Advice for those who describe the religious as being strict
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Question:
A message was received for the program from the listener: Abdullah Abd al-Rabb al-Shamz—apparently—our brother from the residents of Riyadh. He asks and says: What is your opinion of those who criticize some of those who adhere to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and describe them as being strict? I give as an example: not shaking hands with non-mahram, for they accuse us of being backward. So what do you advise these people?
Answer:
Whoever labels those who adhere to the truth as being strict has erred and is mistaken. The one who adheres to the truth is described with goodness and uprightness. He is described as being moderate, and people pray for his success and steadfastness. It is not said: he is strict, or he is overly rigid. Rather, it is said: he is committed and upright. Allah the Exalted said: [Surat al-Fussilat: 30]. And He, Glorified and Exalted is He, said: [Al-Ahqaf 46:13] Those are the companions of Paradise, abiding therein, a reward for what they used to do [Surat al-Hijr: 13-14].
So Allah, (Exalted and Majestic is He), commanded His servants to be upright; [Surat al-Shura: 15]. Allah the Exalted said: [Surat Hud: 112]. Uprightness is adhering to the truth and standing firm upon it by performing the obligatory and leaving the forbidden. This is upright conduct; this is adherence.
So the one who does not shake hands with non-mahram is a committed person who is praised and rewarded. And the one who shakes hands with women who are not his mahram is a sinner, one who is negligent, transgressing, distant, and not committed.
So the point is: that the one who describes those who adhere to the obedience of Allah, and the performance of what Allah has made obligatory upon them, and the leaving of what Allah has forbidden for them, as being strict, or as being strict, or as being overly rigid, all of this is a mistake. So he must seek forgiveness from Allah, and he must repent to Allah, and he must leave this action. And the one who falls short in the obedience of Allah, and is negligent in the obligatory, this is called: distant, and he is called: negligent and not committed.
As for the one who is strict, he is the one who innovates in the religion. He is the one who forbids what Allah has permitted. For example, he says: Do not shake hands with a mahram, do not shake hands with a man. Or he says: Do not raise your voice in the remembrance of Allah after the prayer. He innovates in the religion. Or he says: When the day of the Mawlid comes, the twelfth of Rabi' al-Awwal, he makes a celebration for the Mawlid. This is an innovation—strictness. Likewise, he says: Make a celebration for your mother's birthday, or your son's birthday, or your father's birthday, at a time in the year, or at a time... All of this is from adding and being strict. Or he brings other innovations and calls people to them, meaning: he legislates for people what Allah has not authorized. As if he says: If it is the night of such-and-such, you pray such-and-such prayer, and on the night of such-and-such, you pray such-and-such prayer. Prayers that Allah has not legislated. This is called: an innovator, and he is called: strict. Or he says to people: When you pray, the prayer must be long, exceeding what Allah has legislated. This is strictness.
Or he says: If you fast, do not talk to people, or do not sell, and do not buy. This is strictness. And what is similar to that, which involves forbidding what Allah has permitted, or legislating what Allah has not authorized. This is strictness. Yes.
A message was received for the program from the listener: Abdullah Abd al-Rabb al-Shamz—apparently—our brother from the residents of Riyadh. He asks and says: What is your opinion of those who criticize some of those who adhere to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and describe them as being strict? I give as an example: not shaking hands with non-mahram, for they accuse us of being backward. So what do you advise these people?
Answer:
Whoever labels those who adhere to the truth as being strict has erred and is mistaken. The one who adheres to the truth is described with goodness and uprightness. He is described as being moderate, and people pray for his success and steadfastness. It is not said: he is strict, or he is overly rigid. Rather, it is said: he is committed and upright. Allah the Exalted said:
Indeed, those who have said, "Our Lord is Allah " and then remained on a right course - the angels will descend upon them, [saying], "Do not fear and do not grieve but receive good tidings of Paradise, which you were promised.
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا رَبُّنَا اللَّهُ ثُمَّ اسْتَقَامُوا تَتَنَزَّلُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْمَلائِكَةُ أَلَّا تَخَافُوا وَلا تَحْزَنُوا وَأَبْشِرُوا بِالْجَنَّةِ الَّتِي كُنْتُمْ تُوعَدُونَIndeed, those who have said, "Our Lord is Allah," and then remained on a right course - there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve.
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ قَالُوا رَبُّنَا اللَّهُ ثُمَّ اسْتَقَامُوا فَلا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ So Allah, (Exalted and Majestic is He), commanded His servants to be upright;
So for that, call and be upright.
فَلِذَلِكَ فَادْعُ وَاسْتَقِمْSo remain on a right course as you have been commanded
فَاسْتَقِمْ كَمَا أُمِرْتَSo the one who does not shake hands with non-mahram is a committed person who is praised and rewarded. And the one who shakes hands with women who are not his mahram is a sinner, one who is negligent, transgressing, distant, and not committed.
So the point is: that the one who describes those who adhere to the obedience of Allah, and the performance of what Allah has made obligatory upon them, and the leaving of what Allah has forbidden for them, as being strict, or as being strict, or as being overly rigid, all of this is a mistake. So he must seek forgiveness from Allah, and he must repent to Allah, and he must leave this action. And the one who falls short in the obedience of Allah, and is negligent in the obligatory, this is called: distant, and he is called: negligent and not committed.
As for the one who is strict, he is the one who innovates in the religion. He is the one who forbids what Allah has permitted. For example, he says: Do not shake hands with a mahram, do not shake hands with a man. Or he says: Do not raise your voice in the remembrance of Allah after the prayer. He innovates in the religion. Or he says: When the day of the Mawlid comes, the twelfth of Rabi' al-Awwal, he makes a celebration for the Mawlid. This is an innovation—strictness. Likewise, he says: Make a celebration for your mother's birthday, or your son's birthday, or your father's birthday, at a time in the year, or at a time... All of this is from adding and being strict. Or he brings other innovations and calls people to them, meaning: he legislates for people what Allah has not authorized. As if he says: If it is the night of such-and-such, you pray such-and-such prayer, and on the night of such-and-such, you pray such-and-such prayer. Prayers that Allah has not legislated. This is called: an innovator, and he is called: strict. Or he says to people: When you pray, the prayer must be long, exceeding what Allah has legislated. This is strictness.
Or he says: If you fast, do not talk to people, or do not sell, and do not buy. This is strictness. And what is similar to that, which involves forbidding what Allah has permitted, or legislating what Allah has not authorized. This is strictness. Yes.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.