Are the Muslim Brotherhood and other contemporary parties not among the seventy-two sects?

The questioner : So this clarified the matter, Shaykh, or limited its understanding. Many of those present in the first session, and I was one of them, were confused until many of the brothers who are senior students of knowledge asked: We have never heard from the fatwa that these sects which oppose us are outside the seventy-two lost sects. We have only heard that they err, meaning they are warned against these errors, without the ruling reaching this point. Now it appears to us that you are limiting this to the action that is the subject of the question, namely that they imitated others or deviated in this specific matter from the circle of the saved sect, and that this does not mean they have completely exited the circle of the saved sect.The Shaykh : This is what we testify to Allah. I do not believe that I considered them to be among the lost sects, because I often ask a direct question. I do not believe that I said this in that session. I wished I could hear the recording so that if there was any error, even a verbal one, we could retract it. But I think in my heart, at times, that I am better than that, meaning that my imagination does not reach such a low point as to judge a person to be among the lost sects or the seventy-two sects merely for a single deviation. I have often been asked about the existing parties today, especially when they explicitly mention the Muslim Brotherhood party. Do you consider them among the lost sects? I say no, because the least that can be said about them is that they declare, following their first leader, Hasan al-Banna (may Allah have mercy on him), that they are upon the Book and the Sunnah and upon the methodology of the pious predecessors. Even if this call requires detailing in speech and application in practice, which is what we do not see in the group. But we are content with them declaring their affiliation to the Book and the Sunnah and the methodology of the pious predecessors, even though they contradict this in little or much. Among them are individuals who are with us in creed but not with us in methodology. Therefore, I personally, at least, do not find a dispensation for anyone to lump them in with the lost sects. Rather, they oppose us in certain points, meaning as long as we discuss and argue with them about them. But that they deserve to be associated with one of the lost sects? No, because these people have not adopted a methodology that they declare and embrace which is contrary to the Book and the Sunnah and what the pious predecessors were upon, as is the case with the other known sects since ancient times. And may Allah have mercy on you. I do not know if you notice this session that he is referring to. If such a phrase exists, it caught my attention, and this is what I strongly doubt. And may Allah reward you with good, Abu al-Hasan, for what you alerted me to. Even if someone else had said it, and I was among them, that would not have concerned me.

The Shaykh : This is what we profess to Allah. I do not believe that I considered them to be among the misguided sects, because I often ask a direct question. I do not believe that in that session I said this, and I would have liked to listen to the recording so that if there was any error, even a verbal one, we could retract it. But I think well of myself in some cases, meaning that my delusion does not reach such a low point as to judge a person to be from the misguided sects or the seventy-two sects merely for a single disagreement. I have often been asked about the parties existing today, especially when they mention the Muslim Brotherhood party: do you consider them to be among the misguided sects? I say no, because the least that can be said of them is that they declare, following their first leader, Hasan al-Banna (may Allah have mercy on him), that they are upon the Book and the Sunnah and upon the methodology of the pious predecessors. Even if this call requires detailing in speech and application in practice, which is what we do not see in the group, we are content with them declaring their affiliation to the Book and the Sunnah and the methodology of the pious predecessors, even though they contradict this in little or much. Among them are individuals who are with us in creed but not with us in methodology. Therefore, I personally, at least, do not find a dispensation for anyone to lump them into the category of misguided sects. Rather, they disagree with us in certain points, which we discuss and debate with them. As for whether they deserve to be associated with one of the misguided sects, no, because these people have not adopted a methodology that they declare and embrace which is contrary to the Book and the Sunnah and what the pious predecessors were upon, as is the case with the other known sects from ancient times. And may Allah have mercy on you. I do not know if you notice this session to which he refers. If such a word is present, it caught my attention, and this is what I strongly doubt. May Allah reward you with good, O Abu al-Hasan, for what you alerted me to. Even if someone other than you had said it, and I were among them, that would not concern me.

The questioner : Of course, you explained, Shaykh, here, explaining that if you had said this thing, you would retract it. Do I keep what I said?

The Shaykh : Please.

The questioner : If you had said, Shaykh...

The Shaykh : No, we are not speaking in hypotheticals. Now, if you hear me on the recording, every incident has its own story.

The questioner : If you had said, "O my Shaykh."

The Shaykh : No, we do not speak of "if" now. Listen to the recording, and every incident has its own story.