Shaykh ʿUbayd al-Jābirī: The Very Essence of Ḥizbiyyah
hizbiyyah partisanship loyalty
Shaykh ʿUbayd al-Jābirī (رحمه الله) said:
And this leads us to another matter which many of those who claim to seek knowledge have been afflicted with. If someone loves a shaykh and sees that he (the shaykh) has bestowed some of his favour upon him, and granted him of his knowledge which Allāh taught him and granted to him, he refuses to accept any refutation of his speech, even if the evidence against it is clear and apparent, more apparent than the sun in the middle in the middle of the day.
So we say, firstly, that you loving that shaykh, venerating and respecting him and mentioning him with good, this is not a point of contention between us, and nor is it the subject of criticism. However, your turning a blind eye and a deaf ear to refuting his opposition which the people of knowledge have clarified with evidence, then this, by Allāh, by Allāh, and by Allāh is the very essence of detested partisanship. For you are misguiding others and misguided yourself, and you commit innovation and partisanship, this was alluded to by Shaykh al-Islām (رحمه الله), I mean Ibn Taymiyyah, when he said: “Whoever specified a man for the people, showing loyalty and enmity (towards others) around him, then he is among those who split their religion and become sects.”
Notes
HIZBIYYAH is to make loyalty and disloyalty (enmity) to be based around individuals and personalities, where one thinks that the favour done to him by his shaykh in enlightening him in his religion, demands absolute loyalty, even when he has erred and has been criticised justly with evidence for oppositions, which in cases, may harm his foundations or damage his integrity.
Infallibility in religion is for the Prophets and Messengers and love, loyalty and obedience is shown to them, as it follows on from the love of Allāh and obedience to Him, and to Whom belongs absolute love. As for everyone else, then they are fallible, prone to error and their hearts are between the Fingers of al-Raḥmān, who turns them wherever He wills.
For this reason, love, loyalty and attachment should be in moderation, and based around the truth, and not around statuses and personalities. Otherwise, it becomes very hard for someone to accept and support the truth when he is required to do so. Strong attachment should be to the most senior and aged scholars, since they have traversed a lifetime upon uprightness and remained safe, by Allāh’s tawfīq, and as for those less than them, then the living are not secure from tribulation.
For this reason, the scholars of this era whose legacy of knowledge, understanding and clarification is eagerly sought are the likes of:
- Shaykh ʿAllāmah ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz bin Bāz (رحمه الله),
- Shaykh ʿAllāmah Nāṣir al-Dīn al-Albānī (رحمه الله),
- Shaykh ʿAllāmah Ibn ʿUthaymīn (رحمه الله),
- Shaykh ʿAllāmah Rabīʿ bin Hādī (رحمه الله)
- Shaykh ʿAllāmah Muqbil bin Hādi al-Wadiʿī (رحمه الله),
- Shaykh ʿAllāmah Ṣāliḥ al-Fawzān (حفظه الله),
- Shaykh ʿAllāmah Aḥmad al-Najmī (رحمه الله),
- Shaykh ʿAllāmah Zayd al-Madkhalī (رحمه الله),
- Shaykh ʿAllāmah Ṣāliḥ al-Luḥaydān (رحمه الله),
- Shaykh ʿAllāmah ʿAbd Allāh al-Ghudayān (رحمه الله),
- Shaykh ʿAllāmah ʿUbayd al-Jābirī (رحمه الله)
- Shaykh ʿAllāmah ʿAbd al-Muḥsin al-ʿAbbād (حفظه الله)
Even between scholars of Ahl al-Sunnah there can be criticisms and refutations in various issues spanning issues of creed, methodology and fiqh, indicating that their love and loyalty is always for the truth. The legislated love and loyalty for these scholars is due to them and anyone who reviles them or conspires against them is misguided because they are heads and leaders (aʾimmah) for Ahl al-Sunnah.