Hizbeeyah and Misplaced Loyalties

[Maher.ibn.Ahmad.Attiyeh]

Bismillaah Al-Hamdulillaah wa salatu wa salaamu 'ala rasulullaah
Amma-ba'd

On the authority of Abu Hurrairah (radiallaahu Ta'aala 'anhu):

Allaah's Messenger (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: Whosoever fights under the banner of the blind, becoming angry for party-spirit,* or calling to party-spirit, or assisting party-spirit, then if he dies (in that state), he dies a death of jaahiliyyah (pre-Islaamic ignorance). [Muslim, (6/21)]

* Hizbeeyah is the modern counterpart of this 'asabiyah (partisanship and party spirit) that Allaah's Messenger (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) severely warned against. The people of knowledge have defined Hizbeeyah as: Loyalty or allegiance to an individual or group (who is, or that is) in opposition to the Qur`aan and Sunnah, and having al-walaa` (alliance) wal-baraa` (and disassociation) for them.
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Hizbeeyah and Misplaced Loyalties


Shaykhul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728H, rahimahullaah) said:

"Indeed the people of the Sunnah do not follow anyone (unconditionally) other than the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam), who did not speak from desires, rather it was nothing less than Revelation sent down to him. So it is obligatory to affirm all that he informed, and to obey all that he commanded. This status is not given to anyone else from this Ummah. Rather, everyone's statement can be taken or left except for that of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam). So whoever sets up an individual - other than the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) - such that the one who loves and agrees with him is reckoned to be from Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa'ah, and the one who differs with him is reckoned to be from the people of heresies and hizbeeyah - as happens with those groups who follow certain Imaams of kalaam (rhetorical speech) - then the person doing so is from the people of bid'ah, deviation and hizbeeyah." [1]

He - rahimahullaah - also stated:

"Indeed many - from the people who say such things - follow their desires in this, in order to elevate their egos, or to gain leadership, or whatever is connected to it. Their intention is not to make the Word of Allaah uppermost, nor is it to make the Religion purely for Allaah. Indeed they have hatred for those who oppose them, even if it is a mujtahid (a scholar striving his utmost to arrive at the truth) who is excused and whom Allaah is not angry with. Likewise, they are pleased with those who agree with them - even if it is an ignorant person with evil intentions who neither has any knowledge or good intent. This leads them to praise those whom Allaah and His Messenger have not praised and to censure those whom Allaah and His Messenger have not censured. It also causes them to have walaa` (love and allegiance) and 'adaa (enmity and hatred) based upon their own self-desires and not upon the Religion of Allaah and His Messenger... So whoever does this will only bring about fitan (trials and tribulations) between the people." [2]
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And here again is the statement of Allaah's Messenger (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) who said: Whosoever fights under the banner of the blind, becoming angry for party-spirit, or calling to party-spirit, or assisting party-spirit, then if he dies, he dies a death of jaahiliyyah (pre-Islaamic ignorance). [Muslim, (6/21)]

And how damaging - O seeker of true unity - has its modern counter-part, Partisianship (Hizbeeyah), been in destroying the very fabric of comprehensive brotherhood. Such that the one immersed in this Hizbeeyah loves and hates, builds and destroys - not due to the ties of correct faith (Eemaan) - but due to this vile Hizbeeyah, thereby having enmity for the friends (awliyaa`) of Allaah, competing thereby with the enemies of the Prophets!!! [3]

Allaahul Musta'aan.

Shaikh Rabee' ibn Haadee al-Madkhalee (hafidhahullaah) explained Hizbeeyah: "It is showing fanaticism to a particular idea that opposes the Qur`aan and the Sunnah, showing allegiance and enmity for it. This is hizbeeyah - even if he does not organize something. He has with him a deviated idea and assembles a group of people upon it, then this is a party. (This definition) does not differ if he were to have an organization or not." [4]

Allaah, 'Azza wa Jall, said:

Help you one another in Al-Birr and At-Taqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not help one another in sin and transgression. And fear Allaah. Verily, Allaah is Severe in punishment. (Al-Ma`idah, ayah 2)

On the authority of 'Ali Ibn Abi Talib (radiallaahu Ta'aala 'anhu): Allaah's Messenger (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: May Allaah curse those who protect or accomodate an Innovator. [Bukhaaree (no. 17), Muslim (no. 1978)]

On the authority of Abu Umaamah (radiallaahu Ta'aala 'anhu) that the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: Whoever loves for the sake of Allaah, hates for the sake of Allaah, gives for the sake of Allaah, and prevents (withholds) for the sake of Allaah, has perfected Eeman. [Abu Dawud (no. 4681), at-Tirmidhee (no. 2521), Ahmad (3/438, 440); 'Saheeh' due to witnesses, refer to al-Albaanee's Al-Saheeha (no. 380)]

The Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) also said: Verily the firmest of the handholds of Eemaan are loving for the sake of Allaah and hating for the sake of Allaah. [Musnad of Ahmad]

Imaam Muqbil (d. 1422H, rahimahullaah) said: "By Allaah, what we fear is that this hizbeeyah will end up as a Taghoot [a thing to be worshipped besides Allaah] for some of the Hizbees. If they were to make unification upon the Hizb, and to make enmity because of the party, and call the people to this party. Indeed, what we fear for them (as an end result) is a Taghootiyah." Refuge in Allaah is taken!

In his book Characteristics of The Hypocrites, Ibnul-Qayyim (rahimahullaah) said about the hypocrites: "They found the texts of the Book and the Sunnah combating their desires, so they laid down laws and principles by which they could reject them or weaken them."

In his explanation of the tremendous hadeeth narrated by Hudhaifa ibn al-Yamaan (radiallaahu Ta'aala 'anhu), Shaikh Saalih ibn Fawzaan al-Fawzaan (hafidhahullaah) said: "And the one upon whom death comes to whilst he has changed and substituted (the haqq, his deen etc), and followed the callers to misguidance, then indeed he will be from the people of hell fire, Walaa-hawla-wa-laa-quwwata-illaa-billaah."

Refuge in Allaah is taken!


Notes:
[1] Majmoo‘ul Fataawaa (3/346-347), via SalafiTalk.Net
[2]Minhaajus-Sunnatin Nabawiyyah (5/225), via SalafiTalk.Net
[3] Salafi Publications
[4] Tape Kashfu as sitaar, via SalafiTalk.Net