Question: Wouldyoupleaseexplaintous therelationshipbetweentheyouthandthescholars andhowshouldit

bebecausewefindsomewhoabandonourscholarsandchoosetheduaat (callers).
ReplybyShaikhSalihal-Fawzan,
This is a grave danger. If there develops a distance between the scholars and the youth then there has taken place the
greatest danger - for, if the youthare alienatedfromtheir scholars, thenthe callers to evil will take over anddeviate them
fromthe truth, like the wolf (first) tries to isolate the sheep fromthe shepherd in order to fool it, as Allah's Messenger
said, "Verily, thewolf preys onthestraysheep."
So, whoever goes out of our Jama'ah and our Manhaj, the wolf eats it, the wolf here are the callers to evil. So, it is
for theMuslims tobewiththeir scholars...
(Andif someone tries to create separation), 'I say, our scholars are knownto us, we trust them, we knowwhere they were
educated and we knowfromwhere they took there knowledge fromand where they were nurtured, they are known for
their Deen, whileothers, wedonot accusethembut wesay, wedonot knowwheretheytooktheir knowledgefrom, wedo
not knowwhere they were educated, we do not knowtheir level of knowledge, neither do we knowtheir intentions and
objectives, so, westopat that - weneither accusethemnor hastenintrustingthemwithout knowledge.'
You knowthe methodology of the Hadeeth narrators. If the narrator is Majhool (unknown) and his condition is
unknown, they do not narrate from him because they do not want to create confusion and grant trustworthiness to
everyone- thosewhomtheyknewandthosewhomtheydidnot.
This is Deen(religion) andDeenis only to be takenfromthose who are trustworthy, those who are certain, those
who are knowledgeable and those who have good understanding, and the scholars of this state (i.e., Saudi Arabia)
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the essential relationship
between the
and the
from the fatawa of Shaikh Salih ibn Fawzan al-Fawzan
translated by Shawana A. Aziz
youth
scholars
of Islam
...,,:).,.,
,.,_._,.._.
Article No. 02
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accordingtoour knowledgeabout them, theyare, al-Hamdulillah, fromthebest of thescholars, theyhavenot fallenshort
in teaching us, in guiding us, in instructing us, then why should we abandon them, take knowledge fromothers and seek
guidancefromothers - this is agreat wrong." [al-Muntaqa(q. 535, p. 526)]
Reply by ShaikhSalihal-Fawzan, "Characteristics of the scholars, whoshouldbe followed, is that they are the people with
knowledge about Allah, who study and implement the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of Allah's Messenger and those
who are distinguished and known for their beneficial knowledge and good works. There should be no following of a
scholar, who does not act upon his knowledge, and there should be no following of an ignorant who has no knowledge,
andthereshouldbenofollowingof someonewhopossesses boththeseshortcomings.
Concerning those who should be followed inour country and those whose cassettes should be bought are many
al-Hamdulillah, andtheyare knowntothe people, nobodyis unacquaintedwiththem, neither inthe desert nor inthe city,
neither a grown-up nor a child. These scholars have been busy in serving the Ummah by issuing fatawa and giving
lectures; theyareknownfor their knowledge, righteousness anddevoutness toAllah.
At the headof the scholars is ShaikhAbdul-Aziz ibnBaz (rahimahullah) for he is a manwhois blessedwithample
knowledge andgoodworks andDawahto Allahandsincerity, andhonesty as is not hiddenfromanyone, andall praise is
for Allah, there has come about much good fromhis writings and cassettes and lectures and similarly, the scholars who
give Fatawa on the program, 'Noor ala-Darb,' and al-Hamdulillah, from them are known sound Fatawa and beneficial
advice in general and similarly, their honorable brothers fromKibar al-Qudha (senior scholars who issue fatawa) for, the
people do not refer to these scholars in matters of blood, money and honor except that they know them for their
knowledge.
Verily, they have struggledinthe fieldof Dawahandrefutedthose, who seek misguidance fromthe correct path,
whether knowingly or unknowingly. They have experience and skill to investigate and identify the right fromthe wrong.
So it is their cassettes and lectures that should be circulated and propagated, because they contain great benefits for the
Muslims. [al-Muntaqa, q. no. 47, p. 52-53]
Inreplytoanother similar question, Shaikhal-Fawzansaid,
"Thecall toAllah, enjoiningthegoodandgivingadvicetoMuslims is anecessity- but not everybodyexcels inthis
task. Theseresponsibilities arenot tobecarriedout except bythepeopleof knowledgeandthosewhopossess thecorrect
understanding, because these are issues of great importance, no one should try to shoulder this responsibility except
thosewhoarequalified.
The dilemma today is that the door to Dawah has been opened wide, such that everybody enters it, and calls it
Dawah, althoughhe maybe anignorant andhe is not efficient inDawah, andhe causes more corruptionthanhe rectifies.
Perhaps, he may be enthusiastic and acts in haste and recklessness, and fromhis acts are born more evil than he could
cureandthat whichheintendedtorectify.
Perhaps, those who associate themselves with Dawah have desires that they wish to fulfill and realize - at the
expense of spreading confusion amongst the youth in the name of Dawah and protectiveness (Gheerah) for the Deen
while their intentions are contrary, like misguiding the youth, disassociating them from the Jama'ah and those in
authority and their scholars, while apparently they come to the youth in the name of Dawah and Naseehah (advice) like
thehypocrites of this Ummah, whowant evil disguisedas goodfor thepeople.
Take for example those who built Masjid ad-Diraar. They built a mosque - apparently it is a good act, and they
invited the Prophet to performprayers in it so as to encourage people but Allah exposed the intentions of those who
built this Masjid that they sought to split the ranks of the Muslims and taint the status of Masjid Quba - the first mosque
built on piety. And Allah revealed the verse, "As for those who put up a mosque by way of harming and disbelief, and to
Question: What arethecharacteristicsof thescholars, whoaretobefollowed?
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disunite the believers, and as an outpost for those who warred against Allah and His Messenger afore time, they will
indeed swear that their intention is nothing but good. Allah bears witness that they are certainly liars. Never stand you
therein. Verily, the mosque whose foundation was laid fromthe first day on piety is more worthy that you stand therein
(topray). Init are menwholove tocleanandtopurify themselves. AndAllahloves those whomake themselves cleanand
pure." [SoorahTawbah(9): 107-8]
This story thus makes it evident that not everything that seems to be good and sincere may be genuine; perhaps
theremaybehiddenthat whichcontradicts theapparent.
Those who relate themselves to the Dawahnowadays, amongst themare those who seek deviationof the youthandturn
thepeopleawayfromthetrueDeenandsplittingof theranks of theMuslims andindulgenceinFitna. Allahhas warnedus
from these people, "Had they marched out with you, they would have added to you nothing except disorder, and they
would have hurried about in your midst (spreading corruption) and sowing sedition among you, and there are some
among you who would have listened to them. And Allahis the All-Knower of the Zalimoon (polytheists and wrong-doers,
etc.)." [SoorahTawbah(9): 47] So, thelessonis not tobetakenfromtheapparent, rather thelessonlies inthefacts.
Thosewhorelatethemselves totheDawahshouldbecheckedupon:
Wherehavetheystudied? Wherehavetheytakentheir knowledgefrom? Whereweretheybrought-up?
What aretheir beliefs? Their works andhowit affects thepeople, andwhat havetheymanagedtoaccomplishfromthe
good? What do their good works result into? It is required to check their background before their apparent
appearances areaccepted, this is veryimportant nowadays.
The Prophet described the people of Fitnah as being fromamongst us and speaking our language, and when he was
asked about Fitna, he said, 'Yes, Duat calling at the gates of the (Hell) Fire, and whoever will respond to their call, will be
thrownbythemintothe(Hell) Fire." [Saheehal-Bukharee] (noticethat) He namedthem'Duat i.e., callers!'
Therefore, we have to be cautious andnot crowdaroundeveryone who springs upandeveryone who says, 'I am
acaller toAllah, andthis is agroupthat calls towards Allah!'
Nevertheless, it is required to look into the state of affairs, and it is required to check the background of those
individuals andgroups, because, the'DawahtoAllah' has beenrestrictedto'theDawahtotheSabeel (thepath) toAllah',
'Say, 'This is myway; I inviteuntoAllah.' [SoorahYusuf (12): 108] indicatingthat therewill bepeoplewhowill call
toother thanAllah...
Shaikh Muhammad Ibn Abdul-Wahhab said about the verse, 'Say, 'This is my way; I invite unto Allah.' in it is
Ikhlas (sincerity), [al-Multaqa(q. no.
48, p. 53-54]
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fortherearethosewhocall towardsthemselves, anddonot call towardsAllah.'
Articles in this series:
Article No. 01: How do we keep steadfast upon the way of the Salaf?
Article No. 02: The essential relationship between the youth and the scholars of Islam.
Article No. 03: Enjoining the good and Forbidding the Evil: Significance, Manner and Approach
Article No. 04: The Prohibition of engaging in Dawah without Knowledge
Article No. 05: Is Ignorance an excuse in matters of Aqeedah (beliefs)?
These articles can also be downloaded from our website www.qsep.com
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