Explanation of the author's statement: "…and the Rightly Guided Caliphs are those who succeeded the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in beneficial knowledge and righteous action"
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The Shaykh :"…and the Rightly Guided Caliphs are those who succeeded the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in beneficial knowledge and righteous action". In reality, they succeeded the Messenger in beneficial knowledge, calling [people to the truth], and action. And so it should be. However, it is possible to say that the call is part of righteous action, but specifying it is better; mentioning it explicitly is better. So they are those who succeeded the Prophet (may the prayer and peace of Allah be upon him) in beneficial knowledge, calling to the truth, and righteous action, as…
"And the most deserving of this description are the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), whom Allah the Exalted chose to accompany His Prophet and to establish His religion. And Allah the Exalted, being the All-Knowing and the Wise, would not choose to accompany His Prophet anyone but those who are the most perfect in faith and the most sound in intellect"
Contrary to those who say that these people are in the position of simpletons and the common folk, and that the intelligent ones are those who took [their knowledge] from the philosophers. These intelligent ones who know the premises and the conclusions, and if such and such happens, then such and such results, and so on. As for the one who takes the religion by its apparent meaning, he is from the common people. For this reason, they say that people are of two types: the common and the special. The common are those who took their religion by its apparent meaning, and the special are those who took it through reason, debate, and argumentation. The truth is that the matter is the opposite. Those who took the religion by its apparent meaning and submitted to Allah the Mighty and Majestic, outwardly and inwardly, are the people of intellect. As for those, ask them at the time of death; they will be the most of people in doubt at the time of death, may Allah protect us. The people of Kalam (theological discourse) are the most of people in doubt at the time of death, yes?
The questioner : People of whom?
The Shaykh : The people of Kalam, you don't know them, do you?
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Since you don't know them, let them go. These are the most of people, may Allah protect us, in doubt.
The questioner : The people of debate?
The Shaykh : Yes, the people of debate, because, may Allah protect us, they built their beliefs on something other than the Shari'ah.
"And the most deserving of this description are the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), whom Allah the Exalted chose to accompany His Prophet and to establish His religion. And Allah the Exalted, being the All-Knowing and the Wise, would not choose to accompany His Prophet anyone but those who are the most perfect in faith and the most sound in intellect"
Contrary to those who say that these people are in the position of simpletons and the common folk, and that the intelligent ones are those who took [their knowledge] from the philosophers. These intelligent ones who know the premises and the conclusions, and if such and such happens, then such and such results, and so on. As for the one who takes the religion by its apparent meaning, he is from the common people. For this reason, they say that people are of two types: the common and the special. The common are those who took their religion by its apparent meaning, and the special are those who took it through reason, debate, and argumentation. The truth is that the matter is the opposite. Those who took the religion by its apparent meaning and submitted to Allah the Mighty and Majestic, outwardly and inwardly, are the people of intellect. As for those, ask them at the time of death; they will be the most of people in doubt at the time of death, may Allah protect us. The people of Kalam (theological discourse) are the most of people in doubt at the time of death, yes?
The questioner : People of whom?
The Shaykh : The people of Kalam, you don't know them, do you?
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Since you don't know them, let them go. These are the most of people, may Allah protect us, in doubt.
The questioner : The people of debate?
The Shaykh : Yes, the people of debate, because, may Allah protect us, they built their beliefs on something other than the Shari'ah.