The Shaykh Rabit al-Mudhali’s remarks on following the Shaykh al-Albani and other imams of the Sunnah, and an explanation of the methodology of the Salaf in this regard, in the presence of the Shaykh al-Albani.
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The Shaykh : Rabit: In the name of Allah, and may the prayer and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah:
Regarding the Salafis following their shaykhs, this is something I consider—as he saidThe Shaykh : —to be an invention; such that one of us, or someone younger than us, prioritizes the statementThe Shaykh : ofThe Shaykh : al-Albani over the statements of the imams and the statements of the Companions. And when al-Albani’s statement comes, they accept it without question, but when the statement of the Companions comes to you, they say: “We are men and they are men.” This, by Allah—and you know this—Glorified and Exalted is He, is a great slander!The Shaykh : I knew al-Albani when I was in my first year at the Islamic University. I do not say anything that does not agree with my opinion and the opinion of my fellow students among his disciples without we discuss it with him. We either come out following him because he convinces us with evidence saying “Allah said” or “The Messenger of Allah said,” or we come out differing and not satisfied with his opinion. And I have insisted on opposing him from that time until now. I read his books as others read them, and I take from them what I see to be truth, and I reject from them what is not considered truth. I deal with him as a human being and as a scholar among scholars. We respect him because he is a teacher and as a person who served the Sunnah in a way without parallel. I do not say this in his face; I say it behind his back and in his absence. Likewise, we have Ibn Taymiyyah, who is greater thanThe Shaykh : al-Albani. So when we see Ibn Taymiyyah saying: “Allah said” or “The Messenger of Allah said,” we say: “On the head and eyes be the word of Allah and the word of the Messenger of Allah.” But when he contradicts “Allah said” or “The Messenger of Allah said,” his opinion clashes with a hadith or a verse, and we say: “Peace be upon you, we do not want this opinion; because it contradicted the word of Allah.” This is the methodology of the Salafis: they take from al-Albani, from Ibn Taymiyyah, from Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab, from al-Shafi'i, from Ahmad, from any imam who says “Allah said” or “The Messenger of Allah said.” And when they see the statement of any of the imams contradicting the word of Allah and the word of the Messenger of Allah, they prioritize the word of Allah. And this is the methodology of the Qur'an, the methodology of the Sunnah, the methodology of the righteous Salaf, and the methodology of the followed imams of guidance: that the word of Allah and the word of the Messenger be prioritized over all the words of people, and that the guidance of Allah and the guidance of His Messenger be prioritized over the guidance of all people. From this standpoint, we see that the two companions of Abu Hanifah contradicted him in a third or two-thirds of the school, not following their desires or despising their imam, but rather following the truth. And likewise, we see al-Shafi'i, the student of...
We hope that it will be issued by a Muslim who fears Allah and believes that Allah will hold him accountable for what he says. We advise our brothers to follow this methodology; because it is the path to happiness in this world and the Hereafter, it is the path to the honor of the Muslims. If they do not follow this path, they will not increase except in humiliation and lowliness; because Allah—Blessed and Exalted is He—says:[An-Nisa 4:59], and He says: [Al-Anfal 8:46]. And we see this great failure in the lives of the Muslims, where they have become the most humiliated of people, and the most of whose spirit has gone, and they have been humiliated and have become... after Islam. All of this is due to their distance from the methodology of Allah—Blessed and Exalted is He—and we, in our care for the happiness of the Muslims in this world and the Hereafter... and we bear all harm for their benefit and for what makes them happy. So let them say what they wish if they are not pleased with this methodology. And we ask Allah—Blessed and Exalted is He—to unite the hearts of the Muslims upon the truth, and to urge them to hold fast to His rope as Allah—Blessed and Exalted is He—commanded them.
And peace be upon you.
Another questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
Regarding the Salafis following their shaykhs, this is something I consider—as he saidThe Shaykh : —to be an invention; such that one of us, or someone younger than us, prioritizes the statementThe Shaykh : ofThe Shaykh : al-Albani over the statements of the imams and the statements of the Companions. And when al-Albani’s statement comes, they accept it without question, but when the statement of the Companions comes to you, they say: “We are men and they are men.” This, by Allah—and you know this—Glorified and Exalted is He, is a great slander!The Shaykh : I knew al-Albani when I was in my first year at the Islamic University. I do not say anything that does not agree with my opinion and the opinion of my fellow students among his disciples without we discuss it with him. We either come out following him because he convinces us with evidence saying “Allah said” or “The Messenger of Allah said,” or we come out differing and not satisfied with his opinion. And I have insisted on opposing him from that time until now. I read his books as others read them, and I take from them what I see to be truth, and I reject from them what is not considered truth. I deal with him as a human being and as a scholar among scholars. We respect him because he is a teacher and as a person who served the Sunnah in a way without parallel. I do not say this in his face; I say it behind his back and in his absence. Likewise, we have Ibn Taymiyyah, who is greater thanThe Shaykh : al-Albani. So when we see Ibn Taymiyyah saying: “Allah said” or “The Messenger of Allah said,” we say: “On the head and eyes be the word of Allah and the word of the Messenger of Allah.” But when he contradicts “Allah said” or “The Messenger of Allah said,” his opinion clashes with a hadith or a verse, and we say: “Peace be upon you, we do not want this opinion; because it contradicted the word of Allah.” This is the methodology of the Salafis: they take from al-Albani, from Ibn Taymiyyah, from Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab, from al-Shafi'i, from Ahmad, from any imam who says “Allah said” or “The Messenger of Allah said.” And when they see the statement of any of the imams contradicting the word of Allah and the word of the Messenger of Allah, they prioritize the word of Allah. And this is the methodology of the Qur'an, the methodology of the Sunnah, the methodology of the righteous Salaf, and the methodology of the followed imams of guidance: that the word of Allah and the word of the Messenger be prioritized over all the words of people, and that the guidance of Allah and the guidance of His Messenger be prioritized over the guidance of all people. From this standpoint, we see that the two companions of Abu Hanifah contradicted him in a third or two-thirds of the school, not following their desires or despising their imam, but rather following the truth. And likewise, we see al-Shafi'i, the student of...
We hope that it will be issued by a Muslim who fears Allah and believes that Allah will hold him accountable for what he says. We advise our brothers to follow this methodology; because it is the path to happiness in this world and the Hereafter, it is the path to the honor of the Muslims. If they do not follow this path, they will not increase except in humiliation and lowliness; because Allah—Blessed and Exalted is He—says:
And if you disagree over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger
فَإِنْ تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللهِ وَالرَّسُولِand do not dispute and [thus] lose courage
وَلَا تَنَازَعُوا فَتَفْشَلُواAnd peace be upon you.
Another questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.