Salafus-Saaliheen سلف صالحين

A Summary Of Shaykh Falaah's Response

Assalamu Alaikum

Many brothers have been asking for the translation of the Shaykh's words. Insha Allah, here is a summary of the Shaykh's words until the full translation is made available.

The Shaykh mentions a question presented to Shaykh Wasiullah, and then
corroborated the existence and presence of the exact text of the
question, and whether the questioner is known and whether the entire
answer of the Shaykh has been heard.

The Shaykh then said that the manhaj of the Sahaabah is what is to be
the judge, and he quoted the verse about verifying the information of a
faasiq, and then he said that one must verify the question and verify
the answer.

He said that those who ask questions are of two types, one who asks in
order that he may learn and one who asks in order to get a specific
answer from a Shaykh which agrees what is already with him. There is a
great difference between these two types of questioners.

The Shayk then went on to mention a story of how someone raised the
issue of Shaykh al-Ghunayman who had answered a particular question
(mentioned in a certain way) by saying that the Ash'aris are "Ahl
as-Sunnah in this subject" and which was used by them to say that he
affirms the Ash'aris are from Ahl as-Sunnah. This person said to Shaykh
Falah how come your Shaykh says one thing and you have written a book
called "The Ash'aris are not from Ahl as-Sunnah?" So Shaykh Falah went
home and phoned Shaykh al-Ghunayman and asked him I've heard you say
that the Ash'aris are from Ahl al-Sunnah. After thinking for a short
while Shaykh al-Ghunayman said, yes, I said that when a ruler is an
Ash'ari and he announces jihad is it upon the Muslims to follow him, and
he said, yes, he is to be followed, because in this arena they are
considered to be Ahl al-Sunnah. Shaykh Falah said that this answer
itself is taken from Ibn Taymiyyah who said the term Ahl al-Sunnah is
used in two ways, general and specific. In the general sense all those
who are not Raafidah are said to be Ahl al-Sunnah, but in a specific
sense, it is only those who affirm the attributes etc. who are said to
be Ahl al-Sunnah, (and therefore, the Ash'aris are not Ahl al-Sunnah).

The Shaykh makes the point that this is what they do, they craft a
question in a very specific way to get a specific answer.

The Shaykh then addressed Shaykh Wasiullah's kalam by mentioning the
saying of Imam Malik, everyones saying can be taken or rejected. The
Shaykh mentioned that tathabbut has already been made (verifying the
question and answer and ascribing it to Shaykh Wasiullah).

Then the Shaykh went on to explain that his speech of Wasiullah against
Abu Khadeejah (and Abu Hakeem) is different to what is known by other
Scholars such as himself who have known them for 10-15 years. And the
speech of Shaykh Wasiullah is just mujmal (general). The Shaykh said the
way of the Sahaabah and the Salaf is that only a jarh mufassar is
accepted with respect to one who is known. The Shaykh asked the question
whether Shaykh Wasiullah gave any detail (tafseel) in his jarh and the
answer is no, meanwhile the Shaykh mentioned that Abu Khadeejah is
well-known to the Scholars and has translated books and lectures, and
has tapes, and that he does not know him to have translated books or
tapes of bid'ah. Yet Shaykh Wasiullah said that if you were to attend
this conference with Abu Khadeejah (and Abu Hakeem present and speaking)
it will lead to harm upon you and upon the Salafis. Shaykh Wasiullah
said that he knows Abu Khadeejah for ten years and does not know of
statements he made oppposing Salafiyyah.



Then the Shaykh went on to mention that Abu Khadeejah speaks about the
Jam'iyyah Ahl al-Hadeeth on the issue of elections and inviting women
speakers not properly dressed into their venues, and if asked are these
people the ones who represent and implement Salafiyyah we say no.

But what we look at what is done at Maktabah Salafiyyah and all the
lessons and what they teach and who they invite and who teaches at their
mosque from the Scholars like Shaykh Abdullah al-Ghudayan, Shaykh Ubayd,
Shaykh Rabee and others... and the Shaykh mentioned that once he visited
Shaykh Abdullah al-Ghudayan who asked him whether he visited Birmingham
and whether he knows Abu Khadeejah... so this is the type of thing that
indicates Salafiyyah.

So the Shaykh said that no jarh is accepted when it is general and if it
came from the Shaykh or we say to the questioner, why did you not give
any detail in the question. So it is clear that the questioner is a
person of objectives and if he was sincere he would not have omitted who
specifically is participating in the conference, he only mentioned Abu
Khadeejah and Abu Hakeem by name. So this type of thing is not
desirable, the affairs should be clear, open apparent.

If it is known that Abu Khadeejah had bid'ah or war against the Salafis,
the Shaykh says he would never participate with him or visit him at
Maktabah Salafiyyah. So the way of the Salaf is verification, and
detail, and general speech is not accepted. But there are objectives and
goals and the one who asked the question ... (then there is some speech
about who translated and who asked the question, that they are not the
same person, that Shadeed Muhammad translated the question and answer
but the questioner is someone else). The Shaykh said that the issue of
tafseel, being specific and giving detail is of utmost importance.

The Shaykh mentioned again the saying of Imaam Malik that everyone can
have his saying accepted or rejected, and then he said says that whilst
he will not say anything in particular about Shaykh Wasiullah, as a
general remark, there is no doubt that sentiments have a role to play
and that he recalls that Shaykh Wasiullah always says that he has an
attachment with Ahl al-Hadeeth, that he is from them, from their sons,
or from their school, in India, then these no doubt have a role and an
effect and we say may Allaah pardon him, and that if we were with him,
by Allaah, we would request him to answer, what is this harm that has
reached the Salafis and Salafiyyah from Abu Khadeejah, give me just a
single example. Yes, if he said, here is one, two, three examples, fine,
but with this general speech, it is not permissible to accept his
speech at all, in any situation.

And the issue of he harms Salafiyyah, or has enmity to Salafiyyah and so
on, then what he has written and said and so on should be brought and
looked at but as for these types of tumult and commotion being raised,
they will never end and if it is the case that Imaam Malik said what he
said in his time, it is even more worthy of being said now.

I advise all the people to advise the conference, and if there is
anything, we can debate, discuss, we don't have anything, all of us can
speak. He then mentioned the statement of al-Awzaaee, "Stop where the
people stopped (i.e. the Companions) and speak with what they spoke and
hold back from what they held back from," and in a narration, "remain
silent from what they remained silent about" so this is what you should
implement and if you do not, then you will depart from the Jamaa'ah.

The Shaykh said that we certainly accept clarification of error, but
myself and likewise Abu Khadeejah. He mentioned the saying of Umar, "may
Allaah have mercy to a man who guided me to my errors," and he said this
is what the Companions are upon and this is what we likewise are upon,
so if you bring the issues in which Abu Khadeejah has erred, then I
myself personally will debate with him.

The Shaykh was then asked about those spread and distribute this speech
of Shaykh Wasiullah. He said that such a person has opposed the manhaj
of the Companions, it is opposed to the way of the Companions because he
gave precedence to the general disparagement. The Shaykh then speaks to
Abu Khadeejah who is the gathering, and asks how many books he has
translated and how many cassettes he has. The Shaykh said that if we
were speaking about a person who does not have any books or any tapes
and is hardly known, maybe we can accept the jarh mujmal (general
disparagement), but when a person is present, known for 14 years, has
written, has books, tapes and then we just accept a general
disparagement, this is but a manifestation of madness.

But why do they spread it? Because there is a goal, objective. So we say
fear Allaah, if you are Salafis, then books and tapes of Abu Khadeejah
are present, read them and find errors in them, but in this manner, with
a jarh mujmal then this is not acceptable, if you claim to be Salafis,
then Salafiyyah is clear and apparent.

The Shaykh then mentions about Shaykh al-Albani about a man who wrote a
book and he was a student of Abdur Rahman Abdul-Khaliq, but it may well
have been Abdur Rahman Abdul-Khaliq himself, and he spoke of the
Jaamiyyah and Madkhaliyyah and the Mandakariyyah, that these are the
"claimaints of Salafiyyah." This person said about them, "Khawarij with
the callers, Murji'ah with the rulers, Rafidah with the .... etc" So
this was taken to Shaykh al-Albani and read it to him directly, the
Shaykh said, "He has destroyed his own house... how can they be Murji'ah
and Khawarij at the same time and Raafidah, who can they combine between
all this." Then Shaykh al-Albani said "This person who wrote this is one
of two types, either an ignoramus, so we ask Allaah to guide him and
that he learns, or he is a person of desires, so I ask Allaah to break
his back."



So we say to the one who spread this (speech of Shaykh Wasiullah) that
Abu Khadeejah is present, his books and cassettes are present, and he
will be at the conference, so come and give us examples of where he wars
against the Salafis and Salafiyyah. As for spreading it, then we ask
Allaah to guide you or as our Shaykh said, that He breaks your back and
relieves the Salafis and Salafiyyah of you.

This is the summary translation from the audio from here: http://www.salafitalk.com/threads/170-Shaykh-Falaah-Responds-to-Shaykh-Wasiyyullaah-s-Criticism-of-Abu-Khadeejah-Abu-Hakeem-and-the-NJ-Conference