Salman al-Awdah |
Shaykh Salih al-Fawzan On the Generalised Statements of Takfir of Salman al-Awdah |
Author: Shaykh Salih al-Fawzan |
Article ID : NDV110003 [41198] |
On Wednesday, the 22nd of Safar, 1422, Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan (hafidhahullaah) was asked the following question regarding the following saying of Salmaan al-’Awdah, “Eminent Shaykh, some of them say, “The banners which are raised in the length and width of the Islaamic world are but secular banners" (Taken from Salmaan al-’Awdah’s well known cassette ‘Yaa liJiraahaatil-Muslimeen’). What is the ruling regarding this saying?”
Shaykh Saalih (hafidhahullaah) said, “This saying is falsehood, passing general rulings upon people that they are disbelievers and secularists. That is mass Takfeer, and Allaah’s refuge is sought. Amongst the people are the believers, and amongst them are the disbelievers, and amongst them are the munaafiqoon (hypocrites), so we do not make generalized rulings upon them.
That’s absolutely not permissible, to generalize kufr upon the people hence it be said, All of the people are Muslims. That is not true. Or that it be said; all of the people are disbelievers. That’s not true. Or that it be said; all of the people are munaafiqoon. That is futile speech. Rather, we say: amongst the Muslims are truthful ones, and amongst them are hypocrites, and amongst them are disbelievers. (Taken from his Sharh of Kitaabut-Tawheed (22/02/1422)
Stated Sayyid Qutb, “The Ummah (of Islaam) has ceased to be in existence (ghaabat al-Ummah) and has not been perceivable for a very long time.” (Ma’aalim fit-Tareeq p.8, 17th edition, 1991)
A Cassette Lecture was given entitled “Al-Ummah al-Ghaa’ibah” (The Absent Ummah) by Salman Awdah propounding the same concepts and being based upon the above quote from Sayyid Qutb. [Note Shaikh Salih al-Fawzaan considers the use of this term to be Takfir of the whole Ummah – which is actually the intent of Sayyid Qutb. Refer to al-Ajwibah al-Mufeedah]
Shaykh Saleh al-Fawzaan was asked: What do you say about the one who applies the term "the Absent Ummah" to the contemporary Islamic Ummah?
The Answer: The saying that the Muslim Ummah is absent, then the takfir of all of the Islamic nations is necessitated from it, since its meaning is that there is no Islamic state, and this is in opposition to the saying of the Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam), "There will never cease to be a group from my Ummah upon the truth, uppermost. They will not be harmed by those who desert them or those who oppose them, until the affair of Allaah - the Blessed and Exalted - arrivs, and they are in this state."
So regardless of how much the misguidance, and differing, and disbelief might occur, then this safe and secure group will always remain.
Hence, there is no such thing as the absence of the Islamic Ummah, and all praise is due to Allaah, and nor is it a required condition for this Islamic Society, or this Aided Group that it is devoid of sins, since sins were found in the time of the Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam), and also in the time of his Khulafaa, however, they were faced and were rejected." (al-Ajwibah al-Mufeedah p. 151).