Wickedness (fujoor) is a comprehensive term for every affair that involves disobedience or foul, evil speech, that of which causes the one who hears it to believe that there is wickedness in the heart of the one who spoke it. For this reason, it becomes necessary for this type of individual to be abandoned. If he openly proclaims his innovation or disobedience or wickedness or immorality or his intermingling with someone who does that, such that he doesn’t care about whether the people will speak evilly about him or not, then indeed not abandoning him would then become a form of supporting him. If he openly proclaims his evil deeds, then he must be openly forsaken and if he does his evil deeds in secrecy, then he must be forsaken secretly. This is since Hijrah (abandonment) is the abandoning of something based upon the evil that is found there. And abandoning evil is to stay away from what Allaah has forbidden, as Allaah says: ‘And stay away (hajar) from the idols’ [10] and He says: ‘And abstain (hajar) from them in a good manner’ [11]and He says: ‘And it has already been revealed to you in the Book (the Qur’aan) that when you hear the verses of Allaah being denied and mocked at, then do not sit with them, until they engage in a different topic of discussion. (But if you stay with them), then certainly you will be just like them.’ [12] " [13]

Ibn ‘Abd-il-Barr (ra) said:

"Ismaa’eel Ibn ‘Abd-ir-Rahmaan informed us that Ibraaheem Ibn Bakr narrated that he heard Abu ‘Abdillaah Muhammad Ibn Ahmad Ibn Ishaaq Ibn Khuwaizmindaad Al-Misree Al-Maalikee say in the Book of Al-Ijaaraat (Leasing): ‘Maalik said that it is not permissible to lease out any of the books of vain desires, innovations and astrology – and he went on to mention some books and then said – And the books of vain desires and innovations according to our companions are the books of the people of rhetoric (kalaam) from the likes of the Mu’atazilah and other than them. Leasing or lending out these books is not valid. This goes the same for books about determining the future based on astrology, books on the incantations of jinn and what resembles that.’ And he said in the book of Shahaadaat (testimonies) regarding the explanation of Imaam Maalik’s statement ‘Accepting the testimony of the people of innovations and vain desires is not permissible’: ‘The people of desires according to Maalik and the rest of our companions are the people of rhetoric (kalaam). So every person that indulges in this rhetoric, then he is from the people of vain desires and innovations, whether he is Ash’aree or other than that. His testimony in Islaam is not to be accepted at all, he is to be abandoned and he is to be educated and corrected about his innovation. And if he persists on doing it, then he must repent from it." [14]

And Ibn ‘Abd-il-Barr (ra) said immediately after quoting the hadeeth of Ka’ab Ibn Maalik RAA concerning the three individuals that opposed the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam):

"In this hadeeth of Ka’ab RAA, there is proof that it is permissible for an individual to abandon his brother, if innovation or evil begins to show from him, hoping that his abandoning of him will serve to teach and rebuke him." [15]

Al-Khatteeb Al-Baghdaadee (1/232) reported with a chain connected to Al-Fadl Ibn Ziyaad: "I asked Abu ‘Abdillaah (Ahmad Ibn Hanbal) about Al-Karaabeesee and what beliefs he proclaims, so his face grew serious and he lowered his head in silence for a while and then said: ‘This individual proclaims the views of Jahm. Allaah says: ‘And if anyone of the mushrikeen seeks your protection, then grant him your protection, so that he may hear the Words of Allaah (i.e. the Qur’aan).’ [16] So from who does he hear from? And the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) said: ‘And he (the disbeliever) has the pact of trust, so that he may hear the words of Allaah.’ Indeed, the trial that the people are upon only came about due to these books which they have put forth. They have abandoned the narrations of the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) and his companions and readily accepted these books!’"

Shaikh Shams-ud-Deen Abu ‘Abdillaah Muhammad Ibn Muflih said:

"Shaikh Muwaffiq-ud-Deen (i.e. Ibn Qudaamah) has mentioned the forbiddance of looking into the books of innovators and he stated: ‘The Salaf used to forbid others from sitting with the innovators, looking into their books and listening to their speech.’" [17]