The Categories of Scholars, and the Refutation of Socialism
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The Shaykh : In this regard, people are divided into three categories, and I mean scholars. They are divided into three categories: scholars of the state, scholars of the nation, and scholars of the religion. How many categories are there?
The student: Three.
The Shaykh : Three: scholars of the state, scholars of the nation, and scholars of the religion.
Scholars of the state are those who look at what the state wants and make that the truth, even if it is false. These people are in great danger; they have wasted the trust and have not fulfilled what Allah commanded regarding the dissemination of the knowledge that Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) brought. Rather, they concealed it, following the desires of those they wish to please from their state, which wants them to speak other than the truth. There are many of them, but, praise be to Allah, they are not the majority of people, though they are numerous.
We mention that when the idea of socialism arose in the Arab states, some people from among the scholars said that socialism is from Islam, that socialism is from Islam. Scholars! Then they cite evidence that satisfies the rulers and does not satisfy Allah. They say that Allah said:[Ar-Rum 30:28] They said: His saying [Ar-Rum 30:28] means what? Socialism. Even though this falls under what is negated. That is to say, are you equal in your wealth, you and those who were slaves to you? Is the answer in the negative or the affirmative? In the negative. You are not equal.
And they also said: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Mishkat al-Masabih 3001 Does this indicate what they claimed? No, it does not indicate it. Rather, it indicates the opposite of what they claimed, because specifying the sharing in these three things indicates that what is other than them is not shared. They say that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) , and this may be a type of clinging for them, but it is from the ambiguous texts. The path of those firmly grounded in knowledge regarding ambiguous texts is to interpret them according to the clear texts, to interpret them according to the clear texts so that all the texts are clear. As for the one who follows the ambiguous and leaves the clear, Allah the Exalted has described them with the ugliest description. What did He say? [Ali 'Imran 3:7] And they recited the saying of the poet addressing the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "And the socialists, you are their leader" The poet lied. Rather, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is the leader of the people of justice and the removal of oppression, not the leader of the people of oppression. I only gave this example so that what we said becomes clear: that some people are from the scholars of what?
The student : The state.
The Shaykh : The state.
And some people are from the scholars of the nation, a scholar of the nation. He looks at what benefits the society and issues rulings based on it, and he looks at what the society rejects and remains silent about it. He remains silent about it in speech or remains silent about it in action. You find him leaving many of the recommended practices (sunnah) because people reject them. This is also a great error. It is obligatory for a person to speak the truth and not fear the blame of any blamer for the sake of Allah. And if he is among a group whose affairs might be corrupted if he says what they do not know or does what they do not know, he can use the method of wisdom. How is that? The method of wisdom is that he says to the people before performing the action: "From the guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is such and such, from the guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is such and such," until he settles their hearts on this. Then, after that, the application comes upon settled hearts.
The student: Three.
The Shaykh : Three: scholars of the state, scholars of the nation, and scholars of the religion.
Scholars of the state are those who look at what the state wants and make that the truth, even if it is false. These people are in great danger; they have wasted the trust and have not fulfilled what Allah commanded regarding the dissemination of the knowledge that Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) brought. Rather, they concealed it, following the desires of those they wish to please from their state, which wants them to speak other than the truth. There are many of them, but, praise be to Allah, they are not the majority of people, though they are numerous.
We mention that when the idea of socialism arose in the Arab states, some people from among the scholars said that socialism is from Islam, that socialism is from Islam. Scholars! Then they cite evidence that satisfies the rulers and does not satisfy Allah. They say that Allah said:
He presents to you an example from yourselves. Do you have among those whom your right hands possess any partners in what We have provided for you so that you are equal therein
ضرب لكم مثلا من أنفسكم هل لكم مما ملكت أيمانكم من شركاء فيما رزقناكم فأنتم فيه سواءso that you are equal therein
فأنتم فيه سواءAnd they also said: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Muslims share alike in three things: water, herbage and fire.
الناس شركاء في ثلاث: الماء والكلأ والنارHe commanded the one who has surplus land to plant it or give it as a gift
أمر من كان عنده فضل أرض أن يزرعه أو يمنحهAs for those in whose hearts is deviation [from truth], they will follow that of it which is unspecific, seeking discord and seeking an interpretation [suitable to them]. And no one knows its [true] interpretation except Allah.
فأما الذين في قلوبهم زيغ فيتّبعون ما تشابه منه ابتغاء الفتنة وابتغاء تأويله، وما يعلم تأويله إلا اللهThe student : The state.
The Shaykh : The state.
And some people are from the scholars of the nation, a scholar of the nation. He looks at what benefits the society and issues rulings based on it, and he looks at what the society rejects and remains silent about it. He remains silent about it in speech or remains silent about it in action. You find him leaving many of the recommended practices (sunnah) because people reject them. This is also a great error. It is obligatory for a person to speak the truth and not fear the blame of any blamer for the sake of Allah. And if he is among a group whose affairs might be corrupted if he says what they do not know or does what they do not know, he can use the method of wisdom. How is that? The method of wisdom is that he says to the people before performing the action: "From the guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is such and such, from the guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is such and such," until he settles their hearts on this. Then, after that, the application comes upon settled hearts.