Shaykh Fauzaan - hafidhahullaah - was asked:
'There is this problem among the righteous youths where they make Tabdee (labelling a person a deviant) and Tadleel (declaring another person as being upon misguidance) among themselves. I want from Your Eminence - may Allaah grant you the leave - a little speech over this, and as regard all these groupings if they are on heresies?'
Shaykh Fauzaan - hafidhahullaah - answered: 'O brothers, it is imperative on us to avoid these issues and face learning. These people fell into what they fell into due to ignorance and following desires; they don't have knowledge. They are not aware of the limits in bid'ah and kufr, they don't know all these, or that they are following their whims - we seek refuge in Allaah - this is (statement not clear).
As for a person of Knowledge - who is free from desires, he will not enter into matters like these.
So when there is any difference of understanding between them (those youths), let them leave off so-and-so said and take the personality of the Messenger of Allaah (ï·º); he is the exemplar for all. Our exemplar is the Messenger of Allaah (ï·º). So-and-so is not our exemplar; our exemplar is the Messenger of Allaah (ï·º).
Allaah the Mighty said:
لَقَد كانَ Ù„ÙŽÙƒÙÙ… ÙÙŠ رَسول٠اللَّه٠أÙسوَةٌ Øَسَنَةٌ
"You have the best example in the Messenger of Allaah..."
[Al-Ahzâb: 21]
We should go back to the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allaah (ï·º) (where there are differences), so whoever it says is upon the truth we will accept and whoever it says is on falsehood we will reject.
ÙÙŽØ¥ÙÙ† تَنازَعتÙÙ… ÙÙŠ شَيء٠ÙَرÙدّوه٠إÙÙ„ÙŽÙ‰ اللَّه٠وَالرَّسولÙ
"If you differ over anything, refer it to Allaah and the Messenger..."
[An-Nisâ': 59]
But this is for the Ulamaa. As for these Juhaal (ignoramuses), it is upon them to go and learn. They should not enter into these affairs - Tabdee, Tafseeq and Takfeer - becuase they are Juhaal; they don't know the principles (around these phenomena) (becuase) they are beginners in learning, or because they only read and not comprehend. They should leave these matters and face learning until they will come to understand who is a mubtadi (deviant), who is a faasiq (sinner), who is a kaafir (disbeliever). Knowledge is knowing how to sort out differences between themselves; only knowledge can help them in this or going back to the people of knowledge.
Wa Sallallaahu ala nabiyyinaa Muhammadin wa aalihi wa sahbihi ajmaeen.
Click here for the link to the Shaykh's audio.
Transcription by Aboo Aamir Ishaaq Abdurraheem Al-Atharee
