What is the ruling of the Shari'ah regarding what some of those who claim affiliation with the Sunnah do in establishing parties, organizations, and Islamic fronts for resistance, and is their argument based on the principle (
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The Shaykh : May you be well, from which part of Algeria?
The questioner : I am from Blida.
The Shaykh : Blida, is that far from the capital?!
The questioner : Forty kilometers.
The Shaykh : Forty kilometers... okay, is it a village or a large town?
The questioner : A large town...
The Shaykh : Large!
The questioner : A province.
The Shaykh : A province... and how is the da'wah there, is there activity or not?
The questioner : There is activity.
The Shaykh : Or is it newly established?
The questioner : There is activity. Great activity. And there are some points?
The Shaykh : How?
The questioner : We came for those points, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : We did not understand.
The questioner : We came to ask about the parties, in fact.
The Shaykh : You want to ask about something? Go ahead.
The questioner : In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and blessings and peace be upon the master of the messengers, and upon his family and all his companions. As for what follows:
What is the ruling of the pure Shari'ah regarding what we see from some of our brothers who claim affiliation with the Sunnah in some countries when they establish parties, fronts, and Islamic organizations to confront the forces hostile to Islam—as they say—especially since they sometimes argue with a fiqh principle that says: "What is not completed without is obligatory"? Are there any Shari'ah proofs from the book of our Lord, Glorified and Exalted, and the Sunnah of our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that permit them such party affiliation? Please inform us, may Allah benefit you and bless you, and may He reward you with good.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, and blessings and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah, and upon his family and all his companions. There is no evidence, as is known to the people of knowledge, in the Book of Allah or in the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that permits Muslims to divide into sects and parties. Rather, the Book and the Sunnah contain the exact opposite, where He, the Exalted, said:[Ar-Rum 30:31-32], and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: They asked: Who are they, O Messenger of Allah? He said: And in the most famous narration: The community is a true community only if it holds firmly to the Book and the Sunnah in a practical way, not just in words. Therefore, here we must draw attention to a reality that has become repeated in its terms today while its truths are hidden, which is that it is a trend of the present age that every party has become affiliated with the Book and the Sunnah, after the Book and the Sunnah were not mentioned on their tongues until about a quarter of a century ago. But by the grace and mercy of Allah, when the call of the Book and the Sunnah began to rise above all other calls and became dominant and controlling over all other calls, it became in the interest of the other calls to adopt affiliation with the Book and the Sunnah. But there is a great difference between one who is affiliated with the Book and the Sunnah by name only, and one who is affiliated with them by name and action. Therefore, we should not assume that everyone who calls or says "we are upon the Book and the Sunnah" is actually upon the Book and the Sunnah. Rather, we must compare the words with the actions. If a person's actions confirm his words, then we are with him, not as a party, but as a community and followers of the previous hadith: They asked: Who are they?—meaning the saved sect—He said: And in the first or other narration: , so if a person's actions match his words, we are with him and we are one community, not sects and parties, every party rejoicing in what they have.
This observation must be noted because we hear today many calls with great differences between them, and yet each of them claims to be upon the Book and the Sunnah, and as was said long ago:
And each claims a connection to Layla * * * But Layla does not approve of that for them
And our Lord, Mighty and Majestic, says in the noble Book, as is known:[As-Saf 61:2-3], you find, for example, many people saying: We are upon the Book and the Sunnah, and we are upon the methodology of the righteous predecessors, but when you look at their appearance, you see that their appearance does not indicate any of that following of the methodology, the methodology of the righteous predecessors. Many of them dress in the dress of foreigners, many of them do not imitate their Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) who, for example, used to say: You find many of these claimants of affiliation with the Book and the Sunnah or affiliation with Salafism whose actions contradict their words, whose report contradicts their news. Therefore, these people should not be included in the group that has no division and no parties. And if we know this reality, it becomes easy for us to understand that one who claims affiliation with the Book and the Sunnah and yet they are sects, groups, and parties, are not upon the Book and the Sunnah, because this division and this party affiliation is contrary to the Book and the Sunnah.
I do not know if there is a remainder of the question, if you remind me so we can discuss it.
The questioner : If they establish parties, fronts, and Islamic organizations to confront the forces hostile to Islam—as they say—especially since they sometimes argue with a principle that says:?
The Shaykh : Okay, fighting the forces that fight Islam is not done by division, but by gathering, which is what we mentioned earlier, that they be one community and be bound by one methodology, and there is no methodology except the methodology of the Book and the Sunnah and what our righteous predecessors were upon. As is famous from Imam Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) that he used to say—and what he said was good:
Knowledge is what Allah said, His Messenger said *** The Companions said, it is not deception
Knowledge is not: you setting up foolish disagreement *** Between the Messenger and the opinion of a jurist
No, and not denying the attributes and negating them *** Out of fear of likening and comparing
We find that most of these parties do not care about correcting their beliefs and ideas, they do not care about correcting their worship, their fasting, and their Hajj rituals. Rather, the truth is that every party among them affiliates with the school of jurisprudence they lived with. For example, in your place, affiliation with Imam Malik (may Allah have mercy on him) prevails. In other countries, like Turkey for example, they do not know Islam except from the angle of the school of Abu Hanifa only. And in other countries, like Syria for example and Egypt for example, these are countries that know two schools, which are the Shafi'i and the Hanafi. And conversely, like in Najd for example, they do not know a school except the Hanbali school. In the Hijaz, they know the Shafi'i school more, and so on. This is not the methodology of the righteous predecessors. The methodology of the righteous predecessors, as we heard from the words of Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) earlier: Knowledge is what Allah said, His Messenger said.
As for these parties, whoever says "we are upon the Book and the Sunnah" and his actions confirm his words, as we said earlier, he is from the community and we are with him wherever they are and whoever they are. But exploiting this call in the way of gathering people, organizing them, and making them into parties, even under the claim of fighting the forces that fight Islam, and these forces are either disbelievers in pure disbelief, or deviant from Islam much or little, then fighting the forces that oppose Islam is never done except by returning to the Book and the Sunnah in all affairs of life.
And we know from the reality of the known groups and parties today on the face of the earth that they only care about talk, and do not care about knowing Islam and understanding it correctly first, then applying this Islam to themselves and their relatives and their families second. This is very rare, and this is what we care about, that our understanding of Islam is a correct understanding, upon the methodology of what Allah said, what the Messenger of Allah said, what our righteous predecessors said, then applying that in all our affairs as far as we are able. This is the answer to this question. As for the second question, what is it?
The questioner : O Shaykh, if you spoke about the principle: "What is not completed without is obligatory".
The Shaykh : Yes!
The questioner : If you could refer to it in a way...
The Shaykh : Yes, it is true that whatever is necessary to complete an obligatory duty is itself obligatory. This is a principle acknowledged among the scholars of knowledge, but they overlook the reality to which I previously referred, which is that gathering and uniting to combat the forces fighting and opposing Islam must be based on the Book and the Sunnah. Therefore, above all else, we must study the Book and the Sunnah, and its jurisprudence must manifest within ourselves. This is what unites us with one another, and this is the strength that, in the near future, if Allah wills, will be able to combat the forces hostile to Islam, not merely through partisanship and grouping. The evidence for this is that some of the well-known Islamic groups today have been calling to Islam in name for a century, yet they have not been able to plant Islam in the hearts of those who claim to belong to them, let alone be able to fight their enemies. For one who lacks a thing cannot give it. One who lacks the weapon to fight the enemy cannot fight them. And the weapon here in fighting them is nothing but understanding Islam correctly and applying it correctly. Otherwise, it is distorted. Was that the second question?
The questioner : I am from Blida.
The Shaykh : Blida, is that far from the capital?!
The questioner : Forty kilometers.
The Shaykh : Forty kilometers... okay, is it a village or a large town?
The questioner : A large town...
The Shaykh : Large!
The questioner : A province.
The Shaykh : A province... and how is the da'wah there, is there activity or not?
The questioner : There is activity.
The Shaykh : Or is it newly established?
The questioner : There is activity. Great activity. And there are some points?
The Shaykh : How?
The questioner : We came for those points, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : We did not understand.
The questioner : We came to ask about the parties, in fact.
The Shaykh : You want to ask about something? Go ahead.
The questioner : In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and blessings and peace be upon the master of the messengers, and upon his family and all his companions. As for what follows:
What is the ruling of the pure Shari'ah regarding what we see from some of our brothers who claim affiliation with the Sunnah in some countries when they establish parties, fronts, and Islamic organizations to confront the forces hostile to Islam—as they say—especially since they sometimes argue with a fiqh principle that says: "What is not completed without is obligatory"? Are there any Shari'ah proofs from the book of our Lord, Glorified and Exalted, and the Sunnah of our Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that permit them such party affiliation? Please inform us, may Allah benefit you and bless you, and may He reward you with good.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah, and blessings and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah, and upon his family and all his companions. There is no evidence, as is known to the people of knowledge, in the Book of Allah or in the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that permits Muslims to divide into sects and parties. Rather, the Book and the Sunnah contain the exact opposite, where He, the Exalted, said:
and do not be of those who associate others with Allah (32) [Or] of those who have divided their religion and become sects, every faction rejoicing in what it has.
وَلَا تَكُونُوا مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ مِنَ الَّذِينَ فَرَّقُوا دِينَهُمْ وَكَانُوا شِيَعًا كُلُّ حِزْبٍ بِمَا لَدَيْهِمْ فَرِحُونَThe Jews divided into seventy-one sects, and the Christians divided into seventy-two sects, and my Ummah will divide into seventy-three sects, all of them in the Fire except one.
افترقت اليهود على إحدى وسبعين فرقة، وافترقت النصارى على اثنتين وسبعين فرقة، وستفترق أمتي على ثلاث وسبعين فرقة، كلها في النار إلا واحدةIt is the one that is upon what I am upon and my Companions
هي التي تكون على ما أنا عليه وأصحابيIt is the Jama'ah.
هي الجماعةThe group.
الجماعةIt is the one that is upon what I and my Companions are upon.
هي التي على ما أنا عليه وأصحابيThis observation must be noted because we hear today many calls with great differences between them, and yet each of them claims to be upon the Book and the Sunnah, and as was said long ago:
And each claims a connection to Layla * * * But Layla does not approve of that for them
And our Lord, Mighty and Majestic, says in the noble Book, as is known:
(2) O you who have believed, why do you say what you do not do? (3) Great is hatred in the sight of Allah that you say what you do not do.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آَمَنُوا لِمَ تَقُولُونَ مَا لَا تَفْعَلُونَ كَبُرَ مَقْتًا عِندَ اللَّهِ أَن تَقُولُوا مَا لَا تَفْعَلُونَTrim the mustache, let the beard grow, and differ from the Jews and the Christians
حفوا الشارب وأعفوا اللحى وخالفوا اليهود والنصارىI do not know if there is a remainder of the question, if you remind me so we can discuss it.
The questioner : If they establish parties, fronts, and Islamic organizations to confront the forces hostile to Islam—as they say—especially since they sometimes argue with a principle that says:
Whatever is necessary to complete an obligatory duty is itself obligatory.
ما لم يتم الواجب إلا به فهو واجبThe Shaykh : Okay, fighting the forces that fight Islam is not done by division, but by gathering, which is what we mentioned earlier, that they be one community and be bound by one methodology, and there is no methodology except the methodology of the Book and the Sunnah and what our righteous predecessors were upon. As is famous from Imam Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) that he used to say—and what he said was good:
Knowledge is what Allah said, His Messenger said *** The Companions said, it is not deception
Knowledge is not: you setting up foolish disagreement *** Between the Messenger and the opinion of a jurist
No, and not denying the attributes and negating them *** Out of fear of likening and comparing
We find that most of these parties do not care about correcting their beliefs and ideas, they do not care about correcting their worship, their fasting, and their Hajj rituals. Rather, the truth is that every party among them affiliates with the school of jurisprudence they lived with. For example, in your place, affiliation with Imam Malik (may Allah have mercy on him) prevails. In other countries, like Turkey for example, they do not know Islam except from the angle of the school of Abu Hanifa only. And in other countries, like Syria for example and Egypt for example, these are countries that know two schools, which are the Shafi'i and the Hanafi. And conversely, like in Najd for example, they do not know a school except the Hanbali school. In the Hijaz, they know the Shafi'i school more, and so on. This is not the methodology of the righteous predecessors. The methodology of the righteous predecessors, as we heard from the words of Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) earlier: Knowledge is what Allah said, His Messenger said.
As for these parties, whoever says "we are upon the Book and the Sunnah" and his actions confirm his words, as we said earlier, he is from the community and we are with him wherever they are and whoever they are. But exploiting this call in the way of gathering people, organizing them, and making them into parties, even under the claim of fighting the forces that fight Islam, and these forces are either disbelievers in pure disbelief, or deviant from Islam much or little, then fighting the forces that oppose Islam is never done except by returning to the Book and the Sunnah in all affairs of life.
And we know from the reality of the known groups and parties today on the face of the earth that they only care about talk, and do not care about knowing Islam and understanding it correctly first, then applying this Islam to themselves and their relatives and their families second. This is very rare, and this is what we care about, that our understanding of Islam is a correct understanding, upon the methodology of what Allah said, what the Messenger of Allah said, what our righteous predecessors said, then applying that in all our affairs as far as we are able. This is the answer to this question. As for the second question, what is it?
The questioner : O Shaykh, if you spoke about the principle: "What is not completed without is obligatory".
The Shaykh : Yes!
The questioner : If you could refer to it in a way...
The Shaykh : Yes, it is true that whatever is necessary to complete an obligatory duty is itself obligatory. This is a principle acknowledged among the scholars of knowledge, but they overlook the reality to which I previously referred, which is that gathering and uniting to combat the forces fighting and opposing Islam must be based on the Book and the Sunnah. Therefore, above all else, we must study the Book and the Sunnah, and its jurisprudence must manifest within ourselves. This is what unites us with one another, and this is the strength that, in the near future, if Allah wills, will be able to combat the forces hostile to Islam, not merely through partisanship and grouping. The evidence for this is that some of the well-known Islamic groups today have been calling to Islam in name for a century, yet they have not been able to plant Islam in the hearts of those who claim to belong to them, let alone be able to fight their enemies. For one who lacks a thing cannot give it. One who lacks the weapon to fight the enemy cannot fight them. And the weapon here in fighting them is nothing but understanding Islam correctly and applying it correctly. Otherwise, it is distorted. Was that the second question?