Ibrahim Shuqqa’s clarification of this dangerous methodology.
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Abu Malik: Our Shaykh, may Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : Please, go ahead.
Abu Malik: In truth, on this occasion, and with this kind response to such a question—which is a good topic and truly one of the new questions in these gatherings we hold—I would like to mention some issues and points that revolve around both the question and the answer.
The Shaykh : Yes.
Abu Malik: You have touched upon some of what I will mention, perhaps in more detail in some cases. I say that the affliction that has befallen this Ummah in these days, despite the spread of knowledge, the expansion of its circle, the multitude of authors, pens, books, publishing houses, and printing—as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) indicated in—is truly one of the signs of the Hour, without doubt. And the advice you offered, may Allah reward you with good, is what we used to mention to some of the brothers you named earlier, during a private visit. I told them to be cautious or to wait, and there is no objection or harm in that.
The questioner : Peace be upon you
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace and the mercy and blessings of Allah.
Abu Malik: So I used to tell them there is no harm, and we are very proud that among our youth in this time there are students of knowledge who discover new technical rules for us. I also told them that our Shaykh,The Shaykh : Nasser, may Allah reward him with good, is one of those scholars, praise be to Allah, who have renewed the rules of terminology and introduced things not established except through deep analytical reasoning in the old technical rules of hadith. We advised them accordingly, but it seems the advice was in one place and they were in another. In truth, what I see is that these brothers, or those to whom the brother Samir also referred—and I, of course, do not know them—should know that the peak of this knowledge is difficult and the path to attaining it is not easy. Whoever climbs it either has his neck broken or he ascends. But truthfully, I have seen in this time people who climb over the wall of this knowledge, and those who climb this towering wall without ladders are very many. In truth, whenever I look at the works of the hadith scholars, especially the students of knowledge who work in this methodology of the Book and the Sunnah, I see that almost every day someone appears in this era claiming that he is a hadith scholar, or that he works in the science of hadith, or that he authenticates and weakens. I say that this knowledge is religion, as our predecessors said: “This knowledge is religion, so look to whom you take your religion from.” I say that they took this knowledge not from its imams or its scholars. I always mention, in truth, that whenever I consider the matter of these people, I find that the majority of them—or rather, I mean by “majority” the proportion that exceeds one hundred percent—I say that the majority of those who are writing now should break their pens and wait a long time, and extend their patience far, until they can connect themselves to those scholars from whom we took this vast, great knowledge. And I truly do not glorifyThe Shaykh : Al-Albani, nor do I say this knowledge is unique in time. Rather, I say that in this time, the head of this knowledge is Shaykh Nasser al-Din al-Albani, and whoever wants to say otherwise is a liar. I say that it is not enough for students of knowledge, even those present here in Jordan, to write and devote their effort to looking at these books of terminology and books of the Sunnah by themselves. This is absolutely not enough, because the method in which Shaykh Nasser labored from his youth, and in which he aged, his beard grew white, his age increased, and he spent his life, did not bring him but a very little. I can hardly mention anyone who took or attained this knowledge and to whom Allah granted a great deal of it, as was the case with Shaykh Nasser al-Din al-Albani. The nature of this knowledge, in truth, is that it is taken from the sheikhs, and these sheikhs now—I do not say they are rare, they are very few, they have no existence. Therefore, I say regarding these brothers who write a lot and spend a great deal of time in authoring and looking, my advice to them is to stay away from authenticating and weakening, and to be content with attribution only, and that the attribution be to what they trust. They should not say, “I see that many of these people are judging.” They say, “This hadith is authentic,” and the authenticity they attribute to themselves, or the weakness they state, is not from themselves but is taken from others, and then they attribute it to themselves, or so they wander. And the truth is that this is a great affliction, because I consider it theft, and fabrication, and a type of trespassing on knowledge and taking it by an improper path, which should not be. In truth,The Shaykh : Brother Samir, may Allah reward him with good, reminded me of this issue, and I have long wanted to write about it, and to write a specialized article or thesis on this topic. I do not claim, of course, that I am, near or far, one of the people of this craft. But it is enough for me as pride that I am, praise be to Allah, one of the students of this craft. Another thing: in truth, I say that studying knowledge in the manner you mentioned, may Allah bless you, requires three issues or three matters. The first matter is the strong desire that motivates the student of knowledge to devote himself and cut himself off to this knowledge. I am truly amazed at those who write in this knowledge now, and I see that they do not devote themselves, perhaps not even one or two hours in a day. How can a student of knowledge attain this great knowledge? How can he attain it while he is like a water wheel? This is not possible in truth. The second matter is complete disconnection with this knowledge; he should be completely disconnected, and the disconnection should not be theoretical, and he should rule that he has become one with it. Rather, as you mentioned, may Allah bless you, he should be licensed, and the license here is missing. You clearly indicated this matter, that the license has become meaningless in the book that, if Allah wills, will be published soon, in which you defined the methodology, the methodology of the Salaf, especially in this era we live in, if Allah wills, and we hope it will be published soon, if Allah wills, and that the taking of knowledge should be fromThe Shaykh : And on this occasion, let me be bold, my Shaykh, may Allah bless you. I believe that, and I ask Allah Mighty and Majestic to prolong your life and bless your knowledge, and to gather us with you at the pool of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him).
The Shaykh : (peace and blessings be upon him). O Allah, amen.
Abu Malik: And that he may be, if Allah wills, an intercessor for us. I say that in this country, we hope and we still persist. How many times have I asked you and persisted in the request and question, based on the desires of many of the brothers who urge me and consider that my intercession with you is not rejected. But how many times has intercession been rejected with you?
The Shaykh : One does not force his brother to be a hero, Professor.
Abu Malik: So I say, our Shaykh, may Allah bless you, we are truly in need for a small number of students of knowledge to be cut off, or rather, to train in this knowledge, because I believe that those who are currently writing in this field have not yet trained in it. They believe that they have gained a share of this knowledge through their personal effort, but in reality, they have not taken it from a scholar like you in a correct manner such that it can be said that they are students of knowledge in this discipline. I say this, and then I move on to commenting on the answer, or on the question asked by my brother Samir. I say: regarding the issues related to the question, I ask: Can these brothers who claim this methodology define the issues in which there is disagreement between the early scholars and the later scholars? They have set a chronological barrier and ended it with al-Daraqutni, just as the poets who are cited as evidence ended with Bashar ibn Burd. I say that this citation can be valid in language, because language has weakened, but the scientific and terminological rules are fixed and do not change or alter. However, language weakens on the tongues of its people, and therefore the linguists set a chronological barrier that ends with citing poetry from the time of Bashar ibn Burd. So I ask: Can this chronological barrier allow them to define for us, or to gather, issues that reach, I do not want to say one hundred issues, I say ten in number? Can they do that, or accomplish it? If they were able to do this, they would have truly achieved some success in their claim. But I suspect that they cannot go beyond isolated issues. The second point
The Shaykh: If you please, what is the benefit if they are able to do so? What is the fruit?
Abu Malik: No, excuse me, Shaykh, I am saying that I am raising a question, but there is no fruit, no benefit, because even if we believe that this knowledge is one of the sciences that should not be said to be a loss of time, but rather knowledge is imposed, especially after the many discoveries that have been made in the science of hadith
The Shaykh: Give it to us, sir, give it to us
Abu Malik: I think you are breaking your fast now, may Allah accept it
The Shaykh : If Allah wills.
Abu Malik: So I say, our Shaykh, in truth, there is no fruit, and especially after we discovered, or rather, after huge and very large treasures were revealed, may Allah accept it, if Allah wills
The Shaykh : O Allah, amen.
Abu Malik: Huge treasures of the Sunnah were revealed, and there is no doubt that among these treasures, I believe that even the method of weakening and authenticating in these books, or in these revealed treasures, will also contain disagreement, as you see it among the early scholars
The Shaykh : Yes.
Abu Malik: Also
The Shaykh: We did not mention this
Abu Malik: Yes, indeed, and therefore, in truth, I believe that it is a great affliction to speak of distinguishing between the two periods, the period of the early scholars and the later scholars
The Shaykh : Correct.
Abu Malik: Then I say, this disagreement, even if it were much, on the assumption that the disagreement reaches hundreds of issues, I say, does this disagreement in the terminological rules lead to disagreement in the legal rulings? Or does it also affect the validity of the rules that we claim or believe in?
The Shaykh : Please, go ahead.
Abu Malik: In truth, on this occasion, and with this kind response to such a question—which is a good topic and truly one of the new questions in these gatherings we hold—I would like to mention some issues and points that revolve around both the question and the answer.
The Shaykh : Yes.
Abu Malik: You have touched upon some of what I will mention, perhaps in more detail in some cases. I say that the affliction that has befallen this Ummah in these days, despite the spread of knowledge, the expansion of its circle, the multitude of authors, pens, books, publishing houses, and printing—as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) indicated in
Among the signs of the Hour is the appearance of knowledge and the appearance of the pen
من أشراط الساعة ظهور العلم و ظهور القلمThe questioner : Peace be upon you
The Shaykh : And upon you be peace and the mercy and blessings of Allah.
Abu Malik: So I used to tell them there is no harm, and we are very proud that among our youth in this time there are students of knowledge who discover new technical rules for us. I also told them that our Shaykh,The Shaykh : Nasser, may Allah reward him with good, is one of those scholars, praise be to Allah, who have renewed the rules of terminology and introduced things not established except through deep analytical reasoning in the old technical rules of hadith. We advised them accordingly, but it seems the advice was in one place and they were in another. In truth, what I see is that these brothers, or those to whom the brother Samir also referred—and I, of course, do not know them—should know that the peak of this knowledge is difficult and the path to attaining it is not easy. Whoever climbs it either has his neck broken or he ascends. But truthfully, I have seen in this time people who climb over the wall of this knowledge, and those who climb this towering wall without ladders are very many. In truth, whenever I look at the works of the hadith scholars, especially the students of knowledge who work in this methodology of the Book and the Sunnah, I see that almost every day someone appears in this era claiming that he is a hadith scholar, or that he works in the science of hadith, or that he authenticates and weakens. I say that this knowledge is religion, as our predecessors said: “This knowledge is religion, so look to whom you take your religion from.” I say that they took this knowledge not from its imams or its scholars. I always mention, in truth, that whenever I consider the matter of these people, I find that the majority of them—or rather, I mean by “majority” the proportion that exceeds one hundred percent—I say that the majority of those who are writing now should break their pens and wait a long time, and extend their patience far, until they can connect themselves to those scholars from whom we took this vast, great knowledge. And I truly do not glorifyThe Shaykh : Al-Albani, nor do I say this knowledge is unique in time. Rather, I say that in this time, the head of this knowledge is Shaykh Nasser al-Din al-Albani, and whoever wants to say otherwise is a liar. I say that it is not enough for students of knowledge, even those present here in Jordan, to write and devote their effort to looking at these books of terminology and books of the Sunnah by themselves. This is absolutely not enough, because the method in which Shaykh Nasser labored from his youth, and in which he aged, his beard grew white, his age increased, and he spent his life, did not bring him but a very little. I can hardly mention anyone who took or attained this knowledge and to whom Allah granted a great deal of it, as was the case with Shaykh Nasser al-Din al-Albani. The nature of this knowledge, in truth, is that it is taken from the sheikhs, and these sheikhs now—I do not say they are rare, they are very few, they have no existence. Therefore, I say regarding these brothers who write a lot and spend a great deal of time in authoring and looking, my advice to them is to stay away from authenticating and weakening, and to be content with attribution only, and that the attribution be to what they trust. They should not say, “I see that many of these people are judging.” They say, “This hadith is authentic,” and the authenticity they attribute to themselves, or the weakness they state, is not from themselves but is taken from others, and then they attribute it to themselves, or so they wander. And the truth is that this is a great affliction, because I consider it theft, and fabrication, and a type of trespassing on knowledge and taking it by an improper path, which should not be. In truth,The Shaykh : Brother Samir, may Allah reward him with good, reminded me of this issue, and I have long wanted to write about it, and to write a specialized article or thesis on this topic. I do not claim, of course, that I am, near or far, one of the people of this craft. But it is enough for me as pride that I am, praise be to Allah, one of the students of this craft. Another thing: in truth, I say that studying knowledge in the manner you mentioned, may Allah bless you, requires three issues or three matters. The first matter is the strong desire that motivates the student of knowledge to devote himself and cut himself off to this knowledge. I am truly amazed at those who write in this knowledge now, and I see that they do not devote themselves, perhaps not even one or two hours in a day. How can a student of knowledge attain this great knowledge? How can he attain it while he is like a water wheel? This is not possible in truth. The second matter is complete disconnection with this knowledge; he should be completely disconnected, and the disconnection should not be theoretical, and he should rule that he has become one with it. Rather, as you mentioned, may Allah bless you, he should be licensed, and the license here is missing. You clearly indicated this matter, that the license has become meaningless in the book that, if Allah wills, will be published soon, in which you defined the methodology, the methodology of the Salaf, especially in this era we live in, if Allah wills, and we hope it will be published soon, if Allah wills, and that the taking of knowledge should be fromThe Shaykh : And on this occasion, let me be bold, my Shaykh, may Allah bless you. I believe that, and I ask Allah Mighty and Majestic to prolong your life and bless your knowledge, and to gather us with you at the pool of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him).
The Shaykh : (peace and blessings be upon him). O Allah, amen.
Abu Malik: And that he may be, if Allah wills, an intercessor for us. I say that in this country, we hope and we still persist. How many times have I asked you and persisted in the request and question, based on the desires of many of the brothers who urge me and consider that my intercession with you is not rejected. But how many times has intercession been rejected with you?
The Shaykh : One does not force his brother to be a hero, Professor.
Abu Malik: So I say, our Shaykh, may Allah bless you, we are truly in need for a small number of students of knowledge to be cut off, or rather, to train in this knowledge, because I believe that those who are currently writing in this field have not yet trained in it. They believe that they have gained a share of this knowledge through their personal effort, but in reality, they have not taken it from a scholar like you in a correct manner such that it can be said that they are students of knowledge in this discipline. I say this, and then I move on to commenting on the answer, or on the question asked by my brother Samir. I say: regarding the issues related to the question, I ask: Can these brothers who claim this methodology define the issues in which there is disagreement between the early scholars and the later scholars? They have set a chronological barrier and ended it with al-Daraqutni, just as the poets who are cited as evidence ended with Bashar ibn Burd. I say that this citation can be valid in language, because language has weakened, but the scientific and terminological rules are fixed and do not change or alter. However, language weakens on the tongues of its people, and therefore the linguists set a chronological barrier that ends with citing poetry from the time of Bashar ibn Burd. So I ask: Can this chronological barrier allow them to define for us, or to gather, issues that reach, I do not want to say one hundred issues, I say ten in number? Can they do that, or accomplish it? If they were able to do this, they would have truly achieved some success in their claim. But I suspect that they cannot go beyond isolated issues. The second point
The Shaykh: If you please, what is the benefit if they are able to do so? What is the fruit?
Abu Malik: No, excuse me, Shaykh, I am saying that I am raising a question, but there is no fruit, no benefit, because even if we believe that this knowledge is one of the sciences that should not be said to be a loss of time, but rather knowledge is imposed, especially after the many discoveries that have been made in the science of hadith
The Shaykh: Give it to us, sir, give it to us
Abu Malik: I think you are breaking your fast now, may Allah accept it
The Shaykh : If Allah wills.
Abu Malik: So I say, our Shaykh, in truth, there is no fruit, and especially after we discovered, or rather, after huge and very large treasures were revealed, may Allah accept it, if Allah wills
The Shaykh : O Allah, amen.
Abu Malik: Huge treasures of the Sunnah were revealed, and there is no doubt that among these treasures, I believe that even the method of weakening and authenticating in these books, or in these revealed treasures, will also contain disagreement, as you see it among the early scholars
The Shaykh : Yes.
Abu Malik: Also
The Shaykh: We did not mention this
Abu Malik: Yes, indeed, and therefore, in truth, I believe that it is a great affliction to speak of distinguishing between the two periods, the period of the early scholars and the later scholars
The Shaykh : Correct.
Abu Malik: Then I say, this disagreement, even if it were much, on the assumption that the disagreement reaches hundreds of issues, I say, does this disagreement in the terminological rules lead to disagreement in the legal rulings? Or does it also affect the validity of the rules that we claim or believe in?
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.