Is the disagreement arising from the establishment of Islamic groups, or is it arising from a lack of understanding of the texts that support or indicate the establishment of associations, or the non-establishment of them?

The questioner: In the speech ofThe Shaykh : Abu Malik: The disagreement that circulates among Islamic groups, and especially among the Salafi groups, I want to understand whether the disagreement arises from the establishment of Islamic groups, or whether it arises from a lack of understanding of the texts that support or indicate the establishment of associations, or the non-establishment of them?

The Shaykh: I did not understand the first sentence. Does the disagreement arise from?

The questioner: The establishment of charitable associations.

The Shaykh: Denial, do you say?

The questioner: Establishment.
Abu Malik : Is the disagreement among Muslims, and especially among the Salafis, caused by the establishment of Islamic associations, or by the nature of understanding the texts of the Shari'ah?

The Shaykh: No, establishment has no relation to the subject. The disagreement is a fundamental theological and intellectual one. Then, from this disagreement, a practical disagreement arises. Now, regarding associations, I think it is agreed upon among us, if Allah wills, that a charitable association must be based on the rulings of the Shari'ah. We are asking now, and I hope the answer will be clear: Do you believe that every charitable association in the Islamic world is based on the rulings of the Shari'ah?

The questioner: It is possible that some are based on the rulings of the Shari'ah and some are not.

The Shaykh: Then the answer is easier. He said no, and the matter is finished. Not all of them.

The questioner: No, in.

The Shaykh: Allow me, for the best of speech is what is brief and effective. My question is: Is every charitable association established today in the Islamic land based on the rulings of the Shari'ah? The answer is no, not all of them, but rather like this and like that.

The questioner: I mean something else, like the individual Muslim.

The Shaykh: The answer does not need detail, and that is why I wanted you to be concise so we can build upon it and proceed. Now, is it not necessary that those in charge of charitable associations be scholars and jurists?

The questioner : Yes.

The Shaykh: Are the charitable associations in the Islamic world like that?

The questioner: No, some of them may take the rulings of the Shari'ah, as long as ... .

The Shaykh: No, no, allow me. Your saying "they take the rulings of the Shari'ah" is not an answer to my question, my brother. Answer my words. I say your statement that some take the rulings of the Shari'ah is not what I asked about. I want to say that this reminds me of a word by Ibn Rushd al-Andalusi. He said a word of utmost gentleness and wisdom: "The example of the mujtahid and the example of the muqallid is like the example of the shoemaker and the seller of shoes." The shoemaker: a man comes to him with an unusual, unnatural foot size, short and wide, and he makes for him a shoe that fits this foot. As for the seller of shoes, this man with the unusual foot goes to the shoe seller, and he looks at the hanging shoes and apologizes, saying he does not find this size. I want the first type, meaning that any problem that occurs to this association should have the answer and the fatwa emanating from it, and not that they send it to the Ifta' department in such-and-such a country or to such-and-such a mufti in such-and-such a country and take, as you said, may Allah reward you, the rulings of the Shari'ah. No, I want it exactly like the money changer. The money changer must be knowledgeable about the rulings of currency exchange, otherwise he will fall into riba, correct? He may take the ruling of the Shari'ah, but where are the many transactions that cross his path that do not help him to ask and wait for the answer? The answer must emanate from himself. So the purpose, may Allah reward you, of all this speech is that these charitable associations must be based on the rulings of the Shari'ah, meaning by some of those in charge of this association. And unfortunately, this is very rare today in the Islamic world. I give you an example: some associations mix the funds of zakah with the funds of voluntary charity, and you must know something of this. They place the funds of zakah in general projects, for example, like the funds of voluntary charity, while zakah has its specified recipients mentioned in the Book and the Sunnah. Why? Because those in charge of it, from the president to the subordinate, are students of good, correct? But as it was said: "He led it, and Sa'd was wrapped in his cloak. *** This is not, O Sa'd, how camels are led." The one who wants to establish a charitable association must lay for it a foundation based on the Shari'ah. These people should be scholars. And we are in need of scholars in matters that affect all Muslims, and we do not find these scholars except in a few, unfortunately. In conclusion, this research is truly a long and important one, and we ask Allah, Mighty and Majestic, to guide us to the truth in which people have differed, and to make us know it, if Allah wills.
Abu Malik: Shaykh, a note, but a question. The one you asked about the associations in the Islamic world, are they all bound by the rulings of the Shari'ah?

The Shaykh: Allahu Akbar.
Abu Malik: The question is truly, I say, there is no association in the Islamic world that is bound by the rulings of the Shari'ah, for two reasons. The first reason is the ignorance of the vast majority of those in charge of them regarding the nature of the rulings of the Shari'ah. The second reason, and it is the most important, is that Shari'ah-based associations must deal with the state under which they are established. Without doubt, these associations, in dealing with the state's systems, must have their foot slip. I do not say in some cases, but in many cases. And so we have also seen, and this is the question I want to direct to our brothers and to all the brothers present, not only to our Yemeni brothers. We have been afflicted, and I mean we Salafis, by the fact that some of our brothers in some countries established these associations. And unfortunately, perhaps two associations are established in one country and there is no agreement between them. Why? I do not say because they differed in methodology in understanding the Islamic Shari'ah, for each of them says, "My methodology is the Book and the Sunnah, as our Shaykh mentioned, according to the understanding of the pious predecessors." But as we said at the beginning and we have been going around it, as our Shaykh mentioned and referred to my going around it, that matters must not be taken into consideration at the beginning, but rather they must be linked to a precise estimation of the beginnings to the ends. So when I place my foot on solid ground, I must estimate that I will reach the end of the journey on solid ground that prevents me from falling, so that I reach the goal I want. But hardly is this association or that one established until disagreement creeps in and disputes arise between the brothers in both associations, in this association and that association. Why is this disagreement? We have seen this as a clear reality in our Islamic world among our brothers who are on the methodology of the Book and the Sunnah. And this is nothing but for these two reasons we mentioned: that it is not possible, under the present systems, for associations to be established in which full legitimacy is realized, in which the association is bound by the rulings of the Shari'ah. This ...

The Shaykh: I want, if you allow me, to add a note around or an addition around the professor's words. Do you imagine an Islamic Salafi charitable association that has a fund to preserve the money available to it, and this money is not placed in one of the banks? Is this existing? Inform me with knowledge.

The questioner: O Shaykh, regarding this subject, it is without doubt that it must be existing, but this.
Abu Malik: He did not say it must be existing. He asked is it existing?

The questioner: The governments require that the capital, or that it has capital in social affairs, meaning in the bank.
Abu Malik: This is the answer.

The questioner: But I say that what the brother Abu Malik referred to applies to the rest of the charitable works, for example.