The Shaykh’s comments on a tape containing al-Sayyaf’s answer to a question therein

Listening to the tape: "What is your opinion of the claim of those who say that there is no group of the people of tawhid (the oneness of Allah) except the group of Da'wah to the Book and the Sunnah? Basically, those who issue these fatwas (scholarly legal rulings) and these rulings do not observe the Shari'ah method and Islamic etiquette in issuing their rulings and fatwas. They were supposed to familiarize themselves with the region, get to know the mujahideen, and get to know the Afghan people, and be aware of the history of this jihad and what happened to it, and then think about issuing their ruling. The group of Da'wah to the Book and the Sunnah was not established before the start of the war; it has a recent history. The emir of the group of Da'wah to the Book and the SunnahThe Shaykh : Jamil (may Allah have mercy on him) pledged allegiance to me for obedience in the presence of a delegation of Muslims who represented more than fifteen countries from the Islamic lands. He was a Salafi before the start of the jihad, and when he pledged allegiance to me, he was a Salafi. He knew me and knew my creed, and he pledged allegiance to me for obedience with knowledge and insight. He remained faithful to his pledge for two full years, and he used to say to me, (may Allah have mercy on him), 'If all those who pledged allegiance to you left you, I would stand firm by your side.' So why are these people rushing to issue this ruling? Did the group of Da'wah to the Book and the Sunnah claim that they alone are the people of tawhid (the oneness of Allah) and the others are not among the people of tawhid? If they made this claim, let them bring this claim before me... What we know is that they did not claim this. These are fatwas from those who have no knowledge or information about the Afghan issue and the Afghan jihad. As I said in my previous answers, I repeat it once more that the mujahideen started this jihad to serve the creed of tawhid (the oneness of Allah) and to serve the creed of the people of the Sunnah and the community, and to establish the rule of Allah on the face of the earth. How can these people be accused of not being on the creed of tawhid? And how can it be said that this group is the only group that belongs to the creed of tawhid, while the other groups do not belong? No, and far be it from the truth that it is so. But those who issue their fatwas without knowledge and without verification are unjust to this jihad and unjust to the sons of this jihad, and they fall into serving the plots that were organized to destroy this jihad without them realizing it and without them noticing. May Allah forgive them and guide them."

The Shaykh : CommentsThe Shaykh : A moment, up to here. The truth is, this is a regrettable matter, and I suggest that if my suggestion has not been implemented before, it should have been implemented before, regardingThe Shaykh : al-Sayyaf and Hekmatyar and the like of them, the leaders who are truly monotheists in their own selves and know that they are not like the other Muslim peoples. They differ with the group of tawhid in their land and in Saudi Arabia itself. If that is the case, they are in agreement, as we hope and as his absolute statement suggests to us. This absolute statement is of no benefit unless it is qualified. So, let them say, 'Our creed in tawhid is like the creed of the people of the Sunnah and the community.' Indeed, those who say tawhid has three sections: tawhid al-rububiyyah (oneness of lordship), tawhid al-uluhiyyah (oneness of worship) or tawhid al-asma' wa al-sifat (oneness of the names and attributes), and that whoever limits the interpretation of 'La ilaha illa Allah' to 'There is no Lord but Allah' is not a monotheist, and so on. I believe this statement is sufficient for such talk. So why don't they do this and take the path to extinguish the fitnah (trial, discord or temptation)? We know, as he says, that there are groups, and as you told me, they fish in troubled waters and stir up fitnah. So, eliminating the fitnah, if they are truly monotheists as we hope, the leaders only—we are not talking about the people, the representatives of the people in this jihad—why don't they announce it in a bulletin, in a simple message: 'Fear Allah, O people. Do not spread news about us that we are not monotheists. We say such and such.' Two or three lines, a page, a page, and so on. Is this not obligatory?

The questioner : It is obligatory, and they have done it.

The Shaykh : Where is the message? Where is the bulletin?

The questioner : Pamphlets and books about al-Sayyaf and Hekmatyar.

The Shaykh : Clarifying our creed in tawhid, and the summary is: if they say, 'We affirm tawhid: tawhid al-rububiyyah, tawhid al-uluhiyyah, tawhid al-asma' wa al-sifat,' from this kind of talk.

The questioner : If you advise them to do so, perhaps this matter has been overlooked for a long time on the front.

The Shaykh : Necessity is the mother of invention. When a person falls into such a great problem, he resorts to every means that achieves the desired goal.
Al-Halabi : Okay, what did our brother Abu Zahid mean when he said 'they did it'?

The Shaykh : He is saying there are messages or bulletins.
Al-Halabi : You are now saying to remind them, perhaps they are unaware.

The questioner : Now, in the present time.
Al-Halabi : Meaning, they did it before?

The questioner : Of course, they exist.

The Shaykh : That is why I say, why don't they seize this opportunity for two or three words.

The questioner : Shaykh, if Allah wills, if you have a P.O. box or something like that, send you books about al-Sayyaf and Hekmatyar.

The Shaykh : No, do not send me books. Send them a reminder from us, because if they send to us and we say, 'We bear witness that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, andThe Shaykh : al-Sayyaf and Hekmatyar, and so on, believe in the correct tawhid,' this is what eliminates the fitnah. But a word from him in such a position eliminates the fitnah and makes the people of sincerity who are in Saudi Arabia and outside Saudi Arabia return from this severance that I affirmed earlier. My words may be of benefit for an individual or individuals, and so on, but it does not remove the problem that occurred there. Okay, the continuation.