The Shaykh’s response to the Tahrir Party regarding their establishment of rulings based on ahad reports while excluding creed, and the clarification of their contradiction in this matter

The questioner : Shaykh, regarding their distinction between rulings and creeds, is this distinction permissible?

The Shaykh : As mentioned earlier, this distinction is not permissible. If we stated, as we did just now, that they accept ahad reports in matters of rulings but do not accept ahad reports in matters of creed, then if we invalidate the claim that it is not permissible to accept ahad reports in creed, it means that equalization is obligatory. Thus, every authentic hadith, whether it contains a practical ruling or a matter of unseen creed, is to be accepted. This question and its answer remind me of another point. I said to them, the Tahrir Party, because in reality, we were always in continuous discussion there in Sham, as they had intense activity there. The point is, I said to them that this detail is false in itself, meaning the distinction between hadiths of rulings and hadiths of creed. I said, if we had the right, by Shari'ah, to distinguish between hadiths of creed and hadiths of rulings, I would have reversed the argument and turned it against you. I would have said that accepting ahad reports in creed is more preferable than accepting ahad reports in rulings. Why? Because hadiths of rulings contain both creed and action, while hadiths of creed contain creed without action. I gave them an example: they deny the creed of the punishment of the grave. So, if a person did not believe in this because he did not receive this hadith, his mind would remain empty of the belief that there is punishment in the grave. But a Shari'ah ruling comes that includes the invalidation of a worship or prayer based on this hadith. First, if you apply this ruling without believing it is a Shari'ah ruling, what kind of worship is it? The first condition of a ruling is belief. For example, you pray, but you do not pray because Allah commanded it, but because it is exercise, for instance. That is not valid. Fasting is the same, and Hajj is the same, and so on. So, any Shari'ah ruling that is not accompanied by belief and obedience to Allah the Exalted and worship does not satisfy hunger or benefit. If it were permissible for us to reverse the argument, we would have turned it against you. But even so, we say to you: strip the creed from any Shari'ah ruling, and you will gain nothing from applying this ruling, because every ruling requires creed. I gave them an example, and this is a very excellent example. I said to them, it came in *Sahih al-Bukhari* in the words of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): This is certain This is speculative, and so on So, you are now in a tight spot. Why? Because if you act on this hadith, you contradict the rule that ahad reports are not accepted in creed, and there is creed in it regarding the punishment of the grave, which they do not believe in. If you act on it, you contradict the rule; and if you do not act on it, you contradict another rule: that ahad reports in rulings must be acted upon. So, you are in a tight spot. Therefore, this confirms the falsity of these opinions brought by these people of desires in order to support a crooked line by which they deviated from the straight path. In any case, it is now ten o'clock. Glory be to You, O Allah, and praise be to You. I testify that there is no deity but You. I seek Your forgiveness and turn to You in repentance.