What is the ruling on engaging in politics by way of warning, and likewise working in politics?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good, O Shaykh, and may He do you good. You have warned us many times against engaging in politics, but I find in myself a distinction between working in politics and engaging in it. I would like to present it to you.
The Shaykh : Please, go ahead.
The questioner : So I hope you will clarify it for me. Working in politics, as it appears to me, is entering parliaments and forming political parties.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : But engaging in politics is warning people against dangerous political sects, and warning people against the Zionist and Communist dangers, and the like.
The Shaykh : Good.
The questioner : So is this engagement, in this sense—I mean warning Muslims against contemporary dangers—is this something you have warned us against, or not?
The Shaykh : Far from it. This is a matter on which no two people differ, and no two camels butt heads over it. But is the concept of political work limited to the narrow scope you just mentioned?
The questioner : No, of course not. But I wanted to make sure.
The Shaykh : Well, I have answered you, and you have made sure, and praise be to Allah.
The questioner : Praise be to Allah.
The Shaykh : Please, go ahead.
The questioner : So I hope you will clarify it for me. Working in politics, as it appears to me, is entering parliaments and forming political parties.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : But engaging in politics is warning people against dangerous political sects, and warning people against the Zionist and Communist dangers, and the like.
The Shaykh : Good.
The questioner : So is this engagement, in this sense—I mean warning Muslims against contemporary dangers—is this something you have warned us against, or not?
The Shaykh : Far from it. This is a matter on which no two people differ, and no two camels butt heads over it. But is the concept of political work limited to the narrow scope you just mentioned?
The questioner : No, of course not. But I wanted to make sure.
The Shaykh : Well, I have answered you, and you have made sure, and praise be to Allah.
The questioner : Praise be to Allah.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.