interpretation, then at that time we warn against his opinion and what he has adopted, without believing that we are in a party and he is in a party, thereby splitting the Muslim community into two or more parts.
So I see that we should, indeed it is obligatory upon us, to be against these parties,Meaning: against partying.
And praise be to Allah! The community, as its beginning agreed upon one path and one way, can have its end agree as well.
The questioner: Do you warn against these parties?The Shaykh: No.
I warn against partying.
The questioner: But the reality of the parties is with this same meaning! The Shaykh: No;Because if I said: one of the parties may be right, so I do not warn against it, but I warn against partying,And I see that it is obligatory for those who are called: if these are from Tabligh, and these are from the Ikhwan, and these are from the Salafiyyah, and these are from the Reform, and the like of that, I see that it is obligatory for some of them to gather with others, and that they should discuss the matter, and that they should come out with one thought and one opinion.
As for them now being hostile to one another as is in the scene; you find these cursing those, and attacking their honor, this weakens everyone.
So if the common people see that they are in blindness;This person says: the truth is with me, and the falsehood is with that one,And that one says: the truth is with me, and the falsehood is with the other, then they remain confused.
The questioner: What do you advise the student of knowledge today? This is an important topic and needs a clear fatwa;Because the youth have become divided! The Shaykh: I have now given you a clear fatwa: I see that partying is not permissible at all.
The questioner: And regarding affiliation, O Shaykh?The Shaykh: Nor affiliation,So affiliation means: that you feel that you are distinct from the others, and how can you be distinct from the others when they are your brothers from among the believers, if they err in something practical or creedal, for what should be upon you is to gather with them, discuss with them, and clarify the error to them.
But be assured that if they hear—for example—that the others are criticizing them or warning against them, they will cling more tightly to what they are upon, even if it is false, for this is the nature of the human soul.
But if we said: O people! We are all Muslim brothers, we all want to reach the Shari'ah of Allah, so let us be equal upon it,If Allah Mighty and Majestic says: [Al-Imran: 64] So how about our Muslim brothers?! For example: The Tablighi: They have a rule: that a person goes out for three days, or four, or a week, or a month, so we investigate this method, and we look at what it is?And they also have: Not delving into scientific issues and deepening in them, so we investigate with them,And we say: why do you decide on three days, or four, or a week, or a month, or the like of that? Why? And we look if they have a correct purpose and a beneficial intention, so we do not go to declare them innovators, and publicize them for that.
And if they dislike discussion in knowledge and deepening in it,We ask them: Why?If they say: so that enmity does not occur between the discussants,We said: this is a mistake, for the person who wants the truth, if another discusses with him to reach the truth, he does not hate him,Rather, he says: this is a blessing of Allah upon me that someone discusses with me; so that if I am in error, my error becomes clear to me.
The questioner: We have in Kuwait Shaykh Salim al-Talil, and Shaykh Hamad al-Othman openly combat non-partisanship, and oppose some of the groups except whom Allah has mercy, so what is your advice to them?The Shaykh: This is my advice—and you have now heard it—to them and to others.
And I also inform you that in our gathering we do not mention a person's name; but because you do not know about our methodology, we forgive you in this, otherwise we do not accept that anyone mentions a specific person, whoever it is.
First: My brother! I do not approve of or agree with religious factionalism,Meaning: where every party sees itself as distinct from the others;For this falls under the saying of Allah the Exalted:
Indeed, those who have divided their religion and become sects - you, [O Muhammad], are not [associated] with them in anything. Their affair is only [left] to Allah; then He will inform them about what they used to do.
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ فَرَّقُوا دِينَهُمْ وَكَانُوا شِيَعاً لَسْتَ مِنْهُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ إِنَّمَا أَمْرُهُمْ إِلَى اللَّهِ ثُمَّ يُنَبِّئُهُمْ بِمَا كَانُوا يَفْعَلُونَTherefore, you find that these divided people have a hatred for one another that is more intense than their hatred for the open sinners who declare their sinfulness—as we hear—until some of them declare others misguided and declare them disbelievers without a reason for declaring them disbelievers.
So I do not see religious factionalism and partying, and I see that it is obligatory to erase these parties, and that we should be as the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were: one nation. If any of us errs in a matter of creed, speech, or action, we must advise him and guide him to the truth. If he is guided, that is what is desired. If the truth is with him, it is obligatory for us to return to what he was upon. And if the truth is with us and he persists in what he is upon without a permissible interpretation, then at that time we warn against his opinion and what he has adopted, without believing that we are in a party and he is in a party, thereby splitting the Muslim community into two or more parts.
So I see that we should, indeed it is obligatory upon us, to be against these parties,Meaning: against partying.
And praise be to Allah! The community, as its beginning agreed upon one path and one way, can have its end agree as well.
The questioner: Do you warn against these parties?The Shaykh: No.
I warn against partying.
The questioner: But the reality of the parties is with this same meaning! The Shaykh: No;Because if I said: one of the parties may be right, so I do not warn against it, but I warn against partying,And I see that it is obligatory for those who are called: if these are from Tabligh, and these are from the Ikhwan, and these are from the Salafiyyah, and these are from the Reform, and the like of that, I see that it is obligatory for some of them to gather with others, and that they should discuss the matter, and that they should come out with one thought and one opinion.
As for them now being hostile to one another as is in the scene; you find these cursing those, and attacking their honor, this weakens everyone.
So if the common people see that they are in blindness;This person says: the truth is with me, and the falsehood is with that one,And that one says: the truth is with me, and the falsehood is with the other, then they remain confused.
The questioner: What do you advise the student of knowledge today? This is an important topic and needs a clear fatwa;Because the youth have become divided! The Shaykh: I have now given you a clear fatwa: I see that partying is not permissible at all.
The questioner: And regarding affiliation, O Shaykh?The Shaykh: Nor affiliation,So affiliation means: that you feel that you are distinct from the others, and how can you be distinct from the others when they are your brothers from among the believers, if they err in something practical or creedal, for what should be upon you is to gather with them, discuss with them, and clarify the error to them.
But be assured that if they hear—for example—that the others are criticizing them or warning against them, they will cling more tightly to what they are upon, even if it is false, for this is the nature of the human soul.
But if we said: O people! We are all Muslim brothers, we all want to reach the Shari'ah of Allah, so let us be equal upon it,If Allah Mighty and Majestic says:
Say, "O People of the Scripture, come to a word that is equitable between us and you - that we will not worship except Allah and not associate anything with Him
قُلْ يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ تَعَالَوْا إِلَى كَلِمَةٍ سَوَاءٍ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمْ أَلَّا نَعْبُدَ إِلَّا اللَّهَ وَلا نُشْرِكَ بِهِ شَيْئاًAnd if they dislike discussion in knowledge and deepening in it,We ask them: Why?If they say: so that enmity does not occur between the discussants,We said: this is a mistake, for the person who wants the truth, if another discusses with him to reach the truth, he does not hate him,Rather, he says: this is a blessing of Allah upon me that someone discusses with me; so that if I am in error, my error becomes clear to me.
The questioner: We have in Kuwait Shaykh Salim al-Talil, and Shaykh Hamad al-Othman openly combat non-partisanship, and oppose some of the groups except whom Allah has mercy, so what is your advice to them?The Shaykh: This is my advice—and you have now heard it—to them and to others.
And I also inform you that in our gathering we do not mention a person's name; but because you do not know about our methodology, we forgive you in this, otherwise we do not accept that anyone mentions a specific person, whoever it is.