[معز النيجيري]

Chapter 4

Differing and Splitting amongst the Salafis and the issue of the MadhaaHib and Fiqh alWaaqi’

Q: There is anapparent split which has appeared between the Salafis - followers of the Manhajof the Salaf asSaalih, so what is your advice for us?


Ans: that you all do not waste your time in criticizing oneanother, and you say: this one said this, andthat one said that; because it is:


Firstly: thisis not from knowledge at all.


And secondly: this method arouses anger, and establishes envy and hatred in the heart,upon you is nothing but knowledge, for it is knowledge that will reveal to youif this speech in the praise of Zayd (someone) from the people that has a lotof mistakes? And –for example- is it correct for us to call him: a person ofBid’ah? And consequently is he a Mubtadi’.


What do we want with all these goingdeep?! I advice that you do not go deep like this!


In reality we complain of this divisionthat occurred in those that ascribe to the Da’wah of the Book and the Sunnah,or as we in particular say: to the Salafi Da’wah.


This division –and Allaah knows best- the greatest reason for it is: presenting oneself for leadership unjustly, and it is not (dueto) differing in some intellectual views[1].


Q: Does a Muslimleave Salafiyyah if he contradicts the Salafi Manhaj in some issues of Ijtihaad?


Ans: as regards what I am hearing now in thisquestion that a Muslim is removed from the Jamaa’ah –the Salafi Jamaa’ah- justbecause he made a mistake in an issue, or in another, then I do not see thisexcept from the disease of the other parties.


This removal is from the system of some ofthese Islaamic parties that do not adopt the Salafi methodology as amethodology in understanding and comprehending Islaam, it is (to them) nothingbut a party that has been dominated by what had dominated other parties; from division,and gathering upon the roots of a mini-state, whoever disobey its leader willbe warned firstly and secondly and thirdly maybe, then he will be judged to beremoved (from the party)!


Such things are not permissible to beadopted by a group that ascribes in truth to the Book of Allaah and the hadeethof the Messenger of Allaah –Salallaahu ‘alaihi wasSalam- upon the understandingof the Salaf asSaalih, so we all know that our SalafasSaalih and at their head are the companions of the Prophet –Salallaahu‘alaihi wasSalam- they surely differed in some issues and this kind ofdiffering does not become, firstly, a reason for the existence of somethingfrom division amongst them, in contrast to the differing of the Khalaf; for surely they became because of theirdiffering different MadhaaHib, and many groups, up to the extent that alot do not consider the permissibilityof the Salaah (prayer) behind one who opposes their MadhHab, rather that becamea part of their legislation, documented in their books, so they say in itstexts or in the texts of this legislation: “Salaah is not permissible behind anopposer to the MadhHab”; this text is present in the Hanafi MadhHab, and in theShaafi’ee MadhHab, and in (the book) Sharh Nuraa –or alHawaashi as they say- wesee the weirdest of things from details that were not known, firstly to thefirst Salaf, and secondly the Salafis do not recognise such! Because Allaah –‘Azzawa Jal- has availed them from falling into such by their enlightment which Ihave pointed out earlier; that the companions differed in some issues, and evenat that they prayed behind one Imaam.


While the Khalaf; we find their effects intheir Mihraabs up till today, so you find in a big mosque four Mahaarib: thefirst Mihraab for the Hanaabilah, the second for the Shaafi’eeyah, and thethird -and this is in the middle- for the Hanafiyyah, and the last to the eastis the Mihraab of the Malikiyyah; because they are the smallest group in thosecountries.


And the Hanafi Imaam used to lead thepeople in the big mosque not too long ago, until the French colonized the landsof Syria, that was the inheritance the people of Syria inherited from the eraof the Ottomans; because the Ottomans all of them used to be Hanafis, so when Franceconquered Syria and appointed a leader for the Republic by the name(Taaj–ud-Deen alHasani)[2];who is one of the children of Badr-ud-Deen alHasani; which they used to say inhis time: “that he was surely the Muhadith of the lands of Shaam”, and I am notin that subject now, the point is that this Shaykh Taaj-ud-Deen ibnBadr-ud-Deen was the head of the republic and upon his head was a white turbanover a (Tarboosh)[3];because he lived like this, and that was of course from the French politics toensure calmness in occupied lands by them, so they saw that they should installover the Muslims a leader of the republic as a Shaykh with a turban.


This man was a Shaafi’ee so he changed thesystem of the Salaah (prayer); so he made the Shaafi’ee Imaam to pray beforethe Hanafi Imaam, this is from the effects of partisanship to the MadhHaab, andthe discussion of it here is a long tail, I only suffice now by pointing (toit) quickly.


As regards our Salaf asSaalih for surelythey were one hand (united), and one group, they pray behind one Imaam; nomatter how much this Imaam makes an error in his opinion, for surely it isfound amongst them one who said more than the differing that still existsbetween the Hanafiyyah and the Shaafi’eeyah –for example-, so the Hanafi seesthat the exit of blood from any part of the body by measure of one-thousand;(and if) it exceeds one thousand the wudhoo is nullified, while the Shaafi’eesees that it does not vitiate wudhoo.


Howeveryou will find from the Salaf one who sees –what majority of the Sahaabah didnot see, and the Ummah later agreed upon- that when a man has conjugalrelations with his wife and does not ejaculate, it is not obligatory to makeghusl; some of the elder Sahaabah saw this as opposing the majority of thecompanions who said what the messenger –‘Alaihi Salam- said: ((when the two privates meet then ghusl is obligatory, withejaculation or without))[4],this hadeeth was an abrogation for his statement –‘Alaihi Salam-: ((it is nothing but water from water))[5],so this second hadeeth reached some of the Sahaabah: ((it is nothing but water from water)); and fatwa used to be passed that a manthat mates his wife and does not ejaculate is in need only to make wudhoo, asfor ghusl then it is not obligatory for him.


But theother hadeeth reached the Sahaabah, and it is: his statement –‘Alaihi

Salam-: ((when the two privates meet, ghusl becomesobligatory with ejaculation or without)), and (even) with that you see these (ones) praying behind that (one)that says: ghusl is not (obligatory) on him, this is similar to a lot ofdiffering present within the MadhaaHib up till today, but we see a bigdifference between the differing of the Salaf and the differing of the Khalaf!The differing of the Salaf was Ijtihaad and intellectual, but it was notphysical; it did not divide them, and because of that they used to pray behindone Imaam.


Thus it came in sound books of ‘aqeedahthat from the ‘aqaa’id of the Salaf that was inherited by the Khalaf: is (theSalaah (prayer) behind every pious one and sinner), just as the Salaah isobligatory upon every pious (one) and sinner.


So now we say: some of the Sahaabahdiffered with the Khalif in his view and in his Ijtihaad, and despite that washe removed from the Jamaa’ah of the Muslims?


Allah the lord of the worlds forbid!


Its example: for surely Umar –radhiyallaahu‘anhu- made Ijtihaad in some issues and was correct in most of it, and wrong ina little of it, from this little: is that he prohibited the Muslims fromcombining between ‘Umrah and Hajj, and commanded them to single out Hajj;despite that the Prophet –Salallaahu ‘alaihi wasSalam- affirmed joining andcombining between Hajj and ‘Umrah[6].



Q: Do the Salafisdisapprove of the MadhaaHib of the four Imaams?


Ans: this is a lie! For we value the fourImaams –and likewise other than them- as they should be valued, and we do notavail ourselves of benefiting from their knowledge, and relying on their fiqh,without being partisan to anyone of them over the others.


And this is from what I have clarifiedclearly over thirty years ago in the introduction to my book: ((Description ofthe prophets prayer –Salallaahu ‘alaihi wasSalam- from the Takbeer to theTasleem as if you can see it)), so it is to it I direct anyone who wants toconfirm the falsehood of this allegation[7].


Q: What is thestance of the Salafis towards the fiqh alWaaqi’?


Ans: fiqh alWaaqi’ by its correct meaning inthe Sharee’ah is compulsory without doubt, however it is a Kifaa’iy obligation;if some scholars rise up to it, then (its responsibility) is dropped from therest of the scholars; talk less of the students of knowledge, talk less of thecommon Muslims.


Thus it is behooving to be balanced incalling the Muslims to the knowledge of (fiqh alWaaqi’), and not drowning themin political matters, and the analysis of western thinkers, for what is but compulsory –always-: is crooning about thepurification of Islaam from what has been attached to it from filth, thentraining of the Muslims –groups and individuals- upon this puritanised Islaam,and binding them to the Manhaj of the authentic Da’wah: the Book and the Sunnahwith the understanding of the Salaf of the Ummah[8].


And similarly it is not permissible –andthe situation is this- that any of the students of knowledge should negate thenecessity of understanding current matters; because it is not possible torealize the long cherished goal by consensus of the Muslims; which is: freedomfrom the Kufaar occupation of Muslim countries –or at least some of it-; exceptthat we know what they plot, or what they conspire together upon, so that wecan be wary of it and we can warn away from it, until their conquering andenslavement of the Muslim world does not continue.


And a large portion of this will not beexcept by training the Muslim youth with a training based on ‘aqeedah, knowledge,Manhaj established upon the roots of purifying Islaam from the filth that hasbeen attached to it, and built upon the principle of training upon this refinedIslaam as he revealed it upon the heart of the Messenger –Salallaahu ‘alaihiwasSalam-[9].


And it is a must –lastly- for the Muslims to know a veryimportant issue in this regard so I say:


It is behooving that pleasure in fiqhalWaaqi’ by its description in the Sharee’ah or being busy with it should notdrive us to entering the doors of modern day politics with its tyrants!Deceivers with political speeches, changing their methods repeatedly(indecision), lost by their ways.


What is but compulsory is to abide by thepolitics of the Sharee’ah, which is: (tending to the affairs of the Ummah), andthis tending should not be except in light of the Book and the Sunnah upon the Manhajof the Salaf asSaalih, and by the hand of the people of authority from thesincere scholars and just rulers, for surely Allaah curbs with the Sultan whathe has not curbed with the Qur’aan.


As for that western politics that open its doors and itglorifies its people; then there is no religion for it, and all those who line upbehind it or drown in its ocean: he has been afflicted by its wretchedness andhas been covered by its gloom; because he got busy with the secondary (matter)before the foundation!


And may Allaah’s mercy be on the one whosays: “whoever rushes something before its time: is punished by itsdeprivation”[10].

_______________________________________
[1] ((Silsilatu-l-huda wa-n-Nur))Tape no. (784)


[2] [TN]: French appointed Syrian leader and politician. Died 1943AD. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taj_al-Din_al-Hasani accessed: 27 Feb. 2014



[3] [TN]: See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fez accessed: 27 Feb. 2014




[4] Reported by alBayhaqi in (asSunan alKubra))(1/163), and similar meaning in ((the Saheehain))



[5] Reported by Muslim (343)



[6] ((Fataawa Jiddah)) Tape no (13)



[7] ((Silsilatu-l-hadeeth adh-Dha’eefah)) (3/6)



[8] ((Fiqh alWaaqi’))(Pp. 25)



[9] ((Fiqh alWaaqi’))(Pp. 38)



[10] ((Fiqh alWaaqi’))(Pp. 50-51)