Keen Scholarly Insight of Shaykh Rabee’ ibn Haadee al-Madkhalee (may Allah preserve him) About the Causes of Differing During Crises and Emergencies

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful…

QUESTION: We are here together, and to Allah is all praise, gathered and talking to one another [cordially], without any differing between us. Yet, I see that when some of us return to their lands, they begin differing, even warning against each other. This happens even though they are all Salafees, their reference points are the same, and they all honor the same scholars of Ahlus-Sunnah in this land. So what is your advice to them, may Allah reward you with goodness?

ANSWER: I always advise my brothers and my children among the students of knowledge to stay away from whatever causes differing. This means that sticking to the texts [of revelation] is an absolutely necessary matter; it is a must. Yet, there are ijtihaadaat (attempts to assess and derive rulings on issues) which lead to division. Some ijtihaadaat are beneficial; Allah provides benefit through them to Islam and the Muslims. For this reason, the door of ijtihaad remains open, open to provide benefit to the Ummah, to guide them, to derive rulings from the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah raise his rank and grant him peace. The one who tries to shut the door of ijtihaad is mistaken, and he has no evidence.

However, firstly, no one is to perform ijtihaad other than one suitable for it, one who has equipped himself with the sciences of the Book, the Sunnah, the [Arabic] Language, and other things. This is the one who performs ijtihaad and investigates relative matters when nawaazil (crucial matters in need of important rulings) take place.

As for students of knowledge, one of them tries to understand as much as he can from the textual evidence. However, in current events and crises, no one is to speak other than the elite Continue reading

Exposing the Fake Story of Salmaan Refusing to Obey ‘Umar

[In the name of Allaah, the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful…]

The Khawaarij of this era, those who promote political turmoil and rebellion in the name of “activism” and “freedom of speech”, have spread the following false narration:

Ibn Qutaybah said in his book, ‘Uyoon al-Akhbaar:

Al-‘Utbi [d.228] said that ‘Umar received some war booty, two-piece garments. He distributed those things among the people. He went up on the Minbar and he had a complete set himself (both pieces). So he said “Oh people, will you not listen?” So Salmaan said: “We will not listen!” ‘Umar asked, “Why, O Father of ‘Abdullaah [meaning Salmaan]!?” He said, “Because you distributed the garments to us, one garment for each person, yet you have a whole set (i.e. two garments).” ‘Umar said, “Don’t be so hasty, oh Abaa ‘Abdillah,” and he called out, “Oh, ‘Abdullaah!” Nobody answered him. So he said, “Oh ‘Abdullaah bin ‘Umar!” His son responded, “At your service, O Commander of the Faithful!” Umar said, “I ask you, by Allaah, as a witness: The garment I’m wearing as an ezaar (the lower part), is it yours?” He replied, “Allaahumma Na’am (Yes).” Salmaan, may Allaah be pleased with him, then said, “OK, so now we will obey you!”

Shaykh Rabee’ ibn Haadee al-Madkhalee (may Allaah preserve him) explained the falsehood of this story. The following is a summary of his writings on the topic:

This is how al-‘Utbi narrated this, without any chain. And it’s been mentioned in the sittings of dictation that were recorded from ibn Durayd, #132, in the same way, without a chain. Ibn al-Jowzee also put it in his book: Sifatus Safwa with no chain. So this fable is rejected from the following angles:

Firstly, it has no chain from al-‘Utbi to ‘Umar and Salmaan, may Allaah be pleased with both of them. There is a huge gap in time between ‘Umar (and Salmaan) and this ‘Utbi. You would break the necks of camels trying to make that distance! [more than 200 years of broken chain!]

The second issue is that this ‘Utbi is Continue reading

Recources for Monthly Lessons at Masjid as-Sahaabah (Columbus, OH)

In the Name of Allaah, the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful…

The following resources can be used to prepare and review for the monthly lessons shared between al-Masjid al-Awwal in Pittsburgh and Masjid as-Sahabah in Columbus, Ohio, in shaa’ Allaah:

PRIMARY RESOURCES:

Text: Explanation of Imaam Ahmad’s Usool as-Sunnah
By Shaykh Rabee’ ibn Haadee al-Madkhalee
Downloadable PDF file, 86 pages

Text: Explanation of Haafith al-Hakamee’s Meemiyyah Poem
By Shaykh ‘Abdur-Razzaaq Badr
Downloadable PDF file, 279 pages

SECONDARY RESOURCES:

Audio: Explanation of Haafith al-Hakamee’s Meemiyyah Poem
By Shaykh Muhammad ibn Haadee al-Madkhalee
16 MP3 Audio files to download

RECORDED CLASSES:

Usool as-Sunnah

Meemiyyah Poem

QUIZZES: (temporarily unavailable)

Learn how to register for a free quiz account here.

Calling to Good Manners Firstly is Contradictory to the Prophetic Dawah Method [Shaykh Saalih al-Fowzaan]

In the Name of Allaah, the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful…

One of the great senior scholars of this era, Shaykh Saalih ibn Fowzaan al-Fowzaan (may Allaah preserve him), was asked:

Is this manner of da’wah (Islamic propagation) correct: One that begins by inviting the people to good manners at first?

The shaykh responded by saying:

No, this is misguidance, a contradiction to the da’wah of the Messengers. This is the call of the hizbees (bigoted sectarians) nowadays. It is a false da’wah, because it is contradictory to the methodology of the Messengers. What they (really) desire is that people remain upon their (various) beliefs, whether they are (the beliefs of) the Qubooriyyah (gravesite fanatics), idol-worship, or sufism. What is important (to them) is just to gather the people together, merely for the sake of Continue reading

Shaykh al-Fowzaan Exposes the Plots to Defame Scholars by Calling Them “Madkhalees” and “Jaamees”

In the Name of Allaah, the Most Merciful, the Ever Merciful…

Shaykh Saalih ibn Fowzaan al-Fowzaan, one of today’s most widely respected scholars of Islaam – may Allaah preserve and protect him – , was asked about people who resort to name-calling with labels like “Madkhalees” and “Jaamees”, and he replied:

Stop these kinds of affairs and this name-calling. Do not insult each other with name-calling. Allaah, the Mighty and Most High, has commanded you:

ولا تنابزوا بالألقاب

Do not insult each other with name-calling! [49:11]

You are all brothers [addressing students al-Madeenah University], all of you are upon the same religion. You are all peers, and to Allaah is the praise. Drop these affairs, and show respect for the scholars. Respect the scholars! Whoever does not respect the scholars shall remain deprived of their knowledge. He will be deprived of being able to benefit from them.

Abandon this thing – the name-calling and speaking ill of the scholars – those who have virtue and status over the rest of the people which Allaah bestowed upon them:

يرفع الله الذين آمنوا منكم والذين أوتوا العلم درجات

“Allaah raises the believers among you and the people given knowledge many degrees.” [58:11]

The scholars have their status, they have their ranks that are to be respected. If the scholars are Continue reading

Regarding the Claimed Contradictions of Shaykh Rabee’ in Jarh and Ta’deel

In the Name of Allaah, the All Compassionate, the Ever Merciful…

[Read the complete PDF version of this article]

We’ve seen for years people criticizing the likes of Shaykh Rabee’ ibn Haadee al-Madkhalee (may Allaah preserve him), regarding the claim that he is not upon the way of the early critics of the Salaf – the likes of Imaams Ahmad ibn Hanbal and Yahyaa ibn Ma’een. And what they say: “His ‘foolishness’ of lavishly praising people and then abandoning them has excluded him from resembling the critics of old, and it shows that he is ‘unstable’ and his statements in criticism of people are ‘not reliable’.”

Let us begin with understanding something in this issue so that we don’t pass on and parrot things without understanding them.

True Academic Criticism in Islaam

In academic criticism in Islaam – as understood by the scholars of Jarh wa Ta’deel throughout history (النقد العلمي) [Academic criticism] – No one is beyond criticism, no one is immune from criticism, other than those who have gained immunity from Allah, i.e. they have been praised in the Qur’aan and they have been sanctified by the Book of Allah or by the revelation given to Muhammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم), i.e. his Sunnah. Aside from that, the narrators, the teachers, the callers, the scholars themselves – all of them are subject to criticism. As one of the greatest of the scholars, al-Imaam Maalik, is so commonly quoted as saying:

مَا مِنَّا إِلاَّ رَادٌّ وَمَرْدُودٌ عَلَيْهِ

Meaning: Every single one of us (every scholar) is either criticizing / refuting, or being criticized / refuted.

That is the case of the scholars, and, of course, every writer and every caller is subject to criticism. The criticism of the scholars of Islaam is ongoing, it is mutajaddid [continuously updated], it is renewed, and it is revisited, at every possible occasion. No one from the critics of Islaam had ever Continue reading

Did Imam Al-Bukhari say “My Recitation of the Quran is Created”?

In the Name of Allaah, the All-Merciful, the Ever Merciful…

A phrase of disbelief and one of the slogans that identify the Laf-thiyyah Cult from the offshoots of the disbelieving Jahmiyyah Sect was attributed to the greatest scholar of Hadeeth in the history of Islaam, al-Imaam Muhammad ibn Ismaa’eel al-Bukhaaree (d.256), may Allaah have Mercy on him.  This short phrase was attributed to him:

لفظي بالقرآن مخلوق

“My recitation of the Quran is created.”

According to the scholars of Islam, anyone who held this belief was considered a disbeliever, speaking with one of the distinguishing traits of the Laf-thiyyah Cult, who were considered far more dangerous than the original Jahmiyyah disbelievers.

The great imaam, Abul-Qaasim al-Laalakaa’ee (d.418), listed the names of the scholars who were reported to have declared those who say “My recitation of the Quran is created” to be disbelievers. He listed over 50 scholars, including: Continue reading

Passing on Reports from an Unnamed “Thiqah” (Reliable Person)

Shaykh Rabee’ ibn Haadee Al-Madkhalee, well-known Hadeeth scholar and retired professor from the Islaamic University of Al-Madeenah, sheds some light on the status of reports that come by way of unnamed “reliable” people (thiqaat). 

QUESTION

We understand that accepting the report of a thiqah (trustworthy person) is from the Deen, however how do we know who is thiqah and who is not? Many people are spreading reports on the authority of “someone who is thiqah,” but they do not reveal who he is, possibly because they really doubt his reliability. Continue reading