Day: June 1, 2013

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[Q]: May Allaah treat you well.  This questioner from Morocco says: Our Shaykh, may Allaah treat you well.  How do we refute those who say that Shaykh Rabee’ forces the people to perform tabdee’ (declaring an individual to be an innovator) of his enemies and that this is not from the Salafee manhaj at all?

[A]: I do not know that Shaykh Rabee’ forces the people to perform tabdee’ of his enemies.  That which I know about the Shaykh – may Allaah preserve him, sustain him with health and wellness and prolong his life upon goodness – is that he is eager to spread the Sunnah and eager to clarify the Sunnah and eager to warn against innovation and against its people.  So when he is asked a question, or someone from amongst the students of knowledge sits with him and that individual’s speech or question warrants that the Shaykh clarify the condition of Ahlus-Sunnah and the condition of the people of innovation and that he must describe the condition of the people who have been deceived by the innovation, then he clarifies that with evidence.  And whenever he clarifies this with evidence, he only wants that this individual, who has listened to the evidence, especially if he is a student of knowledge who understands, that he comes out openly with this truth and that he clarifies this truth with evidence.  So he does not force anyone to blindly follow him (taqleed) or to take his statement without evidence or proof.  This is what we have come to know from the condition of Shaykh Rabee’ – hafidahullaah.

So we do not know that Shaykh Rabee’ forces the people to perform tabdee’ of his enemies.  Shaykh Rabee’ only compels the people to follow the evidence.  So once the proof has been pointed out and the ruling, along with the proof, that whatever so and so has done is an innovation, has been issued, and the Shaykh has clarified the entirety of this affair to a student of knowledge, then it becomes obligatory upon the student of knowledge to follow this evidence.  And if he does not do so, then he has left the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) and the manhaj that the Salaf were upon.

And perhaps the one who quoted that Shaykh Rabee’ forces the people to perform tabdee’ of his enemies did not understand this circumstance and this situation.  Keep in mind that Shaykh Rabee’ – hafidhahullaah – we do not know that he bears enmity towards those whom he bears enmity due to personal issues.  And we do not know that he bears enmity towards those whom he bears enmity due to affairs of personal benefit. We only know from the Shaykh – and we do not praise anyone over Allaah – that he only bears enmity towards those whom he bears enmity and he warns against those whom we warns due to their opposition to the Book and the Sunnah and the manhaj of the Salafus-Saalih.  And it is compulsory upon the people to follow the Book and the Sunnah and the manhaj of the Salafus-Saalih.

This is what we know with regards to Shaykh Rabee’ – hafidhahullaah – and we do not claim infallibility for him and we do not claim that he does not err and that he does not slip up.  So he is only a human being.  However, we say: this is what we know about the Shaykh.  And Allaah know best. [1]

Endnotes:
[1]: Taken from al-Liqaa‘ul-Maftoohil-Awwal for Shabakah Imaam Daaril-Hijratil-’Ilmiyyah with Dr. Muhammad Ibn ’Umar Baazmool, dated 23rd of Dhul-Qa’dah, 1433H.

Translation by Maaz Qureshi

Al-’Allaamah Rabee’ Ibn Haadee al-Madkhalee

[Q]: Does sincere tawbah (repentance) erase all of that which has preceded it from sins?

[A]: Allaah the Exalted said,

“Say: O My servants who have transgressed against themselves (by sinning), do not despair of the mercy of Allaah. Indeed, Allaah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful.” [Sooratuz-Zumar 39:53]

So these sins of yours, regardless of whether they have occurred in private or otherwise, once you have repented with a truthful repentance, a sincere repentance (tawbah), then Allaah will forgive you for whatever has preceded.

So from Abee Sa’eed al-Khudree (radiyallaahu ’anhu), that the Prophet (sallallaahu ’alayhi wa sallam) said, “There was a man amongst those who came before you who killed ninety-nine people.  So he asked about the most knowledgeable of the people in the earth.  So he was directed to a monk.  So he went to him and said, “I have killed ninety-nine people.  So is there a tawbah for me?”  So the monk replied, “No.”  So the man killed him an completed one hundred people with him.

Then he asked once again about the most knowledgeable person in the earth.  So he was directed to a Scholar.  So he said, “I have killed one hundred people.  So is there a tawbah for me?”  So he replied, “Yes.  And who stands between you and the tawbah?  Move to such and such a place.  Since, over there are people who worship Allaah.  So worship Allaah with them and do not return to your land, since it is an evil land.”  So he travelled half way there and then death overtook him.  So the angel of mercy and the angel of punishment argued over him.  So the angel of mercy said, “He came repentant, with a heart devoted to Allaah.”  And the angel of punishment said, “He did not do any good, ever.”  So an angel came to them in the form of a human being.  So he arbitrated between them.  So he said, “Measure his distances from the two lands.  So whichever one he died closer to, then that is his end.  So they measured the distances and found that he was closer to the land he had intended.  So the angel of mercy took him.”  Qataadah (d.104H) said, ‘So al-Hasan said, ‘He mentioned to us that as death approached him, he crawled upon his chest.” [1]

And there occurs in one of the narrations, “Indeed, Allaah said to the previous land, ‘Distance yourself from him.’  And He said to the other land, ‘Draw closer to him.’” And this is from the virtue, generosity and mercy of Allaah.

The point is that all sins: Shirk, kufr (disbelief), ilhaad (apostasy), zandaqah (heresy), zinaa (adultery, fornication), consuming intoxicants, drawing pictures, or any other sin… Once the servant repents from it with a sincere tawbah, then Allaah accepts this tawbah and he expiates these sins from him, except for the rights of the servants.

So there is a record of sins that are not forgiven and that this Shirk and kufr.  And there is a record of sins that are not abandoned and that is the rights of the servants.  So it is obligatory for these sins to be resolved in this worldly life before the Hereafter.  So there is no deenaar or dirham, they are only good deeds.  So this oppressed individual takes from your good deeds and that oppressed individual takes from your good deeds and so on.  So if something remains with you after that, then you will enter Paradise.  And if you do not have any good deeds left, and you still owe them something, you will take on their evil deeds and then you will be punished for those sins. [2]

Endnotes:
[1]: Related by Muslim (no. 2766), Ibn Maajah (no. 2622) and Ahmad in al-Musnad (no. 10770).
[2]: Refer to Fataawaa Fadeelatush-Shaykh Rabee’ Ibn Haadee al-Madkhalee (1/140).

Translation by Maaz Qureshi