about the hadith “Keep away from all those sects.” The Shaykh also spoke about the Salvation Front.

The questioner : Regarding the hadith , this is a reference to what was mentioned earlier in the hadith, namely those who invite people to the gates of Hell. This is a reference to specific sects.

The Shaykh : Yes, but does it mean that every sect that may exist and has no leader is like that? Or is it only some of them that are like that?

The questioner : I mean that the command to keep away is to keep away from a specific group of the sects that were mentioned earlier in the hadith.

The Shaykh : No, the intended meaning is all the sects, not a specific sect. All the sects, as long as there is no leader who unites them. And in my opinion, you do not doubt that if we suppose there are misguided sects, their misguidance is not in proportion to ours, is it?

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : Likewise, it is not necessary for us to understand that every sect is in proportion to that misguidance you are alluding to, which was mentioned in the hadith. But it is sufficient that they do not have a leader. Therefore, it is not permissible to be partisan to any of these groups. Rather, a person should work in cooperation, as Allah the Exalted said: . So our call is not for laziness or leaving off work, nor for partisanship or clustering, which increases division among the Muslims. Rather, the truth lies between these and those. And we see, and perhaps you have read in much of what you have heard from the recordings, that these clusters and these parties, if they were permissible in Islam, are premature. This is because they are not established on the correct knowledge that is widespread among many individuals of this clustered group. We, because we are upon the methodology of the righteous Salaf, mean that it is obligatory for Islamic callers to strive earnestly to resume Islamic life. And that will not be achieved except by spreading the correct knowledge. And in my opinion, that will not be realized except if, as they say, “history repeats itself.” We read in the biographies of many imams that such-and-such an imam, when he sat to teach, had so many people wearing the turban around him in his lesson, meaning scholars who were equal to him or perhaps close to him in knowledge. Yet they sat with him to benefit from what he had missed in knowledge today. If you look in Kuwait, or in Syria, or in Jordan, or in any land of Islam, you find individuals who are pointed to with the finger. Try to compare them with the scholars who were pointed to in the old days. Far be it that they should rival them or be equated with them. And yet, these are individuals among millions. How can these millions, which are run by one scholar or two or three—Allah knows their number—how can these two or three educate and raise the millions who have been stamped with the mark of partisanship? This is impossible. Two or three nights ago, one of them from Algeria called me, and it seems he is from the group, what do they call it, the followers of?

The questioner : The Salvation Front.

The Shaykh : Yes, the Salvation Front. It appears he is one of those affiliated with it. So he asked me, “What is your opinion?” I replied, “My opinion is that there is no partisanship or clustering in Islam, and be with all the Muslims,” and so on. So the point is, he said to me, “Under it…”The Shaykh : I think his name is Ali.

The questioner : Ali al-Hajj.

The Shaykh : Ali al-Hajj said to me, “Under it.” I laughed to myself, unfortunately, but the worst kind of laughter is that which brings tears. He said, “Under it are seven million Muslims.” I said, “Oh Allah, seven million Muslims. How many scholars do these people need so that they can be raised with an Islamic upbringing and educated with an Islamic education? Just because a person, with emotion and enthusiasm and some fiery speeches, clustered them and gathered them against whom? Against the disbeliever ruler. They gathered, but did they know Islam? Did they know tawhid (the oneness of Allah)? Did they know worship, prayer and fasting? Nothing of that, except emotions. And I believe that placing the da'wah as a cluster and gathering, and I do not say as a party, before this partisanship, I believe that in Kuwait the situation is as good as it can be. And this is without doubt due to the zeal of our brother Abd al-Rahman and the good brothers with him. Yet I do not believe that all of them, if they cluster and become partisan, will have understood what is obligatory upon them in creed, worship, and conduct. The point is, I look at this blind partisan clustering and its outcome is failure. And history, as it is said, repeats itself. The example is before us. Here are the Muslim Brothers, for fifty years they have been partisan and clustered, and they have exaggerated in their claim that the Muslims are the Muslim Brothers. Yet they have not been able to do anything. They have not been able to realize a word I believe is among the jewels of speech, which was quoted either from al-Hassan al-Banna or from al-Hubadhi, and it is: “Establish the state of Islam in your hearts, and it will be established for you on your land.” The Muslim Brothers were not able to realize this word for half a century and more. Why? Because they have nothing but enthusiasm and political clustering or similar meanings. As for the steady, organized scientific study, here the organization, then carrying the soul and those born with it, the children and the fathers and mothers, meaning that history repeats itself as the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) did with his Companions. This is the furthest thing from the group. And what I fear most is that history will also repeat itself. So every clustering that is established on the basis of enthusiasm, not on knowledge and education and purification, which I have spoken about more than once, its outcome is failure, without doubt. Therefore, this is one of the effects of partisanship, which the Shari'ah has forbidden, and the loathsome division. Now, what else?