The ruling on one who considers not rebelling against the ruler to be a defeatist mindset
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Your father, the Shaykh: We know that this statement is one of the foundations of the people of the Sunnah and the community, but unfortunately, some of the sons of the people of the Sunnah and the community consider this a defeatist mindset, and there is some negligence in it. This statement has been made; therefore, they call the youth to adopt violence in change.
Answer: This is an error on the part of the one who says it, and a lack of understanding; because they did not understand the Sunnah nor know it as it should be known. Rather, their enthusiasm and zeal to remove what is wrong led them to fall into what contradicts the Shari'ah, just as the Khawarij and the Mu'tazilah did. Their love for supporting the truth or their zeal for the truth led them to fall into falsehood, until they declared Muslims disbelievers for sins, as the Khawarij did, or they consigned them to the Fire for sins, as the Mu'tazilah do.
So the Khawarij declared disbelievers for sins, and consigned the sinners to the Fire eternally, and the Mu'tazilah agreed with them in the outcome, that they are in the Fire eternally in it. But they said: They are in this world in a position between the two positions, and all of it is misguidance.
And what the people of the Sunnah are upon—and it is the truth—is that the sinner does not become a disbeliever by his sin as long as he does not consider it permissible. So if he commits unlawful sexual intercourse, he does not become a disbeliever, and if he steals, he does not become a disbeliever, and if he drinks intoxicants, he does not become a disbeliever. But he is a sinner, weak in faith, an open sinner, and the fixed punishments are established against him. He does not become a disbeliever by that except if he considers the sin permissible and says: It is lawful. And what the Khawarij said in this is false, and their declaring people disbelievers is false. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said about them:Al-Mustadrak lil-Hakim 21:273 This is the state of the Khawarij due to their extremism, ignorance, and misguidance. So it is not fitting for the youth or anyone else to imitate the Khawarij and the Mu'tazilah. Rather, it is obligatory for them to follow the school of the people of the Sunnah and the community in accordance with the evidence of the Shari'ah. They should stand with the texts as they came, and it is not permissible for them to rebel against the ruler because of a sin or sins that occurred from him. Rather, they must offer sincere advice through writing and speaking, by the good and wise ways, and by arguing in the best manner, until they succeed, and until the evil decreases or disappears and the good increases.
Thus the texts came from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and Allah Mighty and Majestic says: [Al-Imran: 159].
So it is obligatory for those who are zealous for Allah and for the callers to guidance to adhere to the limits of the Shari'ah, and to offer sincere advice to those whom Allah has entrusted with affairs, with good words, wisdom, and a good style, until the good increases and the evil decreases, and until the callers to Allah increase, and until they are active in their calling in the best manner, not with violence and harshness. And they should offer sincere advice to those whom Allah has entrusted with affairs by all the good and sound ways, along with supplicating for them in their absence: that Allah guides them, and makes them successful, and helps them to do good, and that Allah helps them to leave the sins they commit and to establish the truth.
Thus the believer calls upon Allah and humbles himself to Him: that Allah guides the rulers, and helps them to leave falsehood, and to establish the truth with a good style and in the best manner. And thus, with his zealous brothers, he advises them, admonishes them, and reminds them until they are active in calling in the best manner, not with violence and harshness. And by this, the good increases, and the evil decreases, and Allah guides the rulers to good and to standing firm upon it, and the outcome will be praiseworthy for everyone.
Answer: This is an error on the part of the one who says it, and a lack of understanding; because they did not understand the Sunnah nor know it as it should be known. Rather, their enthusiasm and zeal to remove what is wrong led them to fall into what contradicts the Shari'ah, just as the Khawarij and the Mu'tazilah did. Their love for supporting the truth or their zeal for the truth led them to fall into falsehood, until they declared Muslims disbelievers for sins, as the Khawarij did, or they consigned them to the Fire for sins, as the Mu'tazilah do.
So the Khawarij declared disbelievers for sins, and consigned the sinners to the Fire eternally, and the Mu'tazilah agreed with them in the outcome, that they are in the Fire eternally in it. But they said: They are in this world in a position between the two positions, and all of it is misguidance.
And what the people of the Sunnah are upon—and it is the truth—is that the sinner does not become a disbeliever by his sin as long as he does not consider it permissible. So if he commits unlawful sexual intercourse, he does not become a disbeliever, and if he steals, he does not become a disbeliever, and if he drinks intoxicants, he does not become a disbeliever. But he is a sinner, weak in faith, an open sinner, and the fixed punishments are established against him. He does not become a disbeliever by that except if he considers the sin permissible and says: It is lawful. And what the Khawarij said in this is false, and their declaring people disbelievers is false. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said about them:
They will emerge from the religion as the arrow emerges from the game, and then they will not return to it. They will fight the people of Islam and call upon the people of idols.
إنهم يمرقون من الدين مروق السهم من الرمية ثم لا يعودون إليه، يقاتلون أهل الإسلام، ويدعون أهل الأوثانThus the texts came from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and Allah Mighty and Majestic says:
So by mercy from Allah, [O Muhammad], you were lenient with them. And if you had been rude [in speech] and harsh in heart, they would have disbanded from about you.
فَبِمَا رَحْمَةٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ لِنْتَ لَهُمْ وَلَوْ كُنْتَ فَظًّا غَلِيظَ الْقَلْبِ لانْفَضُّوا مِنْ حَوْلِكَSo it is obligatory for those who are zealous for Allah and for the callers to guidance to adhere to the limits of the Shari'ah, and to offer sincere advice to those whom Allah has entrusted with affairs, with good words, wisdom, and a good style, until the good increases and the evil decreases, and until the callers to Allah increase, and until they are active in their calling in the best manner, not with violence and harshness. And they should offer sincere advice to those whom Allah has entrusted with affairs by all the good and sound ways, along with supplicating for them in their absence: that Allah guides them, and makes them successful, and helps them to do good, and that Allah helps them to leave the sins they commit and to establish the truth.
Thus the believer calls upon Allah and humbles himself to Him: that Allah guides the rulers, and helps them to leave falsehood, and to establish the truth with a good style and in the best manner. And thus, with his zealous brothers, he advises them, admonishes them, and reminds them until they are active in calling in the best manner, not with violence and harshness. And by this, the good increases, and the evil decreases, and Allah guides the rulers to good and to standing firm upon it, and the outcome will be praiseworthy for everyone.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.