Learning Arabic Language from an Innovator

Shaykh Bakr Aboo Zayd stated:

It was narrated that Imaam Maalik (rahimahullaah) said: “Knowledge is not be taken from four: a foolish person who publicizes his foolishness, even if he was the most prolific narrator of hadeeth; a person of innovation who calls to it; a person who lies in his speech with people even if I don’t accuse him of lying in hadeeth; and a noble pious worshipper if he does not memorize precisely what he narrates.”

O you seeker of knowledge, if you are in a position of freedom of choice, then do not take from an innovator [be he]: a Raafidee, Khaarijee, Murjee, Qadaree or Qubooree… etc. For you will never reach the level of [knowledgeable] men: correct in your creed, strong in your association with Allaah, with strong vision, and following the ‘tracks’; except by abandoning the innovators and their innovations.[1]

Shaykh Muhammad Ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen commented on the above words thus:

The apparent meaning of the words of the Shaykh [that is, Bakr Aboo Zayd] is that no knowledge should be taken from a person of innovation including that which is not related to his innovation. For instance, if we find a person of innovation who is good at Arabic language: balaaghah, nahw and sarf, should we sit with him and take this knowledge that he is good at from him or boycott him? The apparent meaning of the words of the Shaykh is that we should not sit with him because that would lead to two evils.

First evil: He would be having a false idea about himself and thinking that he is upon the truth.

Second evil: People would be deceived by him since people would come one after the other to him and students of knowledge would learn from him; the layman cannot distinguish between the knowledge of nahw and knowledge of ‘aqeedah.

Consequently, we are of the view that a person should not learn from the people of innovations and desires absolutely, even if the knowledge of Arabic language can only be found among them. Allaah will facilitate for him a better person than the innovator. This is because, without doubt, by going to these people, it would make them have self-delusion and people would be misled by them.

Source: Sharh Hilyah Taalib al-‘Ilm, 93-94, by Shaykh Muhammad Ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him)

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[1] The Etiquette of Seeking Knowledge, p. 49-50 by Shaykh Bakr Aboo Zayd

Let Us Backbite For an Hour For The Sake Of Allaah

Backbiting a Muslim is prohibited according to the Noble Qur’aan. Allaah the exalted said: O you who believe! Avoid much suspicions, indeed some suspicions are sins. And spy not, neither backbite one another. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would hate it (so hate backbiting). And fear Allâh. Verily, Allâh is the One Who accepts repentance, Most Merciful” [Soorah al-Hujuraat: 12]

However, it is allowed to backbite the innovators and the deviants. Below are some of the sayings of the Salaf in regard to this:

A’mash reports from Ibraaheem (an-Nakha’ee) that he said: “There is no backbiting in the case of a person of innovation.” [Al-Laalikaa’ee 1/140]

Al-Hasan al-Basri said: “There is no backbiting in the case of a person of innovation or a person who openly commits sin.” [Al-Laalikaa’ee, 1/140]

Sufyaan bin Uyaynah said, “Shu’bah used to say, ‘Let us come together so that we can backbite for the sake of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic.” [Al-Laalikaa’ee 1/ 140]

Abu Zaid al-Ansari an-Nahawi said, “Shu’bah came to us on a rainy day and said, “Today is not a day for hadeeth; today is a day of backbiting. Let us come together and backbite the liars.” [Al-Kifaayah of Al-Baghdaadee, no. 91]

Abu Zur’ah ad-Dimashqee said, “I heard Abu Mushir being asked about a man who would make mistakes and turn the words around (in narrating hadeeth, forgetfully). So he said, ‘Make his condition known.’ So I said to Abu Zur’ah, ‘Do you not consider that to be backbiting?’ He said, ‘No.” [Sharh Ilal at-Tirmidhi 1/249 and al-Kifaayah of al-Baghdaadee no. 91, 92, with a slightly different wording]

Abdullaah bin al-Imaam Ahmad said, “Abu Turaab an-Nakhshabee came to my father who began to say, ‘So and so is da’eef (weak) and so is thiqah (reliable)’. So Abu Turaab said, ‘O Shaikh, do not backbite the ‘Ulamaa’. So my father turned to him and said, ‘Woe be to you, this is naseehah (advice), this is not backbiting.’ [Al-Kifaayah, 92 and Sharh Ilal at-Tirmidhi 1/350]

Muhammad bin Bandaar as-Sabbaak al-Jurjaani said, “I said to Ahmad bin Hanbal, ‘I find it very difficult to force myself to say, ‘So and so is da’eef’ and ‘So and so is a liar (kadhdhaab).” So Ahmad said, ‘When you remain silent and I remain silent, who will inform the ignorant on about that which is authentic (saheeh) from that which is problematic (saqeem).’ [Majmoo’ al-Fataawaa 28/231 and al-Kifaayah, 92]

Source: A Reply to the Doubts of the Qutubiyyah Concerning Ascription to Sunnah and Salafiyyah, p. 51-52

Gains of Inviting to the Way of Allah

Imaam Ibn Qayyim stated:

Inviting to the way of Allah the most High is the duty of the Messengers and their followers who are the successors of the Messengers in their nations. The people follow them. Allah – exalted be He – had commanded His Messenger to convey what was revealed to him and guaranteed him safety and protection against the people. This also applies to those who convey the message from him among his followers; they will have protection and guard from Allah in proportion to their effort in establishing Allah’s religion and its propagation.

The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) ordered that knowledge should be conveyed from him even if it is one verse[1], and he prayed for the one who transmits knowledge from him even if it is just one hadeeth; and conveying his teachings to the Ummah is better than conveying arrows against the enemy because while many of the people do this; only the inheritors of the heritage of the Prophets and their successors in the nations do that.

We ask Allah the most High to include us among them out of His mercy and generosity.

Source: Jalaa’ al-Afhaam fee as-Salaah was-Salaam ‘alaa Khayr al-Anaam, p. 215-216 by Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah

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[1] As reported in al-Bukhaaree hadeeth number (3461)

Knowledge is not by lots of Narrations

Shaykh Saalih bin Fawzaan stated:

Knowledge is not abundance of information, acquaintance and books. Rather, knowledge is only through understanding, following and acting; even if the knowledge is little. Therefore, little knowledge with righteous deed and understanding in Allah’s religion is abundance while ample knowledge without action and following (the Sunnah) is of no benefit.

There were scholars and monks among the Jews, in spite of this, their knowledge were of no benefit and they became those who earned Allah’s anger because they purposely disobeyed. So the goal is not abundance of knowledge and researches. The goal is action. This is the meaning of knowledge, and this is the way of those on whom Allaah has bestowed His Grace as stated by Allah the Most High:

Guide us to the Straight Way, The Way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace

They are the people of knowledge and action

Not (the way) of those who earned Your Anger (such as the Jews)

They are the people of knowledge without action.

Nor of those who went astray (such as the Christians).  [Qur’aan 1: 6 - 7]

They are the people of action, without knowledge.

So knowledge is non-beneficial without action, and action benefits not except with knowledge. It is essential for knowledge and action to co-exist, and this is the way of those on whom Allaah has bestowed His Grace.

Source: A Gift to the Reader in Annotation of Sharh As-Sunnah, vol. 2, p. 51-51 by Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan

How to Deal with a Mushrik Imaam

Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on him) stated:

One of the conditions of being an Imaam is that the Imaam must be a Muslim.  The scholars differ on whether uprightness is a condition the Imaam must fulfill or it is valid to perform prayer behind a defiantly disobedient person (faasiq). There are two views among the scholars. The correct view is that prayer is valid behind a defiantly disobedient person if he is a Muslim. However, it is not good to appoint a defiantly disobedient person when a better person is available. In fact, it is necessary for those in charge of affairs (the leaders) to make enquiries about the Imaam [before appointing him] in order to ensure that he is an upright Muslim, good in character and deeds because he will be emulated.

As for the person who visits graves in order to invoke its inhabitants, or seek succor from them or ask them to cure the sick and grant him for victory over the enemies [or practices fortune telling and sacrifices to the jinn], such a person is not a Muslim. He is a Mushrik (polytheist) because calling upon the dead, seeking aid from them, [fortune-telling and performing sacrifice to the jinn] are forms of kufr (disbelief) in Allaah. Therefore, it is not permissible to appoint him as an Imaam or observe prayer behind him. If the Muslims cannot find another masjid, they should pray before or after him; they should pray in the same masjid he prays. But it should be after him or before him. If it is possible to remove him, it is obligatory to remove him. But if it is not possible, the Muslims should wait for the prayer of this Mushrik Imaam and his followers, and thereafter they should observe theirs or they should precede them [to the masjid] when it is time to pray and pray before them if that is possible…

Source: Fataawaa Noor ‘alaa ad-Darb by Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him)