What is the ruling on affiliating with the Islamic groups present on the scene?
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The questioner : O Shaykh, may Allah reward you with good. What is the ruling on affiliating with the Islamic groups currently on the scene? We want clear guidelines for dealing with them.
The Shaykh : Yes, first of all, my brother, I do not approve of or agree with religious clustering, meaning that every party sees itself as separate from the others. This falls under the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Al-An'am 6:159]. Therefore, you find that these divided people have a hatred for one another that is more intense than their hatred for the open sinners who declare their sinfulness, as we hear. Some of them even misguide the other and declare him a disbeliever without a reason for declaring disbelief. So I do not see religious clustering or religious partisanship. I see that it is obligatory to erase these parties and that we should be as the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were, one community. If one of us errs in a creedal, verbal, or practical matter, we must advise him and guide him to the truth. If he is guided, that is what is desired. If the truth is with him, it is obligatory for us to return to what he was upon. If the truth is with us and he persists in what he is upon without a permissible interpretation, then at that time we warn against his opinion and what he has adopted, without believing that we are in a party and he is in a party, thereby dividing the Muslim community into two or more parts. I see that it is necessary for us, indeed it is obligatory upon us, to be against these parties, meaning against partisanship.
And praise be to Allah, the community, as its beginning agreed upon one path and one way, can have its end agree as well.
The questioner : So, O Shaykh, do you warn against these parties?
The Shaykh : No, I warn against partisanship.
The questioner : Is this the reality of the parties themselves?
The Shaykh : No, because if I said I warn against the parties, it might be that this party is on the right, so I do not warn against it. Rather, I warn against partisanship. I see that it is obligatory for those who say that these are Tablighis, these are Muslim Brothers, these are Salafis, these are Reformists, and so on, I see that it is obligatory for some of them to gather with others, discuss the matter, and come out with one thought and one opinion. As for them now being hostile to one another as is on the scene, you find these cursing those and attacking their honor. This weakens everyone now. If the common people see that they are in a state of blindness, where this one says the truth is with me and the falsehood is with that one, and this one says the truth is with me and the falsehood is with the other, the common people remain confused.
The questioner : Okay, O Shaykh, a student of knowledge!
The Shaykh : No, you have one question.
The questioner : This is an important topic and needs clear fatwas, because the youth have become divided.
The Shaykh : I have now given you a clear fatwa. The clear one is: I see that partisanship is not permissible at all.
The questioner : Okay, is affiliation permissible, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : Nor is affiliation permissible. Affiliation means that you feel that you are separate from the others. How can you be separate from the others when they are your brothers among the believers? If your brothers erred in a practical or creedal matter, gather with them, discuss with them, and clarify the error to them. But be confident that if they hear, for example, that these people are criticizing them or warning against them, their adherence to what they are upon will increase, even if it is false, because this is the nature of the human soul.
But if we said: O people, we are all Muslim brothers, we all want to reach the Shari'ah of Allah, let us be equal upon it. If Allah (Mighty and Majestic) says:[Ali 'Imran 3:64], how about our Muslim brothers? Come to a word of equality between us and you. For example, the Tablighis have a rule: that a person goes out for three days, or four, or a week, or a month. We investigate this method, what is it?
And they have, for example, not delving into scientific matters and going deep into them. We investigate with them, and we say: why do you decide on three days, or four, or a week, or a month, or so on? Why? And we look to see if they have a correct purpose and a beneficial intention. If so, we do not go to declare them innovators and publicize them for that. And if they dislike discussion in knowledge and delving into it, we ask them: why?
They said: so that enmity does not arise between the discussants. We say: this is wrong. The person who wants the truth, if another discusses with him to reach the truth, does not hate him. Rather, he may say: this is a blessing of Allah upon me that someone discusses with me, so that if I am in error, my error becomes clear to me.
The questioner : Another question on the same topic.
The Shaykh : No, there is no question.
The questioner : I requested, O Shaykh, that Salim al-Tawil and Hamad al-Othman, who are with us in Kuwait, openly combat non-partisanship, and oppose some of the groups except whom Allah has mercy upon. What is your advice to them? Shaykh Hamad and Salim al-Tawil.
The Shaykh : This is my advice, and I have just heard it for them and for others. And I also inform you that in our gathering, we do not address a specific person's name. But since you do not know our methodology, we forgive you for this.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : Otherwise, we do not accept that anyone speaks about a specific person, whoever it is. Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, first of all, my brother, I do not approve of or agree with religious clustering, meaning that every party sees itself as separate from the others. This falls under the saying of Allah the Exalted:
Indeed, those who have divided their religion and become sects - you, [O Muhammad], are not [associated] with them in anything. Their affair is only [left] to Allah; then He will inform them about what they used to do.
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ فَرَّقُوا دِينَهُمْ وَكَانُوا شِيَعاً لَسْتَ مِنْهُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ إِنَّمَا أَمْرُهُمْ إِلَى اللَّهِ ثُمَّ يُنَبِّئُهُمْ بِمَا كَانُوا يَفْعَلُونَAnd praise be to Allah, the community, as its beginning agreed upon one path and one way, can have its end agree as well.
The questioner : So, O Shaykh, do you warn against these parties?
The Shaykh : No, I warn against partisanship.
The questioner : Is this the reality of the parties themselves?
The Shaykh : No, because if I said I warn against the parties, it might be that this party is on the right, so I do not warn against it. Rather, I warn against partisanship. I see that it is obligatory for those who say that these are Tablighis, these are Muslim Brothers, these are Salafis, these are Reformists, and so on, I see that it is obligatory for some of them to gather with others, discuss the matter, and come out with one thought and one opinion. As for them now being hostile to one another as is on the scene, you find these cursing those and attacking their honor. This weakens everyone now. If the common people see that they are in a state of blindness, where this one says the truth is with me and the falsehood is with that one, and this one says the truth is with me and the falsehood is with the other, the common people remain confused.
The questioner : Okay, O Shaykh, a student of knowledge!
The Shaykh : No, you have one question.
The questioner : This is an important topic and needs clear fatwas, because the youth have become divided.
The Shaykh : I have now given you a clear fatwa. The clear one is: I see that partisanship is not permissible at all.
The questioner : Okay, is affiliation permissible, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : Nor is affiliation permissible. Affiliation means that you feel that you are separate from the others. How can you be separate from the others when they are your brothers among the believers? If your brothers erred in a practical or creedal matter, gather with them, discuss with them, and clarify the error to them. But be confident that if they hear, for example, that these people are criticizing them or warning against them, their adherence to what they are upon will increase, even if it is false, because this is the nature of the human soul.
But if we said: O people, we are all Muslim brothers, we all want to reach the Shari'ah of Allah, let us be equal upon it. If Allah (Mighty and Majestic) says:
Say, "O People of the Scripture, come to a word that is equitable between us and you - that we will not worship except Allah and not associate anything with Him
قُلْ يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ تَعَالَوْا إِلَى كَلِمَةٍ سَوَاءٍ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمْ أَلَّا نَعْبُدَ إِلَّا اللَّهَ وَلا نُشْرِكَ بِهِ شَيْئاًAnd they have, for example, not delving into scientific matters and going deep into them. We investigate with them, and we say: why do you decide on three days, or four, or a week, or a month, or so on? Why? And we look to see if they have a correct purpose and a beneficial intention. If so, we do not go to declare them innovators and publicize them for that. And if they dislike discussion in knowledge and delving into it, we ask them: why?
They said: so that enmity does not arise between the discussants. We say: this is wrong. The person who wants the truth, if another discusses with him to reach the truth, does not hate him. Rather, he may say: this is a blessing of Allah upon me that someone discusses with me, so that if I am in error, my error becomes clear to me.
The questioner : Another question on the same topic.
The Shaykh : No, there is no question.
The questioner : I requested, O Shaykh, that Salim al-Tawil and Hamad al-Othman, who are with us in Kuwait, openly combat non-partisanship, and oppose some of the groups except whom Allah has mercy upon. What is your advice to them? Shaykh Hamad and Salim al-Tawil.
The Shaykh : This is my advice, and I have just heard it for them and for others. And I also inform you that in our gathering, we do not address a specific person's name. But since you do not know our methodology, we forgive you for this.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : Otherwise, we do not accept that anyone speaks about a specific person, whoever it is. Yes.