Shaykh Falaah Responds to Shaykh Wasiyyullaah's Criticism of Abu Khadeejah, Abu Hakeem and the NJ Conference

[Abu.Maryam.T]

Shaykh Falaah Ibn Ismaa'eel Responds to Shaykh Wasiyyullaah's Criticism of Abu Khadeejah 'Abdul-Waahid, Abu Hakeem Bilaal Davis and the NJ Conference What follows is a recording of Shaykh Falaah's response and clarification regarding Abu Khadeejah and his (i.e. Shaykh Falaah's) encouragement for people to benefit from the Conference recently held in Cherry Hill NJ. The complete translation will follow shortly inshaa`Allaah. Click here for Audio SunnahPublishing, Arabic Only, Translation to follow..

[Abu.Husam.Mouhanad]

Assalam alikum wa rahmatullah wa baraktuh,

Jazakum allah khairan for this important recording and may Allah preserve our noble sheikh Falah Bin Ismail Mandakar.

[Abu.Dawood.Abdullaah]

Assalamu Alaikum

Many brothers have been asking for the translation of the Shaykh's words. Insha Allah, here is a summary of the Shaykh's words until the full translation is made available.

The Shaykh mentions a question presented to Shaykh Wasiullah, and then corroborated the existence and presence of the exact text of the question, and whether the questioner is known and whether the entire answer of the Shaykh has been heard.

The Shaykh then said that the manhaj of the Sahaabah is what is to be the judge, and he quoted the verse about verifying the information of a faasiq, and then he said that one must verify the question and verify the answer.

He said that those who ask questions are of two types, one who asks in order that he may learn and one who asks in order to get a specific answer from a Shaykh which agrees what is already with him. There is a great difference between these two types of questioners.

The Shaykh then went on to mention a story of how someone raised the issue of Shaykh al-Ghunayman who had answered a particular question (mentioned in a certain way) by saying that the Ash'aris are "Ahl as-Sunnah in this subject" and which was used by them to say that he affirms the Ash'aris are from Ahl as-Sunnah. This person said to Shaykh Falah how come your Shaykh says one thing and you have written a book called "The Ash'aris are not from Ahl as-Sunnah?" So Shaykh Falah went home and phoned Shaykh al-Ghunayman and asked him I've heard you say that the Ash'aris are from Ahl al-Sunnah. After thinking for a short while Shaykh al-Ghunayman said, yes, I said that when a ruler is an Ash'ari and he announces jihad is it upon the Muslims to follow him, and he said, yes, he is to be followed, because in this arena they are considered to be Ahl al-Sunnah. Shaykh Falah said that this answer itself is taken from Ibn Taymiyyah who said the term Ahl al-Sunnah is used in two ways, general and specific. In the general sense all those who are not Raafidah are said to be Ahl al-Sunnah, but in a specific sense, it is only those who affirm the attributes etc. who are said to be Ahl al-Sunnah, (and therefore, the Ash'aris are not Ahl al-Sunnah).

The Shaykh makes the point that this is what they do, they craft a question in a very specific way to get a specific answer.

The Shaykh then addressed Shaykh Wasiullah's kalam by mentioning the saying of Imam Malik, everyones saying can be taken or rejected. The Shaykh mentioned that tathabbut has already been made (verifying the question and answer and ascribing it to Shaykh Wasiullah).

Then the Shaykh went on to explain that his speech of Wasiullah against Abu Khadeejah (and Abu Hakeem) is different to what is known by other Scholars such as himself who have known them for 10-15 years. And the speech of Shaykh Wasiullah is just mujmal (general). The Shaykh said the way of the Sahaabah and the Salaf is that only a jarh mufassar is accepted with respect to one who is known. The Shaykh asked the question whether Shaykh Wasiullah gave any detail (tafseel) in his jarh and the answer is no, meanwhile the Shaykh mentioned that Abu Khadeejah is well-known to the Scholars and has translated books and lectures, and has tapes, and that he does not know him to have translated books or tapes of bid'ah. Yet Shaykh Wasiullah said that if you were to attend this conference with Abu Khadeejah (and Abu Hakeem present and speaking) it will lead to harm upon you and upon the Salafis. Shaykh Falaah said that he knows Abu Khadeejah for 14 years and does not know of statements he made oppposing Salafiyyah.

Then the Shaykh went on to mention that Abu Khadeejah speaks about the Jam'iyyah Ahl al-Hadeeth on the issue of elections and inviting women speakers not properly dressed into their venues, and if asked are these people the ones who represent and implement Salafiyyah we say no.

But what we look at what is done at Maktabah Salafiyyah and all the lessons and what they teach and who they invite and who teaches at their mosque from the Scholars like Shaykh Abdullah al-Ghudayan, Shaykh Ubayd, Shaykh Rabee and others... and the Shaykh mentioned that once he visited Shaykh Abdullah al-Ghudayan who asked him whether he visited Birmingham and whether he knows Abu Khadeejah... so this is the type of thing that indicates Salafiyyah.

So the Shaykh said that no jarh is accepted when it is general and if it came from the Shaykh or we say to the questioner, why did you not give any detail in the question. So it is clear that the questioner is a person of objectives and if he was sincere he would not have omitted who specifically is participating in the conference, he only mentioned Abu Khadeejah and Abu Hakeem by name. So this type of thing is not desirable, the affairs should be clear, open apparent.

If it is known that Abu Khadeejah had bid'ah or war against the Salafis, the Shaykh says he would never participate with him or visit him at Maktabah Salafiyyah. So the way of the Salaf is verification, and detail, and general speech is not accepted. But there are objectives and goals and the one who asked the question ... (then there is some speech about who translated and who asked the question, that they are not the same person, that Shadeed Muhammad translated the question and answer but the questioner is someone else). The Shaykh said that the issue of tafseel, being specific and giving detail is of utmost importance.

The Shaykh mentioned again the saying of Imaam Malik that everyone can have his saying accepted or rejected, and then he said says that whilst he will not say anything in particular about Shaykh Wasiullah, as a general remark, there is no doubt that sentiments have a role to play and that he recalls that Shaykh Wasiullah always says that he has an attachment with Ahl al-Hadeeth, that he is from them, from their sons, or from their school, in India, then these no doubt have a role and an effect and we say may Allaah pardon him, and that if we were with him, by Allaah, we would request him to answer, what is this harm that has reached the Salafis and Salafiyyah from Abu Khadeejah, give me just a single example. Yes, if he said, here is one, two, three examples, fine, but with this general speech, it is not permissible to accept his speech at all, in any situation.

And the issue of he harms Salafiyyah, or has enmity to Salafiyyah and so on, then what he has written and said and so on should be brought and looked at but as for these types of tumult and commotion being raised, they will never end and if it is the case that Imaam Malik said what he said in his time, it is even more worthy of being said now.

I advise all the people to advise the conference, and if there is anything, we can debate, discuss, we don't have anything, all of us can speak. He then mentioned the statement of al-Awzaaee, "Stop where the people stopped (i.e. the Companions) and speak with what they spoke and hold back from what they held back from," and in a narration, "remain silent from what they remained silent about" so this is what you should implement and if you do not, then you will depart from the Jamaa'ah.

The Shaykh said that we certainly accept clarification of error, but myself and likewise Abu Khadeejah. He mentioned the saying of Umar, "may Allaah have mercy to a man who guided me to my errors," and he said this is what the Companions are upon and this is what we likewise are upon, so if you bring the issues in which Abu Khadeejah has erred, then I myself personally will debate with him.

The Shaykh was then asked about those spread and distribute this speech of Shaykh Wasiullah. He said that such a person has opposed the manhaj of the Companions, it is opposed to the way of the Companions because he gave precedence to the general disparagement. The Shaykh then speaks to Abu Khadeejah who is the gathering, and asks how many books he has translated and how many cassettes he has. The Shaykh said that if we were speaking about a person who does not have any books or any tapes and is hardly known, maybe we can accept the jarh mujmal (general disparagement), but when a person is present, known for 14 years, has written, has books, tapes and then we just accept a general disparagement, this is but a manifestation of madness.

But why do they spread it? Because there is a goal, objective. So we say fear Allaah, if you are Salafis, then books and tapes of Abu Khadeejah are present, read them and find errors in them, but in this manner, with a jarh mujmal then this is not acceptable, if you claim to be Salafis, then Salafiyyah is clear and apparent.

The Shaykh then mentions about Shaykh al-Albani about a man who wrote a book and he was a student of Abdur Rahman Abdul-Khaliq, but it may well have been Abdur Rahman Abdul-Khaliq himself, and he spoke of the Jaamiyyah and Madkhaliyyah and the Mandakariyyah, that these are the "claimaints of Salafiyyah." This person said about them, "Khawarij with the callers, Murji'ah with the rulers, Rafidah with the .... etc" So this was taken to Shaykh al-Albani and read it to him directly, the Shaykh said, "He has destroyed his own house... how can they be Murji'ah and Khawarij at the same time and Raafidah, who can they combine between all this." Then Shaykh al-Albani said "This person who wrote this is one of two types, either an ignoramus, so we ask Allaah to guide him and that he learns, or he is a person of desires, so I ask Allaah to break his back."

So we say to the one who spread this (speech of Shaykh Wasiullah) that Abu Khadeejah is present, his books and cassettes are present, and he will be at the conference, so come and give us examples of where he wars against the Salafis and Salafiyyah. As for spreading it, then we ask Allaah to guide you or as our Shaykh (al-Albaanee) said, that He breaks your back and relieves the Salafis and Salafiyyah of you.