The Shaykh’s remarks on the discussion between Ali al-Halabi and al-Suqaf. ?

The Shaykh : By the way, Ali al-Sutri called me yesterday and said that al-Suqaf is requesting a meeting with me.
Wafiq : With whom?

The Shaykh : With me, so I told him no.
Wafiq : Shaykh, this man is seeking fame, our Shaykh.

The Shaykh : I know, and I told him, you ask the brothers who met with him a while ago. He started saying and praising me, that I am... I told him...
Wafiq : Of course, he wants to sit withThe Shaykh : Nasser for a session, this is something that makes the world and everything in it for him, because he will be...
Wafiq : Okay... Do you see, our Shaykh, sitting with Hasan al-Suqaf after these sessions, and knowing his extreme desire for fame and reputation?

The Shaykh : I do not see this after the meetings that took place between some of our brothers there and him, and his position became clear that he is a man dead behind fame by meeting with our Salafi brothers, and as he (peace and blessings be upon him) said, even if not on this occasion: So it became clear that there is no benefit from this meeting with this person, especially since he was summoning the rabble and the common people, who do not understand anything, to increase their numbers and strengthen himself with them. So I see nothing but that meeting with him and debating with him is a waste of time, and perhaps harms may result from it for this person or others. Especially since I personally entered into an experience with him, which Professor Ali knows, and perhaps you will hear from him what he witnessed himself, and may Allah reward him with good, regarding Hasan’s refusal to enter into the discussion and debate that we had agreed upon. So what do you remember for this occasion?
Al-Halabi : I remember that he came, and the condition of the session was that he bring some of the researches he had written and paid to have them printed by the people. So they surprised us in the session by saying he came with nothing, as they say, and he had nothing with him and wanted to discuss. So he told himThe Shaykh : The condition of the session was that you bring these papers or these writings that you wrote. He said, I did not bring anything, and the session ended on that, and he did not mention anything and did not say anything at all.
Abu Layla : And he spread.
Al-Halabi : And he spread among the people thatThe Shaykh : (may Allah preserve him) did not want to discuss with him or refused to discuss with him or something similar. And some of the brothers came, and they were Sufis, and they spoke this in front of me. So I said to them, Glory be to Allah, Allah did not want anything but to make the truth appear. So I was sitting in the session, and this talk never happened. On the contrary, he told himThe Shaykh : Speak, and he said, I will not speak. And of course, as I mentioned, he refused and did not bring these papers, and the condition of holding the session was that he bring these papers. Therefore, our Shaykh, on this occasion, I am asking, meaning, if you could say a few words to guide our brothers after holding these sessions. And we do not forget our brothers who are on the other side, because there are brothers in whom we do not doubt their good intentions and their sincerity, but they did not see before them except this young claimant, and thus they opened their eyes to him and to him, so they did not see except him. So a word for us and a word for them, if Allah wills, so that there is benefit and a lesson in it.

The Shaykh : I see, after this experience as I mentioned earlier, to leave meeting with the man, because it became clear from that old discussion, or the one we had agreed to enter into with him, that he refused. And from this new experience that took place between him and some of our brothers, I see that the man should be left, and in the Syrian expression, "he should be left to wither." To wither means to be left, and not to care about meeting with him, as long as it has become clear that he is not seeking the truth, but is seeking two things, the sweetest of which is bitter, as they say. The first matter relates to his person, which is that he wants to appear before people that he can debate the Salafis, because he and others among the opponents know that the Salafis are the people of truth and the strongest in argument and explanation. So if he means to stand firm with them in debate, that means that is a fame that is worth the world and everything in it to him, and therefore he is eager for it. And the second matter is that he wanted to destroy the Imam of the Salafis since hundreds of years ago, which is Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him). And therefore he was extremely eager to declare this noble Imam a disbeliever. And in reality, if it is permissible for me to express my opinion on this occasion, agreeing to enter with him in this specific issue which has no relation to the call, because as we always say, we are not Taymiyyis. So if, may Allah forbid, a word of disbelief came from Ibn Taymiyyah, that does not mean that we adopt it because Ibn Taymiyyah said it. We differ with those who oppose us in the call in that we do not follow non-infallible people, but we follow Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), the master of the messengers. Therefore, as long as he seeks both of these matters, the first being fame for himself and the second being declaring the Imam of the Salafis, Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him), a disbeliever, I see that we are satisfied with what has happened previously or recently, of meeting with him. Especially since he was diligently seeking to summon many of his followers, the rabble who do not understand anything of knowledge. So be satisfied with what has happened, and Allah the Mighty and Majestic takes care of the righteous and sincere, and the truth will become clear to all people, the righteous and the good, if Allah wills.
Al-Halabi : Advice for the youth who are with him and who want the truth but they did not see except this...

The Shaykh : Those who want to know the truth, in reality, they must ask if the meeting and sincere debate, as was hoped from those debates, is not available for them. So they must contact personally and clarify from our Salafi brothers who are proficient in knowing the Salafi call. They should look into what is in it of truth and explanation of the argument and proof. Then we prevent them, consequently, from going to the others and listening to them, because in reality, we believe that the truth is clear, and that its matter is not confused for sincere people, as the Lord of the Worlds indicated in His saying, the Exalted: So whoever among these brothers is sincere and wants to follow the truth, then he has only to demand from each of the two groups what they have of call and what evidence they have for it. And when that sincere person confronts the words of these and those, then the truth becomes clear to him, as it is said, "by their opposites things become clear." So if you hear the call of the Salafis accompanied by evidence, and the call of the later opponents of the Salafis accompanied by what they claim as evidence, then at that time the truth will become clear to every sincere person. The basis of knowing the truth is sincerity in seeking the truth, otherwise Allah the Mighty and Majestic does not guide the people who are unjust.
Al-Halabi : AndAbu Layla : May Allah reward you, our Shaykh.

The questioner : Visiting the Sufi lodges, every week a specific lodge?

The Shaykh : I have no objection at all, but with the reservation that nothing happens of the trials that may be exploited against the call.
Al-Halabi : AndAbu Layla : The students of knowledge : May Allah reward you, our Shaykh.