The Shaikh’s Advice to a Christian who Embraced Islaam | 1 |

 

Al-Albaani: Regarding the brother I want to say that his reward is doubled, this is what our Prophet عليه السلام stated in the authentic hadith which Imaam Bukhaari reported in his Saheeh, “Three people will be given their reward twice …” and from those three he mentioned, “… and a man from the Christians who believes in me and becomes a Muslim, his reward is doubled,” this means that he was a believer beforehand in the legislation of Jesus, peace be upon him, then when the truth became clear to him [concerning the fact] that what Muhammad عليه الصلاة والسلام brought is the truth he also believed in that, such a person’s reward is recorded twice for him.

This is not the case with anyone who was an unbeliever [mulhid] from the Christians, [someone who was] not a Christian or a Muslim and who then embraced Islaam, such a person is rewarded once, but as for the person who was truly a Christian including whatever deviation that may entail then he is a believer and he is rewarded twice, and I say, ‘… including whatever deviation the Christians have …’ because when the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم uttered this hadith, saying, ‘… he will be given his reward twice …’ he was referring to the Christians who were present in his time عليه الصلاة والسلام, those Christians about whom Allaah عز وجل said in the Noble Quraan, “They have certainly disbelieved who say, ‘Allaah is the third of three,’” [Maaidah 5:73] and these are the people whose sacrificial slaughter it is permissible for us to eat, thus it is not fitting that a Muslim doubts or questions [himself] about these Christians [saying] that they say, ‘The father, the son and the holy ghost are one,’ in response we say that they were like that in the time of the Messenger عليه السلام and they are the ones who the Lord of mankind referred to in the previous verse, “They have certainly disbelieved who say, ‘Allaah is the third of three.’”

Thus, any person from the People of the Book who embraces Islaam and believes in Allaah and His Messenger will be rewarded twice: one time for his previous eemaan with all its flaws and defects, and a second time for his subsequent eemaan which is all truth containing no falsehood.

So firstly we ask Allaah to grant you firmness, and then [we ask Him to grant you] steadfastness upon the truth.

And it is obligatory upon you–and the religion is but to sincerely advise–to be eager to become acquainted with the correct Islaam, and unfortunately I say, ‘… the correct Islaam …’ because the Muslims have been afflicted with that which those who came before them were afflicted with, the Muslims have been stricken with that which befell the Jews and Christians in terms of becoming divided in the religion, and this is a confirmation of the statement of the Prophet عليه الصلاة والسلام, “You will certainly follow the ways (and habits) of those who came before you, handspan by handspan, cubit by cubit, until even if they entered a lizard’s hole, you would follow them.” We said, “O Messenger of Allaah, the Jews and the Christians?” He said, “Who else?” [Muslim] Namely, they will have power and influence at that time.

This narration,“You will certainly follow the ways (and habits) of those who came before you, handspan by handspan …” is true concerning most of the Muslims today, the Muslims have become divided.  So if Allaah عز وجل has blessed you with the greater [type of] guidance …

Al-Albaani’s Humility

He said, “And if you see that I have strayed or made a mistake you must advise me …”

Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, 82.

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.

Al-Albaani on Boycotting | 1

 

Questioner: The first [question] is concerning the topic of the ’aqidah of loyalty and disavowal [al-Walaa wal-Baraa]: is it permissible for a Muslim that the ’aqidah of loyalty and disavowal be made apparent [i.e., implemented] before, ya’ni, establishing the proof against the other person, whether that other person is a non-Muslim or someone from other than Ahlus-Sunnah, ya’ni, someone astray …

Al-Albaani: If you were to remove the term ‘loyalty and disavowal [al-Walaa wal-Baraa],’ from your question, do you think the question still holds? Because I see that a connection which holds the question together cannot be found if you remove the term ‘loyalty and disavowal?’

Questioner: No, it does not hold.

Al-Albaani: Why … I then don’t understand the question, because the completion of your question …

Questioner: Loyalty … so, the question … it’s as though it is worded incorrectly, in the negative, I mean disavowal …

Al-Albaani: Let us repeat the question. What is the question that is connected to [the term] disavowal, is it permissible for a Muslim to what?

Questioner: That, ya’ni, he starts from the person …

Al-Albaani: Now it’s clear.

Questioner: … from the action, the basis is for him to start from the action … but from a person, [his question is jumbled and not clear, he is saying that if you want to boycott someone you boycott him for the action not because of him personally, so you say the action is misguidance etc., and then afterwards based upon that that the person is misguided etc.] ya’ni, who is involved in this action before the proof being established against him, whether he is a non-Muslim or [a Muslim but] from other than Ahlus-Sunnah.

Al-Albaani: Now the question is clear. After this clarification, maybe we can replace the term, ‘disavowal,’ with another word which will make the question aimed at clearer, i.e., ‘disassociation or boycotting,’ is this correct do you think, [answer me] so I can go on to answer?

Questioner: Disassociation?

Al-Albaani: Yes, i.e., ‘Is it permissible for a Muslim to disassociate [himself] from a non-Muslim and not deal with him and to boycott him, [and] is it permissible for a Muslim to disassociate [himself] from an openly sinning Muslim who does not practice, [is it allowed for the practicing Muslim to] act upon Islaam and boycott him?’ This is what is intended from the question or something else?

Questioner: Warning, ya’ni, against him.

Al-Albaani: What?

Questioner: Warning against him and his da’wah.

Al-Albaani: Warning against him, does this warning against him necessitate cutting off and boycotting him? Say [in response to this question I just asked], ‘Of course,’ or should he maintain communication and then warn against him? Namely, the question must be clarified until we can come to know the answer.

Questioner: … so that I understand …

Al-Albaani: I’m saying, a person is warning against another, does he maintain relations with him or boycott him?

Questioner: He boycotts him.

Al-Albaani: Okay, so there is a correlation, the two issues are linked, after this clarification I now say that I can tackle the answer to the question.

Amongst our problems in this day and age is that we deal with issues based upon emotion.

[What] I want to say is that lots of the youth today who are enthusiastic about their Islaam, their religion, deal with some critical/complex fiqh issues in a manner based upon [their] emotions for Islaam … dealing with [those issues] in a manner not accompanied by knowledge drawn from the Book and the Sunnah and the methodology of the Pious Predecessors.

I believe that a question such as this, i.e., warning … cutting off … boycotting … loyalty and disavowal … these are issues that are connected to a strong Islamic society which is capable of, firstly, implementing issues such as these and secondly, is capable of benefitting from their outcome.

So now, it is not necessary/a prerequisite that [such a] warning is coupled with ostracism or boycotting in this day and age, but as for when our society is an Islamic one then all of these issues must be brought together. Nowadays, for example, there is a very clear example [which I will give you] …

The next post.

Shaikh ’Abdul-Muhsin al-’Abbaad’s Obituary of Al-Albaani

 

Shaikh ’Abdul-Muhsin al-’Abbaad said, “All praise is due to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds, and may He praise and send peace upon His Slave and Messenger, our Prophet Muhammad and upon his Family and all of his Companions.

As for what follows:

We remember the statement of Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم in the hadith whose authenticity is agreed upon, reported from ’Abdullah ibn ’Amr ibn al-’Aas, may Allaah be pleased with them both, that the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم said, “Verily, Allaah does not take away knowledge by snatching it, snatching it from men’s hearts, but He takes away knowledge through the death of the scholars.” This noble hadith shows the importance of knowledge and the greatness of the rank of the scholars, and that losing them and their going away [through death] is nothing but a taking away of knowledge, and that Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, does not take it away from the hearts of men whereby a person has it and then becomes someone who does not, but He takes it away through the death of the scholars, and he has said, عليه الصلاة والسلام, “And indeed the scholars are the inheritors of the Prophets. And verily the Prophets do not leave behind a dinar or a dirham for inheritance–but rather they leave behind knowledge. So whoever takes hold of it, has acquired a copious share.”

This is the rank of the scholars, and this is the status of the scholars who the Chosen Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم described as being inheritors of the Prophets.

And how excellent an inheritance it is–beneficial knowledge: legislated knowledge taken from the Book of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, and the Sunnah of His Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم, because this is true knowledge, that of the Book and the Sunnah.

And as is known and mentioned in the statements of some of the people of knowledge: the passing of the scholars is an occasion of a gap in the Religion and a loss for the Muslims when those scholars who are referred to, who are benefitted from, who direct and give insight and enlighten them, leave, indeed that is a huge loss for the people.

And from that which has taken place in the last few days is the passing of the formidable scholar, the illustrious Hadith authority, the ’Allaamah, the Shaikh Muhammad Naasirud-Deen al-Albaani, may Allaah have mercy on him and forgive him.

He was, truly, a magnificent scholar and well-known Hadith authority, who made enormous efforts in serving the Sunnah and in protecting the Hadith of Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم and clarifying the sources of those hadiths and the books that mentioned them, and clarifying their grading in terms of authenticity and weakness.

From those books [which Shaikh al-Albaani gave tremendous attention to] is the very book that we study [i.e., which Shaikh ’Abbaad teaches in the Prophet’s Mosque], Sunan Abu Dawud, for he expended great effort on it and others, devoting his attention to mentioning what he declared to be authentic and weak. So his efforts are enormous, and his service to the Sunnah distinguished and the student of knowledge cannot do without referring back to his books and his works, for verily there is abundant good in them, and profuse knowledge.

The passing of a scholar like this is in reality a loss and calamity upon the Muslims, and we ask Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, to whom belongs what He took and what He gave to replace [the loss] with good for the Muslims, and to grant them success to attain that in which lies their well-being and happiness, and that He aids the students of knowledge to give due attention to attain, seek, and become acquainted with it, indeed, He, the One free of all defects and the Most High, is Munificent, Generous.

And as is known, his books are great and renowned, and the majority of libraries will not be devoid of them or some of them, for they are in the tens, some large, others small and some medium in size.

In short, the passing of such a scholar, may Allaah have mercy on him, is a great loss for the Muslims, so we ask Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, to replace [it] with good for them, and that He aids the students of knowledge to acquire beneficial knowledge and action upon that knowledge, indeed, He, the One free of all defects and the Most High, is Munificent, Generous.

And even though he, may Allaah have mercy on him, had some opinions which we regard as being mistakes, they are however obscure in the sea, or seas, of that which he was correct in and [are overwhelmed] by the good and benefit he brought about for the Muslims in serving the Sunnah of al-Mustafaa, صلوات الله وسلامه وبركاته عليه.  We regard those issues that emanated from him to be  mistakes in which he strove to come to a legislated ruling [mujtahid] and [thus] he will be rewarded for his ijtihaad, but let that not make a person belittle or make slight of his vast knowledge, of his copious knowledge, of his tremendous service, of his massive benefit–for he, in truth, is from the unique scholars of this time and from those who have made strenuous efforts in the service of the Sunnah of Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم.

In the first half of this year, 1420 AH [1999 CE], the Muslims lost a great scholar, a Rabbaani scholar, we regard him as such based upon what is apparent to us and we entrust the reality of his situation and ending to Allaah, and that [scholar] was his excellency, the Shaikh, the ’Allaamah ’Abdul-’Aziz ibn Baaz, may Allaah have mercy on him, and in the second quarter of the same year this great scholar, the famous muhaddith, the Shaikh Muhammad Naasirud-Deen al-Albaani passed away, may Allaah the Mighty and Majestic, have mercy on him. And in between [the time of] both of their deaths, the Shaikh ’Atiyyah Muhammad Saalim, may Allaah have mercy on him, who used to teach in the Prophet’s Mosque, passed away. So we have lost these three scholars and we ask Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, to forgive all of them, to overlook their sins and to raise their ranks.

Indeed these two scholars, in our opinion, are from the major, expert, investigative scholars who had a superior concern and resolute determination [in serving the Sunnah] and abundant good came about at their hands, huge benefit came to Islaam and the Muslims because of them–so may Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, reward them with the best reward, forgive them, overlook their sins, and seal all of our deaths with a blissful ending, indeed He, the One free of all defects and the Most High, is Munificent, Generous.”

Al-Asaalah Magazine, no. 23, pp. 13-14.

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.

What Has Been Attributed to Imaam Ahmad Concerning Seeking The Prophet’s Intercession صلى الله عليه وسلم

Questioner: It is reported from Imaam Ahmad that he used to permit intercession [tawassul] through the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, what is the authenticity of that [report]? And what is your opinion [concerning this]?

Al-Albaani: As for the authenticity of that according to the method employed when checking hadith, [then] we are not able to establish it, and it is not possible for us to establish [the authenticity] of every statement relayed about an Imaam of the Muslims according to the method of the scholars of hadith.

But we cannot but rely on the scholars who have preceded us in time and knowledge, and we can only but rely on them in the statements and narrations they relay to us–until a mistake in their reporting that becomes clear to us … [about] Imaam Ahmad, may Allaah have mercy on him, permitting intercession through the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.

I remember reading that a long time ago in the Shaikh of Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah’s book, ‘At-Tawassul wal-Wasilah,’ he narrates that [statement] as being one of Imaam Ahmad’s, and his authority in that was the hadith of the blind man.

And as I just said: as long as Ibn Taymiyyah is narrating that, and he is someone who is trusted and relied upon in that which he narrates, then we maintain that which he narrated until the weakness of what he is narrating is established with us, this is regarding the answer to the question.

But I want to mention something important, in my view, concerning statements such as this: it does not harm us whether or not this statement is confirmed from Imaam Ahmad, both matters are equal before us–that is because we are not ‘Ahmadees’ [i.e., blind followers of Imaam Ahmad, may Allaah have mercy on him], but rather as I just said: we cherish these Imaams and hold them in high esteem and benefit from their knowledge and methodology, but we do not surrender the command of our aqidah or our pillars to them except those to whom it becomes clear to us have the truth with them.

Thus, if the report from Ibn Taymiyyah about Imaam Ahmad allowing that … and that his proof in that was the hadith of the blind man, and then upon studying the hadith of the blind man it becomes obvious that it does not denote seeking the intercession of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم after his death, because the blind man was only seeking intercession through the supplication [du’aa] of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم as is well-noted in that same book of Ibn Taymiyyah’s [we] just mentioned, and as I further clarified in my book [entitled], ‘At-Tawassul Anwaa’uhu wa Ahkaamuhu,’ … and the hadith of the blind man all centres around seeking intercession with the rank of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, so it is not permissible for us to say that it is permissible to seek intercession through the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم now, because we cannot inform him what it is we need him to supplicate to his Lord for us is, and, for example, when he supplicates while in the state of barzakh we cannot know that he has [actually] supplicated, so the issue in the hadith of the blind man is connected to when he was alive عليه السلام and it has no connection to [after] his death.

Al-Fataawa al-Kuwaitiyyah, pp. 45-47.

When Does a Person Know that He can Reach the Ability of Making a Ruling Concerning a Hadith?

 

Questioner: When does a person know that he can reach the ability of making a ruling concerning a hadith?

Al-Albaani: This is an important question. He will know that when he puts his research and personal statements before those of the people of knowledge of old whose statements have been penned down in their books–and finds that in the majority of cases he is in agreement with them. This is from one angle.

From another angle [is that he] finds that the people of knowledge value his knowledge and ijtihaad, and that they do not regard him, as we just said, as yet unqualified to prop himself up as someone who authenticates [hadiths] and declares them to be weak.

In other words: a person should be distant from being deceived by his knowledge. And it is in the nature of many people not to see their own faults but to see those of others, for this reason he should seek the aid of those people of knowledge who are around him, and thus see his faults through them, as [the Prophet] صلى الله عليه وسلم indicated in the well-known hadith, ‘The believer is his brother’s mirror.’ [As-Saheehah, no. 926, hasan]

A believer truly sees his mistakes and faults through others.

And he should seek the help of the people of knowledge in order to know whether or not he is worthy of researching or performing ijtihaad–whether that be concerning declaring matters of knowledge authentic or weak or whether that be concerning issuing religious verdicts in fiqh issues.

Al-Fataawa al-Kuwaitiyyah, pp. 83-84.

Is it Correct that We will See the Jinn on the Day of Resurrection but They will not See us?

Questioner: Is it correct that we will see the Jinn on the Day of Resurrection but they will not see us, i.e., the opposite of how it is in the dunyaa?

Al-Albaani: That is not correct.

Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, 326.

Is it Possible for One’s Qareen to Become Visible?

 

 

Questioner: Everyone has a [jinn] companion [qareen], is it possible for the qareen to become visible to the eye [whether in their] true form or another?

Al-Albaani: Allaah knows best. It is possible that the jinn can manifest itself in different forms, this is something unequivocal. As for the question [specifically] about the qareen [assigned to every individual] then I don’t have an answer, since nothing has been reported to us in this regard.

Questioner: Is it true or [just something] imaginary that after a person is murdered it [i.e., his qareen] becomes visible?

Al-Albaani: No, that’s a myth.

Al-Hudaa wan-Noor, 215.