Continuing the discussion regarding the attribution of criticism to a book about scholars.
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The questioner : But, Shaykh, may Allah make us among the people of truth. But I say, the important thing is that, Shaykh, this is what made us carry the warning against people like these, regarding these points of criticism, all of which I mentioned to you.
The Shaykh : I agree with you, and I do not agree. Do you know how? I warn against their sins, but I do not warn against them.
The questioner : How, my Shaykh?
The Shaykh : How is this supposed to be? How is this supposed to be a question?
The questioner : By Allah, the "how" is unknown here.
The Shaykh : We are not investigating the divine attributes; we are investigating human attributes.
The questioner : This "how" has not become clear to me.
The Shaykh : I know that there is no god but Allah.
The questioner : May Allah forgive us if we were rude or if we fell short, or...
The Shaykh : Perhaps the first time I was afflicted with meeting Al-Albani.
The questioner : No, it has been about seven years since I have been meeting you, Shaykh.
The Shaykh : What Allah willed, but I got into this kind of discussion, no?
The questioner : One time I asked you a question, and I was next to you, and I asked you a question about jihad in Afghanistan.
The Shaykh : But did you get into this kind of discussion?
The questioner : No, I did not get into it.
The Shaykh : Did you see how you evade the answer? May Allah reward you. We spend the whole night with people who are very, very far from us. How do we spend the night and day with people who are of us and among us? The only thing is that there are some issues. So, we are pleased, and we believe that it brings us closer to Allah, to continue in such a discussion to defend the honor of some of our brothers who are in the unseen, who live with us and we live with them in creed and methodology, in order to remove the misunderstanding that occurred between them and some of our brothers like you. So, this does not bother us at all; rather, it pleases us. Therefore, clarify what you have and do not be concerned, especially since I am not alone in the gathering; we seek help from the teachers and our brothers here. So, if you have anything else, we want to hear it. All the chatter is that we do not show loyalty to you and that there is extremism in the religion. This is very clear. Calling a sin a methodology is a mistake, without doubt. It is a mistake in methodology. That one did not err in methodology; that one erred in that he opposed the Shari'ah, and that is that he criticized the scholar without right. And this, as I told you at the beginning of the speech, is on your honor.
The questioner : On my honor, this speech is recorded.
The Shaykh : Yes, but I fear what I fear, that what came before and what comes after will narrow the circle. Now, I remember just now, and I return to mention it: Do you not distinguish between saying that such-and-such a scholar is a deceiver, or that he said something contrary to what he believes under pressure? Do you not distinguish between the two matters?
The questioner : Between a person, I mean.
The Shaykh : A word, and then it is covered up, and then the lecture comes, if we need it. A word, and then it is covered up. Distinguish between the two matters.
The questioner : Repeat the two matters to me, Shaykh, so that I understand it better.
The Shaykh : I say, may Allah forbid, about this brother of mine that he is a deceiver to the ruler. But I did not say it that way. I said that he is under a certain pressure, and he said what does not please the ruler. Do you distinguish between the two matters?
The questioner : I distinguish.
The Shaykh : Fine. Which one is lighter?
The questioner : The one under pressure.
The Shaykh : Ah, you are now attributing to these people that they said two things: one is severe, very severe, a clear sin, and the other is light, soft compared to the first, correct?
The questioner : Correct, the one who enters under pressures.
The Shaykh : Lighter.
The questioner : Lighter than deception.
The Shaykh : Now, do you think the reality is in the hearts of these people whom you accuse of criticizing scholars, that they said they deceived, or that they submitted under certain pressures?
The questioner : No, I do not see that they are under pressures.
The Shaykh : I am not asking you for your opinion. I am asking about what is in their hearts. I am not asking you for your opinion whether they were right or wrong.
The questioner : We assume good of them, is this not the obligation of a Muslim toward his Muslim brother?
The Shaykh : You have done well.
The Shaykh : I agree with you, and I do not agree. Do you know how? I warn against their sins, but I do not warn against them.
The questioner : How, my Shaykh?
The Shaykh : How is this supposed to be? How is this supposed to be a question?
The questioner : By Allah, the "how" is unknown here.
The Shaykh : We are not investigating the divine attributes; we are investigating human attributes.
The questioner : This "how" has not become clear to me.
The Shaykh : I know that there is no god but Allah.
The questioner : May Allah forgive us if we were rude or if we fell short, or...
The Shaykh : Perhaps the first time I was afflicted with meeting Al-Albani.
The questioner : No, it has been about seven years since I have been meeting you, Shaykh.
The Shaykh : What Allah willed, but I got into this kind of discussion, no?
The questioner : One time I asked you a question, and I was next to you, and I asked you a question about jihad in Afghanistan.
The Shaykh : But did you get into this kind of discussion?
The questioner : No, I did not get into it.
The Shaykh : Did you see how you evade the answer? May Allah reward you. We spend the whole night with people who are very, very far from us. How do we spend the night and day with people who are of us and among us? The only thing is that there are some issues. So, we are pleased, and we believe that it brings us closer to Allah, to continue in such a discussion to defend the honor of some of our brothers who are in the unseen, who live with us and we live with them in creed and methodology, in order to remove the misunderstanding that occurred between them and some of our brothers like you. So, this does not bother us at all; rather, it pleases us. Therefore, clarify what you have and do not be concerned, especially since I am not alone in the gathering; we seek help from the teachers and our brothers here. So, if you have anything else, we want to hear it. All the chatter is that we do not show loyalty to you and that there is extremism in the religion. This is very clear. Calling a sin a methodology is a mistake, without doubt. It is a mistake in methodology. That one did not err in methodology; that one erred in that he opposed the Shari'ah, and that is that he criticized the scholar without right. And this, as I told you at the beginning of the speech, is on your honor.
The questioner : On my honor, this speech is recorded.
The Shaykh : Yes, but I fear what I fear, that what came before and what comes after will narrow the circle. Now, I remember just now, and I return to mention it: Do you not distinguish between saying that such-and-such a scholar is a deceiver, or that he said something contrary to what he believes under pressure? Do you not distinguish between the two matters?
The questioner : Between a person, I mean.
The Shaykh : A word, and then it is covered up, and then the lecture comes, if we need it. A word, and then it is covered up. Distinguish between the two matters.
The questioner : Repeat the two matters to me, Shaykh, so that I understand it better.
The Shaykh : I say, may Allah forbid, about this brother of mine that he is a deceiver to the ruler. But I did not say it that way. I said that he is under a certain pressure, and he said what does not please the ruler. Do you distinguish between the two matters?
The questioner : I distinguish.
The Shaykh : Fine. Which one is lighter?
The questioner : The one under pressure.
The Shaykh : Ah, you are now attributing to these people that they said two things: one is severe, very severe, a clear sin, and the other is light, soft compared to the first, correct?
The questioner : Correct, the one who enters under pressures.
The Shaykh : Lighter.
The questioner : Lighter than deception.
The Shaykh : Now, do you think the reality is in the hearts of these people whom you accuse of criticizing scholars, that they said they deceived, or that they submitted under certain pressures?
The questioner : No, I do not see that they are under pressures.
The Shaykh : I am not asking you for your opinion. I am asking about what is in their hearts. I am not asking you for your opinion whether they were right or wrong.
The questioner : We assume good of them, is this not the obligation of a Muslim toward his Muslim brother?
The Shaykh : You have done well.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.