The Fitnah of the Madeenah Students (2004)
THIS WAS A FITNAH led by Ṭāhir Wyatt and numerous other students in Madīnah from around 2004 onwards, though it had been brewing behind the scenes in the years prior. They gained the ear of a few of the younger mashāyikh of the time in Madīnah, and were taking files of evidence to them against Maktabah Salafiyyah. Though they were believed for a while, their true intentions and designs were eventually exposed. They were spoken of harshly by Shaykh ʿUbayd al-Jābirī (رحمه الله). However, they had created much confusion in the daʿwah for many years and also allowed the Ḥizbiyyīn of various factions to harm it.
From the claims that they took to a couple of mashāyikh is that one of them said of another, “He is a source of guidance for us” and they twisted this to mean that he is a bestower of the guidance of success (tawfīq), which belongs only to Allāh. However, its meaning in English is very clear, it just means that someone was a means to your guidance to the path. Likewise, the fact that someone made praises of Maktabah Salafiyyah, which they considered excessive. Likewise, that it was said that if the students from Maktabah Salafiyyah all concur that a particular person in their land (UK) is a deviant or ḥizbī (such as a Takfīrī, Ikhwānī, Ashʿarī, Ṣūfī and so on), then it can be depended upon, they would not all be lying against that person. So they twisted this to mean that Maktabah Salafiyyah is claiming to constitute a “consensus”. So these were the types of issues they took, they were distortions, misrepresentations and the likes.
As a result of their machinations efforts were made to curb and restrain Maktabah Salafiyyah and its daʿwah, with claims of harshness and exaggeration. The two shaykhs they involved (Shaykh ʿAbd Allāh al-Bukhārī and Shaykh Khālid al-Raddādī) tried to get Maktabah Salafiyyah to sign bayāns to this effect, and pressured them to do so, without allowing them any form of redress against the claims that were made.
On one occasion, there was an invitation to gather for tea, but it actually turned out to be an ambush where a group of these students were sat with the two shaykhs, and they had their papers and audio evidences, and the outcome was that they wanted a bayān writing and signing immediately. On that same night, the brothers had a meeting with Shaykh Rabīʿ (حفظه الله) which became delayed because of this ambush meeting. So the details were explained to the Shaykh and he advised not to sign any bayāns and to refute every singly claim and accusation that has been made, with knowledge, before the brothers left the country to go home. Likewise, when Shaykh ʿUbayd was informed about this, he said, “Do not write a single word, not even a letter and proceed as if this (gathering) has not even happened.” This was not to the liking of this group, that the Major Scholars were returned to and informed for direction and guidance.
In short, by Allāḥ’s tawfīq alone, Maktabah Salafiyyah became a gateway in the West for the daʿwah of the Major Scholars—that of Tawḥīd, Sunnah and Salafiyyah, in creed and methodology—the likes of the three Imāms, Bin Bāz, al-Albānī, and Ibn ʿUthaymīn, likewise, Shaykh Muqbil, Shaykh ʿAbd Allāh al-Ghudayān, Shaykh Aḥmad al-Najmī, Shaykh Zayd al-Madkhalī, Shaykh Rabīʿ bin Hādī, and Shaykh ʿUbayd al-Jābirī. This included refutations of the opposers and deviants, from the false claimaints to Salafiyyah, the Ḥaddādiyyah and the Mumayyiʿah and others, under the guidance of those Major Scholars.
Instead of supporting these efforts with brotherhood, unity and cooperation, some students saw this as an obstacle to their own ambitions, and they did not have clear positions in many of these tribulations that affected the Salafī daʿwah as a whole. They should have supported their brothers with sincerity of purpose and offered advice, if they saw any errors. Instead, they embarked upon a mission to undermine and bring down their brothers, through schemes and plots. This was all under the guise of “unity”, “brotherhood” and “returning to the scholars”, which meant only the specific mashāyikh they had involved in pursuit of their goals.
Shaykh ʿUbayd al-Jābirī (رحمه الله), stated about this group:[1]
And we know in these days what has afflicted Maktabah Salafiyyah in Birmingham, from a people who ascribe to the Sunnah. And these (people), I don't know what has carried them to (make) this audacious attack. And we, all praise is due to Allāh, know the Maktabah for years, and that which we advise everyone who is affiliated with the Maktabah, regardless of whether it is someone who is part of it, or one who listens to its lessons (that are organised by it), or who is close by it, that they don't pay any attention to this audacious attack. This is because the Maktabah, and all praise is due to Allāh, Allāh has paved the way for it in the last few years, from the people of knowledge and excellence who have become tied with it and who have acknowledged [and partaken in] its efforts in calling to Allāh, the Sublime and Exalted. And I emphasize that you do not pay attention to this hateful, large-scale attack from some of those who ascribe to the Sunnah. And we know them to be students from the Islāmic University (of Madīnah). And we know others, but we do not like to name anyone.
The following are some documents that were prepared after the fitnah had somewhat subsided, in explanation of what had transpired.
The Fitnah of Ṭāhir Wyatt and the Madeenah Students
Part 1.0: View PDF file (15 pages)
Part 2.0: View PDF file (13 pages)
Part 3.0: View PDF file (6 pages)
Part 3.1: View PDF file (12 pages)
Part 3.2: View PDF file (31 pages)
Notes
01 As this is a discussion of a historical event and was written around 15 years ago, it contains quotations from people that have since erred and departed from the Salafī methodology. From them is Muḥammad bin Hādī, who is cited in the above documents.
Some years ago, he spoke harshly and openly about some of his students (former students of al-Ḥajūrī in Yemen), warned against them prematurely, was unable to justify his approach, thought his status was enough to carry him, and subsequently caused a huge split among the Salafīs across the world. This was between 2016-2018. He let his anger and pride get the better of him, and harmed the daʿwah and its unity a great deal.
02 Muḥammad bin Hādī was also involved by this group of students in that fitnah. However, he, many years after Shaykh Rabīʿ and Shaykh ʿUbayd, also realised these students were not sincere. He later spoke very harshly against them, calling some of them liars, due to their evident dishonesty. Purely for the historical record, here is some of his speech when he was asked about this group, years after the peak of the fitnah:[2]
I say, those whom the questioner has asked about [meaning, the trouble-causing students], I know about them, I also know their problem, and to the well-informed one have you come.
Our brothers from Maktabah Salafiyyah in Birmingham, I know them fully (completely). I know them for more than 13 or 14 years, no, around 15 years (in fact). And I know them, and I know the soundness of their way, and their methodology which they are upon.
And those whom you have mentioned [the trouble-making students], I know, some of them used to be (present) with us in Madinah, and in this field [of daʿwah to Allāh], they amount to nothing when compared to our brothers at the Maktabah Salafiyyah.
For our brothers in Maktabah Salafiyyah in Birmingham there is [in their daʿwah] truthful striving and good, benificent deeds and many blessed and thanked for affairs, in disseminating the true, sound, Salafi daʿwah to people in all areas of the West...
And I mentioned this to some of them when they were here, and I have given direction to some of them, and I explained to them in that regard, however, they refused that they should accept. So the likes of those, if they do not return (from their way), then it is not desirable for them to be put in front of the people (to teach, give lectures)...
The point here is that those who accuse the brothers with harshness (tashaddud) and exaggeration (ghuluww), and extremism (taṭarruf), then they are in reality, erroneous. And some of them, and I say this with all truthfulness, are liars, transgressors.
So we ask Allāh, (سبحانه وتعالى), for guidance for the one who erred (amongst them), and we ask Allāh, the Mighty and Majestic, for guidance for the one who lied and transgressed, and that He returns him to the way of truth and correctness, and if not, then may Allāh relieve us and relieve the Muslims of his evil, indeed He is Jawād, Karīm (Bountiful, Generous)...
So if they [madeenah-dot-com and associates] do not return (to what is correct) and do not repent, then they are not to be put in front of the people, nor are they to be co-operated with, rather they are to be warned against.
I say, in addition to that, they are warned against so that the people can beware of them, because if the people do not beware of them, they will fall into their snare, and go astray as a result of them. We ask Allāh for pardon and safety, and all praise is due to the Lord of the Worlds
03 As for the two shaykhs drawn into this matter by Tahir Wyatt and company, one of them (رحمه الله) was very upset that no bayān was written and signed, and as a result, he strangely ended the cordial relationship that used to exist between us. The other shaykh was unhappy that Shaykh Rabīʿ was returned to for advice, claiming it was a breach of trust, because the sitting was a trust (amānah). However we disagree with that interpretation because the meeting was arranged through lack of transparency and turned out to be an ambush, which was a clear indication that something untoward was going on. This conduct was never observed from the Major Scholars. We have never observed from the Major Scholars or experienced it from them that they ambush people and force them to write bayāns, or insist that they do so, without any meaningful form of dialogue and opportunity for redress and rebuttal of claims. Hence, it was important to get guidance in the matter from older, wiser scholars. This was and has remained a point of contention. The brothers from Maktabah Salafiyyah had every right to go to scholars who were more grounded and wise.
04 Given that Shaykh Rabiʿ, Shaykh ʿUbayd and eventually, Muḥammad bin Hādī had seen through these students, and spoken very harshly against them, the two shaykhs they had involved had to acquiesce and follow suit. The fitnah was eventually ended, and these students fizzled away in the years to follow, because what is not done for Allāḥ’s sake, does not remain, may Allāḥ protect us. However, there were still long lasting effects of this fitnah which had started in Madeenah through individuals like Ṭāhir Wyatt and others.
05 Finally, characters like Ṭāhir Wyatt and the Madeenah students come and go, and since that time there have been other attempts that have been similar in nature and intent.
Footnotes
1. Sunday 8th October 2006, after Tarāwīh prayer, in the city of Madīnah, KSA, during the Dawrah ʿIlmiyyah in Ramaḍān in which I was present, recorded2. Recording dated 21/5/1431H (5th May 2010)