Firstly: It
is necessary for Ahlus-Sunnah to take to learning and taking their deen seriously. For the very first
calamity to befall one who claims Sunnah and Salafiyyah is the lack of zeal and
desire for seeking knowledge, travelling to the people of knowledge, acquiring
books, tapes, reading the Qur’an, the Sunnah and the books of the salaf. The cure to every doubt is
knowledge. A sign of a person’s “repentance” to Salafiyyah is that he displays
his sincerity by his seeking of knowledge.
Secondly:
There are many Usool (foundations) in Islaam, the first of which is no doubt Tawheed. However, there are many other
Usool as well, which have unfortunately been neglected. For example, making
sure one seeks knowledge, especially on issues of creed and manhaj, from a
person of the Sunnah, knowing the strengths and weakness of individuals and
callers, avoiding people who are not upon clarity and a straight way. A person
might have good manners but he is affected by Qutubism (dangerous ideology). So
don’t be deceived by his good behavior and don’t advance him merely on account
of his good manners, while he is afflicted by a dangerous ideology. Our salaf
warned from that. The point here is that we ought to acquire all of the Sunnah
and implement all of the Sunnah. We do not differentiate between aqeedah and
manhaj. To us, there is only one thing: the Sunnah. All of the Sunnah is our
aqeedah and manhaj.
Thirdly: It
is necessary for the Salafis to understand well the concept of al-Walaa
wal-Baraa in Islam. It has different levels. It first begins with the Kuffaar.
We make baraa’ (disownment) of them in absolute terms and our walaa (friendship,
loyalty) is for the people Islaam. Then within Islaam. We make baraa’ of the
innovators and the groups and parties of innovation, those upon shirk and innovation
and deviation in Allah’s Names and Attributes. We make sure that our baraa’ is
based upon Tawheed and Aqeedah. Then we make baraa’ based on adherence to the
manhaj and to the foundations of the Sunnah. Our total walaa’ is for the people
of the Sunnah, its scholars, students of knowledge and followers - those who
are upon the sound aqeedah and manhaj, internally and externally. This is the
saved sect, the Aided Group, and their signs and characteristics are amply
described in the Sunnah and the words of the early Salaf and their way is
manifestly clear. Then within this group we make baraa’ of the sinners and
disobedient ones, such that we befriend the pious friends of Allaah and make
them our companions.
Fourthly: It
is necessary for us to purify our souls and characters and manners from the
various blemishes and shortcomings. As we know, the Messenger (sallallaahu
alayhi wasallam) was sent to perfect the manners and characteristics of people.
So in addition to correcting our deen, our aqeedah, our manhaj and our Ibaadah,
we also correct our characters. The Ahlul-Ahwaa always seek to argue against
our creed and manhaj by using the argument of bad manners. Don’t let this
affect you. They have not been able to bring proofs for their innovated manhaj,
so this is the only way they can establish it. So don’t fall for this. This is
what they always use.
Fifthly: We
judge people by their company and look and see who they are mixing with, which
books are they reading, who do they speak with, whose ideas do they promote,
who are their true scholars and actual points of reference and whose platforms
do they sit on. This is the point of methodology which the Innovators hate and
detest. It enrages them, fills them with anger, and gives them sleepless nights
and lasting headaches.
Source: Ma’naa Qawlil-Hizbiyyeen:
“Murji’ah Ma’al Hukkaam, Kwawaarij Ma’ad-Du’aat,
Raafidah Ma’al Jamaa’aat, Qadariyyag Ma’al Kuffaar” Wa Maa Feehi Minal
Abaatil, p. 85-90. Published online by Salafipublications
