Abu Malik’s interjection regarding the issue of the etiquettes that are obligatory toward scholars.

Abu Malik: By Allah, I am our Shaykh, and I want to follow up on this matter, if you please.

The Shaykh : Please.
Abu Malik: It is not hidden, of course, from the brothers, and this is one of the self-evident matters that a student of knowledge should know, especially if he attends a session like yours and continues in this manner. I do not mean for the rest of his life, as long as he is alive, but rather if he attends three, four, or five sessions, my master, he will undoubtedly know the correct Sunnah conduct from your behavior toward the brothers. And I, of course, through my knowledge of you—I do not even mean the personal knowledge by which I know the personal conduct you adopt toward the brothers—if I were to rely solely on reading your books and did not know you, not from near or far, and did not know your personality, as many of the brothers tell me, I would still understand thatThe Shaykh : Nasir al-Din al-Albani, I do not think his conduct contradicts what he says, because he is a man who carries the banner of the Sunnah in this time and calls to it, by the permission of Allah. Therefore, what I am saying to the brothers is that they have been given from two sides. As for the first side, it may be that they are ignorant of the reality of the practical Sunnah regarding this path that the brother Ahmad follows.Abu Layla : And you show approval of this, so many of the brothers who attend think that this matter—I say this out of good opinion—is due to ignorance of the reality of the Sunnah. Otherwise, we know what Sufism is and who the Sufis are. We know thatThe Shaykh : now, for example, if Abu Ahmad were to strike a man,The Shaykh : and before that, for example, is it possible that he would be pleasedThe Shaykh : or would Ahmad thinkAbu Layla : to do this? This is among the impossibilities. Why? Because he knows that this is a contradiction. Well, if I know that it is a contradiction and I do not do it, it is known. So, does anyone imagine that the Sufis’ path in this matterThe Shaykh : would be to perform wudu, for example, and say, "Take this pure water," and then we race for this water, each of us wanting to wash his face with it or drink a sip from it? This is impossible. This is impossible. We do not do it, norThe Shaykh : do we approve of it. This is one of the self-evident matters that should be accepted. So, ignorance does not reach this level. So, ignorance remains within this small circle that you mentioned, quoting from them. So I say, therefore, these people should know, and they should be made to know and understand that this is not contrary to the Sunnah at all. This is the first tape or the first matter. As for the second matter, as for the second matter, I know that what Abu Ahmad does isThe Shaykh : withThe Shaykh : By Allah, as for me, as for me, I pray for him in his absence and I say, may Allah reward him with good for what he does for the Shaykh. And by Allah, the sonsThe Shaykh : are not present, and the sonsThe Shaykh : if they were present, AhmadAbu Layla : would be delayed, but the sonsThe Shaykh : are not present now. And therefore, we are all supposed to do this work that Abu Ahmad does, because if he isThe Shaykh : not our Shaykh, he is the father of everyone. I do not think that the duty of a son toward his father, or a child toward his father, is for the son to criticize his father by doing this. What can be said if another right is added to this right, namely the rightThe Shaykh : of his students? I do not think that the world is indebted in gratitude to Shaykh Nasir al-Din al-Albani, if those who are far away fromThe Shaykh : cannot do this, should we not do it? He has two rights over us. We tell these brothers: can they endure what Ahmad endures?Abu Layla : They cannot. You and I, and the third and the fourth, we all hope to do this withThe Shaykh : But I say to you, out of brotherly affection for this man Ahmad,Abu Layla : at the very least, that we pray for him in his absence that Allah, the Exalted and Sublime, grants him health and the strength by which he can remain in service toThe Shaykh : And by the way, what Ahmad doesAbu Layla : in the presence of people is something... Therefore, these people, either they mean... I find it difficult to say...

The questioner: No problem, one minute, if you please. Do not waste time. I asked Abu Nasir for permission, and he has long questions. Allow me one minute.The Shaykh : He can defend himself. The rumor among some of our brothers—I speak frankly—I see it as very unjust toward you. The rumor among some of our brothers in Allah is an accusation that I see as having two edges, namely their saying that heAbu Layla : forbids you from entering. No, no problem, I have questions. I wanted to defend my brother, whether he is wronged or unjust. No problem. In the words, I must hear fromThe Shaykh : a comment on them.
Abu Malik: ... Let me have a word. "Forbids" first of all, this is a lack of etiquette. Not just a lack of etiquette, but by Allah, if I knew him, I would not come to say, "I still have..." if you please, because this word contains foolishness. First of all, what does the word "forbids" mean? Either it means that he prevents people from reaching him, in which case, in truth, he preventsThe Shaykh : Ahmad.Abu Layla : from reachingThe Shaykh : by saying, "Do not come." So, who forbids the other if he wants to prevent? Or if he meant another meaning, by Allah, I would not break his nose if I found him and heard this word from him. But I say he means the first meaning, not the second.

The questioner: If you let me finish, you will know what the word "forbids" means, and we thank him for it. By Allah, I do not think they know the difference between "reserves" and "forbids." Why did I put it between objectors? I said, the rumor among some of our brothers is an accusation with two edges. From our perspective, it hits your person more than it is in the right of our brother.Abu Layla : Namely, that he forbids you from entering. The point.