Eighteen (18) Scholarly Benefits from the Hadīth ‘Nations were presented before me...

[Maher.ibn.Ahmad.Attiyeh]

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


Eighteen (18) Benefits from the Hadīth ‘Nations were presented before me...’1, by Shaykh Muhammad Ibn Haadee

Abu Tasneem Mushaf (hafidhahullaah) relayed the following:

Our Shaykh Muḥammad bin Hādi al Madkhali - hafidhahullaah - read these points of benefit and made adjustments to them on the night of Tuesday, the 20th of Sha'ban, 1433H, in the city of aṭ-Ṭāif.

On the authority of Ibn ‘Abbās - radiAllaahu 'anhumma - who narrated from the Prophet - sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam - who said:

‘Nations were presented before me,2 so I saw a Prophet and he had with him a group and a Prophet who had with him two men, and another with a man, and a Prophet without anybody...’3



Benefits:
1. That which is given consideration is the truth even if those who oppose it are many in number, or they are of high standing or rank.

2. It is a rebuttal of the advocates of democracy, those who use the majority as a proof.

3. The rebuttal of the famous and widespread statement ‘If the caller’s speech emanates from the heart then it will reach the hearts.’ So this Prophet - may the ṣalāt and salām be bestowed upon him - who called the people to the tawhīd of Allāh the Mighty and Majestic and not a single person believed in him, did his speech not emanate from his heart?

4. The rebuttal of the one who culminates lies against Ahlus Sunnah and discourages its scholars from refuting the misguided from the people of innovations and other than them, and he discourages the scholars to specify those individuals by name when warning the people of them.4

They say to him (i.e. to the scholar of Ahlus Sunnah), ‘Fear Allāh! You have not left anyone for us; are all the people upon misguidance?’ So we say, in refutation of them: 'Is there anyone bold and courageous enough to speak against this Prophet, may the ṣalāt and salām be bestowed upon him, the one in whom no one believed in, and say to him (to this prophet) fear Allāh? Are all the people that you were sent to disbelievers? You have declared the people disbelievers and is there not a Muslim other than you?'

Are we not obligated to say to the Salafi scholar, ‘May Allāh reward you with good. We will accept your speech when you warn us against the misguided, whether he is an innovator or other than an innovator, after you have produced for us evidences and proof in regards to him?’

As for the guidance of the people, then it is in the hand of Allāh the Most High and it is not permitted for you to remain quiet regarding the falsehood and its people even if no one follows them.

5. The bravery and courage of the Prophets, may the ṣalāt and salām be bestowed upon them, since they stood up in the face of falsehood and its people despite their huge numbers. And to agree with the masses is not from bravery if they oppose the truth, as we observe today. So the Salafi, he is the one who is brave and courageous who stands in the face of the masses explaining clearly the falsehood of revolutions and demonstrations and other issues besides these. And the innovator, he is the coward who agrees with the masses because they agree with him in his innovation or because he fears their impact.

6. The patience of the Prophets, may the ṣalāt and salām be bestowed upon them, and their unwavering resolve in calling to Allāh the Most High even though they did not have any helpers or they may have had helpers but they were few in number.

7. And it is possible that falsehood spreads amongst the people, it prevails and overcomes them, so much so the truth becomes obscure and no one follows it except a single person.

8. Prohibition of following falsehood even if those who are upon it are the notables from the people and from the nobility.

9. Prohibition of cheating and duping the people by keeping silent and not explaining the truth.5

10. And each nation will be gathered with their Prophet.

11. And the duty of the Prophets was to call and convey;6 as for the guidance of the people then it is in the hands of Allāh Mighty and Majestic.7

12. From the meanings of the Jamā‘ah is the adherence to the truth, even if you are alone, just as it was stated by Ibn Mas‘ūd, radiAllaahu 'anhu.8

So the Prophet, may the ṣalāt and the salām be upon him, that no one believed in is the Saved sect, and he is the Jamā‘ah, and he is the Aided group. And his people (those he was sent to) they are the ones who have separated (into schisms) and they are the ones who are in ruins even though they are many in number.

13. Indeed, this was the position of the people of falsehood from the people with regards to their Prophets, may the ṣalāt and salām be bestowed upon them, the Prophets who were indeed aided by Allāh with revelation and miracles and were characterised by having intellect, forbearance and fair preaching and arguing in a way that is better. Then how will the position of the people of falsehood be towards the scholars of tawhīd and sunnah who are the inheritors of the Prophets?

14. The futility of worshipping the Prophets since the guidance of the people and their misguidance are in the hands of Allāh. They do not have the ability to harm or benefit any individual.

15. The danger of disbelief and associating partners with Allāh the Most High. Indeed a person however many sins he may commit - as long as it is not from shirk and disbelief in Allāh - then he still remains from the followers of the Prophets.

16. In it is a consolation for the callers to the truth and an increase in their determination, those that suffer from the small number of supporters of the truth. And it may be the case there are callers to the truth with them but those callers forsake them.

17. Boldness of the people in opposing the Prophets whilst they are amongst them, then how is it with the one who opposes them and he has not seen them?

18. That whoever calls to Allāh - the One who is free from all imperfections - with sincerity and insight, then the reward is written for him even if no one follows him.9



Notes:
[1] The Arabic appeared as a post on Sahab on 7-11-2012, entitled ‘ta`ammulaat as salafiyah Fi juzi min hadeeth ‘Ard al ummam ala khayril bariyah’ by Tallāl al ‘Utaybi. Accessed: http://www.sahab.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=130850

[2] As Sindi said it was on the night of Israa`

[3] This portion is part of a longer hadeeth collected by Aḥmad, Bukhari, Muslim, Ibn Ḥibban and others.

[4] Abū Ṣaleh al Farrā’ said: I mentioned to Yousuf bin Asbāṭ something from the affairs of fitan (trials and tribulations) from Wakī‘ so he said, ‘That one resembles his teacher.’ He meant al Ḥasan bin Ḥay, so he (Abū Ṣaleh) said: So I said to Yousuf, ‘Do you not fear that this is backbiting?’ So he said, ‘Why o foolish one? I am better to these people than their fathers and mothers. I forbid the people from acting in accordance to that which they have innovated, because their crime (i.e. the crime of the people who act in accordance with that which they have innovated) will follow them. And whoever praises them, they are more harmful to them.’ (Aḥmad bin ‘Ali bin Ḥajr al ‘Asqalani, Tahzīb at Tahzīb, Vol. 1pp.398-399, Mu’as-sasatu al Risālah).


[5] Question: Is the absence of refuting Ahlul-Bid'ah (the people of innovation) - and concealing their falsehood and defending them - considered as deception against the Muslims?

Shaikh Saalih Ibn Fawzaan al-Fawzaan (hafidhahullaah) answered: "This is the greatest form of deception against the Muslims! Remaining silent concerning Ahlul-Bid'ah (the people of innovation), and the absence of clarifying their innovation, (Hadha min al-Gish lil Muslimeen) this is deception against the Muslims.

And if - in addition to this - they praise and exalt them, then this is more severe and a greater evil. And refuge in Allaah is sought!

Thus, it is obligatory upon those who have knowledge to clarify the innovations and newly invented matters. And they must prohibit and warn against the innovation, and NOT remain silent. Remaining silent is considered concealing the truth.

Allaah said: Verily, those who conceal the clear proofs, evidences and the guidance, which We have sent down, after We have made it clear for the people in the Book, they are the ones cursed by Allaah and cursed by the cursers. Except those who repent and do righteous deeds, and openly declare (the truth which they concealed). These, I will accept their repentance. And I am the One Who accepts repentance, the Most Merciful. (Al-Baqarah, ayat 159-160)

It is not permissible for the Muslim who possesses knowledge to remain silent concerning innovation and deviance without clarifying it for the people. This is because if he remains silent, the people will use him as an argument, saying, 'if this was impermissible or prohibited, then the scholar so and so would not have remained silent about it while he sees it.' Na'am (yes)."


​
[6] Allaah has described the duty of the Prophet as being one of conveyance. He the Most High has said​:

Meaning: The Messenger's duty is but to convey (the Message). And Allaah knows all that you reveal and all that you conceal. (Al-Maa`idah, ayah 99)


[7] As Allaah has said:


Meaning: Verily! You (O Muhammad) guide not whom you like, but Allaah guides whom He wills. And He knows best those who are the guided. (Al-Qasas, ayah 56)

[8] The saying of ‘Abdullah Ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allaah be pleased with him): ‘The Jamā‘ah is that which is in agreement with the truth, even if you were a single person.’ Shaykh Al-Albāni stated in his notes to Mishkāt al Maṣābīḥ, Vol. 1, pg.61, Al Maktab Al Islāmi ‘It is reported by ibn ‘Asākir in Tārikh Dimishq (2/322/13) with an authentic chain from him (i.e. from Ibn Mas‘ūd).


[9] Translation and footnotes by Abu Tasneem Muḥammad Ibn Hātim, 06/12/2012.