On the Style of Criticism Among Preachers
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Question: Your Eminence issued a statement a few weeks ago regarding the style of criticism among preachers, and some people interpreted it in various ways. What is Your Eminence’s opinion on that?
The questioner: A. F. A.
Answer: Praise be to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah and those who follow his guidance. As for what follows:
This statement to which the questioner referred was intended as advice to my brothers, the scholars and preachers, that their criticism of their brothers regarding articles, seminars, or lectures that are issued should be constructive criticism, free from disparagement and naming specific individuals; because this may cause animosity and enmity among everyone.
It was the custom and method of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that when he was informed of something from some of his Companions that did not conform to the Shari'ah, he would point it out by saying (peace and blessings be upon him):Sunan al-Bayhaqi 10:844 Then he would clarify the Shari'ah ruling, may peace and blessings be upon him. Among such instances is that it was reported to him that some people said: "As for me, I pray and do not sleep," and another said: "As for me, I fast and do not break my fast," and another said: "As for me, I do not marry women." So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) addressed the people, praised Allah and extolled Him, then said: Sunan al-Bayhaqi 10:844.
My intention is what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, namely that the pointing out should be done with words like this: some people said such and such, and some people say such and such, and what is prescribed is such and such, and what is obligatory is such and such. Thus, the criticism is made without disparaging any specific person, but rather in the context of clarifying the Shari'ah ruling, so that affection and love remain among the brothers, among the preachers, and among the scholars. I do not intend specific people by this, but rather I intended the generality of all preachers and scholars, both inside and outside the country.
My advice to everyone is that communication regarding advice and criticism should be through generalization rather than through specifying individuals, since the aim is to point out the error and mistake and to clarify what is correct and true, without the need to disparage so-and-so and so-and-so. May Allah guide everyone.
Abdul Aziz ibn Abdullah ibn Baz
The General President of the Scientific Research Departments
and Ifta, Da'wah, and Guidance
The questioner: A. F. A.
Answer: Praise be to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah and those who follow his guidance. As for what follows:
This statement to which the questioner referred was intended as advice to my brothers, the scholars and preachers, that their criticism of their brothers regarding articles, seminars, or lectures that are issued should be constructive criticism, free from disparagement and naming specific individuals; because this may cause animosity and enmity among everyone.
It was the custom and method of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that when he was informed of something from some of his Companions that did not conform to the Shari'ah, he would point it out by saying (peace and blessings be upon him):
What is the matter with a group of people who said such and such?
ما بال أقوام قالوا كذا وكذاWhat is the matter with a group of people who said such and such? But I pray and sleep, I fast and break my fast, and I marry women. Whoever turns away from my Sunnah is not one of me.
ما بال أقوام قالوا كذا وكذا، لكني أصلي وأنام، وأصوم وأفطر، وأتزوج النساء، فمن رغب عن سنتي فليس منيMy intention is what the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, namely that the pointing out should be done with words like this: some people said such and such, and some people say such and such, and what is prescribed is such and such, and what is obligatory is such and such. Thus, the criticism is made without disparaging any specific person, but rather in the context of clarifying the Shari'ah ruling, so that affection and love remain among the brothers, among the preachers, and among the scholars. I do not intend specific people by this, but rather I intended the generality of all preachers and scholars, both inside and outside the country.
My advice to everyone is that communication regarding advice and criticism should be through generalization rather than through specifying individuals, since the aim is to point out the error and mistake and to clarify what is correct and true, without the need to disparage so-and-so and so-and-so. May Allah guide everyone.
Abdul Aziz ibn Abdullah ibn Baz
The General President of the Scientific Research Departments
and Ifta, Da'wah, and Guidance
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.