If the people of my city force me to follow their Ibadi school of jurisprudence, when am I able to follow them without blame on me, and when am I not to follow them?
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The questioner : If you would allow me, O honorable Shaykh, one last question, if Allah wills. It is that I, and I seek refuge in Allah from the word "I," am a young man who follows the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). However, when I go to my city, which is under the Ibadi school of jurisprudence, they force me to follow them in everything. So what are the things in which I may follow them without blame on me, and what are the things in which I do not follow them?
The Shaykh : First of all, my brother, this is a question that is difficult, or rather impossible, to answer. That is because I do not know what they are forcing you to do, so that I can say: do not follow them in this, and follow them in this. That is first. Second: what do you mean by the word "forcing"? Allah (Mighty and Majestic) says in the Qur'an:[Al-Baqarah 2:256]. So what do you mean by forcing? And based on your interpretation and your illustration of your interpretation with some examples, I can tell you: follow them in this, mix with them in this, and strive against them in this with great effort.
The questioner : O honorable Shaykh, the questioner is not more knowledgeable than the one being asked, because this is a question.
The Shaykh : How so? Aren't you the one speaking?
The questioner : This question is not from me; this question is from a Muslim brother, meaning he brought it with me?
The Shaykh : If I am unable to answer, and if you are a native of the town and do not know what is meant by the word "forcing," and then do not know what the issues are that they are forced upon, I might say, for example, they let their garments hang down, they let their garments hang down, and they do not act upon this Sunnah. So I would say: if, may Allah forbid, you are an Ibadi, or that questioner is, and you fear for yourself from drawing attention to this Sunnah, you fear for yourself from them, then let your garment hang down when you pray with them. But preserve this Sunnah when you pray in a place where there is no one from those Ibadis watching you.
The questioner : Our Shaykh, you said: if you are an Ibadi, meaning originally, is that what you intended, or did I not understand the phrase?
The Shaykh: Of course.
The questioner : I mean that he was raised in an Ibadi upbringing.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : If you please, Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner : You were speaking about the last point, which is that you said: for example, if you follow the Sunnah and you are in the town, meaning frankly, in our town, if they see a person, or when they see a person, for example, bearded, they say his beard is long, and he lets his garment hang down, or he does not let his garment hang down, they consider him...
The Shaykh : First of all, my brother, this is a question that is difficult, or rather impossible, to answer. That is because I do not know what they are forcing you to do, so that I can say: do not follow them in this, and follow them in this. That is first. Second: what do you mean by the word "forcing"? Allah (Mighty and Majestic) says in the Qur'an:
There shall be no compulsion in [acceptance of] the religion. The right course has become clear from the wrong.
لَا إِكْرَاهَ فِي الدِّينِ قَدْ تَبَيَّنَ الرُّشْدُ مِنَ الْغَيِّThe questioner : O honorable Shaykh, the questioner is not more knowledgeable than the one being asked, because this is a question.
The Shaykh : How so? Aren't you the one speaking?
The questioner : This question is not from me; this question is from a Muslim brother, meaning he brought it with me?
The Shaykh : If I am unable to answer, and if you are a native of the town and do not know what is meant by the word "forcing," and then do not know what the issues are that they are forced upon, I might say, for example, they let their garments hang down, they let their garments hang down, and they do not act upon this Sunnah. So I would say: if, may Allah forbid, you are an Ibadi, or that questioner is, and you fear for yourself from drawing attention to this Sunnah, you fear for yourself from them, then let your garment hang down when you pray with them. But preserve this Sunnah when you pray in a place where there is no one from those Ibadis watching you.
The questioner : Our Shaykh, you said: if you are an Ibadi, meaning originally, is that what you intended, or did I not understand the phrase?
The Shaykh: Of course.
The questioner : I mean that he was raised in an Ibadi upbringing.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : If you please, Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Yes?
The questioner : You were speaking about the last point, which is that you said: for example, if you follow the Sunnah and you are in the town, meaning frankly, in our town, if they see a person, or when they see a person, for example, bearded, they say his beard is long, and he lets his garment hang down, or he does not let his garment hang down, they consider him...
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.