Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Question posed to Shaykh Ubayd (may Allaah preserve him)


Q. How do we deal with a people who boycott others, and spread on them publicly that they are Hizbiyeen without any evidence? What is your advice for these individuals?

A. "Firstly my son, I don't know of any scholar who is upon the Sunnah who criticizes without evidence. That's because Jarh wa Ta'deel is a matter of religion that Allaah is worshipped with. The T'adeel is a praise and the Jarh is the opposite of it. The person will be held accountable on the Day of Judgment for the one he has praised, is the person deserving of the praise or not? Therefore whoever praises one who is deserving of criticism, and the person knows that, then indeed he is one who has deceived Islaam and the people of Islaam. Whoever criticizes one who has integrity and is upright, then the person's criticism is without proof. Likewise this person is considered to be one who has deceived (Islaam and the people of Islaam). That's due to him discrediting/disgracing the individual with a defect and a matter of innovation (and the matter is not as the person has said). Therefore we advise ourselves and all of those who hear us here or by way of the net, do not be hasty in this regard. The matter of Jarh and T'adeel is for the people of knowledge. It is for the people of experience, those who are proficient and aware of the statements (of deviance) and those who make them. As for criticizing the statements (of deviance), there's no doubt concerning this. There's no harm that you say, this statement is a statement of Qubtiyyah or Tableeghiyyah or Soofiyyah. Or in the case when the criticism is made in a general manner (there's no harm in this). Like if you were to say: The one who says this (statement) is a Tableeghi, or the one who says this (statement) is an Ikhwaani or the one who says this (statement) is a Qubtee etc... It's allowed for you to do this in a general manner. This is like if you were to say: The one who drinks Khamr (intoxicants) is a Faasiq (criminal) or the one who abandons the Salaah, denying its obligation is a Kaafir and the one who abandons it out of laziness is also a Kaafir according to the correct opinion.(1) It's allowed for you to say this because the legislation coincides with you. However for you to say (specifically) say: So and so from the people (is such and such), then NO! It is must the conditions (of criticism) are present within him and the obstacles (which stand in the way of criticizing him) are removed."

1. The Shaykh Ubayd al-Jaabiree (may Allaah preserve him) has changed his position from the last I have heard regarding the one who abandons the Salaah out of laziness, acknowledging its obligation. He holds from the last I have heard that the person has not left the fold of Islaam, rather the person is committing a major sin and is in grave danger. The answer above was given in 1425 Hijree. Allaah knows best.

Taken from: http://www.sahab.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=107484

Translated by Abu Yusuf Khaleefah NYC USA 3rd of Dhul-Qi'dah 1434/ September 9th 2013