The story of Al-Albani with the Sufi Shaykh known as "Al-Aytaba."

The Shaykh : This word reminds me of an incident that occurred between me and a Shaykh who was well-known in Damascus asThe Shaykh : "Al-Aytaba," and he was blind... In the early days of my scholarly pursuit, I got to know a carpenter who was about forty years old. Our friendship grew strong, and I found in him soundness of mind, so I would go to his house to visit him.

The questioner : The Shaykh : Al-Aytaba?

The Shaykh : No, this man, after our friendship had grown strong, in a closet like this one, and lo and behold, my eyes fell upon a lute.

The questioner : A lute, this music thing.

The Shaykh : I said to him: What, you play the lute? We got into a discussion about this issue, and lo and behold, he mentioned regardingThe Shaykh : "Al-Aytaba" that he permits it, and in a long discussion between us, I found a discrepancy between my words—I was a newcomer to knowledge—and his Shaykh, who isThe Shaykh : What did we call him? "Al-Aytaba." He said to me: What do you think about meeting withThe Shaykh : ? I was just... at the time, I said to him: I have no objection.

The questioner : Is this the beginning of the request, O Shaykh?

The Shaykh : Yes, I have no objection. The bottom line: contactThe Shaykh : and he got an appointment from him, and I went to him. The topic opened up and the research progressed, and it reached the building of mosques over graves. And lo and behold, he said something similar to this word: Leave the people alone. You don't say he brought a hadith!! And I, as I told you, was still a newcomer to seeking knowledge, but I was surprised by the hadith. What did he say? When I mentioned to him some of the well-known hadiths regarding the prohibition of building mosques over graves, I was surprised by him. In truth, he did not refute me as Shaykhs do, but he said to me: O Shaykh, what is it to you and the people? The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)—here is the point—said: "Leave the people in their heedlessness." I had heard this hadith before and was completely taken aback by it!! I did not have much knowledge, but I knew that enjoining good and forbidding evil is obligatory. How could it be that the Messenger says: "Leave the people in their heedlessness"? But I had no material, I had no weapon. By Allah, I remember well that I did not believe it until I leftThe Shaykh : and went home to look up the hadith.
I had at that time some books and references, among them—I remember well, and the copy is still with me to this day—is "Kashf al-Khafa wa Muzil al-Ilbas 'an al-Ahadith al-Mashhura bayn al-Nas" by Shaykh Isma'il al-'Ajluni, from here from "Ajloun" near you. This book is essentially "al-Maqasid al-Hasanah" with additions. "al-Maqasid al-Hasanah" is by Shaykh al-Hafiz al-Sakhawi, so he took from "al-Maqasid al-Hasanah" and added some things to it. I went back to "Kashf al-Khafa" and lo and behold, he brings this hadith and says: "Leave the people in their heedlessness." A hadith narrated by Muslim in his "Sahih" without the phrase: "in their heedlessness." And its text in "Sahih Muslim" is: , so this hadith is related to buying and selling. The first liar, the one mentioned earlier, took the end of the hadith and put in place of this omitted part: "in their heedlessness," and he took itThe Shaykh : as an argument against me. What do you want with the people praying over graves... "Leave the people in their heedlessness"?! And thisThe Shaykh : al-Sha'rawi is approximately like this.

Another questioner : ... the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).

The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah.

The questioner : Please, welcome.

The Shaykh : Oh Allah, the righteous have eaten your food, the angels have sent blessings upon you, and the fasting have broken their fast with you. Oh Allah, in the name of Allah.