What is the ruling on one who is unable to defend Islam and finds Islam being criticized in his presence?
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The questioner : Shaykh, may Allah reward you. Sometimes a person is put in a difficult position...
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : Sometimes a person is put in a difficult position, for example, when he is in a gathering where the Shari'ah is being criticized by people who claim to belong to it, but their claim is only nominal. He wants to defend it, but he cannot respond to their arguments. He cannot refer the matter to a scholar to get his opinion before defending the Shari'ah. However, he makes mistakes in his defense; for example, he raises an objection that he cannot handle.
The Shaykh : Yes, it is obligatory for a person, if he is in a gathering where falsehood is being spoken, to refute the falsehood to the extent of his ability. But if he is unable to do so, it is not permissible for him to speak, because he might speak falsehood, and that would be held against him as evidence.
The questioner : But if he remains silent, he is silent in the face of a violation of the Shari'ah.
The Shaykh : Even if he speaks, his silence regarding falsehood that is not from his own doing is better than him speaking falsehood himself. Then, for example, if he wants to speak, he can make an appointment with them. He says: "By Allah, my brothers, your words did not enter my mind, or as they say, did not enter my head. But our appointment is after one or two days," and he leaves.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : Sometimes a person is put in a difficult position, for example, when he is in a gathering where the Shari'ah is being criticized by people who claim to belong to it, but their claim is only nominal. He wants to defend it, but he cannot respond to their arguments. He cannot refer the matter to a scholar to get his opinion before defending the Shari'ah. However, he makes mistakes in his defense; for example, he raises an objection that he cannot handle.
The Shaykh : Yes, it is obligatory for a person, if he is in a gathering where falsehood is being spoken, to refute the falsehood to the extent of his ability. But if he is unable to do so, it is not permissible for him to speak, because he might speak falsehood, and that would be held against him as evidence.
The questioner : But if he remains silent, he is silent in the face of a violation of the Shari'ah.
The Shaykh : Even if he speaks, his silence regarding falsehood that is not from his own doing is better than him speaking falsehood himself. Then, for example, if he wants to speak, he can make an appointment with them. He says: "By Allah, my brothers, your words did not enter my mind, or as they say, did not enter my head. But our appointment is after one or two days," and he leaves.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good.