In the following words of the Shaykh al-Islam, there is an argument for following the disbelievers at times, where he said: "If a Muslim is in a land of war...
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The Shaykh : Other than that?
The questioner : Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him), in *Iqtida' al-Sirat al-Mustaqim*, when he addressed the explanation of the hadith:Sahih Muslim 2336a, said: "If a Muslim is in a land of war, or a land of disbelief that is not at war, he is not commanded to differ from them in their outward conduct, because of the harm that would befall him in doing so. Rather, it may be recommended for a man, or obligatory upon him, to participate in their outward conduct at times, if there is a religious benefit in doing so, such as calling them to the religion, or learning the inner state of their affairs to inform the Muslims thereof, or repelling their harm from the Muslims, or similar noble objectives". Is this statement correct, knowing that some of the students of knowledge among us!
The Shaykh :- Peace be upon you and Allah's mercy and blessings - Yes?
The questioner : Argued with this statement for the permissibility of processions and demonstrations?!
The Shaykh : Oh my, Ibn Taymiyyah is the word of a learned jurist, but what have processions and demonstrations benefited the Muslims over these many long years?! Except imitating the disbelievers. They consider imitating the disbelievers permissible, claiming that there is a benefit in it. Where is the benefit?! Then this issue relates in reality to a principle mentioned by Ibn Taymiyyah, which is among the subtleties of his knowledge: "If Muslims abandon taking the lawful means to achieve Islamic benefits, then it is not permissible for them to cling to modern means under the claim that they achieve religious benefits". And this is the reality of Muslims today: they claim to take the known lawful means, from acting upon the rulings of the Shari'ah, to clinging to means that are means of shirk and disbelief, which the disbelievers have accustomed themselves to in order to achieve benefits, in fact, for their systems that deviate from the Shari'ah. So the Muslims imitated the disbelievers, ignorant or feigning ignorance of the lawful means in Islam that achieve for them happiness in this world before the Hereafter. Therefore, these processions and these demonstrations do not achieve anything for them if they do not return to taking their religion, rather they verify upon themselves the saying of their Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sahih al-Bukhari 3456. Such benefits, for example, it is said: changing the dress because there is a benefit in it. Do these Muslims who live in the lands of the West achieve any of the benefits around which the aforementioned words of Ibn Taymiyyah revolve?! No, rather they want immediate benefits and that is the end of the matter. Therefore, the words of Ibn Taymiyyah are in one place, and the Muslims who may lean on the words of Ibn Taymiyyah are in another place.
The questioner : Meaning, the crux of the matter is the religious benefit?!
The Shaykh : The religious benefit, yes.
The questioner : Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him), in *Iqtida' al-Sirat al-Mustaqim*, when he addressed the explanation of the hadith:
liked to conform his behaviour to the People of the Book in matters in which he received no command (from God)
كان يحب موافقة أهل الكتاب فيما لم يؤمر به بشيءThe Shaykh :- Peace be upon you and Allah's mercy and blessings - Yes?
The questioner : Argued with this statement for the permissibility of processions and demonstrations?!
The Shaykh : Oh my, Ibn Taymiyyah is the word of a learned jurist, but what have processions and demonstrations benefited the Muslims over these many long years?! Except imitating the disbelievers. They consider imitating the disbelievers permissible, claiming that there is a benefit in it. Where is the benefit?! Then this issue relates in reality to a principle mentioned by Ibn Taymiyyah, which is among the subtleties of his knowledge: "If Muslims abandon taking the lawful means to achieve Islamic benefits, then it is not permissible for them to cling to modern means under the claim that they achieve religious benefits". And this is the reality of Muslims today: they claim to take the known lawful means, from acting upon the rulings of the Shari'ah, to clinging to means that are means of shirk and disbelief, which the disbelievers have accustomed themselves to in order to achieve benefits, in fact, for their systems that deviate from the Shari'ah. So the Muslims imitated the disbelievers, ignorant or feigning ignorance of the lawful means in Islam that achieve for them happiness in this world before the Hereafter. Therefore, these processions and these demonstrations do not achieve anything for them if they do not return to taking their religion, rather they verify upon themselves the saying of their Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
You will follow the wrong ways, of your predecessors so completely and literally that if they should go into the hole of a mastigure, you too will go there.
لتتبعن سنن من قبلكم شبرا بشبر وذراعا بذراع ، حتى إذا دخلوا جحر ضب لدخلتموهThe questioner : Meaning, the crux of the matter is the religious benefit?!
The Shaykh : The religious benefit, yes.