The Principle of Counterbalancing the Bad AND the Good
Points in the
Understanding of ash-Shaayijee
Ash-Shayijee considers that the greatest principle of this
astray group is
their saying that it is not necessary to mention the good points
of an innovator
when warning against him. He says: “"The Book of Shaikh
Rabee’ bin Haadee ‘The Methodology of Ahl us-Sunnah
wal-Jamaa’ah in Criticising Books and Movements’, it is in this
book
that the fundamental principle of this group has been set down -
and its most
evil one, absolutely. And it is from this principle that all the
other corrupt
principles have been derived. And Shaikh Rabee’ has made the
manhaj of Ahl
us- Sunnah in criticising, that they do not mention except the
evil points of a
righteous Muslim, even if he was not aware of them, or if they
occurred from him
due to an error or due to an oversight.""
Let the noble reader know that ash-Shaayijee did not quote
the words of
Shaikh Rabee’ textually. He mentions them in his own unique style
and in a
way which depends on causing [undue] alarm, provocation and
exaggeration - as
the brother, Mubaarak bin Saif has explained - and Shaikh Rabee’
- may
Allaah preserve him - has not said that everyone who falls into
an innovation
whether due to an error or due to an oversight that he is an
innovator.
Ash-Shaayijee then, intends by this that same principle which
Shaikh
Rabee’ - may Allaah preserve him - has destroyed. And we say
here, that if
this is the fundamental principle of all the principles of this
astray group, in
absolute terms, then what do you say about Shaikh Abdul- Azeez
Bin Baaz - may
Allaah preserve him - since a question was put to him [about
this] and here is
its text:
Q. There are some people who enjoin ‘counterbalancing’
(al-Muwaazanah), meaning that when you criticise an
innovator to warn people
from him, that it is obligatory upon you to mention his good
points/deeds so
that you do not treat him unjustly?
A. No, it is not necessary, it is not necessary. And this
is why when you
read the books of Ahl us-Sunnah you will find the purpose
behind them to
warn. Read in the book of al-Bukhaaree ‘Khalq Af’aal
ul-‘Ibaad’ and ‘Kitaab ul-Adab’ (the Book of
Manners) in the Saheeh and ‘Kitaab us-Sunnah of Abdullaah bin
Ahmad
and ‘Kitaab ut-Tawheed’ of Ibn Khuzaimah and the refutation of
Uthmaan bin Sa’eed ad-Daarimee against the Ahl ul-Bid’ah...
and
other such books. They mention this for the purpose of
warning from their
falsehood and the intent is not to enumerate their good
points/deeds. The
intent is to warn from their falsehood. And their good
points/deeds have no
value in relation to one who disbelieves - when his
innovation makes him a
disbeliever, his good deeds are nullified and when it does
not make him a
disbeliever then he is in a precarious situation. The intent
is to expose
the errors and deviations - which it is necessary to warn
against."
[The Methodology of Ahl us-Sunnah wal- Jamaa’ah in
Criticising Men,
Books and Movements]
And Shaikh Saalih al-Fawzaan was questioned about the same
matter and here is
the text:
Q. It has spread amongst the youth today amongst the
youth that it is
obligatory to counterbalance between to good and bad
points/deeds when
criticising and so they say: ‘When you criticise such and
such person
for an innovation and you expose his mistakes, it is
necessary for you to
mention his good points/deeds - and this is from the
perspective of justice
and fairness. So is this manhaj (methodology) in criticising
correct? And is
it necessary for me to mention the good points/deeds when
criticising?
A. When the one who is being criticised is from Ahl us-
Sunnah
wal-Jamaa’ah and his mistakes are in matters which do not
relate to
‘aqeedah, then yes... his good points/deeds and exceptional
[qualities] are mentioned. His mistakes and slips are
overwhelmed by his aid
for the Sunnah.
Refuting Shayijee : Al-Muwazanah - Mentioning the Good and Bad Points Together