Prologue
The Extremist Murji’ah who have emerged in the current times have no
precedence before them in the history of Islaam in their defence of those who
assault the Messengers of Allaah, make mockery of them, and who perform takfir
of the Companions of Allaah’s Messenger and accuse them of hypocrisy and
treachery and slander and make mockery of Uthmaan (radiallaahu anhu) and who
call for the abolition of parts of the Islamic Sharee’ah because it is not
suitable for the times.
So when their Sayyid and Imaam is refuted by the Mashayikh of Ahl us-Sunnah
and foremost amongst them Shaikh Rabee’ bin Haadee al-Madkhalee – may Allaah
preserve him, it only increases them in their rage and hatred – not for the sake
of the Islaamic Aqidah and the honour of the Prophets and Companions, but for
the sake of their Sayyid and Imaam. But mockery of the Prophets and takfir of
the Sahabah does not enrage them, and refuge is from Allaah from such vile and
filthy Irjaa’ which necessitates silence in the face of statements of disbelief
and apostasy.
This paper is the second part of a refutation of those Qutubis who try to
make the mediation of Imaam Ibn Baaz for Sayyid Qutb prior to his death a
justification of Qutb’s deviant creed and methodology and as way of praising and
propagating his misguided and heretical writings. Comprising the statements and
refutations of the Imaams of the Salafi Da’wah and its Mashayikh against Sayyid
Qutb and those with his affectations, this paper consists of excerpts from the
book "Baraa’ah Ulamaa il-Ummah Min Tazkiyat Ahl il-Bid’ah wal-Mudhammah",
checked by Shaikh Salih al-Fawzaan who made additional comments and notes and
read over the book twice. The book was also read by Shaikh Muhammad Ibn
Uthaimeen who praised it and made some minor changes to his own words that were
quoted therein.
1. Shaikh Salih al-Fawzaan
Sayyid Qutb said concerning slavery, "And concerning the slaves, that was
when slavery was a world-wide structure and which was conducted amongst the
Muslims and their enemies in the form of enslaving of prisoners of war. And it
was necessary for Islam to adopt a similar line of practise until the world
devised a new code of practise, other than enslavement." [in ‘az-Zilal’, Surah
Tawbah (3/1669), found also in tafsir of Surah Baqarah (/230), tafsir of Surah
Mu’minoon (4/2455), tafsir of Surah Muhammad (6/3285)]
Questioner: "O respected Shaikh, one of the contemporary writers is of
the view that this religion, at its inception, was compelled to accept the
institution of slavery of the days of ignorance."
Shaikh Salih al-Fawzaan: "I seek refuge in Allaah"
Questioner: [Completing his question] "However, he has come from the
angle that the doors to the various expiations and other matters which involve
the liberation of slaves should be opened (i.e. that these affairs should be
encouraged) gradually, until slavery finally ends. And following on from this,
that the intent of the Legislator is to gradually end this institution of
slavery. So what is your view on this?"
Shaikh Salih al-Fawzaan: "These are words of falsehood (baatil) – and
refuge is from Allaah – despite the fact that many of the writers and thinkers –
and we do not say scholars - repeat these words. Rather we say that they are
thinkers (mufakkireen), just as they call them. And it is unfortunate, that they
also call them ‘Du’at’ (callers). And this (type of statement) is found in
the tafsir of Sayyid Qutb in Dhilaal ul-Qura’aan. He says, "Islaam does not
affirm slavery, but it only allowed it to remain out of fear that the people may
turn to despotism, that they may disapprove of it’s abolition since they had
been accustomed to it. Hence Islaam has allowed it to continue out of courtesy
to the people" Meaning, as if Allaah was being courteous to the people, and then
he alluded to its gradual removal until it is completely finished.
These words are falsehood and (constitute) deviation (ilhaad) – and refuge is
from Allaah. This is deviation and a false accusation against Islaam. And if
it had not been for the excuse of ignorance [because] we excuse them on account
of (their) ignorance, so we do not say that they are Unbelievers because they
are ignorant and are blind followers who have merely quoted this saying without
reflecting upon it, hence we excuse them on account of ignorance. Otherwise,
these statements are very dangerous and if a person said them deliberately he
would become apostate and leave Islaam. However, we say that they are
ignorant people because they are but literary writers who have not learnt the
knowledge. So they found this statement and rejoiced on account of it and then
refuted the Unbelievers by it. Since the Unbelievers say that Islaam empowers
some people (over others) and that it enslaves the people and that it… and that
it… So they intended to refute them with this ignorance. And when the ignoramus
refutes the enemy then he only increases the enemy in evil and hence the enemy
holds more tightly to his falsehood. Refutation occurs by way of knowledge. It
does no occur by way of sentiments or by ignorance. Rather it occurs by
knowledge and evidence. Otherwise, it is obligatory for a person to remain quiet
and not to speak in dangerous matters about which he has no knowledge.
So these words are falsehood and whoever says them deliberately then he is an
Unbeliever. As for the one who says them out of ignorance or due to blind
following (of others), then he is to be excused due to his ignorance. And
ignorance is a killing catastrophe – and refuge is from Allaah. Islaam has
affirmed slavery and slavery is ancient and existed prior to Islaam and was
present in the revealed religions prior to it. And it will continue so long as
Jihaad in the path of Allaah exists."
Source:
Cassette Recording dated 4/8/1416 and subsequently verified by the Shaikh
himself with a few minor alterations to the wording.
2. Fatwaa of the Muhaddith Hammaad bin Muhammad al-Ansaaree
The Shaikh – rahimahullaah - was asked about the statement of Sayyid Qutb,
"And it is necessary for Islaam to judge, since it is a unique, constructive and
positivist aqidah which has been moulded and shaped from Christianity and
Communism together, in the most perfect of ways and which comprises all of their
(i.e Christianity and Communism’s) objectives and adds in addition to them
harmony, balance and justice." (Ma’rakat ar-Ra’samaaliyyah wal-Islaam).
The Shaikh replied, "If the one who said these words was alive, then his
repentance should be sought, so if he repents (then so) otherwise he is to be
killed as an apostate. And if he has died then it is obligatory to explain
that these words are falsehood. However we do not perform takfir of him since we
have not established the proof against him."
Source:
From the book of Shaikh Rabee’ ‘al-Awaasim Mimmaa Fee Kutub Sayyid Qutub
Minal-Qawaasim’ (p. 24) and who read it out to Shaikh Hammaad himself on the
night of 3/1/1415 in order to corroborate it.
3. Fatwaa of Shaikh ‘Abdul-Azeez Ibn Baz
Some parts of the book of Sayyid Qutb ‘at-Tasweer al-Fannee fil-Qur’aan’ were
read to him such as his speech about Moosaa - ‘alaihis-Salaam - upon whom he
said: "Let us take Moosaa - as the example of the leader of excitable nature -
and this excitable impulse quickly passes away and he regains his composure, as
is the case with the excitable folk." Then he said with regard to the Saying of
Allah - the Most High - "Fa as-ba-hu fil madinati kha bi fan..." :- "This is the
description of a well known state: the restlessness or fear of one expecting
evil at every turn - and this is the characteristic of the excitable folk."
[‘at-Tasweer al-Fannee fil-Qur’aan’: p.200,201,203. 13th ....]
So the Shaikh replied to this:
"Mockery of the Prophets is apostasy in its own."
And is was said to him that Shaikh Rabee’ al-Madhkhalee has written a
refutation of Sayyid Qutb, so the Shaikh said: "Rebuttal of him is good."
Source:
During a lesson of Shaikh ‘Abdul - ‘Azeez ibn Baaz - hafizahullaah - in his
house in Riyaadh: 1413H, ‘Minhaajus-Sunnah tapes of ar-Riyaadh
Summary
Shaikh ul-Islaam, Imaam Ibn Baaz was asked, "The one who praises Ahl
ul-Bid’ah, is he to be counted amongst them?" So he replied, "Yes, there is
no doubt about this, the one who praises them is one who actually calls to
them". [Cassette: Aqwaal ul-Ulamaa Fee Sayyid Qutb]
Shaikh ul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah (rahimahullaah) said, "It is obligatory to
punish everyone who ascribes himself to them – the people of innovation – or who
defends them, or who praises them, or who reveres their books, or who detests
that they should be talked about, or who begins to make excuses for them by
saying he does not understand what these words mean or by saying that this
person also authored another book and what is similar to these types of excuses,
which are not made except by an ignoramus or a hypocrite. Rather, it is
obligatory to punish everyone who knows of their condition and did not assist in
repelling their evil, for repelling their evil is one of the greatest of
obligations." Majmoo ul-Fataawaa (2/132)
Shaikh ul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah also said: "And in the face of those who
perform takfir in falsehood are a people who do not know the aqidah of Ahl
us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah as it truly should be known, or they know some of it but
are ignorant of some of it. Yet whatever they do know of it, they do not always
explain it to the people but conceal it. And they do not forbid the
innovations that oppose the Book and the Sunnah, nor do they rebuke the People
of Innovations and neither do they punish them. In fact, they may even criticise
absolutely any talk of the Sunnah and the fundamental principles of the religion
[i.e. Tawhid etc.]. Or they may accommodate everyone, with all their varying
madhhabs… This approach has overcome many of the Murji’ah, some of the Jurists,
Sufis and Philosophers. And both of these two approaches (i.e. that of the
Takfiris and the Murji’ah and those with them) are deviant, and outside the
[confines of the] Book and the Sunnah." Majmu’ ul-Fatawa (16/427)
Epilogue
Beware O Brother and Sister Muslim from this sect – may Allaah sever it -
which accuses the Imaam and Muhaddith, Imaam of Ahl us-Sunnah and Shaikh
ul-Islaam, Muhammad Nasir ud-Deen al-Albani with the Irjaa’ of Jahm Ibn Safwaan
– and may Allaah free him from this mghty slander and exonerate him – and know
that this sect itself wallows in the extremes of Irjaa, for when, according
to its own teachings and principles, takfir ought to be performed, it
refrains from it and instead makes excuses and pleas of justification for the
statements of kufr and apostasy that emanate from its leading founders and
mentors, and from Allaah is the refuge. And it hates and detests that its
mentors and leaders and their statements of kufr and apostasy are exposed,
refuted and demolished!!
And know that anyone who promotes the books of Sayyid Qutb, portraying him as
a Scholar and Imaam, equal to the likes of Shaikh ul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah (!!)
and Shaikh ul-Islaam Muhammad bin Abdul-Wahhaab(!!) and Shaikh ul-Islaam Ibn
Baaz(!!) and one worthy to be followed in his Khariji methodology[*], then know
that either he is an ignoramus with compound ignorance or he is a person of
desires, who feigns the gown of Salafiyyah, deceives the common-folk and who
stands at the gates of Hellfire, inviting you to become one of its inhabitants,
and from Allaah is the refuge.
[*] "And it was in this period that the books of the Shaheed,
Sayyid Qutb appeared, the books that represented his final thoughts (in
ideology, before his death). Those which justified the takfir of (whole)
societies… the breaking of all sentimental attachments to society, breaking off
ties with others, and the announcement of a destructive jihad against the whole
of mankind. And showing contempt against the du’at who call for lenience and
softness, accusing them of idiocy, and being defeatist. [Saying all of
this], in front of the western civilisation. He made this manifest, in the most
clear manner in the tafsir, "Fee Zilaal il-Qur’aan", in the 2nd
edition and in ‘Ma’alim fit-Tariq’ (Milestones), and the bulk of it is taken
from ‘Zilal’ and ‘Al-Islam wa Mushkilat al-Hadaarah’ and others…"Yusuf
al-Qaradawi, one of the Leaders of Ikhwan, in ‘Priorities of the Islamic
Movement (p.110)’
"We have pointed out in what has preceded that the spread of
the ideology of takfir occurred amongst the youth of the Ikhwaan who were
imprisoned in the late fifties and early sixties, and that they were influenced
by the ideology of the Shaheed Sayyid Qutb and his writings. They derived from
these writings that the society had fallen into Jahiliyyah (of kufr), and that
he had performed takfir of the rulers who had rejected the Hakimiyyah of Allaah
by not ruling by what Allaah has revealed, and also takfir of those ruled over
(i.e. civilians), when they became satisfied with this." Fareed ‘Abdul-Khaliq,
one of the Murshids of Ikhwaan, in ‘Ikhwan ul-Muslimoon Fee Mizanil-Haqq’
(p.115)
The Heresies of Sayyid Qutb in Light of the Statements of the Ulamaa (Part 2)