How should one respond to those who say: You Salafis deny taqlid (following a scholar without knowing his evidence), yet you follow Al-Albani by saying: Al-Albani graded it authentic, or good, or weak?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : He asks how one should respond to those who say: You Salafis deny taqlid (following a scholar without knowing his evidence), yet you follow Al-Albani by saying: He graded it authentic, or good, or weak, even though he sometimes disagrees with the masters of hadith, such as Ibn Hajar and al-Dhahabi, and others?
The Shaykh : Look, the question is: I think you have heard it? What should a Muslim do when he finds that scholars have disagreed regarding a hadith, with some grading it authentic and others grading it weak? According to the questioner’s approach, he must follow one of them, either the one who graded it authentic or the one who graded it weak. Then, he has no one before him to help him or clarify which of the two opinions is stronger. But there was found a man who was tested by the people and the people were tested by him; he dedicated his life to this knowledge. Some of the young Muslims became convinced that this man has a share of this knowledge. So the questioner, or whoever refers to him, says that this youth in the entire Islamic world is calling out that they are Salafis and do not practice taqlid (following a scholar without knowing his evidence), and yet here they are following Al-Albani. Well, who are they following? They are following those who have died and disagreed, leaving us this disagreement. They must adopt one of the two opinions, whether authentic or weak. If a person is found who brings the point of disagreement closer to them, explains the reason for the weakening and the reason for the authentication, and then performs the process of determining the stronger opinion, is this not better? May Allah the Mighty and Majestic have provided them with a person who revives this knowledge for them, clarifies it for the young Muslims, and moves them to know the science of hadith? I am not saying something secret, nor am I revealing a secret, as they say. Thirty years ago, there was no scholar, writer, or preacher in the Islamic world who would mention a hadith in his sermon, in his book, or in any field of knowledge and say: Al-Bukhari narrated it, or Muslim narrated it, or so-and-so narrated it, or so-and-so graded it authentic, or if he brought a hadith and said its chain is weak. This had no mention whatsoever in the entire Islamic world a third of a century ago. But today, praise be to Allah, you find activity in caring for hadith and tracing it to its sources, and even some try to grade it as authentic without having reached the level of grading hadiths as authentic or weak. This means there is a very strange scientific movement in the Islamic world. The elderly, like myself, know this, but you are living now in a bubble of knowledge, with this noble knowledge, which is the science of hadith.
In summary, we return to this question. They say they follow Al-Albani. We said that, according to their expression, following is necessary. But the scholars of usul al-fiqh (the principles of jurisprudence) and fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), particularly among them Imam al-San'ani, the Amir al-San'ani, has a treatise he titled "Taysir al-Ijtihad" or "Fi Taysir al-Ijtihad". He mentions there that when a man hears a scholar say about a hadith that it is authentic, or about another hadith that it is weak, then the one who has no knowledge must follow him. And this following is not taqlid (following a scholar without knowing his evidence), but rather it is following (ittiba'). He elaborates on the matter there based on the science of hadith. The summary of that is: if a man tells you about someone you do not know, "This is a man of good conduct, there is no harm in associating with him," and you obey him in this and go to associate with him, this is not called taqlid (following a scholar without knowing his evidence), but rather it is following (ittiba'). Taqlid (following a scholar without knowing his evidence) is when you surrender the leadership of your mind and thinking to the one you follow without exerting effort, thinking, "Is this man a scholar? Is he truthful in what he transmits?" That is taqlid (following a scholar without knowing his evidence) when you close your eyes, because the scholars say that taqlid (following a scholar without knowing his evidence) is derived from what? From the necklace (qaladah), as if you are removing the necklace from your neck and putting it on his neck... And this is the nature of what? The followers (muqallidin). And last night, on the occasion of the previous research, in the verse[At-Tawbah 9:60], we heard from one of the scholars that there is no objection to us taking out zakah (the obligatory alms) and giving it for the construction of mosques or hospitals. He mentioned a well-known athar (a report from a Companion or successor), and I mentioned it in "Silsilat al-Ahadith al-Da'ifah wa al-Mawdu'ah": "Whoever follows a scholar will meet Allah in safety." So what did he do? He followed this scholar merely because he said so, and that was it, as if he is with the text and they surrender completely.
It is not the case of one who tries to verify that this man who says this is haram (forbidden), or says this is halal (lawful), or says a hadith is authentic or weak, tries to be certain of him: Is he proficient in this knowledge? Is there a possibility, for example, to discuss it with him, or is there no possibility? So after he is reassured, he follows him. So it is not said of this person that he is a muqallid (one who practices taqlid), as came in the questioner’s question. But if he is not convinced of this because he is not, by nature, from the people of knowledge, then I say to him: What do you do? You follow, and these people follow, but these people follow with some insight. As for you, as we see many people today saying according to this scholar’s opinion without evidence, and tomorrow saying according to that scholar’s opinion without evidence. But the evidence (dalil) leads you to following the truth, wherever it is, whether it is for you or against you.
This is what has been facilitated as an answer to the questions presented. And I ask Allah the Mighty and Majestic to guide us and you to the truth and to follow it wherever it is and with whomever it is.
And peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.
The questioner : In the end, we ask Allah the Mighty and Majestic to benefit us with what we have heard. And we say that if there are distinguishing features in da'wah (calling others to Islam), then the Salafi da'wah (calling others to Islam) is distinguished because it is the only one that has written about tawhid (the oneness of Allah) and clarifying shirk (associating partners with Allah) and deviation. And it is also the only one whose scholars, both past and present, have written about grading hadiths as authentic or weak. All people and all the existing da'wahs (calls to Islam) today, we have not read for any of them a book that is considered authoritative in the issues of tawhid (the oneness of Allah) and shirk (associating partners with Allah), or in the issues of grading hadiths as authentic or weak. And this is from the favor of Allah the Mighty and Majestic upon us. May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : Look, the question is: I think you have heard it? What should a Muslim do when he finds that scholars have disagreed regarding a hadith, with some grading it authentic and others grading it weak? According to the questioner’s approach, he must follow one of them, either the one who graded it authentic or the one who graded it weak. Then, he has no one before him to help him or clarify which of the two opinions is stronger. But there was found a man who was tested by the people and the people were tested by him; he dedicated his life to this knowledge. Some of the young Muslims became convinced that this man has a share of this knowledge. So the questioner, or whoever refers to him, says that this youth in the entire Islamic world is calling out that they are Salafis and do not practice taqlid (following a scholar without knowing his evidence), and yet here they are following Al-Albani. Well, who are they following? They are following those who have died and disagreed, leaving us this disagreement. They must adopt one of the two opinions, whether authentic or weak. If a person is found who brings the point of disagreement closer to them, explains the reason for the weakening and the reason for the authentication, and then performs the process of determining the stronger opinion, is this not better? May Allah the Mighty and Majestic have provided them with a person who revives this knowledge for them, clarifies it for the young Muslims, and moves them to know the science of hadith? I am not saying something secret, nor am I revealing a secret, as they say. Thirty years ago, there was no scholar, writer, or preacher in the Islamic world who would mention a hadith in his sermon, in his book, or in any field of knowledge and say: Al-Bukhari narrated it, or Muslim narrated it, or so-and-so narrated it, or so-and-so graded it authentic, or if he brought a hadith and said its chain is weak. This had no mention whatsoever in the entire Islamic world a third of a century ago. But today, praise be to Allah, you find activity in caring for hadith and tracing it to its sources, and even some try to grade it as authentic without having reached the level of grading hadiths as authentic or weak. This means there is a very strange scientific movement in the Islamic world. The elderly, like myself, know this, but you are living now in a bubble of knowledge, with this noble knowledge, which is the science of hadith.
In summary, we return to this question. They say they follow Al-Albani. We said that, according to their expression, following is necessary. But the scholars of usul al-fiqh (the principles of jurisprudence) and fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), particularly among them Imam al-San'ani, the Amir al-San'ani, has a treatise he titled "Taysir al-Ijtihad" or "Fi Taysir al-Ijtihad". He mentions there that when a man hears a scholar say about a hadith that it is authentic, or about another hadith that it is weak, then the one who has no knowledge must follow him. And this following is not taqlid (following a scholar without knowing his evidence), but rather it is following (ittiba'). He elaborates on the matter there based on the science of hadith. The summary of that is: if a man tells you about someone you do not know, "This is a man of good conduct, there is no harm in associating with him," and you obey him in this and go to associate with him, this is not called taqlid (following a scholar without knowing his evidence), but rather it is following (ittiba'). Taqlid (following a scholar without knowing his evidence) is when you surrender the leadership of your mind and thinking to the one you follow without exerting effort, thinking, "Is this man a scholar? Is he truthful in what he transmits?" That is taqlid (following a scholar without knowing his evidence) when you close your eyes, because the scholars say that taqlid (following a scholar without knowing his evidence) is derived from what? From the necklace (qaladah), as if you are removing the necklace from your neck and putting it on his neck... And this is the nature of what? The followers (muqallidin). And last night, on the occasion of the previous research, in the verse
for the cause of Allah
وفي سبيل اللهIt is not the case of one who tries to verify that this man who says this is haram (forbidden), or says this is halal (lawful), or says a hadith is authentic or weak, tries to be certain of him: Is he proficient in this knowledge? Is there a possibility, for example, to discuss it with him, or is there no possibility? So after he is reassured, he follows him. So it is not said of this person that he is a muqallid (one who practices taqlid), as came in the questioner’s question. But if he is not convinced of this because he is not, by nature, from the people of knowledge, then I say to him: What do you do? You follow, and these people follow, but these people follow with some insight. As for you, as we see many people today saying according to this scholar’s opinion without evidence, and tomorrow saying according to that scholar’s opinion without evidence. But the evidence (dalil) leads you to following the truth, wherever it is, whether it is for you or against you.
This is what has been facilitated as an answer to the questions presented. And I ask Allah the Mighty and Majestic to guide us and you to the truth and to follow it wherever it is and with whomever it is.
And peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah.
The questioner : In the end, we ask Allah the Mighty and Majestic to benefit us with what we have heard. And we say that if there are distinguishing features in da'wah (calling others to Islam), then the Salafi da'wah (calling others to Islam) is distinguished because it is the only one that has written about tawhid (the oneness of Allah) and clarifying shirk (associating partners with Allah) and deviation. And it is also the only one whose scholars, both past and present, have written about grading hadiths as authentic or weak. All people and all the existing da'wahs (calls to Islam) today, we have not read for any of them a book that is considered authoritative in the issues of tawhid (the oneness of Allah) and shirk (associating partners with Allah), or in the issues of grading hadiths as authentic or weak. And this is from the favor of Allah the Mighty and Majestic upon us. May Allah reward you with good.