In a visit with
ash-Shaykh ‘Abdul-Muhsin al-‘Abbaad in Madeenah the
following discussion took place: We would like to direct your attention towards
the advice given to the students of Knowledge when the Magazine “
at-Tawheed”
sought benefit for the purpose of seeking Knowledge.
The
Shaykh, may Allah the Most High honor him, said: “My advice to the
students of Knowledge is that they seek to be sincere towards Allah in every
affair. And that they exert every effort in the path of obtaining the seeking
of Knowledge. And that they strive to locate scholars who will support them in
seeking Knowledge. And that their concern will be with the books that are
focused around the Quran, the
Sunnah, and the statements of the
rightly guided predecessors. And that they concern themselves with taking notes
of the benefits and issues that befall them. And that they constantly review
with their colleagues and in reading the books of benefit.
Just as they should strive to apply the knowledge that they call to as well
as striving to pass on the benefit to others so that they may be people who
guide to the good and who are rightly guided. And that their
Da’wah to
Allah is based on insight as it should not slip one’s mind that the one who
invites to guidance is given a reward like that of the one who follows the
guidance up until the Day of Judgment without their reward being depleted in
any way. Indeed the one who invites to Allah is rewarded for his invitation and
for his goodness towards his Muslim brothers and others whom he gives
Da’wah
to. He is rewarded the like of the one who is benefited with good because of
him. The one who leads others towards guidance has the same reward as the one
who is guided.”
In a question to his eminence regarding the curriculum which the students of
Knowledge should be cultivated upon he, may Allah the Most High honor him,
said: “As it is known those books that are connected with ‘
Aqeedah
(Islamic Creed),
Tafseer (Quranic Commentary),
Hadeeth (the
Prophetic Narrations),
Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence) and other
subjects. As for ‘
Aqeedah (Islamic Creed) then concern must be given
towards two categories of books, the first is the books of the
Salaf
(the rightly guided predecessors) which is built upon the Speech of Allah and
the Speech of His Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, as well
as the
Aathaar (statements of the rightly guided predecessors). From
those titles which bear the same name are:
One: “
as-Sunnah” like “
as-Sunnah” of Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal
and “
as-Sunnah” of ‘Abdullah bin Imaam Ahmad, “
as-Sunnah” of
al-Marwazee, “
as-Sunnah” of Ibn Abee ‘Aasim, "
as-Sunnah”
of al-Khilaal, and “
as-Sunnah” of al-Laalakaaiee.
Two: “
ar-Radd ‘alaa al-Jahmiyyah” such as “
ar-Radd ‘alaa
al-Jahmiyyah” of Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal, “
ar-Radd ‘alaa al-Jahmiyyah”
of ad-Daarimee, and likewise Ibn Mundah and Ibn Abee ‘Aasim. We would not have
known about the existence of “
ar-Radd ‘alaa al-Jahmiyyah” by Ibn Abee
Haatim but al-Haafith bin Hajar mentioned it in “
Fath-ul-Baaree” and
conveyed it.
Three: “
at-Tawheed” like the book “
at-Tawheed” of Ibn Khuzaymah
and “
at-Tawheed” of Ibn Mundah.
Four: “
al-Imaan” such as the book “
al-Imaan” by Abee ‘Umar
al-‘Adanee, “
al-Imaan” by Ibn Abee Shaybah, and “
al-Imaan” by
Abee ‘Ubayd al-Qaasim bin Salaam.
The second category is those books that rely on the early works such as the
books of
Shaykh-ul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn-ul-Qayyim, and Muhammad
bin ‘Abdil-Wahhaab, may Allah have mercy upon them all. That is because these
books rely on the books of the first category along with being arranged,
clarified, and explained in detail.
As for what is related to
Tafseer (Quranic Commentary) then concern
must be given towards those books that explain the Quran by the Quran, the
Sunnah
and the statements of the
Salaf-us-Saalih (the rightly guided
predecessors). From the early works there is the “
Tafseer” of Ibn
Jareer at-Tabaree and Ibn Katheer.
From the later works then there is “
Adhwaa-ul-Bayaan” by
ash-Shinqitee, and from the best of the abridged books of Tafseer whose
language usage is clear and its mode of expression is smooth, and it is a book
that applies to the specific and the general, it is the book “
Tayseer-ul-Kareem
ar-Rahmaan” by ash-Shaykh ‘Abdur-Rahmaan as-Sa’dee. It is suitable to be
read to the general masses of Muslims in the mosques due to its clarity and its
eloquent style and due to its avoidance of any obscurity, the mentioning of
contradictory statements, or the Israeli traditions. It is free of all of these
things.
As for
Hadeeth (the Prophetic Narrations) then concern must be given
towards the two
Saheehs as they both contain various sections on ‘
Aqaaid
(Belief), ‘
Ibaadaat (Worship), and
Mu’aamalaat (Business
transactions). The Book
Saheeh-ul-Bukhaaree opens up with the section
on
Imaan (Faith) and ends with the section on
Tawheed and
includes
al-Qadr (Divine Decree),
al-‘Itisaam bil-Kitaab
was-Sunnah (Holding fast to the Book and the
Sunnah), and other
various sections of belief.
The book
Saheeh Muslim opens up with the section on
Imaan
(Faith) and has a section on
al-Qadr (Divine Decree) as well as other
sections. Likewise there are the four
Sunan, the
Musnad of
Imam Ahmad, the Sunan of
ad-Daarimee, the
Muwatta of Maalik
and other books which are the
Usool (Islamic Foundations) that are
referred to and relied on in knowing the narrations of the Messenger of Allah,
the peace & blessings of Allah be upon him, and the
Aathaar
(statements of the rightly guided predecessors).”
His eminence answered a question concerning the correct position that the
student of Knowledge should take concerning the issues of dispute that have
been related (in the books of
Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence), so he
said, may Allah cause benefit by his knowledge:
“According to what is associated with
Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence),
meaning the Books of
Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence), then that should be
done by researching the statements of the ‘
Ulamah (the Scholars of
Islam) along with diligence in knowing the proof contained in the Book of Allah
and the
Sunnah of His Messenger, the peace & blessings of Allah be
upon him. And the student of Knowledge must be diligent in knowing the issues
of
Ijmaa’ (Consensus amongst the Muslim Scholars of
Fiqh) in
which there is no dispute about the issue and in knowing the evidences
regarding the issues of dispute.
This is on the basis that everything in the book is accepted and uncontested
yet on the basis that the issues are specified and what the People of Knowledge
have said concerning them is known. Likewise the evidences of these statements
(must be understood) and (the knowledge) of which one is more acceptable with
evidence. The student of Knowledge must have full conviction that the four Imams
and others like them strove to reach the truth based on evidences. And that
they are not infallible, rather they commit mistakes in addition to being
correct. They do not lose a reward or two. If they are correct they are
rewarded twice, a reward for their efforts and for being correct. However if
they commit a mistake then they are rewarded for their effort and their mistake
is forgiven.
It is only right that the student of Knowledge shows respect to the Imams,
praising them and benefiting from their knowledge without being partial to any
one of them. In this is an implementation of their advices to strive in knowing
the evidences and to support the balances between the evidences. And knowing
what is more acceptable based on evidence. If the student of Knowledge has the
ability to research and deduce a ruling of what is more accepted on his own
then let him do so. If not then he must refer to the one who has the ability to
do that for him.
And his lessons in
Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence) can be done by reading
from one of the books of the four main schools of
Fiqh (Islamic
Jurisprudence) or from other such books from the books of the
Fuqahaa
(the Islamic Jurists) of the
Salaf (the rightly guided predecessors).
And his readings and studies should be based upon what is established by
evidence. He seeks benefit from their knowledge as Ibn-ul-Qayyim said in the
book “
ar-
Rooh” that the person seeking benefit from the words
of the Imams is a great manner of respecting them and mentioning them with
words that are befitting and good. He gives a parable saying that seeking
benefit from the knowledge of the Imams is a means to obtaining the truth. That
is like gathering direction by way of the stars to find the
Qiblah
(the direction of the
Ka’bah) when a person is far from it. However
when he reaches it he does not need the direction of the stars. When he reaches
the evidence the desired result is attained. And whoever is near the
Ka’bah
does not need to be guided to it by use of the stars.”
When his eminence was asked about “
as-Sahwah al-Islaamiyyah” (the
Islamic Awakening) he responded by saying: “No doubt that adherence to what
came in the Book of Allah and the
Sunnah of His Messenger, the peace
& blessings of Allah be upon him and what the
Salaf (the rightly
guided predecessors) of this
Ummah (the Islamic Nation) were upon is
the path to safety, success, and peace. The Prophet, the peace & blessings
of Allah be upon him said: {whoever amongst you lives after me will see many
disputes. My
Sunnah and the
Sunnah of the rightly guided
Muslim rulers after me is obligatory upon you. Bite onto it with your molars
and beware of the newly invented matters.}
This narration explains that there will be many disputes and that many will
separate themselves. And that a person is not safe unless he follows the
straight path which was laid out by the Prophet, the peace & blessings of
Allah be upon him, in this narration. This methodology and path is the one that
the Salaf (the rightly guided predecessors) of this
Ummah (the Islamic
Nation), from amongst the companions to those who followed them, were upon.
Imam Maalik said, “This nation will never rectify its condition except by what
rectified the first nation.” And he also said, “What was not considered a part
of the religion in the time of the Prophet, the peace & blessings of Allah
be upon him, and his companions will not be considered a part of the religion
until the establishment of the Hour.”
So whoever desires happiness and success for himself it will never be obtained
except by traversing the guidance of the companions and those after them. When
a person does not take from this path then he will be swept away by his desires
and seized by the various opinions thus deviating from the path and falling
into perilous ground. Allah the Mighty & Majestic says: {this is my
straight path, follow it and do not follow the paths that will separate you
from His Direction…}
al-An’aam: 153
The people in every time and place are not protected from the disputes and
disunity except by holding to the truth and the guidance that the Chosen one,
the peace & blessings of Allah be upon him, and his noble companions, Allah
be pleased with them, were upon.”
And in a question posed to him concerning the Friday sermon and what is
appropriate for the
Khateeb (the one giving the sermon) to speak
about, he, may Allah honor him, said:
“The
Khateeb must take great care in benefiting whoever may hear his
words. And he addresses the different aspects of ‘
Aqeedah (Islamic
Creed), explaining it and clarifying it. Likewise he enlightens them to what
benefits against those habits and actions that conflict with the truth. He
warns them from what causes harm. He gives them insight concerning the affairs
of their religion whether that is in their worship to their Lord or in their
dealings with others. That is conveyed in words that are clear and based off of
the texts of the Book, the
Sunnah and the
Aathaar (statements
of the rightly guided predecessors).
And great care must be taken in outlining the finer points of the sermons
and in preparing them. And he must leave off disparagement that leads to harm
and disunity and that prevents the people from benefiting. He speaks about what
will benefit the people, connecting them to the truth, and teaching them what
will benefit them.”
Then he directed his words towards
Ansaar-us-Sunnah advising them: “My
advice to
Ansaar-us-Sunnah and those who have established the Magazine
“
at-Tawheed” is that they increase their efforts in spreading the
truth and in explaining the sound Islamic creed to the people. And on the
concentration of adhering to what was revealed in the Book and in the
Sunnah
as well as what the
Salaf of this
Ummah were upon. And that
all will be a shining example towards goodness since the person influences
greatly by the manner in which he gives
Da’wah, in his actions, and in
his adherence. That is a cause for benefit in
Da’wah as the poet said:
“And if you did not act in accordance with what you command then you only turn
away the one whom you have ordered to adhere.”
Thus the invitation to Allah the Mighty & Majestic is done with action,
with statement, and with beneficial words contained in magazines and books. The
one who invites to good is rewarded like the one who benefits from the good
that he caused as he said, the peace & blessings of Allah be upon him, in
the narration of Aboo Hurayrah: {Whoever invites to guidance…to the end of the
narration}.”
And he said in regards to himself: “I love my work to be for my own benefit and
I hope it will be considered solely for my Lord. I have great love for the companions
of the Messenger of Allah, the peace & blessings of Allah be upon him, may
Allah be pleased with them. I severely hate the one who hates them and I ask
Allah the Most High to grant success in speaking the truth and for sincerity in
performing the good deeds and in obtaining the beneficial knowledge and acting
in accordance to it indeed He is the One Who hears and Who responds to the
supplications.”
The magazine staff thanks Allah Most High for his eminence
ash-Shaykh
(‘Abdul-Muhsin) and asks Allah to keep him established upon the truth and that
Allah cause benefit by his efforts and deeds. And that he expands his life span
filled with goodness. Aameen.
Written by the General Editor, the late, Safwat Noor-ud-Deen
Taken from the Egyptian Salafi magazine at-Tawheed
published in Dhul-Qi’dah 1415, pgs 6 – 9.
Translated by Thomas Maldonado
