Al-Albaani’s Advice to Every Muslim on the Face of the Earth

 

 

The Imaam said, “My advice for every Muslim on the face of the earth, especially our brothers who share with us their affiliation to the blessed da’wah, that of the Book and the Sunnah on the methodology of the Pious Predecessors–I advise them and myself to fear Allaah, the Blessed and Most High, firstly, and then [advise them] to seek more beneficial knowledge as He the Most High said:

“And fear Allaah. And Allaah teaches you.” [Baqarah 2:282]

And [I advise them] to couple their meritorious knowledge which in our united opinion is that which does not digress from the Book, the Sunnah and the methodology of the Pious Predecessors, along with this knowledge of theirs and [along with] whatever increase in it they are able to seek–[I advise them] to couple that with action upon that knowledge, so that it will not be a proof against them but for them:

“The Day when there will not benefit [anyone] wealth or children. But only one who comes to Allaah with a sound heart.” [Shu’araa 26:88-89]

Thereafter I warn them from joining many of those who have left the path of the Salaf in many, numerous issues, something which can be termed as rebelling against the Muslims and their Jamaa’ahs [i.e., like the Khawaarij], rather we order them to be as the Prophet عليه الصلاة والسلام said in an authentic hadith, “And be servants of Allaah, brothers,” as Allaah the Blessed and Most High ordered you, and we should, as I said in a previous sitting and which I repeat again [here], and there is benefit in repeating [such points]–in our da’wah we should be gentle with those who oppose it and we should always and forever stand in line with His Saying, the Blessed and Most High:

“Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best,” [Nahl 16:125] and the ones who have the most right for us to use [such] wisdom with them are those who are the most severe in their conflict/disagreement with us in our doctrine and our aqidah so that we do not bring together [both] the weightiness of the true call [itself which] Allaah عز وجل favoured us with and the burden of ill manners in calling to Allaah عز وجل.

So I hope that all of our brothers in all Islamic countries imitate these Islamic manners and seek, by doing so, Allaah’s Face عز وجل [i.e., to do so sincerely] and not to want any reward or thanks [from the people].”

Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, 900.

Is it Allowed to Perform Ruqya on Someone Possessed by a Jinn Through a Cassette Recording?

 

Questioner: Is it allowed to perform ruqya [reciting aayahs/supplications on someone who is poisoned/possessed by Jinn, etc.] through a cassette?

Al-Albaani: Is it allowed to perform ruqya what?

Questioner: … through a cassette?

Al-Albaani: … through a cassette?

Questioner: Cassette.

Al-Albaani: … cassette.

Questioner: Yes.

Al-Albaani: Is the adhaan allowed? Is the iqaamah allowed [through a cassette]? If you are in doubt such that I should answer you [I will], and if you know that the answer is that it is not allowed [to call the adhaan or iqaamah using a cassette] then the answer is the same [concerning ruqya]–it is not allowed.

For this reason I said on some occasions that I think, and Allaah knows best if the report is true, that sometimes a single [unified] adhaan is played on tape–if this report is true [and people are actually doing that] then I say that I fear a day will come when the people will pray behind a cassette [recording].

Al-Huda wan-Noor, 616.

Listen to Al-Albaani Reciting Surah Faatihah and Ash-Shams

Listen to Al-Albaani Speaking Albanian

Al-Albaani Asked About How to Find Happiness

Questioner: People strive to attain happiness, their ways in achieving it being diverse, if our Shaikh would clarify for the people some milestones in their path to attain it?

Al-Albaani: I don’t think there is any differing in this except among the philosophers.

Amongst the Muslims who believe in Allaah and His Messenger and who believe that there is no path to happiness in this life or the next except by clinging to Islaam there is no multiplicity of answers–[the only answer] is to cling to Islaam.

And vice versa, whoever wants misery should turn away from Islaam, and this is very clear from many verses, like His Saying, the Most High, in the well-known aayah, “And whoever turns away from My remembrance–indeed, he will have a depressed [i.e., difficult] life, and We will gather [i.e., raise] him on the Day of Resurrection blind. He will say, ‘My Lord! Why have you raised me blind while I was [once] seeing?’ He will say, ‘Thus did Our signs come to you, and you forgot [i.e., disregarded] them–and thus will you, this Day, be forgotten.’” [Taa Haa 20:124-126]

But the thing we must pay heed to, something which is a very big reality and painful from another angle due to many of the Muslims lacking it, many of them [lacking it] in terms of knowledge and some of them practically, is that Islaam with the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم upon the understanding of the Salaf as-Saalih is the cure for all diseases and psychological illnesses which have afflicted a people who have not tasted happiness.

Islaam derived from the Book and the Sunnah and the methodology of the Salaf as-Saalih is the cure.

But the thing I want to mention now is that many alien matters have entered this cure, which, if we don’t say have corrupted it completely then at the very least have prevented it from being an absolute one, [and I’m referring here to] those things which have come into Islaam which are not a part of it, whether they be in creed, worship, behaviour or manners, and due to these things which have afflicted it, this Islaam is turned inside out … its effect is not manifested in the community that practices it.

So the fault is not with Islaam but rather those things that have been added to it.

That is why we always and forever insist on saying that if we want this happiness, there is no way to it, as we already mentioned, except through Islaam–but not, if the expression be correct, Islaam with an ‘elastic’ understanding but with the special understanding based upon the Book, the Sunnah and the methodology of the Salaf as-Saalih.

It is then that it, and nothing else, will be the spring of happiness.

Whatever the case, I hold that questions like this are studied in universities which do not specialize, in fact, do not give importance to studying Islaam, but are concerned with studying general culture whether that be Islaam, or philosophy, or secularism or things like it [i.e., they don’t know that happiness is found in following the true Islaam so they spend time trying to find other ways to achieve it].

Amongst the Muslims, the understanding is that there is no happiness except by clinging to Islaam–I just wanted to add [through this answer the point about] clinging to Islaam with its correct understanding …

Interjector: O Shaikh! I had taken a booklet from you which I photocopied, called, ‘Useful Ways of Leading a Happy Life,’ by Shaikh ’Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Naasir as-Sa’di [who was Shaikh Uthaimeen’s teacher, may Allaah have mercy on them both], even though it is only a few pages long, it’s a very great book, O Shaikh.

Al-Albaani: Maa shaa Allaah.

Interjector: If a person was depressed, sad, ill at ease, overburdened with sorrow, and read it, subhaanallaah! Namely, if the expression is allowed, it’s as though it’s magic.

Al-Albaani: Maa shaa Allaah.

Interjector: Yes, by Allaah, ‘Useful Ways of Leading a Happy Life,’ truly amazing, O Shaikh. [Click here for the book]

Al-Albaani: You should read it.

Interjector: It is great, subhaanallaah! By Shaikh ’Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Naasir as-Sa’di. [Click here for his website]

Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, 311.

It is Not a Condition that The Reviver Sent Every 100 Years Be a Scholar Only, As Long as He is On the Methodology of the Salaf as-Saalih, He can Be a Specialist in Another Field Too

Questioner: There is an authentic hadith which states that at the start of every hundred years [Allaah will raise someone] who will revive this Ummah’s religion for it, is it a condition that these revivers [Mujaddids] be from Ahlus-Sunnah or not?

Al-Albaani: No doubt. It is a fundamental condition and this is the reality that I hold [to be the case]. In my opinion, this question is like if someone were to ask–and I hope that such a question does not actually emanate from a questioner–it’s like if someone were to ask, ‘Is it a condition that he be a Muslim?’ Naturally, such a question will not be asked, ‘Is it a condition that a reviver [mujaddid] be a Muslim?’ I think this will never occur to someone [to ask].

As for whether it is a condition that he be from Ahlus-Sunnah, then such a question may occur to some people, and for this reason it was raised just now.

The answer is that he definitely has to be from Ahlus-Sunnah, and [by saying that he has to be from] Ahlus-Sunnah, I don’t mean that he has to be from the scholars … but rather that he be upon the methodology of Ahlus-Sunnah and not deviated from the path which has come to us from the Salaf as-Saalih, may Allaah be pleased with them, this is a must, but the reviver [mujaddid]–and even though this [point] is not connected to the question I still believe that there is a huge benefit in it–it is not a condition that the reviver be a reviver of the religion only, rather he can be a reviver in everything which benefits the Muslims. So he could, for example, be a reviver in history, a reviver in medicine–but within the aforementioned parameters, i.e., of being from Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah.

So based upon this, in the end we can picture that during one time there can be more than one reviver, when we take this wide meaning into consideration, it is possible for me to picture, at one period, a gathering of a number of revivers, each one in his own specialist field.

Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, 313.

Forbidding the Evil Harshly and with Cruelty During Hajj and By Hitting Someone?

 

Questioner: During tawaaf for Umrah [as part of Hajj] someone tried to prevent an incorrect act, which was that someone else was touching and kissing the standing place of Ibraahim [Maqaam]–but the way he stopped this act was with harshness and he raised his voice and also hit [the other person]. Can the Hajj of this person be regarded as a correct and valid one [mabroor]? Bearing in mind that the person asking the question has repented to Allaah, and is ardently waiting for an answer? He hit the other person … it reached such an extent that he hit the other person …

Al-Albaani: Was the one who was performing Hajj the one who struck [the other person] or the one who was hit?

Questioner: Both of them … it was during tawaaf.

Al-Albaani: Namely, they were both performing Hajj?

Questioner: Yes. It was during the tawaaf of the Umrah [which is part of Hajj at-Tamattu], one of them disapproved of what the other was doing but he didn’t respond so he hit him.

Al-Albaani: Naturally, this is not compatible whatsoever with the Prophet’s عليه السلام saying … in fact, [it is not compatible whatsoever with] the verse, “So whoever has made Hajj obligatory upon himself therein there is [to be for him] no sexual relations and no disobedience and no disputing during Hajj,” [Baqarah 2:197] since firstly, enjoining the good and preventing the evil shouldn’t be done with cruelty or harshness, especially when most people do not know [the truth].

We should regard the people as being ill and that they are in need of being treated with kindness, sympathy and mercy and not with cruelty or harshness. This is as a general rule. So what is the situation when we are, firstly, talking about [such harshness occurring during] Hajj, and, secondly, [that it occurred] in the Masjid al-Haraam?

There is no doubt that this action of his has nothing at all to do with a correct Hajj [mabroor].

Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, 386.

Innovations | 1 | Whoever Approves Something in the Religion has Legislated it and a Mention of Ibn Taymiyyah’s Principle

Indeed all Praise is due to Allaah, we praise Him, and seek His help and forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allaah, the Most High, from the evils of our own selves and from our wicked deeds. Whomsoever has been guided by Allaah, none can misguide him, and whomsoever has been misguided by Allaah, none can guide him. I bear witness that there is no true god worthy of being worshipped except Allaah, Alone, without partner or associate. And I bear witness that Muhammad is His true slave and Messenger.

Indeed the best speech is the Speech of Allaah and the best guidance is that of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم, the worst of affairs are the newly-invented matters, and every newly-invented matter is an innovation. And every innovation is misguidance.  And all misguidance is in the Fire.

Maybe all of the brothers present will know the meaning of this hadith and those like it which are established in the books of the Sunnah and have authentic chains of narration to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, the hadith of Aaishah, “Whoever introduces into this affair of ours something which is not from it, then it is rejected,” and like the hadith of al-Irbaad ibn Saariyah, may Allaah the Most High be pleased with him, who said, “The Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم gave us a sermon which frightened the hearts and caused the eyes to shed tears. So we said, ‘O Messenger of Allaah! [it is as if it is a farewell sermon] so advise us.’ He said, ‘I advise you to fear Allaah and to hear and obey even if an Abyssinian slave were to rule over you. For surely, he who lives from amongst you will see much differing, so it is upon you to be upon my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly Guided Caliphs. Bite on to it with your back molar teeth and beware of newly invented matters, for verily, every newly invented matter is an innovation, and all innovation is misguidance.’”

These hadiths confirm what I think you understand and believe that innovating in the religion–all of it is misguidance. And I mean, ‘in the religion,’ because the disparaged innovating is that particular to the religion.

As for [innovating] in worldly matters then some of it is praiseworthy and some blameworthy, [and that is judged] according to this newly-invented thing [itself]–if it goes against the Legislation then it is blameworthy and if it doesn’t then at the very least it is permissible.

From the best of what has been reported in this regard is the statement of the Shaikh of Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allaah have mercy on him, in which he laid down a very important principle which he extracted from those hadiths in addition to other texts which show that the foundation regarding things is that they are permissible, and this is an Usool principle.

So he, may Allaah have mercy on him, said that the foundational principle in the religion is abstention except for those things that have a text [establishing them], and [conversely] the foundational principle regarding worldly affairs is that they are permissible except those that have a text [forbidding them]. And he means that every newly-invented thing in the religion is forbidden [and that] as for a newly-invented worldly matter then it is permissible except if it contradicts a text, as we mentioned.

Thereafter, that which should be given attention is that his statement عليه السلام, ‘Beware of newly-invented matters,’ means every act of worship that was introduced after the Prophet عليه السلام is misguidance even if in the eyes of many people it is seen as something good.

And Abdullah ibn Umar ibn al-Khattaab, may Allaah be pleased with them both, rightfully said, ‘All innovation is misguidance even if the people see it to be something good,’ and that is because approving something in the religion means that this person who approved that thing has paired himself up with the Lord of the Worlds, besides whom no one has the right to legislate [anything] except what Allaah the Mighty and Majestic wills.

For this reason Imaam ash-Shaafi’i, may Allaah have mercy on him, said, ‘Whoever approves something has legislated [into the Religion],’ because this person who approved something does not know if that which he approved using just his intellect and reasoning without obtaining it from the Book of his Lord or the Sunnah of His Prophet … how can he know whether it is something good?

For this reason it is obligatory that the stance of all of us regarding every newly-invented matter in the religion be to refrain from it due to the authentic hadiths whose mention has preceded.

Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, 1.

Salafi-Ikhwaani, Ikhwaani-Salafi? Salafi Aqidah, Ikhwaani Manhaj?

Questioner: How correct is the saying that so and so is Salafi in aqidah but is on the manhaj of the Ikhwaan [al-Muslimoon]? Is manhaj not part of aqidah? And was this categorization known amongst the Salaf or was there a man who was Salafi in aqidah but not Salafi in manhaj?

Al-Albaani: They [i.e., aqidah and manhaj] are inseparable, Yaa akhi, and it is not possible that he can be an Ikhwaani Salafi. But he will be Salafi in some things and Ikhwaani in others, or Ikhwaani in some and Salafi in others. As for him being a Salafi in accordance with what the Companions of the Messenger عليه السلام were upon for example, then this is something it is impossible to bring together.

The Ikhwaan al-Muslimoon are callers … okay, what do they call to? Do they call to the da’wah of the Salaf as-Saalih? I.e., if we picture an Ikhwaani Salafi, will he be calling to the Salafi da’wah? The answer is no. Thus he is not a Salafi but in one aspect he might be and from another he won’t.

Questioner: [Asking a different question] what’s the difference between …

Shaikh Ubailaan: I called you on the phone…

Al-Albaani: Aah … [i.e., okay]

Shaikh Ubailaan: I asked you ….

Al-Albaani: Yes …

Shaikh Ubailaan: And you said to me, ‘Don’t let those who try to sew together the Salafi manhaj and the Ikhwaani manhaj worry you/be of interest to you.’

Al-Albaani: Yes, by Allaah.

Shaikh Ubailaan: So [in the end such people] never became Salafis or Ikhwaanis!

Al-Albaani: That’s right, Allaahu Akbar.

Questioner: What’s the difference between …

Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, 751.

Conditions for Establishing the Proof

 

Questioner: Some people or some of the callers say that establishing the proof is done with two conditions: one is to do with the person who has the proof and the second is presenting the proof; ‘the person who has the proof,’ i.e., that he should be accepted by the people, ‘presenting the proof,’ that the proof be clear and unmistakable, what does this mean?

Al-Albaani: The first statement is false because the Prophets and Messengers were not accepted by their people. As for the second condition then it without doubt [is correct], it must be clear.

Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, 580.