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 Allaah Forgave then Directed Shaikh Falah ibn Isma'eel (hafidhahullah) preceded his gentle advice of holding conferences in the houses of Allaah with these beautiful benefits: When someone beloved to you offers you contructive criticism, it is beloved to you. Contructive criticism is more dear from one who is loved. The Arabs used to say: when someone who loves you disciplines you, it's like a raisin (sweet and not harsh). I want you to wait for it (the advice) so you have a longing for it. When Allaah revealed: (The Prophet, salallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) frowned and turned away. Because there came to him the blind man (i.e. 'Abdullaah bin Umm-Maktum, who came to the Prophet while he was preaching to one or some of the Quraish chiefs). ('Abasa, ayat 1-2) This direction was from Allaah, Subhanahu wa Ta'aala, to the Prophet (salallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam), who loved Allaah. Thereafter, every single time the Prophet (salallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) saw Ibn Umm Maktum (radiallaahu 'anhu), he would say: Welcome to the one whom Allaah corrected me for. Allaah said: May Allaah forgive you. Why did you grant them leave, until those who told the truth were manifest to you, and you had known the liars. (at-Tawbah, ayah 43) Sufyan ath-Thawree (rahimahullaah) said: We direct and then forgive, however Allaah forgave then directed. [Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that 'Awn said: Have you heard criticism softer than this, starting with forgiveness before criticism.] I want to tell you a story. One day, we were in the Prophet's Masjid (in al-Madinah). We would sit on the right side of the first row. And there was what appeared to be a Sofee "shaikh" from Shaam, and some of his followers would bow before him (that's how they figured him for a Soofee "shaikh," although in the beginning they were not sure). He said he was sick, and when he walked by the Prophet's grave, he said "the Prophet cured me." [Aoodhubillaah!] When the time for 'Isha entered, we made a space for him so he may pray in the first row, and he prayed next to me. Shaikh 'Abdul-'Azeez ibn Saleh, who gave khutbas there for 50 years, led us in the salat. And the shaikh recited Surat 'Abasa, and this Soofee started getting angry, making noises and he disturbed me. After the salat, I said to him, what is this (are you sick)? He said: "from the entire Qur`an, he had to read 'Abasa? For the last 35 years, I completed the Qur`an and never recited this Soorah." So I said to him: Then you never completed the Qur`an. The Soofee said, "How can you read the Prophet (salallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) was corrected?" I said to him: This came from the Lord of Muhammad (salallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam). The Prophet (salallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) loved this direction from Allaah, and conveyed this Soorah to the sahaaba (radiallaahu 'anhum)... Likewise, I say to you: May Allaah forgive you, why did you bring us to a funduk (hotel). I'm not saying it's haram, but the heart may incline toward matters here. The Hizbiyeen and Christians initiated these seminars in hotels. [Then the shaikh relayed that this advice had also come from other 'ulemma, such as Shaikh Saalih al-Fawzaan (hafidhahullaah), who when invited to other than a masjid, said: "if it was in a masjid, I would come, but in ..., no!" Then Shaikh Falah promised the attendees, "if you establish a seminar in a masjid, I will stay for a whole month." Someone may say the mosques in this country do not hold the like of this large gathering, Shaikh Falah Isma'eel said: "Ok. No problem. Get a tent, and pray next to the mosque." 'Umar (radiallaahu 'anhu) one day vowed, if such and such happens, to slaughter a camel in Bu`ana, a village close to Makkah. So someone relayed this to the Prophet (salallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam), who asked 'Umar: Are there idols there worshipped besides Allaah? 'Umar said: No. Are there festivities ('Eid*) celebrated there [besides the two 'Eids]? 'Umar said: No. Then the Messenger (salallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: "Then proceed, now, with your vow." [While the shaikh was trying to show us that haram festivities take place in a funduk, there was music that was audible.] * Eid is something that repeats itself, i.e. "annual."