The state of the Salafis in Kuwait. And that the da'wah has taken on a political phase.

The questioner : In the name of Allah, and may prayers and peace be upon the noblest of Allah's creation. Our Shaykh, I mean, more than one question comes to mind regarding the Salafiyyah in Kuwait. We have heard a lot of talk here in Jordan about the Salafiyyah of Kuwait, and that it is passing through a phase of partisanship or bloc formation.

The Shaykh : Here in Jordan, or in Kuwait?

The questioner : We have heard in Kuwait, here in Jordan, and when I came, I heard a lot of talk from the Salafi youth here that the Salafiyyah in Kuwait is passing through a phase of partisanship. And I want you, my Shaykh, to clarify what are the manifestations of partisanship that you have attributed to the Salafiyyah of Kuwait?

The Shaykh : We do not want to delve into this issue; because it only adds fuel to the fire. We do not want to delve into it because the Salafiyyah in Kuwait—and not here in Jordan—the Salafiyyah in Jordan is still standing on two foundations, as long as we revolve around them: purification and education, without bloc formation, without partisanship, and without engaging in political work. And we do not mean that political work is not obligatory by the Shari'ah; rather, it is a collective obligation (fard kifayah). But we know that engaging in politics today is an engagement that diverts those in charge of the da'wah from these two pillars, namely purification and education. So engaging in politics diverts those in charge of this da'wah, coupled with this purification and education, from what they are aiming for. So the Salafi da'wah in Kuwait, they are not passing through a phase of partisanship. No.
They entered, and the matter is over. From the day they permitted themselves, like the Muslim Brotherhood always and forever, and like the Tahrir Party in some of their phases, when they justified for themselves, in the name of reform, to enter the parliaments that are established, as we say, upon disbelief in Allah and His Messenger and upon Islam in its entirety and in detail. Or at the least, we say these parliaments are established upon contradicting the Shari'ah in many and very many aspects. So when they permitted their brothers to be elected and to elect, and to enter the parliament that does not rule by what Allah has revealed, until some of them became ministers. For this, we say that the Salafi da'wah there has taken on another political phase. So we are proceeding with the da'wah on this foundation: purification based on the Book and the authentic Sunnah, and educating the Muslims on this foundation. So whoever, as a group of Salafis, engages in politics, and permits themselves, in addition to others, to enter the parliaments, and chooses a path for elections that is the path chosen by what is called the democratic system, which allows the Muslim and the disbeliever to nominate himself, and to nominate others in the parliament that is supposed to want to rule by what Allah has revealed. Rather, this system called the democratic system has permitted the Muslim to nominate the wicked Muslim, the ignorant Muslim, and the open sinner (fasiq). These people nominate others and nominate themselves, and when that happens, the issue raised in the parliament is decided by the majority, and not on the basis of the Book and the Sunnah. And for this reason, we want our brothers who share with us in the da'wah to the Book and the Sunnah, and on the methodology of the righteous Salaf in all Islamic lands, to establish [their foundations] before they engage in politics. And it is regrettable, and we are speaking now and asking you personally: have you looked at the issue that was published recently, or the one before that? I do not know exactly, describing the Salafi movement and accusing a man from our brothers here, who is well-known, of having dropped the obligation of jihad? Have you heard of this?

The questioner : We have heard.

The Shaykh : Yes, in al-Furqan. And there is a brother from our brothers, indeed he is a student of my old students, as he testifies to that, who criticizes a book by our brother Abu Malik. He has observations on the da'wahs established today regarding jihad, and he is precise in his view and far-reaching in his thought. He was accused of having dropped the obligation of jihad, even though he has a specific chapter that contradicts this attribution that was made to him. What drove our brother, our beloved, and our friend in the da'wah for many years to such a lie? It is partisanship. We do not want to investigate such issues; because what has happened is enough. The brother Abd al-Rahman, he wrote accusing our brother Abu Malik, and perhaps something of his accusation reached me, but from a distance. So we do not want to widen the tear, as they say of the patcher. Rather, we should advise one another. So I recorded a word, and it must have reached him, calling on him to come here, and we will hold a special session to understand each other on some points where we may differ, and especially the last point where he accused a man from the well-known Salafi da'wah workers, known to us and to others, of having dropped the obligation of jihad. These are things that, in my opinion, are among the effects of partisanship and bloc formation. And if you have something else you want to ask, please go ahead.

The questioner : Please, no problem, let me finish or complete the questions on some points.

The Shaykh : I proposed a suggestion, I hope it is looked upon with acceptance. It is not befitting to investigate the details of differences that occur within the same group; because this will be broadcast and spread, and the rift will increase, rift upon rift. If there is a fiqh question, that is more pleasing to me. But if it is a question that circles around partisanship, by Allah, we flee from it as we flee from a lion.