THE DANGERS IN FANATICISM

                             THE HARMS OF HIZBIYYAH AND ITS DANGERS.

 Whoever possesses insight and a sound mind will realize that hizbiyyah is evil and a source of corruption on the earth, harm and enmity between the people. Now, I shall point out some dangers of partisanship in Islam, so come along with me:

1 That affiliation with a group and dissociation from others is a thing that is a matter of belief, therefore, this affiliation (walaa) and dissociation (baraa) is done for other than Allah. So, the people of hizbiyyah call to their groups and parties and not to Allah, glorified and exalted is He. Though it is not permissible in the religion to affiliate or dissociate from a thing other than what Islam dictates and to concentrate all one’s attention to a name or man or group as Sheikh Ibn Taymiyyah mentioned in his fatawa.  And this is the apex of the hizbee in walaa and baraa. It is opposition to Allah and His Messenger SAW which is equivalent to hizbiyyah and Islam erases completely all this.

2 That hizbiyyah leads to enmity, fighting and hate between the hizbees, as the Messenger SAW explained in the hadith of Thawbaan RA. He said: “Verily, Allah contracted the world for me and I saw its east and west and verily, my nation will acquire its dominion. And I have been given the red and the white (gold and silver) and I asked my Lord that my nation should not perish due to famine and not to be overcome by an enemy, taking their money and my Lord said: O Muhammad! Verily when I decree a matter, it must surely come to pass. Your nation will not be overcome by famine, or by an oppressive enemy, taking away their money from their environs but they will destroy one another and take each other into captivity. And bear in mind O noble reader that:

1 The Khawaarij when they pledged allegiance to a man from amongst them, they declared the Muslims to be disbelievers, nay, they made the spilling of the Muslims’ blood permissible and taking their wealth, and Allah messenger confirms this in his statement: “they kill the Muslims and call on the idols” and they persist in this tribulation until this present day.

2 The Rawaafid when they started their hizbiyyah in Koofah and other places, they spread treachery and evil, and when they became stronger, they put an end to the Abbaasid rule. And what about the treachery of Ibn Alqamee upon a lot of the Muslims, and what the Muslims have faced from the varieties of punishment from the shee’ah of the past and present and their assistance of the jews and christians and other than them against the Muslims. And the dangers of these two groups on the Muslims are wide.

3 Verily hizbiyyah is an excuse for calling to Allah and doing dawah for his cause under the guise of membership to a particular group or society. Then look how hizbiyah conceals the membership today just as how they restricted it in the past.

4 The (weak) measure of uprightness in the eyes of those who practice hizbiyyah just as Hasan Al-Banaa said in one of his books (Majmooah-Rasaa’il): “We measure with the scale of our call (and none else), then whoever agrees with us, then he is welcome, and whoever does not, then we are free of him.”

5 The permission of hizbiyyah in Islam is opening a door, without a doubt, that allows upholding the symbols of Islam (apparently) but dividing it in reality. And how many do we see of misguided, nay, apostate callers who are surrounded by the Muslims, and only Allah knows their number, so they take them away from the light of Islam to the darkness of misguidance. And we see many of these groups rushing to parliamentary posts in many countries that do not rule by the law of Allah, nay, we see them entering into democracy and they seek large numbers even though these large numbers are upon a satanic call. “…shall we make the Muslims like the criminals, what is wrong with you? How judge you?”

6 Hizbiyah is a reason for the denial of the truth which is with the other party, and the people of hizbiyah wish to make their partisanship a substitute for Islam which Allah favored man with, for verily, hizbiyah makes the sight blind and the hizbee does not see the truth even if the truth is glaring. This corrupts the natural disposition and lessens the intellect and is tribulation for the Muslim nation.

7 And how many a group or sect is built on the raising up of politics for the reason of leading the Muslims but they reap nothing but the declination of the da’wah. And the greatest evidence of this is what transpires amongst the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and Syria and the battles in the Middle East, and also, those groups that call to takfeer in most of the Islamic countries.

8 And how many a group or society ascribes itself symbolically to a ‘name’ and ‘symbols’ and by so doing, ascribe symbols alien to Islam to their society and what is worse, they make it compulsory on their members to adhere strictly to these names and symbols.

9 And how many a group or society conceals the truth with their disease of fanaticism and seeking to ward off calamities from their midst, and for this reason, they weaken the tawheed…as for the one who calls to the tawheed of Allah from amongst the scholars, then according to the hizbiyeen, he is a divider of the rank and a seeker of calamity. This is because tawheed is not the most important thing to them, rather, what is important to them is their love for politics and haakimiyyah (establishing the Islaamic state) and stirring up emotions in the people, which is the trait of the khawaarij, past and present.

10 Hizbiyyah promotes the affiliation of individuals to societies and groups in the form of “organizing a troop for the purpose of leading them” not for calling people to Islam and their goal is to transform the individuals with the purpose of enslaving the people not for calling to Islam.

11 Hizbiyyah establishes submission to rules by spreading beliefs amongst the people and preventing sound reasoning and criticizing those upon the truth

12 And how many groups and societies are there that turn the minds from the truth and gnaw at the body of the Muslim nation from inside, and separate the congregation and innovate in the religion by turning away from the Sunnah.

SIGNS OF PARTISANSHIP IN AN INDIVIDUAL

              THE CONNECTION BETWEEN PARTISANSHIP AND FANATICISM

It goes without saying that partisanship and fanaticism are interwoven, one cannot be separated from the other, because the result of partisanship is fanaticism. If partisanship is found, then it is inevitable that bigotry will coexist. And that which the scholars use as a basis is that every person who does partisanship and differs, then it is inevitable that we close its door, and that the end does not justify the means with us, that is, with us Muslims, but the means justifies the end.       

                                       

                                   SIGNS OF PARTISANSHIP IN AN INDIVIDUAL   

After it is clear that partisanship in Islam is forbidden and that it results in fanaticism, the souls will learn without a doubt the distinctive qualities of the one who adorns himself with partisanship.

I shall now point out some signs that can be recognized in a partisan whether he is a leader or a follower and they are:

1 His affiliation with a group or specific society with a specific methodology, differing from the methodology of the pious predecessors and the people of hadeeth like The Muslim Congress(TMC) and Jamma’at at-Tadaamun in Nigeria and Jamaa’atu Tableegh, and his helping his group or society in truth or falsehood. And concerning Jamaa’atu Tableegh, many foolhardy youths utilize the fataawa of some of the people of knowledge especially that of Sheikh Muhammad bn Saalih Al-Uthaymeen, may Allah have mercy on him when he praised them because the Kuffaar accepted Islam from their hands, and the sinners repented due to their efforts, and their cheerful faces, and these are some of the things the Sheikh praised Jamaa’atu Tableegh for. I say: these are not specific to Jamaa’atu Tableegh alone but Allah grants it for any of His slaves He wishes. For how many a prophet did no single soul submit to Islam at his hands, and how many a sinner did not repent due to his advice?  And the best evidence is our prophet Muhammad SAW with his uncle, the father of Imam Alee, may Allah be pleased with him, Abu Taalib whom the prophet SAW strived his utmost to call him to guidance but he was not guided as was in the decree of Allah before, that he would not be guided, for the matter of guidance is from Allah and not in the hands of anybody. Then the Sheikh corrected his statement about Jamaa’atu Tableegh with numerous statements some of which are: “…however they have little knowledge and understanding of the religion”. I say, what could be worse than this? Especially one who takes it upon himself to call others to Allah, glorified and exalted is He. And possessing knowledge is a prerequisite to calling others to Allah as Allah says: Say (O Muhammad SAW):”This is my way; I invite unto Allah (i.e. to the Oneness of Allah-Monotheism) with sure knowledge, I and whosoever follows me (also must invite others to Allah i.e. to the oneness of Allah-monotheism) with sure knowledge. (12:108). And it is not possible that a man be a caller to Islam until he is an Aalim (Scholar) in what he is calling to, and it is compulsory on the callers that they learn first and act on what they learn, then call the people”. End quote. And this statement manifests the reality of the Tableeghs in Saudi Arabia, then if this is their reality, then what about the Tableeghs in other countries and non Arab-speaking countries. And it is an amazing thing, what the Tableeghs are upon especially in Nigeria. They have uneducated and fanatic adherents. And what is even more surprising is there renouncing of true knowledge, just as one of them said, and I choose not to mention his name: “How much knowledge did the prophet SAW have before the beginning of his call to Islam!?”

Verily this statement makes my skin crawl because I have never heard the likes of this statement, and that which we hear also is the statement: “How much knowledge did the Sahaaba have before calling to Islam?” this is an indication of the ignorance such people have of the religion. And a mention of what the Jamaa’atu Tableegh are upon of their principles, part of which is knowledge, even though in reality it is knowledge of assembling people to their group, and not the knowledge of the Sharee’ah which stems from the Qur’an and the Sunnah and what the pious predecessors were upon. And we also mentioned earlier that among the principles of the Mu’tazilah is Adl although there is no justice in them when they deny Qadar, and there is no Tawheed in them while they deny the attributes of Allah, and there is no commanding of good and forbidding of evil in them while they revolt against their leaders.

2 His sitting and walking with one of the aforementioned groups or other than them from the people of deviation in aqeedah and actions, whether it is a group or an individual, following or being followed. Because Al-Mustapha SAW said: “souls are like recruited soldiers, what is good from them is agreed upon and what is wrong from them is differed upon.

3 His avoidance and denial of the callers of what the people of the narrations are upon, and his denial in obeying Allah and His messenger SAW and the leader of the Muslims, and walking on the path of the Salaf.

4 His criticism of Ahlus-Sunnah and turning his face when he hears reprimand of partisanship of the time and the companions of secret organizations and hidden coalitions.

5 And from the signs of partisanship is their strong love for songs (nasheeds) and theatrical performances, and their passionate urge of it and its adherents, and most of the traits found in the ranks of The Muslim Brotherhood is their love for their judges, and their party of wretched youths who are deluded, and among the women, the weak and deluded, may Allah return all of them to the truth. And these songs and nasheeds are a remnant of the ways of the Sufis which is present among the ikhwaani muslimeen and their groups due to the differences between them. And for this reason, Sheikh Saalih Al-Fawzaan, may Allah preserve him, was asked about the mention of many Islamic nasheeds and he answered: “this nomenclature is not correct, it is a new name and there is nothing called ‘Islamic nasheed’ among the books of the Salaf, and the people of knowledge hardly considered their statements, and what is known is that the sufis took nasheeds as a part of the religion and they listened to it, and in our times when different groups have emerged, it has become an issue for every group, songs for stirring up emotions and hence were named Islamic nasheeds. This name is not correct and as such, it is not permissible to take these nasheeds as a part of Islam, and spreading it amongst the people, and with Allah is all success.

Also, Sheikh Ahmad bn Yahya bn Muhammad An-Najmee, may Allah have mercy on him said: “the spread of nasheeds night and day, i.e, singing them, and I do not say listening to poetry is haram for verily, the prophet listened to poetry, but these people make as a methodology in these songs a madhhab of which the Sufis are upon, in their singing which stirs up emotions”.

6 And from their signs is that they see that the warning of bid’ah in the religion necessitates denial of assisting the Muslims, that is, they see that if one should speak negatively about the principles in their groups which do not agree with the Qur’an and the Sunnah, that person is trying to cause division in the religion. And they say: ‘”he busies himself with the mistakes of the muslim brotherhood and he keeps quiet about the enemies of the world”. And one of the principles of the muslim brotherhood is: “rebuking hardens the heart”. But where is their adherence to the pious predecessors, among the nation that Allah is pleased with in regard to their innovated stance which deviates from the right way?

7 Their praising and extolling the leaders of their societies and they imagine it is compulsory to attach their hopes on them.

8 And from their signs is the division of the religion into peel and core, that is, they consider some aspects of the religion as primary like prayer and fasting and neglect others saying it is secondary such as keeping the beard and not dragging the lower garment, whereas the above mentioned are all part of the religion of Islam. And it is surprising that these groups busy the people with politics of the time and neglect the politics of the religion. We say: “it is incumbent on you before you start calling people to politics that you first educate the people as regards answering the call of Allah and his messenger by using the Qur’an and the Sunnah”.

9 Their piling of large numbers of people without paying attention to the foundation which this group is built, and their making of a congregation of people, each with a different nature. So, this one is an Ash’aaree and the other is a Maatureedee and the next is a Sufi, and the fourth is a Murji’ee, and maybe a Hizbee and maybe a Takfeeree who adheres to the methodology of the Khawaarij, and they compile corruption in a single unit, and their beliefs are different. This is not so for those who believe in what the pious predecessors believe in and adhere to what they were upon. And from the principles of the Salafee call is: “…education and knowledge before piling large numbers”. While the deviant groups use the erroneous principle: “let us unite on what we agree on and excuse each other in our differences”, and this principle is in opposition to the sharee’ah.

10 Secrecy in actions: And among the traits of Hizbiyyah is practicing secrecy in actions of da’wah. And among the signs of the people of misguidance is their meeting in secret hiding from the eyes of the people, saying things in secret which they cannot say in the open and likewise doing things in secret which they cannot do in the open, so they are like a two-faced mole and the prophet SAW said: “verily, the worst of people are the double-faced people who come to these with a face and to those with another face”. Whoever reads the history of the people of knowledge will find that this was not their way. Imam Al-Qurtubi said: “the two faced person is the worst of people, for his case is like the hypocrite causing corruption on the earth”.

We should know that the aqeedah of the people of innovation and their statements does not manifest except with a strong authority, or a stubborn devil assisting them, deceiving the people with their innovations. Or compelling the people with his sword or his whip or helping them with wealth in order to deviate from the path of Allah, strongly devoted to his innovation causing the Muslims to turn on their heels in face of the enemy after their love for the obedience of Allah. We ask Allah for safety from these people.

  And a speaker amongst them said: “…secret da’wah is established in the actions of the prophet SAW when he called the people in secret in Makkah. The answer to this is in a number of angles:

1 This evidence is false because the Prophet was commanded to proclaim the religion and manifest it as Allah says: “therefore proclaim openly (monotheism) that which you are commanded and turn away from Al-Mushrikoon (polytheists, idolaters, disbelievers, etc) {15:94}. So the Prophet preached Islam openly in Makkah and bore with patience the harm of the idolaters. This shows that secrecy in calling to Islam is forbidden because the command of something prohibits the opposite. And Ibn Abee Aasim narrated in ‘As-Sunnah’ from Ibn Umar RA that he said: A man came to the Prophet SAW and asked him for advice and the Prophet SAW said: “Worship Allah and do not associate any partner with obey your Muslim ruler and proclaim and beware of secrecy”.1

And from Zaid bn Aslam Al-‘Adawee, from his father who said: “News reached Umar bn Khataab that a group of people would gather in the house of Faatimah RA, and he went to her and said: “O daughter of the Messenger of Allah SAW, no one is dearer to us amongst the people than your father, and no one after your father is dearer to us than you, and it has reached me that these people gather in your presence, and by Allah! If this reaches me again I shall burn the house with them. So when they came to Faatimah RA, she said verily Ibn Khataab said so and so, and verily, he will do it, so they departed when Abu Bakr was pledged as Ameer.

And from Al-Awza’ee, he said: Umar bn Abdul-Azeez said: “If you see a people discussing something in their religion, with the exclusion of the masses, then this is the foundation of misguidance2

And Muhammad bn Nadr Al-Haarithee said: “The people of desires adopt misguidance and they destroy guidance so beware of them”.3

I say: “And from their methodology in their establishment of misguidance and destroying guidance is their practice of secrecy in their da’wah.

 1 Reported from Ibn Abee Shaybah in “Al Musaanaf” and Ibn Abee Aasim in Al-Mudhakkir wa tahkeer wa dhikr with a saheeh isnad. And taken from the book Al amr bi luzuum jamaatil-muslimeen of Ibn Barjis page54

2 Imam Ahmad reported it in Az-Zuhd and Ad-Daarimee in his sunan  number 51, and Laalikaee in shahr usool I’tiqaad Ahl-Sunnah and Ibn abd barr in “jaami bayaan al-ilm wa fadlihi” and Al-Bayhaqee in As-sunan

3 Abu Naeem reported it in Al-hilyah 8/218, check Al-intiqaadaat Al-ilmiyyah

The second angle is that the speaker thinks that the ummah has fallen into a time like the first period of his SAW call in Makkah and I say: praise be to Allah that we are not in a time like the period of ignorance of old, nay, we are in good and well being, and none says that we are in a period of ignorance like that of old except that one is bent on takfeer, and his heart is filled with rage upon the ummah.

The third angle is: the speaker does not distinguish between secret da’wah and concealment from the enemy due to necessity, and concealment from the enemy was one of the actions of the Messenger SAW, and the evidences are many like the story of the submission of ‘Amr bn ‘Absa RA when he said: “I was in ignorance, I thought the people in ignorance, and were upon nothing, and they worshipped idols, and then I heard of a man in Makkah proclaiming. So I mounted my mount and proceeded to him and there he was in concealment, bold and daring to his people”. Muslim reported the hadith. And this hadeeth is an evidence that the Prophet SAW concealed himself from his enemy when necessary, and it is not an evidence that the Prophet SAW practiced secrecy in his call.

Fourthly, about secrecy in the da’wah of the Prophet is a mere assumption and hypothesis. He used to call the people and urge them on in carrying out good deeds and he did not indicate that a ruler be removed unlike what conspires amongst the secret groups and parties.     

Without wishing to delve too deeply into secrecy in da’wah, therefore, from the above mentioned facts, it is incumbent that one avoids secrecy in calling people to Islam and that issues be made clear to the people without keeping them ignorant about matters in the religion and with Allah is all strength.

SIGNS OF PARTISANSHIP IN AN INDIVIDUAL

              THE CONNECTION BETWEEN PARTISANSHIP AND FANATICISM

It goes without saying that partisanship and fanaticism are interwoven, one cannot be separated from the other, because the result of partisanship is fanaticism. If partisanship is found, then it is inevitable that bigotry will coexist. And that which the scholars use as a basis is that every person who does partisanship and differs, then it is inevitable that we close its door, and that the end does not justify the means with us, that is, with us Muslims, but the means justifies the end.       

                                       

                                   SIGNS OF PARTISANSHIP IN AN INDIVIDUAL   

After it is clear that partisanship in Islam is forbidden and that it results in fanaticism, the souls will learn without a doubt the distinctive qualities of the one who adorns himself with partisanship.

I shall now point out some signs that can be recognized in a partisan whether he is a leader or a follower and they are:

1 His affiliation with a group or specific society with a specific methodology, differing from the methodology of the pious predecessors and the people of hadeeth like The Muslim Congress(TMC) and Jamma’at at-Tadaamun in Nigeria and Jamaa’atu Tableegh, and his helping his group or society in truth or falsehood. And concerning Jamaa’atu Tableegh, many foolhardy youths utilize the fataawa of some of the people of knowledge especially that of Sheikh Muhammad bn Saalih Al-Uthaymeen, may Allah have mercy on him when he praised them because the Kuffaar accepted Islam from their hands, and the sinners repented due to their efforts, and their cheerful faces, and these are some of the things the Sheikh praised Jamaa’atu Tableegh for. I say: these are not specific to Jamaa’atu Tableegh alone but Allah grants it for any of His slaves He wishes. For how many a prophet did no single soul submit to Islam at his hands, and how many a sinner did not repent due to his advice?  And the best evidence is our Prophet Muhammad with his uncle, the father of Imam Alee, may Allah be pleased with him, Abu Taalib whom the Prophet strived his utmost to call him to guidance but he was not guided as was in the decree of Allah before, that he would not be guided, for the matter of guidance is from Allah and not in the hands of anybody. Then the Sheikh corrected his statement about Jamaa’atu Tableegh with numerous statements some of which are: “…however they have little knowledge and understanding of the religion”. I say, what could be worse than this? Especially one who takes it upon himself to call others to Allah, glorified and exalted is He. And possessing knowledge is a prerequisite to calling others to Allah as Allah says: Say (O Muhammad ):”This is my way; I invite unto Allah (i.e. to the Oneness of Allah-Monotheism) with sure knowledge, I and whosoever follows me (also must invite others to Allah i.e. to the oneness of Allah-monotheism) with sure knowledge. (Q12:108). And it is not possible that a man be a caller to Islam until he is an Aalim (Scholar) in what he is calling to, and it is compulsory on the callers that they learn first and act on what they learn, then call the people”. End quote. And this statement manifests the reality of the Tableeghs in Saudi Arabia, then if this is their reality, then what about the Tableeghs in other countries and non Arab-speaking countries. And it is an amazing thing, what the Tableeghs are upon especially in Nigeria. They have uneducated and fanatic adherents. And what is even more surprising is there renouncing of true knowledge, just as one of them said, and I choose not to mention his name: “How much knowledge did the Prophet  have before the beginning of his call to Islam!?”

Verily this statement makes my skin crawl because I have never heard the likes of this statement, and that which we hear also is the statement: “How much knowledge did the Sahaaba have before calling to Islam?” this is an indication of the ignorance such people have of the religion. And a mention of what the Jamaa’atu Tableegh are upon of their principles, part of which is knowledge, even though in reality it is knowledge of assembling people to their group, and not the knowledge of the Sharee’ah which stems from the Qur’an and the Sunnah and what the pious predecessors were upon. And we also mentioned earlier that among the principles of the Mu’tazilah is Adl although there is no justice in them when they deny Qadar, and there is no Tawheed in them while they deny the attributes of Allah, and there is no commanding of good and forbidding of evil in them while they revolt against their leaders.

2 His sitting and walking with one of the aforementioned groups or other than them from the people of deviation in aqeedah and actions, whether it is a group or an individual, following or being followed. Because Al-Mustapha said: “souls are like recruited soldiers, what is good from them is agreed upon and what is wrong from them is differed upon.

3 His avoidance and denial of the callers of what the people of the narrations are upon, and his denial in obeying Allah and His messenger and the leader of the Muslims, and walking on the path of the Salaf.

4 His criticism of Ahlus-Sunnah and turning his face when he hears reprimand of partisanship of the time and the companions of secret organizations and hidden coalitions.

5 And from the signs of partisanship is their strong love for songs (nasheeds) and theatrical performances, and their passionate urge of it and its adherents, and most of the traits found in the ranks of The Muslim Brotherhood is their love for their judges, and their party of wretched youths who are deluded, and among the women, the weak and deluded, may Allah return all of them to the truth. And these songs and nasheeds are a remnant of the ways of the Sufis which is present among the ikhwaani muslimeen and their groups due to the differences between them. And for this reason, Sheikh Saalih Al-Fawzaan, may Allah preserve him, was asked about the mention of many Islamic nasheeds and he answered: “this nomenclature is not correct, it is a new name and there is nothing called ‘Islamic nasheed’ among the books of the Salaf, and the people of knowledge hardly considered their statements, and what is known is that the sufis took nasheeds as a part of the religion and they listened to it, and in our times when different groups have emerged, it has become an issue for every group, songs for stirring up emotions and hence were named Islamic nasheeds. This name is not correct and as such, it is not permissible to take these nasheeds as a part of Islam, and spreading it amongst the people, and with Allah is all success.

Also, Sheikh Ahmad bn Yahya bn Muhammad An-Najmee, may Allah have mercy on him said: “the spread of nasheeds night and day, i.e, singing them, and I do not say listening to poetry is haram for verily, the prophet listened to poetry, but these people make as a methodology in these songs a madhhab of which the Sufis are upon, in their singing which stirs up emotions”.

6 And from their signs is that they see that the warning of bid’ah in the religion necessitates denial of assisting the Muslims, that is, they see that if one should speak negatively about the principles in their groups which do not agree with the Qur’an and the Sunnah, that person is trying to cause division in the religion. And they say: ‘”he busies himself with the mistakes of the muslim brotherhood and he keeps quiet about the enemies of the world”. And one of the principles of the muslim brotherhood is: “rebuking hardens the heart”. But where is their adherence to the pious predecessors, among the nation that Allah is pleased with in regard to their innovated stance which deviates from the right way?

7 Their praising and extolling the leaders of their societies and they imagine it is compulsory to attach their hopes on them.

8 And from their signs is the division of the religion into peel and core, that is, they consider some aspects of the religion as primary like prayer and fasting and neglect others saying it is secondary such as keeping the beard and not dragging the lower garment, whereas the above mentioned are all part of the religion of Islam. And it is surprising that these groups busy the people with politics of the time and neglect the politics of the religion. We say: “it is incumbent on you before you start calling people to politics that you first educate the people as regards answering the call of Allah and his messenger by using the Qur’an and the Sunnah”.

9 Their piling of large numbers of people without paying attention to the foundation which this group is built, and their making of a congregation of people, each with a different nature. So, this one is an Ash’aaree and the other is a Maatureedee and the next is a Sufi, and the fourth is a Murji’ee, and maybe a Hizbee and maybe a Takfeeree who adheres to the methodology of the Khawaarij, and they compile corruption in a single unit, and their beliefs are different. This is not so for those who believe in what the pious predecessors believe in and adhere to what they were upon. And from the principles of the Salafee call is: “…education and knowledge before piling large numbers”. While the deviant groups use the erroneous principle: “let us unite on what we agree on and excuse each other in our differences”, and this principle is in opposition to the sharee’ah.

10 Secrecy in actions: And among the traits of Hizbiyyah is practicing secrecy in actions of da’wah. And among the signs of the people of misguidance is their meeting in secret hiding from the eyes of the people, saying things in secret which they cannot say in the open and likewise doing things in secret which they cannot do in the open, so they are like a two-faced mole and the Prophet said: “verily, the worst of people are the double-faced people who come to these with a face and to those with another face”. Whoever reads the history of the people of knowledge will find that this was not their way. Imam Al-Qurtubi said: “the two faced person is the worst of people, for his case is like the hypocrite causing corruption on the earth”.

We should know that the aqeedah of the people of innovation and their statements does not manifest except with a strong authority, or a stubborn devil assisting them, deceiving the people with their innovations. Or compelling the people with his sword or his whip or helping them with wealth in order to deviate from the path of Allah, strongly devoted to his innovation causing the Muslims to turn on their heels in face of the enemy after their love for the obedience of Allah. We ask Allah for safety from these people.

  And a speaker amongst them said: “…secret da’wah is established in the actions of the prophet SAW when he called the people in secret in Makkah. The answer to this is in a number of angles:

1 This evidence is false because the Prophet was commanded to proclaim the religion and manifest it as Allah says: “therefore proclaim openly (monotheism) that which you are commanded and turn away from Al-Mushrikoon (polytheists, idolaters, disbelievers, etc) {Q15:94}. So the Prophet preached Islam openly in Makkah and bore with patience the harm of the idolaters. This shows that secrecy in calling to Islam is forbidden because the command of something prohibits the opposite. And Ibn Abee Aasim narrated in ‘As-Sunnah’ from Ibn Umar RA that he said: A man came to the Prophet and asked him for advice and the Prophet SAW said: “Worship Allah and do not associate any partner with obey your Muslim ruler and proclaim and beware of secrecy”.1

And from Zaid bn Aslam Al-‘Adawee, from his father who said: “News reached Umar bn Khataab that a group of people would gather in the house of Faatimah RA, and he went to her and said: “O daughter of the Messenger of Allah SAW, no one is dearer to us amongst the people than your father, and no one after your father is dearer to us than you, and it has reached me that these people gather in your presence, and by Allah! If this reaches me again I shall burn the house with them. So when they came to Faatimah, she said verily Ibn Khataab said so and so, and verily, he will do it, so they departed when Abu Bakr was pledged as Ameer.1




1 Classed as daeef (weak) by AL-Albaanee   M

And from Al-Awza’ee, he said: Umar bn Abdul-Azeez said: “If you see a people discussing something in their religion, with the exclusion of the masses, then this is the foundation of misguidance2

And Muhammad bn Nadr Al-Haarithee said: “The people of desires adopt misguidance and they destroy guidance so beware of them”.3

I say: “And from their methodology in their establishment of misguidance and destroying guidance is their practice of secrecy in their da’wah.

 1 Reported from Ibn Abee Shaybah in “Al Musaanaf” and Ibn Abee Aasim in Al-Mudhakkir wa tahkeer wa dhikr with a saheeh isnad. And taken from the book Al amr bi luzuum jamaatil-muslimeen of Ibn Barjis page54

2 Imam Ahmad reported it in Az-Zuhd and Ad-Daarimee in his sunan  number 51, and Laalikaee in shahr usool I’tiqaad Ahl-Sunnah and Ibn abd barr in “jaami bayaan al-ilm wa fadlihi” and Al-Bayhaqee in As-sunan

3 Abu Naeem reported it in Al-hilyah 8/218, check Al-intiqaadaat Al-ilmiyyah

The second angle is that the speaker thinks that the ummah has fallen into a time like the first period of his SAW call in Makkah and I say: praise be to Allah that we are not in a time like the period of ignorance of old, nay, we are in good and well being, and none says that we are in a period of ignorance like that of old except that one is bent on takfeer, and his heart is filled with rage upon the ummah.

The third angle is: the speaker does not distinguish between secret da’wah and concealment from the enemy due to necessity, and concealment from the enemy was one of the actions of the Messenger, and the evidences are many like the story of the submission of ‘Amr bn ‘Absa, may Allah be pleased with him, when he said: “I was in ignorance, I thought the people in ignorance, and were upon nothing, and they worshipped idols, and then I heard of a man in Makkah proclaiming. So I mounted my mount and proceeded to him and there he was in concealment, bold and daring to his people”. Muslim reported the hadith. And this hadeeth is an evidence that the Prophet concealed himself from his enemy when necessary, and it is not an evidence that the Prophet practiced secrecy in his call.

Fourthly, about secrecy in the da’wah of the Prophet is a mere assumption and hypothesis. He used to call the people and urge them on in carrying out good deeds and he did not indicate that a ruler be removed unlike what conspires amongst the secret groups and parties.     

Without wishing to delve too deeply into secrecy in da’wah, therefore, from the above mentioned facts, it is incumbent that one avoids secrecy in calling people to Islam and that issues be made clear to the people without keeping them ignorant about matters in the religion and with Allah is all strength.

HIZBIYYAH 3

                           

  WORDS OF THE SCHOLARS CONCERNING HIZBIYAH AND ITS RULINGS.  

Taking from the etiquettes of the scholars, that is, we do not issue a ruling about a matter or judge a case until we research the matter, or case, from the verdicts of the greater scholars. This is not a form of blind following, it is a form of etiquette and good manners and in order for the noble reader to know that I did not adopt in this book statements that were not preceded by a scholar or a school of thought which an Imam did not say, nay, because we are the most zealous of people in following the advice of Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal Ash-Shaybaanee, on him be the mercy of Allah, to his student Aboo Al-Hasan Al-Maymoonee when he said: “O Maymoonee! Do not speak on issues which you have no Imam to support it, because the predecessors did not leave behind for the successors mere talk.

1 Imam Ibn Jareer Al-Tabaree Said: in connection with the hadeeth of Hudayfah bn Yamaan, may Allah be pleased with him:”and in the hadeeth when there is no imam for the people and the people divide and become Ahzaab, then do not follow anyone in division, and withdraw from all of them if you are able, fearing that you fall into evil”. I say: “and this situation is what sets hizbiyyah aright for it is division and differences and furthermore, leaving the Muslim congregation to numerous types of partisanship.

2 Sheikh al- Islam Ibn Taymiyyah  said: “and it is not for the teachers that they should divide the people and stir up in them hatred and enmity between them, nay, they should be like brothers helping one another in goodness and piety as Allah says: “and help one another in goodness and piety and do not help one another in sin and transgression and fear Allah”. And he also said: “it is not for anyone to affiliate himself to a scholar, befriending and following him, and taking others as enemy, nay, upon him is to befriend every person from among the people of faith and eeman, and whoever is known for his piety from among the scholars and other than them, and do not specifically choose anyone, increasing love for him except it is clear that his eeman is more and so is his piety, and we give precedence to what Allah and His messenger give precedence to, and we prefer what Allah and His messenger prefer”. And he also said: “and it is not for anyone to take a covenant from anyone in agreeing to what he wants, and befriending who he befriends, and hating who he hates, nay, whoever does this is like Genghis Khan, his example is like one who takes those who agree with them, a truthful one and a friend, and those who disagree with them, an enemy and a transgressor, nay, upon them and those who follow them is the covenant of Allah and his messenger, that they obey Allah and his messenger and do what Allah and His messenger commanded…”

3 Imam Muhammad bn Alee bn Muhammad Ash-Shawkhaanee said: concerning Allah’s words: “Verily, those who split and divide their religion and they are factions, you have nothing to do with them, verily, their affair is with Allah, then He will inform them that which they used to do”. And it was said that this is a general verse for all the infidels and all those who innovate and bring to the religion what Allah did not command, and this is correct, because the statement implies all and sundry and groups among the people of the book (Jews and Christians) and the groups of polytheists, and other than them from those who innovate among the Muslims.

4 The verdict of Sheikh Abdul-Aziz bn Abdullahi bn Baaz and his deputy Sheikh Abd-Razaaq ‘Afeefee, may Allah have mercy on both of them: from the text of the verdict: “It is not permissible to divide the Muslims in their religion into groups and factions, some cursing others, and some striking the necks of others, because this division is from what Allah prohibited on those who invented it and follow their desires, and the person who does this act is promised a great punishment and Allah’s messenger is free of such a person. Allah, glorified is He said: “And hold on to the rope of Allah (the Qur’an, Islam, Sunnah etc) all together and do not divide”. Till the statement of Allah: “…and do not be like those who split and differed after what came to them of clear evidences and for those is a great punishment.”Also, Allah said: “Verily, those who split their religion and are sects, you(O Muhammad) have nothing to do with them in the least, verily, their affair is with Allah, then He will inform them of that which they used to do. Whoever comes with a good deed, for him is ten like it and whoever comes with an evil deed, he will be recompensed with that which is similar to it and they will not be wronged…”

5 And the great Sheikh, Muhammad bn Saalih Al-Uhaymeen may Allah have mercy on him was asked: “Is there any text from the book of Allah or the Sunnah of His prophet SAW containing permissibility of numerous Islamic groups?” And the Sheikh answered: “There is nothing in the Book or Sunnah that permits numerous groups and parties, nay, verily, in the book of Allah and the Sunnah is that which dispraises such. Allah glorified and exalted be He said: “Verily, those who split their religion and are groups and sects, you (O Muhammad) have nothing to do with them in the least, verily, their affair is with Allah, then He will inform them that which they used to do”.(6;159). And He said: “…each group rejoicing with that which is with them” (30; 32). And there is no doubt that these sects negate that which Allah commanded. Nay, Allah urged against dividing in His statement: “…and verily, this your religion (of Islamic Monotheism) is one religion, and I am your Lord, so keep your duty to me” (23; 52). And especially, when we look into the traces of these divisions and groups, we see that all these groups and all these factions  slander each other, abuse each other and they declare each other wrongdoers, and perhaps even greater than that and I see these groups are in error”. And he also said: and the statement of some of them:”it is not possible to call to righteousness except under a group”.  We say: this is not correct, nay, verily the call to righteousness every time man is low-spirited is under the book of Allah and the Sunnah of his messenger following the path of the Prophet and the rightly guided Caliphs. And he also said, concerning deviation and splitting: “…there is no doubt that partisanship in the religion of Allah is forbidden and we should beware of it from the statement of Allah”: “…and be not like those who divided and differed amongst themselves after the clear proofs had come to them. It is they for whom there is an awful torment” (3: 105). And also the statement of Allah: “Verily, those who divide their religion and break up into sects (all kinds of religious sects), you (O Muhammad) have no concern in them in the least. Their affair is only with Allah, Who then will tell them what they used to do” (6:159). Then he said, “It is not permissible for the Muslim nation to split into groups, each group having a methodology strange and different from the methodology of others, nay, it is compulsory to unite on one religion and on one methodology”. And it is the guidance of the Prophet and his rightly guided Caliphs and the companions from the statement of the prophet: “upon you is my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly guided caliphs after me, hold on to it and bite it with your molars {that is, hold firmly to the Sunnah}, and beware of newly invented matters [in the religion], for every innovation is misguidance”. And it is not from the guidance of the Prophet and the rightly guided Caliphs that the Muslim nation divide into groups and parties, each group having a leader and methodology.

6 Sheikh Saalih bn Fawzaan Al-Fawzaan said in his fatawa: “And these groups and this division happening today has nothing to do with Islam, nay, it is strongly forbidden in Islam. And Islam commands that we unite on the monotheistic belief, and the single methodology of Islam, and the single nation of Muslims just as Allah commands, glorified and exalted is He. And splitting into groups and factions is the plot of the shayateen of jinn and mankind of this nation. And the kuffaar and munaafiqeen do not cease to instill in the Muslim nation division. The Jews of old said: “Believe in the morning in that which is revealed to the believers, and reject it at the end of the day, so that they may turn back”. That is, that the Muslims turn back from their religion if they see you turn back there from. (3;72)

7 The great Sheikh, the Muhaddith of the era, the erudite scholar, Muhammad Naasir Al-Albaanee was asked, may Allah have mercy on him, about the numerous groups and sects and he answered: “Verily, there is a lot we have to say about this issue, but by Allah’s leave, I shall summarize it as follows: it is not permissible to have different groups in the Muslim congregation, each group having its own methodology and each group having its own leader, these leaderships enforcing their authority on its adherents, for this leads to increase in division and differences amongst the Muslims and making partisanship seem natural as Allah says: “Of those who split their religion (that is, who left the true Islamic Monotheism) and became sects, (that is, they invented new things into the religion {bid’ah}, and followed their vain desires), each sect rejoicing in that which is with it. (30:32).And there comes from the hadith of Hudhayfah bn Al-Yamaan in Saheeh Bukhaari and Saheeh Muslim, he said: “he people used to ask the Prophet about good and I used to ask him about evil out of fear of falling into it”, and he asked a lot of questions of great importance concerning the good they {the companions} were upon and if after that good there would be evil? The prophet answered that there would be something of evil, and after that evil, there would be good, and I asked him also if there would be any evil after that good and he said “yes”. And I continued asking until the Prophet said that there would be groups and factions and upon you is to bite on the root of a tree, and not to be near any of these groups and factions, except there was a leader for all the Muslims, and if there was a leader, then it would be necessary to follow him, and if not, then go away from all those groups, even if you had to bite down on the roots of a tree. This is the meaning of this hadeeth found in Saheeh Bukharee and Muslim. And that means that one should not form alliance with groups and I say concerning that: it is necessary for the Muslim nation to co-operate, all of them; however, based on the solid foundation, from the Book and the Sunnah and the methodology of the Pious Predecessors.

8 The Sheikh, the erudite scholar, the Muhaddith of Yemen, Abu Abdillahi Muqbil Al-Haadee Al-Waadi’ee, may Allah have mercy on him said: “Verily, we do not call a group from the various groups, a sound group until it forsakes all its ideas and opinions to the book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Prophet as Allah said: “And in whatsoever you differ, the decision thereof is with Allah (He is the ruling Judge) [42:10}. And He also said: “…And if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger, if you believe in Allah and the last day. That is better and more suitable for final determination {4:59}.

Had I not feared talking at long length, I would have presented more verdicts of the great scholars. But for now, it would suffice to know without a doubt for every intelligent, seeker of truth, non-adherent to a person or society or group that partisanship is haraam totally, because it leads to fanaticism, and it is a path to disunity and a means of corruption of the heart, a destruction of the people and whoever refuses to acknowledge that, then he has rendered his intellect null and void, and he befools himself. And we shall clarify the matter and make mention of the harms and dangers of hizbiyyah if Allah wills. And verily, a poet spoke well when he said:

The intellect is not sound at all                

If it requires evidence that it is daytime.

PARTISANSHIP: SECTS IN ISLAM 2

                                               HISTORY OF HIZBIYAH AND ITS ROOTS.

The history of Islam in its different times witnessed a lot of trials and tribulations, especially those who ascribed themselves to Islam without attesting to the correct meaning of Islam. The affair of which there is no difference in opinion about is that the foundation of Islam is the obligation of unity and harmony, and the forbiddance of segregation and differences, and that what is sought from every Muslim is that they should be upon the authentic Islam which was sent down to the messenger of Allah SAW and upon the first generation of Muslims. They were one nation until the Khawaarij[1] made their appearance, and they labeled the Senior Sahaaba (Companions of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be on him)as infidels. Then, the division persisted until the Rawaafid[2] emerged. The Qadariyyah[3] then emerged, then the Mu’tazilah[4] and other than them. And the symbols for these groups in entirety is the abandonment of following the Sahaaba [RA] in their understanding of the book and the Sunnah[5].

1 Khawaarij: They are the first hizb to manifest in the history of Islam. Their views caused a political split in the Muslim ummah. Among their views is their statement: ‘do you make as judges in the religion of Allah men’? The first to pronounce this statement was Urwah bn Jareer. Then some of the ignorant reciters took this view along with a group among the Arab Bedouins, and they killed Uthman bn Affan, may Allah be pleased with him and others from among the companions of Ali, may Allah be pleased with him and they say: la hukma illa lillahi{no judgement except for Allah}, that is, none must judge in religious affairs except Allah.                     

2 Raafidah (plural: rawaafid): They are those who refused to accept Zaid bn Ali because Abu Bakr and Umar, may Allah be pleased with both of them, appointed him in office and they subdivided in this refusal after that into groups and numerous parties coming together to abuse the companions and labeling them infidels. Also, among their traits is their aversion of the Muslim rulers and the best of generations i.e the early Muslims {Salaf as Saalih}, the companions of the prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be on him.

And among the scholars is one who named the Rawaafid, the Shee’ah. {Check the book Al-Firaq bayna al-Firaq} by Al-Baghdaadee and Al-Malal al-Nahl of Al-Shahrastaanee.

3 They are the deniers of Al-Qadar [destiny], and the first to talk about this denial was Ma’bad Al-Juhanee in Basrah in the later times of the companions, and Geelaan Ad-Dimashqee. And before both of them was Al-Natabee Costantine, the Jaathaleeq[in the direction of Shaam] who opposed Umar RA while he was teaching in Shaam when Umar said “…and whoever Allah misguides, there is none to guide him aright”. And then Al-Natabee objected and denied destiny and said: “Verily, Allah does not misguide anyone. Then Umar threatened him with beheading if he manifested his statement on destiny a second time. Abdullah bn Muhammad reported it in ‘As-Sunnah.

4 Al-Mu’tazilah: They follow Waasil bn ‘Ataa [died 131AH] and ‘Amr bn ‘Ubaid [died 141AH] and they were named Al-Mu’tazilah because of that due to their withdrawal [I’tizal] from the sittings of Al-Hasan Al-Basri. They have five principles which are: Justice[adl], monotheism[tawheed], promise and threat {al-wa’d wal-wa’eed}, a station between two stations (they believe that a sinner who dies as a Muslim is between two stations, that is he is neither in paradise nor in hell) and commanding good and forbidding evil.

5 I say, you are right O doctor Khaalid may Allah preserve you from calamities and strife: for verily the symbols of the people of innovation [bid’ah] and division and hizbiyah in totality, is their abandonment of the methodology of the pious predecessors in their understanding of the Qu’ran and Sunnah. So do not be deceived by their du’a [invocations] which follow the Qu’ran and Sunnah. They follow the Qu’ran and the Sunnah but based on whose understanding? The understanding of their founders and their judges and their leaders and not on the understanding of the pious predecessors.

Then as for the Khawaarij, they adhere to the Qu’ran and Sunnah but with the understanding of their Judges like ‘Urwah bn Jareer and Al-Ash’ath bn Qais Al-Kindee, and Mus’ar bn Fajeej at-Taymeemee  and Abdullah bn Wahb Ar-Raasee, the first one whom the Khawaarij pledged allegiance to as the Imam over the rule of Zaid bn Aasim and the Jamaa’ah. And they understand that it is not permissible for men to judge in the religion of Allah in big matters or small matters taking from the statement of Allah: “…the judgement is none but for Allah” [6:57, 12:40]. And with this understanding which the Sahaaba [companions] did not understand as such, they declared majority of the Sahaaba as Kuffaar[infidels] starting from Imam Ali bn Abee Taalib RA and if was not for Allah through Ibn Abbas  i.e. Abdullah bn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, who debated with them and unveiled that which covered them of their weak understanding of the judgement and other than that from the issues, they would have been destroyed, those two thousand among them who returned to Madeenah with Ibn Abbaas from the desert.

Ar-Rawaafid: They adhere to the Qur’an and Sunnah but with the understanding of their judges from Al-Awbaash and Al-Anjaas from the Majoos and the Jews, and they speak with takfeer (declaring one an infidel or kaafir) of the companions of the messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be on him, calling them infidels calling to witness what is established in Saheeh Bukharee number 6585: “O my Lord! My companions and He will say: “verily, you do not know what they innovated after you, verily, they turned on their backs in retreat”. However, these companions mentioned are those hypocrites in Medina who manifested Islam and concealed kufr and were not known to the prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be on him.1

Al-Murjiah: They act on the Qur’an and the Sunnah but based on the understanding of their judges and they say: the lack of increase of faith in obedience to Allah and the lack of decrease of faith with sin. 2

1 This narration shows apart from the misguidance of following the Sunnah without proper understanding of the text but also that the noble prophet did not know the unseen, nay, he only knew what his Lord, The All Knowing taught him. M

2 This means, they believe that if a person were to pray, fast, perform pilgrimage, recite the Qur’an, enjoin good and forbid evil and so on from among the acts of worship, these would not increase his faith and if he were to drink alcohol, fornicate, lie, steal, murder, slander his brother and so on from the acts of sin, these would not reduce his faith. M

And they say none will enter hell as long as he says la ilaaha illa Allah, calling to witness what is established in Saheeh Bukhaaree no 5827 “none of the slaves say la ilaaha illa Allah” then dies on that except he will enter paradise.”

Al-Qadariyyah: They act on the Book and the Sunnah but based on the understanding of their judges from Ma’bad Al-Juhanee from Basrah, Geelan Ad-Damaashqee and other than them calling to witness what is established in Saheeh al Bukhaaree no 1385 “every child is born on the natural monotheism [fitrah] and then his father makes him a Jew or Christian or Magian.

Al-Mu’tazilah: They hold on to the Book and the sunnah but based on the understanding of their judges like Waasil bn Ataa and Amr bn Ubaid and other than them and they say about one who falls into a major sin that he is neither a believer nor a disbeliever but he is in a position between two positions calling to witness what is established in Saheeh Bukhaaree no 6016: “By Allah he does not believe. By Allah he does not believe. It was said, “Who, O Messenger of Allah? He said, the one who his neighbor is not safe from his mischief”. Is he a disbeliever? They say, the messenger only negated faith from him and the messenger SAW did not establish for him kufr[disbelief]. And I say, look into the futile philosophy which afflicted the Mu’tazilah when they established for Allah the name but not the attribute so they said about Allah, may He be exalted: The All-Knowing without knowledge, The All-Hearing without hearing, The All-Seeing without sight, The All Wise without wisdom and so on.

Al- Ikhwaan al-muslimeen [The Muslim Brotherhood]: They adhere to the book and the sunnah based on the understanding of their Qaadees (judges) from Hasan al-Bannaa and Al-Hadee at-Thanee and Mahdee Aakif and Al-Hadee al Awwal, Al-Talmasaanee and Abu Nasr and Mustafa Mashoor  and Mustafa al- Sabaa’ee and Muhammad al-Ghazalee and Fath and Al-Qardawee and Al-Zindaanee and Muhammad Mahmoud al-Sawaaf and other than them.

And the statements of Hasan Al-Bannaa about the attributes of Allah and tawassul are common as well as those of Umar Al-Talmasaanee about aqeedah. And Saeed Hawaa said in his book ‘Jawlah al mutafaqiheen’ pages 22-62 taken from the risaalah of Faisal page38 “Verily the muslims have in these times imams in aqeedah, and their imams in creed are the likes of Abu Hasan al-Ash’aree and Abu Mansoor al-Maatureedee”. And he also said “The Ummah submits to the judgements of only these two: Abu Hasan and Abu Mansoor al Maatureedee”.

I say and the truth is more correct to be said, this statement is not free from errors and nonsense, as Saeed bn Hawaa divided the Muslim Ummah in connection with their imams into Imams of aqeedah and Imams of other than aqeedah [creed], and this is an unfair division, this is no other than names you named, you and your fathers of old which Allah has sent no authority. Then why are the imams of fiqh [jurisprudence] not the imams of aqeedah and akhlaaq[character] and sulook[good mannerisms]? And why is this extremism in division which is not comprehensive but restrictive? And he said: “the Muslim nation submits their affairs of creed to the judgements of these two: Abu Hasan and Abu Mansoor al-Maatureedee”? And why should the Muslim Ummah submit their affairs of creed to these two instead of three or four or above? This statement claims nothing other than that the predecessor follows the successor, and the successor is the leader of the predecessor, or that the child is the progenitor of the father, and that the father is the son of his child. And the likes of this statement is not formed except as a fitnah[trial, calamity etc], we ask Allah for tranquility and well being.

Jamaa’atu al-Islaamiyah: they adhere to the Qur’aan and Sunnah but based on the understanding of their judges like Abu A’la al-Mawdoodee, Mayyaan Tufayl Muhammad, and Qaadee Husayn Ahmad and other than them.

Al-Majlis Islaamiy [The Muslim Congress]: They adhere to the Qur’aan and the Sunnah but based on the understanding of their judges.

Jamaa’atu Tadaamun al Muslimeen: they hold on to the Book and sunnah but based on the understanding of their judges. And what is surprising is that we see from their attributes, religious knowledge which in reality is not sufficient, and also their gathering of people in order to lead them. And don’t forget O noble reader that we mentioned earlier from the statement of Doctor Khaalid: that the reason behind the division of this Muslim nation in the beginning is the moving away of individuals and groups from the understanding of the Salaf to their own understanding of the book and the Sunnah. And this is very important. And it protects us from division and innovation. And this is what Allah commands. And if a speaker says: is not following the book and the Sunnah sufficient?

I say: yes, it is not sufficient as Allah and His messenger were the two who said this.

Allah says: “and whoever contradicts and opposes the messenger [Muhammad, peace be on him]  after the right path has been shown clearly to him, and follows other than the believers’ way, we shall keep him in the path he has chosen, and burn him in hell what an evil destination”[Q4;115]. And He also said: “So if they believe in the like of that which you believe, then they are rightly guided; but if they turn away, then they are only in opposition. So Allah will suffice for you against them. And He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower”. [2:137], that is in their differing and separating. This is because the Eeman of the Sahaaba is the scale for measuring the Eeman of the Kuffaar before them, and also it is the scale for measuring our faith as we are those who came after them.

And Allah says: “and the foremost to embrace Islam of the Muhaajiroon and the Ansaar and also those who followed them exactly in faith, Allah is well pleased with them and they with Him. He has prepared for them gardens under which rivers flow(paradise), to dwell therein forever. That is the supreme success(Q9;100). Ibn katheer said in connection to this verse, “Verily Allah has informed us that He is well pleased with the foremost among the Muhaajiroon and the Ansaar, and those who follow them in goodness, so woe to those who hate them or abuse them, or hate and abuse some of them especially the foremost of the Sahaaba after the Prophet peace be on him and the best of them, that is the greatest Siddeeq and the great Khaleefah, Abu-Bakr ibn Abu-Quhaafah, may Allah be truly pleased with him, for verily, the despicable group from the Rawaafid oppose the best among the Sahaabah and hate and abuse them, and we seek Allah’s refuge from that, and this points to the fact that their intellect is inverted and their hearts are reversed and where can eeman be found for such who abuse those whom Allah is pleased with? As for Ahlus-sunnah, then they are pleased with whom Allah is pleased with, and they abuse who Allah and his messenger abuse, and they befriend those who Allah befriends, and they oppose those who Allah opposes, and they follow and they do not innovate and they imitate and do not innovate in matters of religion, and for this reason, they are the successful and are the true believers of Allah and his true slaves.

As for what is mentioned in the Sunnah: and verily the messenger of Allah ascribed the understanding of the companions to that which was revealed to him, from the Qur’an and the Sunnah, when he said in the hadith of Irbaad bn Saariyah, may Allah be pleased with him, “I adjoin you to fear Allah and listen and obey{your Muslim rulers in charge}, even if he is an Abyssinian slave, then verily, those that live long shall see a lot of differences so beware of newly invented matters{in the religion} for verily it is misguidance, then whoever sees these differences then upon him is my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly guided khaleefahs after me, hold on to it with your molars{i.e adhere strictly to the sunnah}. Abu Dawoud narrated it in his ‘Sunan’ number3991 and Tirmidhi also number 2600, and also the statement of the prophet SAW in the hadith of the splitting of the Ummah, when he was asked which of the sects would be the saved one and he said: “…what I and my companions are upon today”, and the statement of Abdullahi bn Mas’oud: “…verily Allah looked into the hearts of the slaves, and he found the heart of Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be on him, the best of hearts of his slaves so He chose him to Himself, and He sent him with His message, then He looked into the hearts of the slaves after the heart of Muhammad, salaallaahu alayhi wa sallam, then found the hearts of the companions the best of hearts of the slaves, so He made them the ministers of his Prophet, Peace be on him and they fought for His religion, then whatever the Muslims see as good[that is, the early Muslims], then it is good with Allah and whatever they saw as evil, then it is evil with Allah”, reported by Ahmad 3600 and Tayaalisee 240 in both their Musnads. From this we say, it is clear to us that the one who is far removed from the misguidance of vain desires and fitnah and division, then he is the one who adheres strictly to the book and the sunnah with the understanding of the righteous predecessors, for verily they took from it an abundant portion, and they achieved a great success. And they were on undisputed guidance, and with sufficient knowledge, and clear insight. And the happy one is he who treads their path. And the wretched is the one who deviates left and right away from their path, straying in the darkness of destruction and misguidance. He thinks the mirage is water out of his desires and when he arrives at it, he finds nothing there but shaytan, overpowering him. We seek refuge with Allah from deviation. Now tell me by your Lord, which of the two groups is better?

And verily, those who try to belittle the pious Salaf from methodology of knowledge, which is necessary to rule by, using the understanding of the book and the sunnah, and holding on to during differences and division, base their arguments on two delusions. These delusions have no form of evidence for them, and verily, the philosophers make their conclusions on these two delusions:

Firstly: they say that the method of the Salaf is based on more submission [aslam] and that of the Khalaf is based on more knowledge [a’alam] and wisdom. This is an erroneous statement because the more submissive one is, the more knowledgeable and wiser he becomes, because knowledge and wisdom necessitates submissiveness. And from among the opponents of the Salaf’s manhaj, Sa’eed Ramadaan in his defective book titled “As-Salafiyyah fitratun zamaniyyatun mubaarakatun wa laysa madhhaban”. And may Allah reward the pious scholars in their refutation and investigation into this book, and among these excellent scholars is the doctor, the sheikh, Saalih bn Fawzaan bn Abdullahi al Fawzaan, may Allah preserve him and strengthen him.

Secondly:  their preoccupation with Greek philosophy and vain discussion, Ibn al-Hisaar said: a lot of statements manifested during the time of Al-Ma’moun, the ruler,  and there were differences in opinion about the scholar and his statements, and the genuine and his uprightness, and  honor and its essence, and innovators spread swiftly, and those with deviation in their hearts learnt customs and traditions intending by them to cause dissension among Ahlus-sunnah and putting doubts in the minds of the weak among the people of religion and this situation did not cease until bid’ah appeared. And the innovators became groups, and the sultan, Al-Ma’moun, got mixed up and said that the Qur’aan was created and compelled his people to follow this ideology. Ahmad bn Hanbal, the imam of the sunnah, was flogged for opposing this, and some men from Ahlus-sunnah turned and fell head-long with the innovators and their traditions.

And for this reason, the people of Islam divided, and some declared others as kuffaar, and they became enemies after their brotherhood as Ibn Rajab said, many from among them went out of the authentic Islam which the messenger, Peace be on him and his companions were upon…and the Imams warned of this division more than the warning of fornication and immorality, when they saw the dangers in these divisions. Then a succession of periods elapsed on the Ummah and a lot of authentic symbols of the religion were lost and a lot of commotion occurred, and the strength of the Ummah became weakness, and its goodness and affluence was stolen. Then the zealous ones among the Ummah’s progeny want to return its glory and splendor. However, self respect and a sense of honor is not sufficient, and it is unavoidable, nay compulsory, that its companions adorn themselves with mastery of religious knowledge, and a sound understanding of Islam because these people have strong differences, and different paths branch out within their fold, and their plans differ because of the realization of this great goal, and they adopt many methodologies, some political, and others not political, and some jihad methodologies and others not jihad methodologies, and they practise hizbiyyah and every hizb from among them take a name or title which they are known by, and a leader whom they pledge allegiance to listen and obey in hardship and in ease, in good and in bad, and they give him rights which is not befitting except for a great  imam, and they begin to break from the body of the Ummah and with it, cause a lot of darkness for themselves, and they increase in splitting the Ummah and wearing out its strength.  

                      

PARTISANSHIP: SECTS IN ISLAM

                                                     HIZBIYYAH

                                                                            

TRANSLATORS FOREWARD

Verily, all praise belongs to Allah, we praise him, seek his help and we seek his forgiveness, and we seek refuge from Allah from the evils of our souls and our deeds. Whoever Allah guides, none can lead him astray, and whoever he leads astray, none can guide him. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship but Allah and that Muhammad is His slave and messenger. As for what follows, then the most truthful of speech is the book of Allah, and the best of guidance is that of Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be with him, his household, his companions and all those who follow his path until the day of resurrection.

O you who believe! Fear Allah as he ought to be feared and die not except in the state of Islam(3:102)

O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single soul (Aadam), and from him (Aadam) He created his wife (Hawwa{Eve}), and from them both He created many men and women and fear Allah through Whom you demand your mutual {rights}, and (do not sever the relations of) the wombs (kinship). Surely, Allah is Ever an All-Watcher over you.”(4:1)

O you who believe! Keep your duty to Allah and fear Him, and speak (always) the truth. He will direct you to do righteous deeds and will forgive you your sins. And whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger, peace be on him he has indeed achieved a great achievement (i.e. he  will be saved from the hell fire and made to enter paradise) {3:70-71}.

As for what follows:

Understanding partisanship especially in these times of calamity and strife is compulsory on every Muslim in order to safeguard himself and his family from the corrupt beliefs and methodologies that have entered into Islaam.  This brief but I hope beneficial message is a partial translation of the book ‘Al-Hizbiyyah’ by our teacher Abd Raouf bn Bello from the original Arabic text. I included extra footnotes marked with the letter M for further clarification at the suggestion of the author himself. I hope that this work serves the desired purpose which is to guide the Muslims from the darkness of partisanship into the light of following the Prophet and the Righteous Predecessors in belief, worship, manners and methodology because following the Prophet is key to guidance and steering clear from misguidance: “This is My straight path, so follow it and follow not diverse ways lest they lead you away from his way”. (6:154). And all praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds and may the peace and blessings of Allah be on the soul of the noble prophet Muhammad, his family and his companions until the day of resurrection, the day that neither wealth nor children will be of benefit except the one who comes to Allah with a pure heart.

                                                                        INTRODUCTION

Verily, all praise belongs to Allah, we praise him, seek his help and we seek his forgiveness, and we seek refuge from Allah from the evils of our souls and our deeds. Whoever Allah guides, none can lead him astray, and whoever he leads astray, none can guide him. I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship but Allah and that Muhammad is His slave and messenger. As for what follows, then the most truthful of speech is the book of Allah, and the best of guidance is that of Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be with him, his household, his companions and all those who follow his path until the day of resurrection.

O you who believe! Fear Allah as he ought to be feared and die not except in the state of Islam(3:102)

O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from a single soul (Aadam), and from him (Aadam) He created his wife (Hawwa{Eve}), and from them both He created many men and women and fear Allah through Whom you demand your mutual {rights}, and (do not sever the relations of) the wombs (kinship). Surely, Allah is Ever an All-Watcher over you.”(4:1)

O you who believe! Keep your duty to Allah and fear Him, and speak (always) the truth. He will direct you to do righteous deeds and will forgive you your sins. And whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger, peace be on him he has indeed achieved a great achievement (i.e. he  will be saved from the hell fire and made to enter paradise) {3:70-71}.

As for what follows:

Aboo Aaliyah, may Allah have mercy on him said, I read the “Muhkam” (unambiguous verses of the Quran) after the death of your Prophet, peace be on him, in ten years and Allah blessed me with two things, I do not know which is better: that he made me a Muslim and that he did not make me a harooree (a deviant sect in Islam AKA The Khawaarij). And with what this successor of the companions of the Prophet said, I say: all praise to Allah who made us Muslims, Salafees, Sunnis, Atharees.1

Not innovators in the religion, not partisans, not on hizbiyyah, nor racists, nor blind followers, nor selfish extremists, nor glorifying other than Allah. And we are hopeful for the good which is with our Lord, Allah.

                                                        EXPLANATION OF THE WORD.             

Perhaps O noble reader, you are repeating in your mind a question which necessitates an answer and that is “why did I write on the topic hizbiyah {partisanship}?” I will explain to remove any confusion. I wrote this book with the intention to make the truth manifest to the student of knowledge and also to the callers of Islam and societies(jamaa’at) in order for them to firmly establish their souls and guard themselves and that they straighten their path and reasoning. I wrote this book for the brothers [mobbish, riff raff, ragtag] who put themselves in front to cure the people and yet cannot distinguish between the hunter and the archer, or between the truth and falsehood and between thin and fat. They are those who molded themselves like the cattle. They do not know where they guide themselves either to the slaughterhouse or the grazing field. And they are like parrots who repeat whatever they hear without pondering and they make themselves like trumpets in the hand of the musician, (that is, they follow blindly the statements and actions of their leaders without sound evidence). I am writing this book to inform the righteous  brothers whom  I deem, and I purify none above Allah, as possessors of zeal and excellence in Islam, who are deluded by these groups of despicable partisanship and do not know that emotion and zeal and self respect alone are not sufficient. And specifically, if there is no sound understanding of the religion, the emotions will be inverted and destroyed which none but Allah can avert.

I wrote this book as a deterrent for the biased brothers who are passionate and are on hizbiyah and I fear that the word of Allah is true about them that: ‘Verily there are amongst the Jewish rabbis and Christian monks who devour the wealth of the people in falsehood“. [Q9:34]. And the statement of Ibn Masoud, may Allah be pleased with him [RA], “and they seek the adornments of this world with the works of the hereafter.

                                           

                                                              WHAT IS HIZBIYAH?

Hizbiyah in the Arabic language is derived from the letters h,z,b. It is said that the hizb of a man are his companions. Also coined from the word is Hizbul Quran[companions of the Quran] . Hizb may mean a group. Also, it means a group which gathered in order to fight the Prophets [Al-ahzaab]. Hizb may also mean a hard, strong ground for the people of hizbiyah are usually hard and strong in their partisanship. It may also mean a weapon, society or sect. Its plural is ahzaab. And they [ahzaab] join forces to wage war on the group of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be on him. Finally, it may mean the army of a man and the companions under his banner. Allah says:

And he who believed said:” O my people! Verily I fear for you a fate like that day of disaster of the confederates [ahzaab] of old”. Meaning the example of the people of Noah, Hud, Thamud and the people of Madyan. That is hizbiyah in the grammatical sense. As for the legislative or Shariah meaning, then it is a concept necessitating belief in allegiance and disassociation based on the foundation of membership for collecting individuals and leading them. Hizbiyoon is mentioned on the tongue of the one who utters it in as much as he believes that they are on the truth with no partners from other than them and that they are the most deserving of the help of Islam and that whoever goes out of their fold loses out and Islam does not benefit such a person.

Also, the great scholar and doctor, Abd Salaam bn Barjis Abdul Kareem may Allah have mercy on him said: Al-hizb is coming together for a specific purpose. It is said about the societies of the people that they are a hizb. Allah says:

“Each group [hizb] rejoicing in what is with it as in beliefs.”{23;53}.

And hizb could be praiseworthy or blameworthy. As for the praiseworthy type, it is the Muslim congregation [jamaa’ah] that sticks to the congregation with a clear leader, this is the group of Allah which Allah mentioned about:

“They are the party of Allah. Verily it is the party of Allah that will be successful”.[58;22]

As for the blameworthy partisanship, then it is leaving the congregation of Muslims to other groups, meeting in order to split the congregation and deviating from following the Islamic sharee’ah and instead following vain desires from the group of shaytan. This is because they split the group of Allah.

“So after the truth, what else can there be, save error.[10;32]

“They are the party of shaytan. Verily, it is the party of shaytan that will be the losers! [58:32]

Therefore, hizbiyah is a concept, and the adherents to this concept are called ‘hizbiyoon’. Therefore, this word hizbiyah is a word which has synonyms, some of which are harakiyah and harakiyoon or islamiyah and Islamiyoon. Harakiyoon and Islamiyoon are people who work for Islam apparently, and they see that the fiqh or understanding of the religion is not sufficient in establishing Islam, until every individual affiliates his or herself to adherence to da’wah or calling to Islam; commanding and prohibiting, and being heard and obeyed, and what is preponderant is the fact that they accompany all of this with an agreement and covenant [bay’ah] with somebody even if they are in a Muslim land with a Muslim ruler as sultan. And because of this, we understand the reason they are named harakiyoon; their evil opinion of the religion makes them imagine that they do not move in severe opposition to the dominion of the Muslim leaders, and that the fuqaha [plural of faqeeh which means a scholar of Islamic jurisprudence] resemble the Sufi dervishes, not adhering to their movement. This is because in their opinion, the fuqaha have become instruments in the hands of the rulers and that they i.e the fuqaha have no knowledge.*

*This is well known in history as well as modern times. The people of hizbiyyah pledge their allegiance to a man other than the established Muslim ruler and seek to cause fitnah in the land. Also, they belittle the scholars of Islaam and seek the direction of other than them, thus leading themselves and the people astray. M