How to Deal with the People of Innovation, Such as the Shi'ah
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I am coming from the Eastern Region, from Dammam, and I work in the Civil Defense in Dammam. Approximately (90%) of the workers with me are Rafidah. They differ from us in eating and drinking, in work, in residence, and in what they drink. They pray with us in the mosques. I do not know what is the ruling on our mixing with them, O Shaykh! And eating with them, and sharing in the internal tasks regarding work?The Shaykh: These Rafidah say that they are Muslims, is that not so?The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh: And you are a Muslim, is that not so? It is obligatory for you to call them to the Islam that you see is the truth, but without being harsh with them regarding what they are upon that contradicts Islam. Call them to Islam,Say: This is the Book of Allah, not a single letter has been removed from it, and not a single letter has been added to it. These are the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, these are the Rightly Guided Caliphs, and so on. And when a person calls to Allah with sincerity, and clarifies the truth, it will bear fruit, and there will be benefit in his calling. As for coming to a person and attacking the innovations he is upon, or the disbelief he is upon, while he claims that this is zeal and that he is a caller to Allah, nothing will result except an increase in enmity and hatred,And no one is wiser than Allah, as He (Mighty and Majestic) said: [At-Tin: 8] And He said to us: [Al-An'am: 108] So it is obligatory for you to call them to the correct Islam without addressing the false creed they are upon until they become accustomed to it and accept it: (And if Allah guides one person through you, that is better for you than red camels) .
The questioner: O Shaykh! May Allah preserve you, do they pray with us in the mosques?The Shaykh: Praise be to Allah, this is what is required. If they pray with us in the mosques, let the imam of the mosque take a book that contains knowledge of the biography of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family).
The questioner: Excuse me -O Shaykh- they pray on cards, and on papers, and on manufactured clay.
The Shaykh: It is not our concern regarding them; these are secondary issues. If they are not accompanied by a belief of shirk (associating partners with Allah), then these are secondary issues. For example, there are people now who do not raise their hands when bowing, nor when rising from it, nor when standing up from the first tashahhud (testification). And there are people who raise their hands in every lowering and raising. Each one claims to be upon the truth. So secondary issues are easy. The point is to unite hearts upon the truth, and to take the closest path that leads to that. Did the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), when he called people to the Islamic religion, first attack them regarding what they were upon of falsehood? He called them to Islam first. So in truth, I do not deny, but I prefer that a person have zeal that drives him to hate everything other than the truth, but I want him to have wisdom in calling to the truth.
The Shaykh: And you are a Muslim, is that not so? It is obligatory for you to call them to the Islam that you see is the truth, but without being harsh with them regarding what they are upon that contradicts Islam. Call them to Islam,Say: This is the Book of Allah, not a single letter has been removed from it, and not a single letter has been added to it. These are the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, these are the Rightly Guided Caliphs, and so on. And when a person calls to Allah with sincerity, and clarifies the truth, it will bear fruit, and there will be benefit in his calling. As for coming to a person and attacking the innovations he is upon, or the disbelief he is upon, while he claims that this is zeal and that he is a caller to Allah, nothing will result except an increase in enmity and hatred,And no one is wiser than Allah, as He (Mighty and Majestic) said:
Is not Allah the most just of judges?
أَلَيْسَ اللَّهُ بِأَحْكَمِ الْحَاكِمِينَAnd do not insult those they invoke other than Allah, lest they insult Allah in enmity without knowledge
وَلا تَسُبُّوا الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ فَيَسُبُّوا اللَّهَ عَدْواً بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍThe questioner: O Shaykh! May Allah preserve you, do they pray with us in the mosques?The Shaykh: Praise be to Allah, this is what is required. If they pray with us in the mosques, let the imam of the mosque take a book that contains knowledge of the biography of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family).
The questioner: Excuse me -O Shaykh- they pray on cards, and on papers, and on manufactured clay.
The Shaykh: It is not our concern regarding them; these are secondary issues. If they are not accompanied by a belief of shirk (associating partners with Allah), then these are secondary issues. For example, there are people now who do not raise their hands when bowing, nor when rising from it, nor when standing up from the first tashahhud (testification). And there are people who raise their hands in every lowering and raising. Each one claims to be upon the truth. So secondary issues are easy. The point is to unite hearts upon the truth, and to take the closest path that leads to that. Did the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), when he called people to the Islamic religion, first attack them regarding what they were upon of falsehood? He called them to Islam first. So in truth, I do not deny, but I prefer that a person have zeal that drives him to hate everything other than the truth, but I want him to have wisdom in calling to the truth.