Shaykh Rabīʿ bin Hādī: The Opposition Which Expels a Person From the Salafī Manhaj
Question:[1]
What is the opposition which expels a person from the Salafī manhaj?
Shaykh Rabīʿ bin Hādī (رحمه الله):
When the opposition is in a clear matter, in a clear matter of belief, such as saying: ‘Allāh will not be seen in the Hereafter’, this is established by the Book and mutawātir texts. This one is declared an innovator and expelled from Salafiyyah. When he begins to say: ‘The Qurʾān is created’, this one is declared an innovator and he leaves the Salafi manhaj, when he opposes one of the Islāmic foundations. This one is declared an innovator, the clear affairs and the clear foundations, when he opposes them, he is declared an innovator.
As for obscure (subtle) mistakes in ʿaqīdah and other (fields), this one is not declared an innovator, as we have just mentioned. Few are those who are saved from falling into them, even the scholars can fall into them.
Notes
01 A Salafi leaves the Salafī manhaj through clear matters, those which are established and known, such as saying Allāḥ is not above His Throne, or that He will not be seen in the Hereafter, or that īmān (faith) is belief and speech alone, without actions, or that it does not increase and decrease, or that it is permissible to revolt against the tyrannical, sinful ruler, or that the Companions were not upright, or that Ikhwān and Tablīgh are from Ahl al-Sunnah, or he has intimate friendship and loyalty for the people of innovation, and so on. These are all clear matters where there is nothing hidden, obscure, or ambiguous, and a person's statements are clear unambiguous falsehood. They are quoted verbatim and established against him, and he either repents, or is declared an innovator.
02 As for obscure mistakes, which comprise slips, unintended errors, and what is like that, then a Salafī is not declared an innovator through these types of errors, and even the scholars can fall into these types of affairs. If this person has died, then he is not declared an innovator, and if he is alive, then he is advised and the truth is made clear, without hastening to declare him an innovator, but if he persists after the truth has been made clear to him, then he is declared an innovator.
03 Those who expel Salafīs from Salafiyyah through these types of affairs and declare them or treat them as innovators, warn against them, make imtiḥān (examination) of people by them, and cause splits among Ahl al-Sunnah through such activities, all on the basis of such types of errors, then they are not upon the manhaj of the Salaf in this arena. Rather, they resemble the manhaj of the Ḥaddādiyyah.
Shaykh Rabīʿ’s writings and efforts over the past couple of decades were in large part, a refutation and response to these types of people and the great harm they have caused to the Salafī daʿwah and its adherents through this destructive manhaj, which is unwarranted or premature tabdīʿ and taḥdḥir of Salafīs.
04 This manhaj is very easy to recognise and identify, and there does exist a criterion. You take the way of the Rabbānī scholars, such as Shaykh Aḥmad al-Najmī, Shaykh Rabīʿ bin Hādī, Shaykh ʿUbayd al-Jābirī (رحمهم الله), their approach, writings and refutations, and put them on one side (sweet melon). Then you put the way those who erred, exaggerated and fell into extremism, such as Fāliḥ al-Ḥarbī, Muḥammad bin Hādī on the other side (bitter melon, gourd). Then you take a person’s approach, behaviour and activities in this field, take a bite out of them and experience the taste. Where does this taste lie between the sweet and the bitter? And you will have your answer.
So we praise and thank Allāh for the Rabbānī scholars who have made clear the way of truth, moderation and justice which rectifies and unites, as opposed to the way of falsehood, extremism and oppression which corrupts and divides.
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Footnotes
1. Commentary on the Ḥadīth “Inna Allāh Yarḍā Lakum Thalāthan” (p. 35).