Is it possible to benefit from the Shi'ite experience in Iran regarding the empowerment of scholars and granting them authority and decision-making power?

The questioner : The last question, my master, may Allah reward you with good for it.

The Shaykh : Please, my brother.

The questioner : Before the 'Isha' adhan. It is a valid question. I do not intend the political aspect or what might be understood as a reference to a political side. Rather, it is as an experience in change. If possible, we, the people of the Sunnah, should benefit from it. What happened in Iran was a change from the Shah's regime to the Shi'ite ruling system, despite the corruption of their belief and what they are upon. We found a pyramid of scholars, with Khomeini at their head, the scholars of their madhhab, of course. So, taking into consideration the difference between us and them, they were able, through mobilizing the Shi'ite people in Iran, to link them to their scholars and take the step of change, transforming this Iranian society from a society ruled by the Shah and the Shah's soldiers to a society governed by the Shari'ah of the Shi'ah and the rulings of the Ja'fari Shi'ite madhhab. After an effort that lasted nearly a quarter of a century, they overcame this pyramid of scholars in their madhhab. If we could establish a group of rabbani scholars in the role of education, who possess patience and certainty, as Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said, working with one effort and one soul in the lands of the Arabs and Muslims, striving to move them to the desired abode of Islam, would this be benefiting from that experience, taking into consideration the difference between us and them? Is this something correct, or is there a difference that prevents benefiting from their experience?

The Shaykh : I believe that the answer to this question has passed through the folds of the previous answers. In some of my speech, I said that the problem we live with, we, the people of the Sunnah, is more important than thinking about such political work now. I am telling you something: if Allah the Exalted guided some of those who are called "ayat" (religious leaders), if Allah guided some of them to recognize the true Sunnah and to be aware of the shirk and idolatry that the Shi'ah live in, all of them except very few individuals, very few, from their "ayat," I say, if Allah guided some of these people to discover the fatal and terrible disease that controls the hearts of the Shi'ah until they fell into major shirk, do you think they would be occupied with this work that you hinted at?

The questioner : ... .

The Shaykh : This is it. This is our reality now, Professor. Many people who do not know the truth of the da'wah we adopt, and that it is based on these two words, but it includes Islam, correct understanding and practical application, each within the limits of his ability. Many people who do not understand the reality of this da'wah imagine that we took one side of Islam and left the other sides. We, as a da'wah, are not like that. But as an individual, the individual may be... and I give an example. If a man lives with us on this straight path or in this wide Islamic circle, but he has no knowledge except the amount that small children know, meaning he is a "Shaykh Kitab" as they say, this one performs his obligation. If he does this work, he has not gone out of what we call for. Then, rise, rise as much as you can in the ranks. Every person must work within the limits of his ability, but within what? The wide Islamic circle. Therefore, we say our da'wah is broad enough for all groups and parties, and not the other way around. Because every group and every party that does not belong to acting upon the Book and the Sunnah and following the methodology of the Salaf al-Salih does not accept the others with them at all. And even if it accepts them in name, it does not accept them in cooperation and action. So I say, I was in Damascus, this was my da'wah, just as I am here, complete. Understanding Islam, correct understanding from all its sides, and working in this Islam, each within the limits of his ability. And we used to face hostility and strong opposition from the two authorities: the ruling authority, which is the authority of the Ba'ath and the Alawites and their like, and the authority of the shaykhs who do not know the correct knowledge. And we were, from time to time, called to the intelligence. The intelligence are deaf, dumb, and blind. They do not see. They do not know what Islam is, or even a general word, let alone know what our da'wah is, the Salafi da'wah, which is education and purification. But the shaykhs put poison in the cream. They whisper to them that these people are calling for Wahhabism. And if they soften the word a little, they claim that we want to support a fifth madhhab and the like. So they send for us, and this happened many times. The point is that when this interrogator interrogated me, I mentioned to him the summary of what was stated earlier. And I mentioned to him during the conversation that they fear political work that leads to a revolution against their rule. So I said during the conversation, "We are now working in the path of reform, especially regarding tawhid, and we do not have the time to work on politics." And I say this not because politics is not part of the religion. No, politics is part of the religion. It is enough that some of our great scholars wrote a treatise titled "The Lawful Politics." But here is the point. But we, because of what we see of the spread of shirk and misguidance among the Muslims, let alone others, I saw that it is politics to leave politics. So I said to them, "This is from me." I said, after he listened and found that the news reported to them contained nothing to frighten them, because our da'wah is Islamic... he said, "Then go and give your lessons, but do not approach the side of politics." I said to him, "I told you earlier, our da'wah now is to leave politics. But we are now establishing and building for Islam, as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) began. May Allah reward you."

The questioner : I mean, if Allah honors me with something like your age, if Allah wills... it may have borne fruit and is not... how do we move from one step... do we invest at that time... on.

The Shaykh : My brother, this will be a result. Yes, a very natural result. It is like the telephone; you lift the receiver and it rings there, whether you want it or not. What is the meaning of His saying - the Exalted - : My brother, do not think that with your efforts you will hasten victory. No, rather, by your obedience to the rulings of Allah and our following of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), the result will be victory. But victory is in the hand of Allah - the Exalted and Majestic. And the strange thing is that we always hear such words in some of the lectures.