Gems upon Gems from 'In Defense of Salafi Manhaj' Conference

[Maher.ibn.Ahmad.Attiyeh]

Bismillaah Al-Hamdulillaah wa salatu wa salaamu 'ala rasulullaah

Amma ba'd Part 6 of Gems upon Gems from 'In Defense of Salafi Manhaj' Conference, from notes taken (not verbatim) In answering one of the old doubts that keeps coming up from people of bid'ah, 'Why do you say 'Salafee or sahaaba; why don't we just say Qur`an and Sunnah," Shaikh Falah ibn Isma'eel (hafidhahullaah) said: "In the terminology, we say, this is not sufficient. It's a general statement. Qur`an is text -------------------> and text requires Fahm (correct understanding) Sunnah is text ------------------> and text requires Fahm (correct understanding) Then, you may have correct implementation. As Ibn 'Abbaas (radiallaahu 'anhumma) said: (without correct understanding) people may understand the text in a different way. Some may read an ayah and understand this, and others may read an ayah and understand something else, and this is how the Ummah divides. Ibn Taymeeyah (rahimahullaah) said: The Khawaarij were considered among those who took care of the text, but they deviated because they lacked correct understanding. If you have bad understanding, you will be wrong in implementation. What if a person understands the text correctly, is good implementation guaranteed? No! Why? Because, some have desires, emotion, others cling to their tribe, or clique. As Allaah said about the Jews, they knew the truth as they knew their own children. [The shaikh may have been referring to this ayah: Those to whom We gave the Scripture (Jews and Christians) recognise him (Muhammad) as they recongise their sons. But verily, a party of them conceal the truth while they know it - [i.e. the qualities of Muhammad which are written in the Taurāt (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)]. (Al-Baqarah, ayah 146)] The Khawaarij respected the Qur`an, but lacked understanding. Allaah witnessed for the sahaaba their correct understanding. So did the Messenger (salallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam). Ibn 'Abbaas (radiallaahu 'anhumma) swore by Allaah and said: "The Prophet died while pleased with the sahaaba." The Shaikh said: pleased in their Deen. The very first point in Imam Ahmad's Usool-us-Sunnah: The foundations of the Sunnah with us are: Holding fast to what the Companions of Allaah's Messenger (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) were upon. And taking them (i.e. the Companions of the Prophet) as an example to be followed... The Khawaarij, Soofia, Ash'aria, even the Shee'ah say, "I follow Qur`an and Sunnah." But holding fast to what the Companions of Allaah's Messenger (salallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) were upon. And taking them (i.e. the Companions of the Prophet) as an example to be followed... is a statement they will never say. If the Khawaarij were to say this (or have said this), they would never (or would never have) make (made) takfeer of 'Alee. Ibn Mas'ood (radiallaahu 'anhu) saw people in a masjid in Kufa remembering Allaah, but it was how they did it that was different - using pebbles, and someone ordering them to say 'subhanallaah' so and so times, someone ordering them to say 'Al-Hamdulillaah' so and so times, someone ordering them to say 'Allaahu Akbar' so and so times, someone ordering them to say 'La illaaha illlaah' so and so times. Ibn Mas'ood said: Follow and do not innovate. You have been sufficed. All the Imams of the Sunnah said this: Ibn Battah, al-Awaza'ee, As-Sabooni... These are words that should be engraved in gold. The haqq is only known through the sahaaba. Eeman ----------> only known through the sahaaba 'Aqeedah ----------> only known through the sahaaba Taqwah ----------> only known through the sahaaba even Jannah ----------> only known through the sahaaba We will never go astray if we hold onto narration. Even Abu Bakr said: I am only a follower. If I stray, correct me. How would they know? This matter has been completed. [In reference to the statement of Allaah, which means: This day, I have perfected your religion for you, completed My Favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islaam as your religion. (Al-Ma`idah, ayah 3)] That's why Ibn Mas'ood said: If anyone wants to follow anyone, follow someone dead. (Because the people still living are not free from fitnah.) Ibn 'Abdil-Birr said: You should know their [the sahaaba's] virtues upon you. Mu'tazila and Khawaarij say about the sahaabah, "They are men and we are men," [deceivingly equating themselves with the sahaaba]. During his khilaafa, 'Alee ibn Abi Talib (radiallaahu 'anhu) was the best in Eeman, Taqwa, Ikhlaas, because Abu Bakr, 'Umar and 'Uthman (radiallaahu 'anhum) had already died. Yet the Khawaarij made takfeer of 'Alee and told him to repent from "kufr." ... "Be patient upon the Sunnah, and stop where the people stopped." So the Sunnah is difficult because of desires, opinions, enviornment, and the deviants.