However, it is incorrect to use the term “Wahabiyyah” (i.e. Wahaabis) to refer to the da’wah of Shaykh Muhammad ibn Abd-ul-Wahhaab ( raheemallah ). The People of the Sunnah during the lifetime of Shaykh Muhammad (raheemallah ) did not refer to themselves in this way, nor did they do so after his death. That is because he did not invent anything new in the religion of Islam thereby justifying the naming of any invention after him! Rather, he simply followed the way of the Pious Predecessors, openly proclaiming the Sunnah, spreading it, and calling to it. Furthermore, only those who hate the revivalist da’wah of Shaykh Muhammad ibn Abd-ul- Wahhaab (هraheemallah ) refer to it in that (derogatory) way, hoping to confuse people and turn them away from following the truth and right guidance so that they might continue practicing innovations that contradict the way of Ahl-us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah.
Imam Ash-Shaatibee said in his book entitled Al-I’tsaam1: “'Abd-ur-Rahman ibn Mahdee said: ‘Maalik ibn Anas was asked about the Sunnah and he replied: "It has no name other thanthe Sunnah." Then he recited the verse:
(وَأَنَّ هَذَا صِرَاطِي مُسْتَقِيمًا فَاتَّبِعُوهُ وَلا تَتَّبِعُوا السُّبُلَ فَتَفَرَّقَ بِكُمْ عَنْ سَبِيلِهِ)
(Verily, this is My Straight Path, so follow it and follow not other paths, for they will separate you away from His Path…) [Surah Al-An’am: 153].
Ibn al-Qayyim said in his book, entitled Madaarij As-Saalikeen: “Some of the scholarswere asked about the Sunnah and they replied: ‘It has no name other than the Sunnah.’ meaningthat the People of the Sunnah do not refer to themselves by any other name.” 2
And Ibn Abd-ul-Barr said in Kitab-ul-Intiqaa: “A man asked Maalik (ibn Anas): ‘Whoare the People of the Sunnah?’ He replied: ‘The People of the Sunnah are those who have noother name that they are known by. They are not from the Jahmiyyah, nor are they from theQadariyyah, nor are they from the Raafidah.’” 3
There can be no doubt that mutual affection, and compassion and helping each other inrighteousness and taqwaa is obligatory upon all of the People of the Sunnah in every time andplace.The conflict and hostility that is emanating from some of the People of the Sunnah right now is very regrettable. It is the direct result of some of them being preoccupied with talking about, warning against and ostracizing others while it is obligatory for all of them to channel those energies not at each other, but towards the disbelievers and the people of innovation who are hostile towards the People of the Sunnah. While being mutually affectionate and compassionate with each other and reminding one another with kindness and gentleness.
I thought that it was appropriate to write some words of advice to all of them and I ask Allah, the Mighty and the Majestic to make these words beneficial, since all that I want to do is to set right these affairs as much as possible. I can only be successful with the help of Allah, upon Him I have relied, and unto Him I have turned.
I have entitled this advice People of the Sunnah, Be Kind to One Another. I ask Allah to give success and guidance to all, and to set right that which has occurred between them, and to bind their hearts together with love. Likewise I ask Allah to guide them to ways of peace, and to take them out of the darkness and into the light. Verily Allah is the All-Hearer, the Answerer of Du’aa.
-----------------1 Al-I’tsaam (1\79).2 Madaarij As-Saalikeen (3\179).3 Kitab-ul-Intiqaa (Page 35). However, it should not be understood from these statements that there are absolutely no other names that the People of the Sunnah are known by. Rather, the other names that they are known by are only names that have proofs and evidences for their correctness and authenticity found in the Sunnah! Such as: (1) Al-Firqat-un-Naajiyah, (2) At-Taaifat-ul-Mansoorah, (3) As-Salafiyoon. Refer to Mowqif Ahl-us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah min Ahl-ul-Ahwaa wal-Bid’ah by Shaykh Ibraheem Ar-Ruhaili (Vol. 1, pages 44-64).
No comments:
Post a Comment