Is it permissible for us to say that the Muslim community today is a disobedient community?
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The questioner : We had a disagreement with some of our brothers regarding the fact that sins are currently widespread in all Muslim lands, and actual sins have become dominant in the actions of most people, except for those whom Allah has shown mercy to, and they are few in applying the rulings of the Shari'ah and following the methodology of the Book and the Sunnah. So is it permissible to describe the community as a disobedient community, saying "the community is a disobedient community except for those whom Allah has shown mercy to," or "a corrupt community except for those whom Allah has shown mercy to," or something like that? Or is it not permissible to apply the term "disobedience" to the Muslims, and the only permissible statement is that "the Muslim commits sins" with this word only? That is, some of our brothers, may Allah do well by us, we consider them to be of good, said that it is not permissible to say that the entire community now is a disobedient community. We say that the Muslim community commits sins, but to describe it as "disobedient" is not permissible, because Islam and disobedience do not coexist?
The Shaykh : I do not see a difference in this, because if you say "the community is disobedient," you are done, and it is my turn. You say that the disagreement is whether it is permissible to say "the community is disobedient except for the few, except for those whom Allah has protected." You are bringing in the exception. So what is the other party's viewpoint in their disagreement with you, when you do not generalize the statement and say "the community is disobedient" and only say "except for those whom Allah has protected"?
The questioner : Al-Halabi : He says ... .
The Shaykh : Listen, do not repeat what he says. Answer me about what I am saying. I am saying now that you say "the community is disobedient except for those whom Allah has protected."
Al-Halabi : Why does he not agree with you regarding your statement "except for those whom Allah has protected"?
The questioner : He considers that the rest, those whom Allah Blessed and Exalted has not protected, are not Muslims. He says that a Muslim who is disobedient does not exist. So you cannot say "a Muslim who is disobedient"; you can only say "a Muslim who commits sins." But "a Muslim who is disobedient" does not exist.
The Shaykh : So the disagreement is not about the community, but about the Muslim: who is he? Does the Muslim commit sins or not?
The questioner : The Muslim commits sins.
The Shaykh : That is your opinion.
The questioner : The Muslim commits sins. That is my opinion and his opinion. We are talking about the community: is it permissible to say of the Muslim community that it is a disobedient community except for those whom Allah has shown mercy to?
The Shaykh : We have finished; we said it is permissible. But what is the opinion of the one who says it is not permissible regarding the exception? Why is it not permissible with this exception? You said it is not permissible to say "a Muslim who is disobedient."
The questioner : He distinguishes between the disobedient Muslim and the Muslim who commits sins. As for the disobedient Muslim, he says it is not permissible. He is either a Muslim who commits sins sometimes, but if you describe him as "a Muslim who is disobedient," how is that? It means it is not permissible, as if he wants us to declare him a disbeliever or exclude him.
The Shaykh : So in his view, there is a difference: a Muslim who committed a sin is permissible, but a Muslim who commits sins is not permissible?
The questioner : Yes, meaning "a Muslim who is disobedient" does not exist for him.
The Shaykh : Do you understand, my brother? He says "a Muslim who is disobedient" is not permissible, but "a Muslim who commits sins" is permissible. So what is the difference?
The questioner : Al-Halabi : I do not know.
The Shaykh : And I do not know.
Al-Halabi : Al-Halabi : Our Shaykh, the hadith in Muslim and he applied the term "the disobedient ones" to them merely for the sin.
The Shaykh : This is a lot from him. I do not know his viewpoint so that I can tell you whether he was right or wrong. But as for "a Muslim who commits sins," of course, is that not the one who commits zina? Do we not say he commits sins?
The questioner : Al-Halabi : He commits sins.
The Shaykh : Do we not say, a fortiori, that he is disobedient?
The questioner : Al-Halabi : He is contradicting here and cited this hadith thatSahih al-Bukhari 6782 when he commits zina, he said that at this moment, here, that in this moment, but his state is not always that he is disobedient, otherwise he would be excluded. And he is one of our good brothers.
The Shaykh : No problem, but we need to understand his viewpoint, my brother. Now, if he was, for example, stealing and a bullet hit him and he died.
The questioner : Al-Halabi : He died a thief.
The Shaykh : Be patient, may Allah guide you. He died a disbeliever. What would your friend say? I am not asking you.
The questioner : Al-Halabi : My friend did not discuss it with me in this way.
The Shaykh : Therefore, I cannot give you an answer to your question.
The Shaykh : I do not see a difference in this, because if you say "the community is disobedient," you are done, and it is my turn. You say that the disagreement is whether it is permissible to say "the community is disobedient except for the few, except for those whom Allah has protected." You are bringing in the exception. So what is the other party's viewpoint in their disagreement with you, when you do not generalize the statement and say "the community is disobedient" and only say "except for those whom Allah has protected"?
The questioner : Al-Halabi : He says ... .
The Shaykh : Listen, do not repeat what he says. Answer me about what I am saying. I am saying now that you say "the community is disobedient except for those whom Allah has protected."
Al-Halabi : Why does he not agree with you regarding your statement "except for those whom Allah has protected"?
The questioner : He considers that the rest, those whom Allah Blessed and Exalted has not protected, are not Muslims. He says that a Muslim who is disobedient does not exist. So you cannot say "a Muslim who is disobedient"; you can only say "a Muslim who commits sins." But "a Muslim who is disobedient" does not exist.
The Shaykh : So the disagreement is not about the community, but about the Muslim: who is he? Does the Muslim commit sins or not?
The questioner : The Muslim commits sins.
The Shaykh : That is your opinion.
The questioner : The Muslim commits sins. That is my opinion and his opinion. We are talking about the community: is it permissible to say of the Muslim community that it is a disobedient community except for those whom Allah has shown mercy to?
The Shaykh : We have finished; we said it is permissible. But what is the opinion of the one who says it is not permissible regarding the exception? Why is it not permissible with this exception? You said it is not permissible to say "a Muslim who is disobedient."
The questioner : He distinguishes between the disobedient Muslim and the Muslim who commits sins. As for the disobedient Muslim, he says it is not permissible. He is either a Muslim who commits sins sometimes, but if you describe him as "a Muslim who is disobedient," how is that? It means it is not permissible, as if he wants us to declare him a disbeliever or exclude him.
The Shaykh : So in his view, there is a difference: a Muslim who committed a sin is permissible, but a Muslim who commits sins is not permissible?
The questioner : Yes, meaning "a Muslim who is disobedient" does not exist for him.
The Shaykh : Do you understand, my brother? He says "a Muslim who is disobedient" is not permissible, but "a Muslim who commits sins" is permissible. So what is the difference?
The questioner : Al-Halabi : I do not know.
The Shaykh : And I do not know.
Al-Halabi : Al-Halabi : Our Shaykh, the hadith in Muslim
Those are the disobedient ones
أولئك العصاةThe Shaykh : This is a lot from him. I do not know his viewpoint so that I can tell you whether he was right or wrong. But as for "a Muslim who commits sins," of course, is that not the one who commits zina? Do we not say he commits sins?
The questioner : Al-Halabi : He commits sins.
The Shaykh : Do we not say, a fortiori, that he is disobedient?
The questioner : Al-Halabi : He is contradicting here and cited this hadith that
When (a person) an adulterer commits illegal sexual intercourse then he is not a believer at the time he is doing it
لا يزني الزاني حين يزني وهو مؤمنThe Shaykh : No problem, but we need to understand his viewpoint, my brother. Now, if he was, for example, stealing and a bullet hit him and he died.
The questioner : Al-Halabi : He died a thief.
The Shaykh : Be patient, may Allah guide you. He died a disbeliever. What would your friend say? I am not asking you.
The questioner : Al-Halabi : My friend did not discuss it with me in this way.
The Shaykh : Therefore, I cannot give you an answer to your question.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.