THEY CRITICISE AND REJECT TAHAZZUB AND HIZBIYYAH YET THEMSELVES ARE MUTAHAZZIB [PARTISANS][1]

 Shaykh Sālim at-Taweel

(hafidhahullāh)

 ______________________

All praise is due to Allāh, there is no transgression except on the oppressors and the final destination is for the pious; and may prayers and peace be upon our Prophet, and on his family and all of his companions to proceed:

 

Ta’assub [bigoted allegiance] and Tahazzub [partisanship] are rotten diseases as the Prophet (sallallāhu ’alayhi wassallam)stated: “leave it as it is rotten [natina].” Reported by al-Bukhārī (no.4905). Those who criticise and reject Tahazzub or Hizbiyyah have emerged and they are stern against the Hizbīs. They may even fight, make tabdī’ of or break off from them, even showing enmity to whoever does not also make tabdī’ of them or show allegiance on their tabdī’. Then such a person and those with him become partisan and bigoted, the Hizbiyyah starts off weak and then slowly and surely it becomes stronger until it becomes much more intense.

This is the reality which many of the Hizbīs are unable to take in and this is no strange, as it is not necessary that every sick person comprehends his sickness, so for example the sickness of hypocrisy is the worst of sicknesses yet with that the hypocrites do not realise it, as Allāh Said,

“In their hearts is disease, so Allāh has increased their disease; and for them is a painful punishment because they [habitually] used to lie. And when it is said to them, “Do not cause corruption on the earth,” they say, “We are but reformers.” Unquestionably, it is they who are the corrupters, but they perceive [it] not.”

{al-Baqarah (2): 10-12}

 

How many people have good thoughts about their soul which exhorts to evil and trust it when it is not worthy of being trusted, yet he thinks that it is doing good for him even though it is far from guidance. Many people do not realise this reality: how one can be partisan and be accused of Hizbiyyah while he fights against it and makes tabdī’ of those who have it, if only I but knew! What is the preventer, according to the Divine Legislation, intellect or custom which makes a person fall into that which he warns against. Unto you are some evidences which indicate what I say:

One

Allāh Says,

“Indeed, those who have believed then disbelieved, then believed, then disbelieved, and then increased in disbelief – never will Allāh forgive them, nor will He guide them to a way.”

{an-Nisā’ (4): 137}

 

And Allāh Says,

“Indeed, those who reject the message after their belief and then increase in disbelief – never will their [claimed] repentance be accepted, and they are the ones astray.”

{Āl ’Imrān (3): 90}

 

Thus, every person can possibly believe, then disbelieve, then believe again, then disbelieve, then increase in disbelief. So it takes precedence that one can leave Tahazzub, reject it and fight against it and then become partisan himself and increase in that Hizbiyyah more than others and even surpass that which he had initially faulted.

 

Two

Allāh Threatened with eternal dwelling in the Hellfire those who leave their deen, Allāh Said,

“And whoever of you reverts from his religion [to disbelief] and dies while he is a disbeliever – for those, their deeds have become worthless in this world and the Hereafter, and those are the companions of the Fire, they will abide therein eternally.”

{al-Baqarah (2): 217}

 

According to consensus apostasy, may Allāh save me and you from it, has well-known and famous regulations. Some of those who embraced Islām during the time of the Prophet (sallAllāhu ’alayhi wassallam) apostate as reported by al-Bukhārī (no.3422) and Muslim (no. 2781) from Anas (radi Allāhu ’anhu) who said: “There was a Christian man who embraced Islam and he would recite the chapters of Al-Baqarah and Ali Imran and he would write for the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. Later, he went back to Christianity and he would say, “Muhammad knows nothing but what I have written for him.” Then, Allah caused him to die and the people buried him, but in the morning they saw that the earth had thrown out his body. They said, “This is the act of Muhammad and his companions! They dug up the grave of our companion and took his body out because he had run away from them.” They again dug the grave deeply for him, but in the morning they saw that the earth had thrown out his body. They said, “This is the act of Muhammad and his companions! They dug up the grave of our companion and took his body out because he had run away from them.” They dug the grave for him as deep as they could, but in the morning they say that the earth had thrown out his body. Then they knew that what had happened was not done by people so they left him.”

Is there anything more reliable [than this]? I say: it is not hidden that a person can deviate after guidance, so what prevents one who was the most severe against the people of Hizbiyyah becoming partisan himself?!

 

Three

The Prophet used to often say in his supplication: “O turner of the hearts, make firm my heart on Your Deen.” Reported by at-Tirmidhī (no.3522). And if the Prophet (sallallāhu ’alayhi wassallam) swore an oath he would say: “no, by the Turner of the Hearts.” Reported by al-Bukhārī (no.6628). This indicates that the one who rejects Hizbiyyah could turn and fall into it himself, just like a Muslim could turn and fall into kufr.

 

Four

Here is Ibrāheem, the Khaleel of Allāh, peace be upon him, call to tawheed, reject shirk and destroy idols, and he used to say,

““My Lord, make this city [Makkah] secure and keep me and my sons away from worshipping idols.””

{Ibrāheem (14): 35}

 

So who is safe from themselves after Ibrāheem? If the one who destroyed the idols supplicated to Allāh to avert himself and his children from worshipping idols why do we then think it far off that the one who calls to destroy Hizbiyyah will not himself fall into it or be tested with it.

 

 

Five

Allāh mentioned in His Book His Prophet Shu’ayb, peace be upon him,

“And I do not intend to differ from you in that which I have forbidden you…”

{Hūd (11): 88}

 

That indicates that from the people are those who could oppose the very thing which they caution people against.

 

Six

Allāh Says,

“O you who have believed, why do you say what you do not do? Great is hatred in the sight of Allāh that you say what you do not do.”

{as-Saff (61): 2-3}

This is a clear proof which indicates that it is very possible that from the people are those who could warn from Tahazzub yet themselves be burning Hizbīs!

 

Seven

Muslim reported in his Saheeh (no.2989) from Usāmah bin Zayd (radi Allāhu ’anhu) who said: I heard Allāh’s Messenger(sallallāhu ’alayhi wassallam) say: “A man will be brought on the Day of Judgement and he will be thrown into the Fire. His intestines will spill forth and he will go around them as a donkey goes around the millstone. The people of Hell will gather around him and say: O so and so, what’s wrong with you? Did you not enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil? He will reply: yes, but I used to instruct good but not do it [myself], and I used to forbid evil yet do it myself.”

This clear and authentic hadeeth indicates with clarity that from the people are those who forbid other people things yet do those exact same things. Today are those who forbid people from Hizbiyyah while they themselves are entrenched in it, biting onto it with the molars. Noble brother reader, these are the texts which Allāh has made easy for me to compile which show that it is not necessary that one who warns from Tahazzub and Hizbiyyah to be free from it himself and that he will never ever fall into Hizbiyyah, no. by the One in Whose Hand is my soul, I have seen, as have others, hardcore rotten Hizbiyyah with some people who are severe against the Hizbiyyah of others, like when they say “if you are not with us then you are against us”. The difference between the Salafi Manhaj and hateful partisanship is hidden from them. What makes the matter worse is that they are partisan in the name of Salafiyyah, disrespecting the ’Ulama, defaming the students of knowledge, raising themselves over the Muslims, being amazed with their own views and rejecting every piece of advice. Our Shaykh, al-’Allāmah Muhammad bin Sālih al-’Uthaymeen (rahimahullāh) clarified the reality of Hizbiyyah when was asked, as is found in Liqā’ al-Bāb al-Maftooh (no. 57):

May Allāh increase you in goodness! We want to know what is Salafiyyah? And should we ascribe ourselves to it? Are we to censure those who do not ascribe to it? Or are we to censure the word ‘Salafi’ or other than it?

Answer from Imām ’Uthaymeen:

Salafiyyah is following the way of the Prophet (sallallāhu ’alayhi wasallam) and his Sahabah for they are our Salaf (predecessors) who preceded us, so following them is Salafiyyah. As for taking Salafiyyah as a special Manhaj (Methodology) such that everyone who differs with it is considered astray even if he was on the truth (i.e upon Salafiyyah); then this is beyond doubt opposite to Salafiyyah. All the Salaf called to Islām and to unite upon the Sunnah of Allāh’s Messenger (sallallāhu ’alayhi wasallam) and they did not declare astray anyone who differs with them (in a certain issue) because of (a different) interpretation (Taweel), except in matters of ’Aqeedah (beliefs) because they considered him, who differed in ’Aqeedah as astray.

      But, in our time, some who took the path of Salafiyyah consider astray everyone who differs from them even if the truth were to be on his side. And they took a Hizbī (partisan) Manhaj, just like the other Hizbs (parties), who divide the religion. This (their way) must be rejected and not be approved of. It is said, ‘Look at the way of the Salaf as-Salih and what did they do in regards to differences and wideness of their hearts with regards to Ikhtilāf (differences) in matters in which Ijtihad was feasible.

      (They differed with each other) to the degree that they differed in big issues, in (minor) issues of ’Aqeedah and (minor) issues of knowledge – for example, some of them denied that Allāh’s Messenger (sallallāhu ’alayhi wasallam) saw His Lord and some of them confirmed of it. Some of them said, ‘the deeds would be weighted on the Day of Judgment’, whilst others held that ‘the books which record the deeds will be weighed.’ They also differ in matters of Fiqh, Marriage, obligations, buying and selling, etc.

      Despite this, they did not declare each other astray. Thus, Salafiyyah that is taken to mean a special party (Hizb) with specific rules whose members consider anyone who differs with them as astray (who are Salafi themselves) then they have nothing to do with Salafiyyah. But the Salafiyyah that is to follow the Salaf in beliefs, sayings, actions, their way of differing and unity, their way of being merciful and compassion to one another as the Prophet (sallallāhu ’alayhi wassallam) said: “You see the believers as regards their being merciful among themselves and showing love among themselves and being kind, resembling one body, so that, if any part of the body is not well then the whole body shares the sleeplessness (insomnia) and fever with it.”[2] Then this is the true Salafiyyah.

 

Noble brother reader, here is a beneficial transmission by Allāh’s Permission from Shaykh Dr Salih al-Fawzān, may Allāh preserve him, as it may perhaps benefit you. He said, may Allāh grant him success:

Those who ascribe to da’wah today include those who misguide others and want the youth to deviate, they avert people from the true deen, divide the congregation of Muslims and fall into tribulation. The example is not in ascriptions or in what is apparent, rther the example is in the realities and final consequences. The people who ascribe to da’wah have to assessed in regards to where they studied? Who did they take knowledge from? Where were they raised? What is their creed? Look at their actions and influenced on people and [it should be asked] what good they have produced? What rectification have their actions resulted in? Their conditions have to be studied before people become deluded by their statements and appearances. This is a matter which has to be done especially during these times wherein the preachers to tribulation have increased, and the Prophet (sallallāhu ’alayhi wassallam) described the preachers to tribulation as being “from our skins and speak with our tongues.”

[2] The hadeeth of an-Nu’mān ibn Basheer (radi Allāhu ’anhu) in Saheeh Bukhārī, Kitāb ul-Adab.

From the book al-Ijābāt al-Muhimmah, pp.47-48.

 

Noble brother reader, follow me in the next article which refutes and cautions against Hizbiyyah with clear proofs and evidences, not with abuse, defamation and falsehood. I hope that every brother, son or student will not deal with them as they deal with others, rather we are to strive against them with patience and good manners, and with forgiveness and aversion. We also preoccupy ourselves away from them with what benefits us, such as concern with the Qur’ān, seeking beneficial knowledge, doing righteous action, maintaining the prayers, being dutiful to parents, doing good to creation and inviting them to guidance and uprightness.

 

all praise is due to Allāh firstly, finally, apparently and inwardly, and may prayers, peace and blessings be upon or Prophet Muhammad, his family and all of his companions.