What is the ruling on one who calls people to perform only the obligatory acts? For example, in the ritual bath, he teaches them only what is sufficient, even though he knows the recommended practice for the ritual bath, and he says, "I do not want to burden people."
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The questioner : O Shaykh, we have a young man whom I always see in the mosque. When someone asks him for a ruling on the ritual bath for major ritual impurity, he describes to them only the sufficient ritual bath and says, "That is enough; your major ritual impurity is lifted." We tell him, "My brother, you know the recommended practice: one performs the ablution and then pours water over his head." He says, "I know, but I do not want to make things difficult for them." We advised him, we advised him, but he said, "I am determined to do this." I do not know if he will be sinful for this or not?
The Shaykh : This man who does not explain from the religious laws except what is obligatory is considered one who has concealed knowledge. This is because it is obligatory for the student of knowledge to explain both the obligatory and the recommended, and then to tell people, "This is obligatory and this is recommended." So, whoever performs the obligatory, it is sufficient for him, and whoever performs the recommended, his reward increases. As for concealing the recommended out of fear of burdening people, he is, by Allah, not more merciful than Allah, nor more merciful than the Messenger. The Messenger explained to people what is sufficient and also explained to them the recommended.
So I advise this brother, as a recommendation from me to you through you, tell him: Let him fear Allah and explain to people the obligatory and the recommended, and he is on the right path. And if people act upon the recommended based on the knowledge he gave them, he will have a reward. So he explains to people the obligatory and explains the recommended. Regarding what is in excess of the obligatory, he says: "O people, if you limit yourselves to the obligatory, your conscience is clear, and if you do the recommended, it is more complete and increases your rewards."
As for concealing the truth out of fear that it will be difficult, may Allah be the helper. Is he more merciful to the believers than the Messenger? No, he is not more merciful.
The questioner : The one who did it.
The Shaykh : No, no, the one who performed the sufficient ritual bath, it is sufficient. That is to say: if you were on a bridge, for example, or at the sea or a river, and you intended the ritual bath for major ritual impurity, and you rinsed your mouth and inhaled water, and you came out, your major ritual impurity is lifted. But the best, as I told you, is to wash his private parts first from the effect of major ritual impurity, then perform a complete ablution, then pour water over his head three times, then wash the rest of his body. This is the best.
The questioner : It is not returned.
The Shaykh : Yes, that is correct.
The Shaykh : This man who does not explain from the religious laws except what is obligatory is considered one who has concealed knowledge. This is because it is obligatory for the student of knowledge to explain both the obligatory and the recommended, and then to tell people, "This is obligatory and this is recommended." So, whoever performs the obligatory, it is sufficient for him, and whoever performs the recommended, his reward increases. As for concealing the recommended out of fear of burdening people, he is, by Allah, not more merciful than Allah, nor more merciful than the Messenger. The Messenger explained to people what is sufficient and also explained to them the recommended.
So I advise this brother, as a recommendation from me to you through you, tell him: Let him fear Allah and explain to people the obligatory and the recommended, and he is on the right path. And if people act upon the recommended based on the knowledge he gave them, he will have a reward. So he explains to people the obligatory and explains the recommended. Regarding what is in excess of the obligatory, he says: "O people, if you limit yourselves to the obligatory, your conscience is clear, and if you do the recommended, it is more complete and increases your rewards."
As for concealing the truth out of fear that it will be difficult, may Allah be the helper. Is he more merciful to the believers than the Messenger? No, he is not more merciful.
The questioner : The one who did it.
The Shaykh : No, no, the one who performed the sufficient ritual bath, it is sufficient. That is to say: if you were on a bridge, for example, or at the sea or a river, and you intended the ritual bath for major ritual impurity, and you rinsed your mouth and inhaled water, and you came out, your major ritual impurity is lifted. But the best, as I told you, is to wash his private parts first from the effect of major ritual impurity, then perform a complete ablution, then pour water over his head three times, then wash the rest of his body. This is the best.
The questioner : It is not returned.
The Shaykh : Yes, that is correct.