The Shaykh’s explanation of how to apply the methodology of education and purification in the Muslim community.

The questioner : I mean, our Shaykh, we say that we are following the Book and the Sunnah, and this is the call that people believe in so that they may be united upon this call. But we see that Shaykh Al-Albani, the scholar, is the one who is carrying out the task of knowledge, but the education in this matter—let us say it frankly—is missing.

The Shaykh : May Allah guide you. Is Shaykh Al-Albani the Prophet of Islam?

The questioner : No

The Shaykh : Shaykh Al-Albani needs hundreds of people like him so that they can share the responsibilities, each one taking on a part of what Allah has made obligatory upon him. What are you thinking? You are not a prophet after the Messenger of Allah.

The questioner : (peace and blessings be upon him)

The Shaykh : The Messenger of Allah gathered all the powers, with their various specializations, in his own person (peace be upon him). So it is no surprise that Allah chose him as a Messenger to all of mankind. Therefore, I say to some of the partisan groups: they tell me, “This work of yours is good and fine, and so on.” But I say, Islam is not established by this work alone. I say, yes, it is so; Islam is not established by this work alone. But I also say that Islam will not be established except by this work and others. So do not forget, I told you just now that political work is necessary. Now, can one person do the political work, the educational work, and the scholarly work, and the sciences are diverse and varied, and so on? This is impossible. So I say to them: suppose that Shaykh Al-Albani is a schoolmaster, meaning he has less knowledge than a schoolmaster? He teaches small children. Is there any sane person who would say that we do not need a schoolmaster? Without a schoolmaster, there will be no doctor, right?

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh : So those who complain about some of the Muslims who have dedicated their lives to knowledge—let us concede that it is like the knowledge of a schoolmaster—although, by the grace of Allah the Exalted and Majestic, I say that the knowledge which Allah the Exalted and Majestic has granted me is not of that kind, but rather it is of the kind without which a correct Islamic call cannot be established except through the purification of the Sunnah and the purification of the creed from what has entered into them. But it is absurd and a lack of intellect to charge one person, whether it is this Al-Albani or someone else, to carry out all the obligations incumbent upon the Victorious Group. This is impossible. And so I said just now that the Victorious Group must gather in one place, and each specialist must seek the help of his brother who is a specialist in another science. That is, this one provides this one with what he has, and this one provides the first one with what he has, and so on, and they all cooperate in good. The Companions of the Messenger (may Allah’s prayers and blessings be upon him), in the view of all people, were not equal in every matter. It is necessary for the Muslim to be characterized by good conduct, for example. Were they equal in knowledge of the Sunnah?

The questioner : No

The Shaykh : Was Abu Bakr in the Sunnah, and he is the best of the Companions, like Abu Hurayrah? No. But was Abu Hurayrah in the goodness of companionship and the strength of companionship with the Messenger of Allah, and in shrewdness, intelligence, and politics, like Abu Bakr? No. And so say regarding 'Umar and the rest of the Caliphs, and the rest of the Ten, and the rest of the Companions. But this good group, when they united upon one foundation, which is the Book and the Sunnah, Allah the Exalted and Majestic gave them victory over their enemies. So you, may Allah bless you, be realistic, do not be unrealistic. Al-Albani can barely educate himself first with this knowledge to which he has dedicated himself, and educate his children and relatives who hover around him. As for him being an educator for the people! We have found educators for the people, or for many peoples, but they lacked the correct knowledge. I say, on this occasion, and I mentioned this, I think, in some writings, that Hassan al-Banna had a merit with the Egyptian youth in that he saved them from the cafes and cinemas, and so on. Perhaps some of you remember some of this speech. I wrote it in some of my works.

Another questioner : Yes, our Shaykh, in your meeting with the representative of the Kuwaiti magazine al-Mujtama'.

The Shaykh : Yes, that is the point. But Hassan al-Banna was lacking, and he should have completed this lack with others from his companions. He was lacking; he was not a scholar of the Book and the Sunnah. And so some opinions issued from him that contradict the correct Sunnah, for example, his position regarding the names and attributes, his position regarding seeking nearness to Allah (tawassul), and so on. It is not the position of a knowledgeable, established scholar. No, he had general ideas like this and made them matters of disagreement in which disagreement is permissible. I said: it was supposed that he should complete his lack with others. And he did have a group of great intellectuals. But you find the Muslim Brotherhood—and we are now forced to name them—until today, there is no scholar who guides them and educates them upon the Book and the Sunnah. And so the Islamic scholar, who is abundant in this great multitude, must be purified from them, hundreds, or rather thousands, of scholars, all of them agreeing upon one word, which is the Book and the Sunnah. And they are still differing until now. For example, we take al-Bouti, and what you hear and read about his writings, he is still arguing with falsehood, because we say that it is necessary to return to the Book and the Sunnah, and it is necessary to abandon sectarian bias and for all callers to meet upon this one word, returning to the Book and the Sunnah. It is not that there is a caller like al-Bouti, “Is your school Shafi'i? One is Shafi'i, another is not? Is your school Hanafi?” This is, for example, the one in Aleppo or elsewhere. Why this partisanship? Why this sectarianism? As long as If these leaders have not yet agreed upon the principles and rules of the rules of the Islamic Shari'ah, how can it be hoped that there will be a united block upon the correct understanding of the Book and the Sunnah, and that they will agree upon these principles and educate the people who are around them? In any case, this is a discussion that in reality has many, many branches. And the point is to remind that political work must be based upon knowledge, and one person cannot carry it out alone, as is the case now. Is there in Algeria a cause for this revolution? One person, two people, who do not have that desired knowledge, but millions gathered around them. What was behind that? It was nothing but harm to the call. So compare this to the revolutions you have heard about.