In the beginning of Ramadân of the year 1423H, six months before the publication of Rifqan Ahl as-Sunnah bi Ahl as-Sunnah, I forwarded a letter of advice to one of those who the youth of the People of the Sunnah were affected by.[14] He had replied with a polite letter in which he supplicated to Allah to benefit him with this advice and mentioned that he advised the one who I referred to in the letter.[15] I ask Allah (mighty and sublime is He) to grant him and I, as well as the rest of our brothers from the People of the Sunnah, success for all of what returns with good and the praiseworthy outcome; and that He keeps everybody away from all of what returns with harms and the disasterous outcome, in the wordly [life] and the Afterlife. Surely, He is hearing [and] respondant. What follows is what has come in this letter [of mine]:

And so surely, I write these words to your eminence in hopes that you accept them with an eye of consideration, while «the religion is [sincere] advice» and «the believer to the believer is like the building; they stregnthen one another.» And from the right of the Muslim upon the Muslim is his advice and cooperation with him upon the good.

You mentioned to me during the meeting with your eminence which recently came to an end, that you were greater than I in age; and in these days I had entered into the eightieth decade[16] and according to this, you had preceded in this decade. Accordingly then, surely my being from those who taught you during the year 1381H and what was after it is from the seniors’ narration from the minors.[17] The likes of you and I are in need of being distracted from all of what results in disunity between the People of the Sunnah by beneficial knowledge.

Some time ago, I had previously heard a word from you: that you were distracted from being occupied with the Qur’an and pondering on its meanings by being busy with Hadîth and its men.[18] I say now [that] you are distracted from the Qur’an and Hadîth by speaking about some of the People of the Sunnah, and others. From what has distracted you from being occupied with the knowledge of the Book and the Sunnah are battling with those who are not from the People of the Sunnah and [with] those who the traces of tribulations and the belittling the status of the scholars with the claim of their lack of comprehension of current [events] have occurred from—[which] without doubt, it is in its place. That which is not in its place, however, is the tendency for following up the mistakes of those who are from the People of the Sunnah and defaming them due to their lack of agreeing with you in some opinions; frequently being occupied with the likes of these is unbefitting. If the mention of some of their mistakes occurs, then being preoccupied with them, reiterating them, and making them the talk of sittings is unbefitting. Then with discussing them, you get angry and raise your voice—and surely that, with respect to what contains danger, has an affect on your health.

Mention of disparagement and accreditation, as well as talk about some of the People of the Sunnah and others has become common in these days. The spreading of that on the internet is from what caused the questions to [successively] arrive from Europe, America, North Africa, and other [countries], about some of those whose disparagement occurred from you and Shaikh …[19] along with Shaikh …’s[20] expanding the talk to the honours of the shaikhs and students of knowledge—domestic and foreign—whose lectures and writings Allah caused benefit with, and to cautioning against them, and what results from that of desserting [one another] and mutual aversion; and the Messenger, may Allah send salutations and peace upon him, said, «Be welcoming, do not be alienating. And be easy, do not be difficult.» The mistaken person from the People of the Sunnah’s encouragement to good should be desired, along with his notification of his error if his error is clear. Then he should not be opposed, nor abandoned, nor should seeking benefit from him be cautioned against.

Although I believe that you do not agree with him regarding some of his speech about individuals, because of the association which is between you and Shaikh …[21] and the connection of disparagement to you and to him, what is not from you could be thought to be attributed to you. Due to this, the hope for you is that you do not occupy yourself with the disparaging of those who are from the People of the Sunnah, and that you have a position with regards to him that is restricted to its limit, such that the students of knowledge and others—domestic and foreign—are safe from being occupied with ‘it was said’ and ‘it is said’[22] and the successive questions: What is your statement regarding the disparagement of so-and-so, or so-and-so by so-and-so, or so-and-so? although there is no connection between you and this person. You are well known for diligence in learning and teaching, you have beneficial writings, you surpassed your colleagues in the days of study and you have useful writings regarding knowledge. As for him,[23] then he was from the last of his colleagues and his grading at passing [the exam] was ‘good’.[24] He does not have seniority in knowledge, he does not have writings, and the bulk of his merchandise is being occupied with the honours of people; you have an example in the companions of Allah’s messenger (may Allah send salutations and peace upon him) where after those who regretted what eminated from them, some of them said, “O people, question opinion in the religion!”

I ask Allah, mighty and sublime is He, to make all successful in what He is pleased with, [to] show us the truth as truth and make us successful in adhering to it, and [to] show us falsehood as falsehood and make us successful in avoiding it; surely He is hearing [and] respondant.

The praise is Allah’s, Lord of the worlds; and may Allah send salutations, peace, and blessings upon His servant and messenger, our Prophet Muhammad, upon his family and his companions.

translated by Rasheed Gonzales

[14] [t] I.e., Shaikh Rabî’ bin Hâdî al-Madkhalî.[15] [t] I.e., Shaikh Fâlih bin Nâfi’ al-Harbî.[16] [t] I.e., his 70s. While being one of Shaikh ‘Abdul-Muhsin’s students when he studied in the University of Madînah, Shaikh Rabî’ bin Hâdî is about a year or so older than Shaikh ‘Abdul-Muhsin. Shaikh Rabî’ mentioned this fact publicly during the height of the turmoil mentioned above and can probably still be found on some internet forums.[17] [t] Ar. riwâyah al-akâbir ‘an al-asâghir – lit. the seniors’ narration from the minors. [a] Just as [is mentioned] inNuzhah an-Nadhr Sharh Nukhbah al-Fikr by Hâfidh Ibn Hajar, the seniors’ narration from the minors is the narration of the narrator from those who are below him age, meeting i.e., meeting the shaikhs, or in degree.[18] [t] I.e., its narrators.[19] [t] See footnote no. 15. The periods (…) were used by the shaikh in place of the mentioned shaikh’s name.[20] [t] Ibid.[21] [t] Ibid.[22] [t] Ar. al-qîl wal-qâl – lit. the ‘it was said’ and the ‘it is said’, referring to idle talk, gossip, etc.[23] [t] See footnote no. 15.[24] [t] Ar. jayyid – good, perfect; outstanding, excellent; good (as in examination grade as opposed to mumtâz – passing with distinction).

taken from http://www.salafibayaan.com/