Shaykh Rabīʿ bin Hādī: On Academic and Intellectual Integrity When Criticising Errors, Innovations and Misguidance
criticism integrity honesty
The author of Uṣūl wa Mumayyizāt Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jamāʿah wrote:[1]
From the justice and fairness (integrity) of Ahl al-Sunnah in their criticism of errors, innovations and misguidance is that they mention the speech that is being criticised verbatim, with its actual wording from its source, and then they explain what it comprises with clear and valid evidences, without takalluf (a false, deceptive appearance based on unnecessary, burdensome behaviour that is not natural and native to a situation) and taḥāmul (prejudice, bias, making the speech to carry what it does not carry or is not intended).
Here is the speech of the Carrier of the Flag of al-Jarḥ wal-Taʿdīl in truth, Rabiʿ al-Madkhalī (حفظه الله) in which he corroborates this distinguishing Salafī quality in criticism.
He (حفظه الله) said in the context of refuting the falsehoods of Abū al-Ḥasan al-Maʾribī:[2]
Sorry, Abā al-Ḥasan, but your speech about Salafīs contains generalisation, obscurity (ambiguity) and exaggeration in revilement. You have taken the path of ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ʿAbd al-Khāliq, al-Shāyijī and their likes.
It is from justice and fairness that you mention the speech of your disputant and you explain what there is of oppression and falsehood with clear evidences upon the way of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jamāʿah.
But the listener and reader now has no texts, no clear (apparent) meanings, and no summations from the speech of these many accused people, nor any sources for what you say.
So do not hold the listeners accountable if they believe that these are (unjust) accusations against innocent Muslim people whose blood and honour Allāh has prohibited with the most severe prohibition, and that they are very far-removed, (in every way) from what you describe them with, and that your speech is very far from the foundations of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jamāʿah.
End of the quote.
Notes
It is from the distinguishing foundations and features of Ahl al-Sunnah, the Salafīs, that they maintain the utmost academic and intellectual integrity by faithfully quoting and conveying speech, and critically discussing it without takalluf and taḥāmul, which are affairs which cast doubt on the integrity, trustworthiness and credibility (believability) of a person.
Thus, you must not impose upon speech what is not in the speech, neither from near nor far, and what is not intended by the speech, otherwise, you will fall into false accusations against people who are innocent of them, and you cannot then blame people for believing that you have falsely accused people who are innocent of your accusations and exaggerations, and for casting doubt on your integrity and credibility.
The great scholars who have passed in history and those who followed in their footsteps till this day of ours, they maintained utmost truthfulness and integrity, and because they seek the face of Allāh, and to aid the cause of Allāh and His Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم), then there is no reason, need or place for any takalluf and taḥāmul. Hence, their criticisms and refutations remain clean, untarnished and credible and are taken with agreement and acceptance and lead only to the least amount of controversy.
The criticisms and refutations of Shaykh Rabīʿ bin Hādī (رحمه الله) are a great demonstration of this foundation and distinguishing feature of Ahl al-Sunnah, and they provide a good yardstick, a good measure, of what constitutes knowledge-based criticism and refutation reflecting honesty and integrity.
Note: ʿAbd al-Razzāq al-Shāyijī was a follower of ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ʿAbd al-Khāliq, and he is a blazing ḥizbī who made horrendous distortions of the statements of scholars like Shaykh Rabīʿ, and he referred to Salafīs sticking to the Salafī methodology as “The Claimants of the New Salafiyyah (Salafiyyah Jadīdah).” You can refer to refutations of his false claims on spubs.com. Salafīs do not refute upon the method and style of these people, al-Maʿribī, ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ʿAbd al-Khāliq, al-Shāyijī and their likes, who resort to the most horrible distortions and engage in raw fabrications, appealing to the emotions of the reader, intending to create disgust and the likes. This is not the way of Ahl al-Sunnah.
Source text:
Footnotes
1. Dār al-Mīrāth (p. 457-458).2. Majmūʿ Kutub wa Rasāʾil (13/42, footnote).