Shaykh Saleem on the Gulat and al-M'arabi

This is a statement from shaikh saleem al-hilaali that was transcribbed from a lecture he gave recently in Britain.

All Praise belongs to Allah and may Prayers and Peace be upon the Messenger of Allah and upon his family and his companions and upon those who follow his guidance. To proceed:

Our noble teacher Saleem bin 'Eed Al-Hilaalee (may Allah preserve him) was asked the following question during his most recent, most beneficial and enjoyable trip to Britain for the purpose of spreading knowledge and d'awah:

"'O our Sheikh what is your stance in regards to the fitnah of Abul-Hasan Al-Ma'rabee? Benefit us with your answer may Allah reward you with good!"

So he answered (may Allah preserve him):

"All Praise is for Allah and may the prayers and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah. The answer to this question is in a number of points:

First of all attributing the fitnah to either one of the two parties involved therein; I mean Abul-Hasan and Shaikh Rabee', may Allah preserve them both, is a grave error. Indeed the source of the fitnah is only those who go back and forth between the two parties; those about whom my brother, Shaikh Abul Anas, has spoken previously.

The second point is that, that which has been attributed to the brother, Sheikh Abul-Hasan can be divided into two parts:

-That which is correct: Meaning that Abul-Hasan has actually fallen into what he has been accused of like those words which he spoke in regards to the companions (of Allah's Messenger (SAW)) and his position towards Sayyid Qutb.

And he has recanted these matters or he has recanted most of them.

-The second portion are those matters which it would not be correct to attribute to him. An example of this would be what has been ascribed to him in the matter of khabr al-ahaad.

That which has been confirmed from him in relation to khabr al-ahaad, that it provides uncertainty, well this is the statement of the majority of the scholars in this regard. However the difference between Ahlus-Sunnah and the people of Innovation in this matter is not in the confirmation (acceptance) of khabr al-ahaad. Rather it is in the use of khabr al-ahaad as a proof or evidence. The people of innovation do not allow the use of khabr al-ahaad as a proof, whether in matters of religious rulings and regulations (ahkaam) or in matters of belief (aqeedah) while some of them differentiate between ahkaam and aqeedah (accepting khabr al-ahaad in matters of ahkaam but not in matters of aqeedah).

But the brother Abul-Hasan (may Allah preserve him) has said, frankly, in more than one sitting, and in more than one book, that he differs from Al-Khawaarij and the M'utazilah, and that he accepts and rules by the authentic and good khabr al-ahaad in matters of belief and religious rules and regulations.

The third point is that, those who delved deeply into the errors of Abul-Hasan, and did so purposefully (whether) in his books or his cassettes, by doing so they invited the other side to delve deeply into the writings of Shaikh Rabee' and his cassettes. So within the cassettes and the writings of Shaikh Rabee' were found mistakes similar to those ascribed to Abul Hasan especially in the matter of the companions.

So for this reason it is required of both parties, I mean Abul-Hasan and Shaikh Rabee', to recant every mistake which has come from them especially in the rights of the companions of Allah's Messenger (SAW) and that they should return to the truth and that neither of them should tie his repentence or make it conditional upon the repentance of the other. Nor should either of them say, 'So and so was wrong and I was wrong! Therefore I am not going to return to the truth unless so and so does so as well!'

Indeed the Muslim, if his mistake becomes clear to him he returns and repents, whether the others repent or not (makes no difference to him). That is because he desires from his repentence the Face of Allah (SWT). For this reason if one of the two parties repents it is not permissible for the other party to say to the other, 'There is doubt about his intention or his motive or his repentance itself.' so he says, 'He repented as a political maneuvre,' or, 'He repented out of fear (only), or, 'He is not truthful (in what he says), or this and that thing... That is because the knowledge of what is in the hearts belongs to The All-Knower of The Unseen (SWT).

For this reason, when the dispute began, we simply observed the debate and we listened to its participants and we did not want to get involed except to make reparations and to remind (everyone concerned) to fear Allah (SWT). That was until the two parties involved, I mean Shaikh Rabee' (may allah preserve him) requested from me and Shaikh 'Alee (may Allah preserve him), during the the last Hajj season, that we read, look into and ponder what he had compiled against Abul-Hasan, and that we say the truth as we saw it without taking sides and without fearing anyone. Then he sent to us a letter and asked us to do this and likewise our brother Abul-Hasan asked us to do that as well (may Allah prserve him).

For this reason we felt it appropriate to issue a clarification, the two of us and the brothers in charge of the Al-Albaanee center. So we wrote a clarification, may Allah be praised, in which I feel we were guided to the conclusive statement in this issue and that we were impartial. We did not take sides with anyone we only sided with the truth, and the evidence and the clear proof which we saw with each party. So we did not declare one to be victorious over the other except with a clear proof and we did not defend either of them except with evidence and impartiality. Indeed our guiding principle was the truth which pleases our Lord (SWT).

Then another clarification was issued by our brothers, students of knowledge in Al-Madinah An-Nabaweeyah, and whoever ponders the stwo statements (our and theirs) would find that they are very similar to one another and that the difference between them is merely in wording. The intention behind each of them was the same, each of them was an advice to the students of knowledge to busy themselves with beneficial knowledge, and righteous deeds and calling to Allah (SWT) upon clarity (clear proof). Not to become cliques (fanatically clinging to one person), and not to become engrossed in this fitnah, and not to throw more fuel upon the fire and not to kindle the blaze, rather turn your attention toward seeking knowledge, and righteous deeds and the attendance of religios lessons.

For indeed, becoming engrossed in this speech will cause one to miss out on a great matter. But, some of those who wanted to ignite the fitnah began to describe the clarification issued by the Al-Albaanee center as 'hasty' or that it 'contained 'precipitance' or this or that thing... and that, 'it was published at an innapropriate time' even though it was the two sides involed who requested that from us and asked us by Allah (SWT) not to delay.

In summary 'O my brothers, we did not grant victory to either of the two parties except based upon the truth and had it been permissible for us to be partisan with our desires it would have been more preferable for us to be partisan towards the second party, I mean against Abul-Hasan because of our connection with (Sheikh Rabee') for twenty years and our keeping in touch with them was even greater than that. Indeed there was not a Hajj or 'Umrah that we made except that we visited him in Medinah or in Meccah. So if it were within our ability to be partisan with our desires or our opinions we would have taken his side against our brother Abul-Hasan. But we sided with the truth and the evidence as if our Lord Himself were asking us... so what should we say?

We say only what our religion would have us to say for we are in no need of Abul-Hasan and we are in no need of the others.

However after mentioning all of this you must know the place where the disease is hidden in the matter, for if the cause is known the amazement disapears!

The problem is, 'O my brothers, that the other group and I do not wish to name them now in order that the bond of live would remain connected between us and in order that the field will be open for reconciliation and repentance. And because we fear the excuses because of the statement of the Prophet (SAW), "Beware of that for which an excuse can be made."

For example, in the first instance they spoke about 'Adnaan 'Uroor because of his praise of Sayyid (Qutb) and I say, and I have said before this, and five years before this or seven years, or ten years that that which has been held against 'Adnaan 'Uroor is correct and that he is like water; he takes on the color of that which is cast in the vessel. We spoke about this and we do not fear anyone except Allah (SWT) and we also said that he wavers and is inconstant. He harms the Salafee D'awah and this is known to our brothers amongst the students of knowledge. We spoke about the man long ago, but they came, for example, and said, 'Whoever does not declare 'Adnaan 'Uroor an innovator then he is an innovator!!"

Then the choice after that was upon Shaikh al-Magraawee. Then they made the issue an issue of Al-Magraawee, then they announced and said, 'Everyone who does not declare Al-Magraawee an innovator then he is a Magraawee. So it became what? 'Magraawee, 'Urooree!!' We have already clarified our position with regard to the mistakes of Sheikh Al-Magraawee and we said, 'Sheikh Al-Magraawee is a man known for having previously been a follower of the Sunnah and Salafeeyah but he has fallen into some errors some of them very serious, and it is a must that he repent from those mistakes and that he apologize for them.

I, personally, as well as Sheikh Abu Anas and Sheikh Abu Haatim advised him over two years ago at the conference of Lister. And that which occured when we met with him is that we advised him, and reminded him of Allah and we said, 'You must recant these mistakes, and your relationship with 'Uroor must come to an end, because the man has harmed you.' And he swore by Allah that he would repent and nothing is required of us except sincere advise and we have not been appointed to watch over anyone nor to take account of others!

And from among those who mentioned the likes of this statement was Sheikh Abul-Hasan so the choice fell upon him after that because he did not declare Al-Magraawee to be an innovator, (so it was said) he is Magraawee 'Urooree!!

And I heard, and I call upon Allah as a witness to what I say, and I ask that the curse of Allah be upon the liar, and I am prepared to supplicate for Allah's curse to befall the liars concerning what I say at the black stone of the K'abah. I heard, in the house of Sheikh Rabee' and I was sitting along with Sheikh 'Alee the Ramadhan before this past one and he said, in one word, to Shaikh 'Alee, 'If you do not put down Al-Magraawee, you and Abul-Hasan then I will put the two of you down together!!!'

And I repeat, I swear by Allah about this, and I ask that the curse of Allah be upon the liars and I am prepared to supplicate for Allah's curse to befall the liars concerning what I say at the black stone of the K'abah.'

So Ramadhan did not come, except that Abul-Hasan was hung upon the platform to be lashed and beaten. So it became what? As-Sulaymaaneeyah! Whoever did not declare Abul-Hasan to be an innovattor then he is a Sulaymaanee, Magraawee, 'Urooree!!

This matter, 'O my brothers has absolutely nothing to do with Salafeeyah! That allegiance and enmity will be based upon a person or that aperson will serve as the (litmus) test for the callers of the Manhaj. This is something foreign to the D'awah!

Rather we ask guidance from Allah for all and we ask Allah (SWT) to unite us. And when we were quiet not because we feared anyone besides Allah (SWT) rather we knew what is planned for The Salafee D'awah and what has been written for it. So we are biding our time and being patient and calling upon Allah (SWT) that He unite us.

We are not like those people whom if a man called them from Libya sayin, 'What is your opinion of Sheikh Usamah?'

'Sheikh Usamah has been refuted (declared unreliable)!!'

'What is your opinion of Sheikh 'Alee?'

'Sheikh 'Alee is in the trench of the Hizbees!!'

'What is your opinion of Al-Hilaalee?'

'His Surooreeyah has become apparent!!'

And this is what they deem to be manhood or manliness. This is not being manly. Manliness 'O my brothers, is to be just and equitable and to be upon truth and to tell the truth and to be just toward your opponents in spite of yourself, just as you would like your opponents to be just toward you in spite of themselves. For this reason the most honorable thing is equity and justice and remember the statement of Allah (SWT):

"...and let not the enmity and hatred of others make you avoid justice. Be just: that is nearer to piety..." (5:

This is what we worship Allah with (this is our religion) and we ask Allah (SWT) to guide everyone to the good and to unite the Muslims and to save us and you from the evil indeed He is The One Entrusted with that and Capable of it.

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Ibn Al-Jowzee said, “If this Dunya was not a station of tests it would not be filled with sicknesses and filth. If life was not about hardship, then the Prophets and the pious would have lived the most comfortable of lives. Nay, Adam suffered test after test until he left the Dunya. Nuh cried for 300 years. Ibrahim was thrown into a pit of fire and later told to slaughter his son. Ya’qub cried until he became blind. Musa challenged Fir’own and was tested by his people. Eeasa had no provision except the morsels his disciples provided him with. And Muhammad (Sal Allahu Alayhi wa Sallam) met poverty with patience, his uncle - one of the most beloved relatives to him - was slain and mutilated and his people disbelieved in him ... And the list of Prophets and the pious goes on and on.”

Al Hasan ibn Arafah narrated, "I visited Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal after he was whipped and tortured. I said to him, "O Abu Abdillaaah, you have reached the station of the Prophets!" He said, "Keep quiet. Verily, I saw nothing more than people selling their Deen. And I saw scholars that were with me sell their Faith. So I said to myself, 'Who am I, what am I. What am I going to say to Allah tomorrow when I stand in front of Him and He ask me, "Did you sell your Deen like the others did?" So I looked at the whip and the sword and chose them. And I said, "If I die I shall return to Allah and say: 'I was told to say that one of Your Characteristics was something created but I did not.' After that, it will be upto Him - either to punish me of be Merciful on me."