What is the ruling on the one who reads the questions in a lecture saying, “Question, O honorable Shaykh, the questioner said: I love you for the sake of Allah”?
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The Shaykh: Go ahead.
The questioner : O our Shaykh, before the issues I have, perhaps you would be kind enough to listen to a brief word. I am, of course, entrusted by the shaykhs, and there are many of them, to convey their greetings to you.
The Shaykh : Peace and mercy of Allah and His blessings be upon you and them.
The questioner : The second matter is that I am also entrusted, by the state of their hearts and by their words, by hundreds, or even reaching thousands, who call upon Allah (Mighty and Majestic) for you...
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you.
The questioner : In fact, many of them, and I swear by Allah I am among them, pair you with the parents in prostration in their supplication.
The Shaykh : May Allah reward you with good.
The questioner : By Allah, always whenever we mention you, we pray for good for you.
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you.
The questioner : By Allah, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh: May Allah reward you.
The questioner : O Allah, amen. We ask Allah...
The Shaykh : Oh God.
The questioner : O Shaykh, you have commendable efforts. This is not the place for praise specifically, but regarding the establishment of the methodology of the Salaf, the rejection of partisan sectarianism, and the rejection of these misguidances, no one denies your efforts in them.
The Shaykh : May Allah reward you with good.
The questioner : And the people’s praise of you, O Shaykh, and their mentioning you with good, that is the immediate glad tidings of the believer.
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you.
The questioner : ...And even if nothing came from your blessed efforts except the idea of purification and education, that would suffice, but it will be, if Allah wills, a proof before Allah on the Day of Resurrection.
The Shaykh : May Allah accept from us and from you.
The questioner : And I, O Shaykh, am a messenger of groups, not a messenger of a single group. All of them pray for you in their prostrations and at many times, saying, “May Allah reward al-Albani with all good for us.”
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you.
The questioner : And they pray for you for forgiveness and mercy, and that He may extend your life until... By Allah, I am not exaggerating; rather, I have only mentioned a little.
The Shaykh : May Allah reward you with good.
The questioner : And we ask Allah to forgive you.
The Shaykh : May Allah reward you.
The questioner : And that He may extend your life in His obedience.
The Shaykh : May Allah preserve you. We ask Allah to make all our deeds pure for His face. May Allah reward you with good.
The questioner : And we convey to you the glad tidings, O Shaykh, that the methodology of the righteous Salaf, in the way it was with the early imams of the Salaf, which you call to in your books and cassettes, is spreading among the youth, praise be to Allah.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah.
The questioner : Your books are in the front of the bookstores and your cassettes are in the front of the shops, and the youth have begun to adopt the Salafi methodology out of conviction, because it is the methodology of the Salaf, which is sufficient to solve all the problems of life.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah. That is a favor from Allah.
The questioner : Forgive me for prolonging the speech, but I find myself compelled to say.
The Shaykh : May Allah reward you with good.
The questioner : I have much in my arsenal, but perhaps this is sufficient, if Allah wills, and you know best.
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you.
The questioner : This is the issue. The second issue: perhaps we should start with the questions so that we benefit from you. Do you know, O Shaykh, and you are the one who teaches people that love for the sake of Allah and hatred for the sake of Allah is a great worship by which the Muslim draws near to his Lord? The strongest bond of faith is love for the sake of Allah and hatred for the sake of Allah. And you have also authenticated, as in “Sahih al-Jami’”:, and in a narration in Ibn Hibban, as you mentioned. The question, O Shaykh, is that now we have in some lectures, where the attendance may exceed thousands, he begins.
The Shaykh : Pardon me, what did you say?
The questioner : The attendance may exceed, or rather, the attendance exceeds thousands.
The Shaykh : I did not understand.
The questioner : I mean, in some lectures the attendance exceeds thousands.
The Shaykh : The attendees of the lecture.
The questioner : Yes, they exceed thousands. So in some questions, the questioner comes and says, or rather the one who reads the questions correctly says: “Question, O honorable Shaykh, the questioner said: I love you for the sake of Allah,” and then asks the question. The question is not about love for the sake of Allah or its absence, but the question is in this form, which, as is clear to you, causes fitnah and brings about what is not hidden from you. Is this extra form an innovation or permissible? Perhaps you could inform us, O Shaykh. Is the question clear, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : I will repeat to you what appeared to me.
The questioner: Go ahead.
The Shaykh : If I am correct, it is from Allah; if I am wrong, help me correct it.
The questioner : With Allah’s permission.
The Shaykh : I mean, some people take a means and a way to enter with a question about an issue, where it may not be appropriate to direct such a question, on the basis that he loves the one being asked for the sake of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He). So he presents that before the question as a preface, so that he may take the answer to the question from the one who has shown him that he loves him for the sake of Allah. Is that what you mean?
The questioner : No, Shaykh.
The Shaykh: Then.
The questioner : What I mean, O Shaykh, is that he truly loves you for the sake of Allah, and the question is beneficial, meaning he wants to ask, but before these crowds he said, “I love you for the sake of Allah.” Is this question appropriate, or is it in accordance with the Sunnah?
The Shaykh : Then, alright, do not say that he presents this before the question.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : If without any question, if he said before people that he loves so-and-so for the sake of Allah, that is the question.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : I mean, as you did?
The questioner : I seek forgiveness from Allah.
The Shaykh : Or otherwise, to understand the matter.
The questioner : Yes, as I did, but these are seven, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : What are these?
The questioner : Seven, not seven thousand.
The Shaykh : I mean, here the ruling differs with the difference in number.
The questioner : Yes, it happened, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Do not judge yourself that you sinned. We say, as you did, to confirm whether we finally understood correctly or not.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, this is it. Here we say there is no difference if the speech of the lover is with the lover alone, or if there is a third, or a fourth, or forty, or four hundred, or four thousand. This is not a fundamental issue. The fundamental issue is when he says to a person, “I love you for the sake of Allah,” is he sincere in this statement, or is he making it a means and a pretext to reach a goal, let us say, a worldly goal? Without doubt, in that case, this statement should not be presented, not because it is before a gathering, but not even between them, because it is not for the face of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He). That is because it is known that love for the sake of Allah and hatred for the sake of Allah, as you mentioned, is followed by being accompanied by advice. And of advice is that the Muslim is not rewarded for anything unless his intention is pure for the face of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He). And the intention may be pure for some truly believing people; there is no difference for them between revealing what is in their hearts of sincerity in love or in any worship of the worships. There is no difference for them between that being in the presence of a person or persons, or only Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) knowing about it. There is no difference in this. And the opposite is completely the opposite. If he is not sincere, even if there is no gathering or any crowd, then this speech at that time is not a religious speech. And perhaps you remember with me that the original rule in acts of worship is secrecy. For example, charity or zakah, as came in the well-known hadith:. But this is the original rule and this is the principle. However, it is established in fiqh that for every principle, as some say, there are exceptions. And I do not like this expression, rather I say that for every principle there are exceptions. For example, this charity, if the Muslim does it in the sight of people and announces his charity, and his intention is to establish a good practice for people, then his reward is doubled, because his statement will be true: (peace and blessings be upon him): Sahih Muslim 1017a to the end of the hadith, which is well known. Thus, . So it is not a matter of so-and-so declaring his love for so-and-so in the presence of a person or persons, or there is no one. Rather, the criterion is what is in the heart of sincerity or lack of sincerity, may Allah forbid. This is what appears to me as an answer to your question, after it has become clear, if Allah wills.
The questioner : May Allah reward you with good. May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh: Go ahead.
The questioner : O our Shaykh, before the issues I have, perhaps you would be kind enough to listen to a brief word. I am, of course, entrusted by the shaykhs, and there are many of them, to convey their greetings to you.
The Shaykh : Peace and mercy of Allah and His blessings be upon you and them.
The questioner : The second matter is that I am also entrusted, by the state of their hearts and by their words, by hundreds, or even reaching thousands, who call upon Allah (Mighty and Majestic) for you...
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you.
The questioner : In fact, many of them, and I swear by Allah I am among them, pair you with the parents in prostration in their supplication.
The Shaykh : May Allah reward you with good.
The questioner : By Allah, always whenever we mention you, we pray for good for you.
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you.
The questioner : By Allah, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh: May Allah reward you.
The questioner : O Allah, amen. We ask Allah...
The Shaykh : Oh God.
The questioner : O Shaykh, you have commendable efforts. This is not the place for praise specifically, but regarding the establishment of the methodology of the Salaf, the rejection of partisan sectarianism, and the rejection of these misguidances, no one denies your efforts in them.
The Shaykh : May Allah reward you with good.
The questioner : And the people’s praise of you, O Shaykh, and their mentioning you with good, that is the immediate glad tidings of the believer.
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you.
The questioner : ...And even if nothing came from your blessed efforts except the idea of purification and education, that would suffice, but it will be, if Allah wills, a proof before Allah on the Day of Resurrection.
The Shaykh : May Allah accept from us and from you.
The questioner : And I, O Shaykh, am a messenger of groups, not a messenger of a single group. All of them pray for you in their prostrations and at many times, saying, “May Allah reward al-Albani with all good for us.”
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you.
The questioner : And they pray for you for forgiveness and mercy, and that He may extend your life until... By Allah, I am not exaggerating; rather, I have only mentioned a little.
The Shaykh : May Allah reward you with good.
The questioner : And we ask Allah to forgive you.
The Shaykh : May Allah reward you.
The questioner : And that He may extend your life in His obedience.
The Shaykh : May Allah preserve you. We ask Allah to make all our deeds pure for His face. May Allah reward you with good.
The questioner : And we convey to you the glad tidings, O Shaykh, that the methodology of the righteous Salaf, in the way it was with the early imams of the Salaf, which you call to in your books and cassettes, is spreading among the youth, praise be to Allah.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah.
The questioner : Your books are in the front of the bookstores and your cassettes are in the front of the shops, and the youth have begun to adopt the Salafi methodology out of conviction, because it is the methodology of the Salaf, which is sufficient to solve all the problems of life.
The Shaykh : Praise be to Allah. That is a favor from Allah.
The questioner : Forgive me for prolonging the speech, but I find myself compelled to say.
The Shaykh : May Allah reward you with good.
The questioner : I have much in my arsenal, but perhaps this is sufficient, if Allah wills, and you know best.
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you.
The questioner : This is the issue. The second issue: perhaps we should start with the questions so that we benefit from you. Do you know, O Shaykh, and you are the one who teaches people that love for the sake of Allah and hatred for the sake of Allah is a great worship by which the Muslim draws near to his Lord? The strongest bond of faith is love for the sake of Allah and hatred for the sake of Allah. And you have also authenticated, as in “Sahih al-Jami’”:
If one of you loves his brother, let him inform him that he loves him for the sake of Allah.
إذا أحبَّ أحدكم أخاه فليخبِرْ أنه أحبَّه في اللهLet him go to his home
فليذهَبْ إلى منزلهThe Shaykh : Pardon me, what did you say?
The questioner : The attendance may exceed, or rather, the attendance exceeds thousands.
The Shaykh : I did not understand.
The questioner : I mean, in some lectures the attendance exceeds thousands.
The Shaykh : The attendees of the lecture.
The questioner : Yes, they exceed thousands. So in some questions, the questioner comes and says, or rather the one who reads the questions correctly says: “Question, O honorable Shaykh, the questioner said: I love you for the sake of Allah,” and then asks the question. The question is not about love for the sake of Allah or its absence, but the question is in this form, which, as is clear to you, causes fitnah and brings about what is not hidden from you. Is this extra form an innovation or permissible? Perhaps you could inform us, O Shaykh. Is the question clear, O Shaykh?
The Shaykh : I will repeat to you what appeared to me.
The questioner: Go ahead.
The Shaykh : If I am correct, it is from Allah; if I am wrong, help me correct it.
The questioner : With Allah’s permission.
The Shaykh : I mean, some people take a means and a way to enter with a question about an issue, where it may not be appropriate to direct such a question, on the basis that he loves the one being asked for the sake of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He). So he presents that before the question as a preface, so that he may take the answer to the question from the one who has shown him that he loves him for the sake of Allah. Is that what you mean?
The questioner : No, Shaykh.
The Shaykh: Then.
The questioner : What I mean, O Shaykh, is that he truly loves you for the sake of Allah, and the question is beneficial, meaning he wants to ask, but before these crowds he said, “I love you for the sake of Allah.” Is this question appropriate, or is it in accordance with the Sunnah?
The Shaykh : Then, alright, do not say that he presents this before the question.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : If without any question, if he said before people that he loves so-and-so for the sake of Allah, that is the question.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : I mean, as you did?
The questioner : I seek forgiveness from Allah.
The Shaykh : Or otherwise, to understand the matter.
The questioner : Yes, as I did, but these are seven, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : What are these?
The questioner : Seven, not seven thousand.
The Shaykh : I mean, here the ruling differs with the difference in number.
The questioner : Yes, it happened, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Do not judge yourself that you sinned. We say, as you did, to confirm whether we finally understood correctly or not.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : Yes, this is it. Here we say there is no difference if the speech of the lover is with the lover alone, or if there is a third, or a fourth, or forty, or four hundred, or four thousand. This is not a fundamental issue. The fundamental issue is when he says to a person, “I love you for the sake of Allah,” is he sincere in this statement, or is he making it a means and a pretext to reach a goal, let us say, a worldly goal? Without doubt, in that case, this statement should not be presented, not because it is before a gathering, but not even between them, because it is not for the face of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He). That is because it is known that love for the sake of Allah and hatred for the sake of Allah, as you mentioned, is followed by being accompanied by advice. And of advice is that the Muslim is not rewarded for anything unless his intention is pure for the face of Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He). And the intention may be pure for some truly believing people; there is no difference for them between revealing what is in their hearts of sincerity in love or in any worship of the worships. There is no difference for them between that being in the presence of a person or persons, or only Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) knowing about it. There is no difference in this. And the opposite is completely the opposite. If he is not sincere, even if there is no gathering or any crowd, then this speech at that time is not a religious speech. And perhaps you remember with me that the original rule in acts of worship is secrecy. For example, charity or zakah, as came in the well-known hadith:
Seven whom Allah will shade, and a man who gives charity with his right hand so that his left hand does not know what his right hand has spent
سبعة يظلُّهم الله ، ورجل تصدَّق بيمينه حتى لا تعلم شماله ما أنفقت يمينهHe who sets a good precedent in Islam, there is a reward for him for this
مَن سَنَّ في الإسلام سنَّةً حسنةً فله أجرهاActions are only by intentions
إنما الأعمال بالنياتThe questioner : May Allah reward you with good. May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh: Go ahead.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.