Is it permissible to accuse Muslim political activists of religious innovation, and what is the Shari'ah criterion for this?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Please go ahead.
The questioner : Some of the young men among us accuse those who engage in political work of being innovators. Is it permissible for a da'iyah to call an innovator an innovator, or not? And what is the Shari'ah criterion for religious innovation? May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : This is not a matter of religious innovation in any way, and one who engages in political work before its time is not called an innovator. All that can be said is that he has deviated from the system of calling to Allah the Exalted, acting as a mujtahid. For religious innovation is when a Muslim approaches Allah the Exalted with a form of worship that has no basis in the Shari'ah, performing it to draw closer to Allah the Exalted, in his opinion. That is the innovator. And those who work in politics today are not said to have innovated, because politics in Islam is commanded. The treatise of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah titled *Al-Siyasah al-Shar'iyyah* (The Shari'ah of Politics) is sufficient in this regard. However, the issue concerns the methods of da'wah, and we do not believe that the method of da'wah in this time, in which hardly any Islamic country resembles the first Islamic community in its understanding of the correct Salafi creed, is appropriate. Therefore, I believe that the true Islamic da'iyah are those who concern themselves with rectifying the beliefs of the Muslims around them. As for political work, it is premature. Even if it is necessary, such as the existence of a Muslim caliph, it is necessary for the existence of the caliph, as he (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sahih Muslim 1851a But this caliph cannot be established before the Islamic community is established, and the Islamic community cannot be realized before a truly Muslim group is established. These are links, each taking hold of the neck of the other. So whoever wants to reach the last link, which is establishing the caliph, is like one who wants to reach the top of the pyramid while he has not yet laid the foundation and placed the base for this towering structure. Perhaps you understood me?
The questioner : May Allah reward you, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh: And you.
The questioner : You have benefited and excelled in your answer, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : O Shaykh, the young men here in the capital are all eager to meet you, and they wish with the strongest wish that you would come to the capital. All the Salafi young men here are waiting for you, and we do not know what the reason is that does not allow you to come here, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : There are many things, and very many indeed, and old age is sufficient for you to know.
The questioner : O Shaykh, may you have the best of life and the best of return. Indeed, Allah Blessed and Exalted is He said:[Al-Mujadila 58:11] And may your life be for Him Mighty and Majestic, and may Allah raise you with this knowledge to the highest degrees in Paradise.
The Shaykh : May He accept it from you, and for that reason we live and we will live as long as we remain.
The questioner : Amen, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : In any case, there is a library here in the capital in the Mosque of Taqwa, and all the young men convey their greetings to you.
The Shaykh : And I say upon you and upon them peace and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
The questioner : And peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings and His forgiveness.
The Shaykh : Please go ahead.
The questioner : Some of the young men among us accuse those who engage in political work of being innovators. Is it permissible for a da'iyah to call an innovator an innovator, or not? And what is the Shari'ah criterion for religious innovation? May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : This is not a matter of religious innovation in any way, and one who engages in political work before its time is not called an innovator. All that can be said is that he has deviated from the system of calling to Allah the Exalted, acting as a mujtahid. For religious innovation is when a Muslim approaches Allah the Exalted with a form of worship that has no basis in the Shari'ah, performing it to draw closer to Allah the Exalted, in his opinion. That is the innovator. And those who work in politics today are not said to have innovated, because politics in Islam is commanded. The treatise of Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah titled *Al-Siyasah al-Shar'iyyah* (The Shari'ah of Politics) is sufficient in this regard. However, the issue concerns the methods of da'wah, and we do not believe that the method of da'wah in this time, in which hardly any Islamic country resembles the first Islamic community in its understanding of the correct Salafi creed, is appropriate. Therefore, I believe that the true Islamic da'iyah are those who concern themselves with rectifying the beliefs of the Muslims around them. As for political work, it is premature. Even if it is necessary, such as the existence of a Muslim caliph, it is necessary for the existence of the caliph, as he (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
and one who dies without having bound himself by an oath of allegiance (to an Amir) will die the death of one belonging to the days of Jahillyya.
من مات و ليس في عنقه بيعة مات ميتة جاهليةThe questioner : May Allah reward you, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh: And you.
The questioner : You have benefited and excelled in your answer, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : O Shaykh, the young men here in the capital are all eager to meet you, and they wish with the strongest wish that you would come to the capital. All the Salafi young men here are waiting for you, and we do not know what the reason is that does not allow you to come here, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : There are many things, and very many indeed, and old age is sufficient for you to know.
The questioner : O Shaykh, may you have the best of life and the best of return. Indeed, Allah Blessed and Exalted is He said:
Allah will raise those who have believed among you and those who were given knowledge, by degrees
يرفع الله الّذين آمنوا منكم والّذين أوتوا العلم درجاتThe Shaykh : May He accept it from you, and for that reason we live and we will live as long as we remain.
The questioner : Amen, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : In any case, there is a library here in the capital in the Mosque of Taqwa, and all the young men convey their greetings to you.
The Shaykh : And I say upon you and upon them peace and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
The questioner : And peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings and His forgiveness.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.