Be Gentle with Each Other; Don’t Chase People Away with Harshness
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1. Al-Hasan (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
يا أهل السنة ترفقوا رحمكم الله فإنكم من أقل الناس.
"O people of the Sunnah, be gentle, may Allah have mercy on you, for you are the fewest among people." [Al-Lalakai, 1/63.]
2. Ayoub (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
إني أُخبر بموت الرجل من أهل السنة وكأني أفقد بعض أعضائي.
"When I am informed of the death of a man from the people of the Sunnah, it is as if I have lost a part of my body." [Al-Lalakai, 1/66; Hilyat al-Awliya, 3/9.]
3. Sufyan al-Thawri (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
استوصوا بأهل السنة خيرا فـــــــــــإنهم غرباء.
"Take care of the people of the Sunnah, for they are strangers." [Al-Lalakai, 1/71.]
4. Sufyan al-Thawri (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
إذا بلغك عن رجل بالمشرق صاحب سنة وآخر بالمغرب فابعث إليهما بالسلام وادع لهما ما أقل أهل السنة والجماعة.
"If you hear of a man in the east who follows the Sunnah and another in the west, send them greetings and pray for them. How few are the people of the Sunnah and the community."
Source: Al-Lalakai, 1/71.
5. Imam Ahmad (may Allah be pleased with him) said at the end of his letter to Imam Musaddad ibn Masarhad (may Allah have mercy on him):
أحبوا أهل السنة على ما كان منهم . أماتنا الله وإياكم على السنة والجماعة ، ورزقنا الله وإياكم اتباع العلم . ووفقنا وإياكملما يحبه ويرضاه .
"Love the people of the Sunnah no matter what they do. May Allah cause us and you to die upon the Sunnah and the community, and grant us and you the following of knowledge, and guide us and you to what He loves and is pleased with." [Tabaqat al-Hanabila, 1/345.]
6. Mu'tamir ibn Sulayman (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
دخلت على أبي وأنا منكسر فقال مالك قلت مات صديق لي قال مات على السنة قلت نعم قال فلا تخف عليه.
"I entered upon my father while I was broken-hearted. He said: 'What is wrong with you?' I said: 'A friend of mine has died.' He said: 'Did he die upon the Sunnah?' I said: 'Yes.' He said: 'Then do not worry about him.'" [Al-Lalakai, 1/75.]
7. Imam Malik (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
لو لقي الله رجل بملء الأرض ذنوباً ثم لقي الله بالسنة لكان في الجنة مع النبيين والصديقين والشهداء والصالحين وحسنأولئك رفيقاً
"If a man were to meet Allah with the sins of the entire earth but met Him with the Sunnah, he would be in Paradise with the Prophets, the truthful ones, the martyrs, and the righteous, and what an excellent companionship that is." [Dhamm al-Kalam wa Ahlih, 5/76-77.]
8. Imam Ahmad said:
مَنْ مَاتَ عَلَى الإِسْلاَمِ وَالسُّنَّةِ مَاتَ عَلَى الخَيْرِ كُلِّهِ
"Whoever dies upon Islam and the Sunnah has died upon all good." [Siyar A'lam al-Nubala, 11/296.]
9. Yahya ibn Ja'far said:
لو قدرت أن أزيد في عمر محمد بن إسماعيل-أي البخاري-من عمري لفعلت،فإن موتي يكون موت رجل واحد،وموته ذهابالعلم
"If I could extend the life of Muhammad ibn Isma'il (i.e., al-Bukhari) by taking from my own life, I would do so. For my death would be the death of one man, but his death would mean the loss of knowledge." [Tarikh Baghdad, 2/24.]
1️⃣ The esteemed Sheikh, scholar Rabi' al-Madkhali (may Allah preserve him) said:
"ﻭﺃﻧﺎ ﺃﻗﻮﻟُﻬﺎ ﻣﻦ ﻗﺒﻞ ﺍﻟﻴﻮﻡ ، ﻟﻜﻦ ﺭﻛﺰﺕ ﻋﻠﻴﻬﺎ ﻟَﻤَّﺎ ﺭﺃﻳﺖُ ﻫﺬﺍ ﺍﻟﺪﻣﺎﺭ! ، ﻭﺭﺃﻳﺖُ ﻫﺬﺍ ﺍﻟﺒﻼﺀ! ، ﺃﻗﻮﻝُ :
"I have been saying this before today, but I emphasized it when I saw this destruction and this calamity. I say:
ﻋﻠﻴﻜﻢ ﺑﺎﻟﺮﻓﻖ .
You must be gentle.
ﻋﻠﻴﻜﻢ ﺑﺎﻟﻠﻴﻦ .
You must be lenient.
ﻋﻠﻴﻜﻢ ﺑﺎﻟﺘﺂﺧﻲ .
You must foster brotherhood.
ﻋﻠﻴﻜﻢ ﺑﺎﻟﺘﺮﺍﺣﻢ .
You must show mercy to each other.
ﻓﺈﻥ ﻫﺬﻩِ ﺍﻟﺸﺪﺓ ﺗﻮﺟَّﻬﺖ ﺇﻟَﻰ ﺃﻫﻞ ﺍﻟﺴﻨﺔ ﺃﻧﻔﺴﻬﻢ ، ﺇﺫْ ﻗﺪ ﺗﺮﻛﻮﺍ ﺃﻫﻞ ﺍﻟﺒﺪﻉ ﻭﺍﺗَّﺠﻬﻮﺍ ﺇﻟﻰ ﺃﻫﻞ ﺍﻟﺴﻨﺔ ﺑِﻬﺬﻩ ﺍﻟﺸﺪﺓ ﺍﻟﻤﻬﻠﻜﺔ ،ﻭﺗﺨﻠَّﻠﻬﺎ ﻇﻠﻢ ﻭﺃﺣﻜﺎﻡ ﺑﺎﻃﻠﺔ ﻇﺎﻟِﻤﺔ! .
For this severity has been directed towards the people of the Sunnah themselves. They have left the people of innovation and have turned this devastating severity towards the people of the Sunnah, accompanied by injustice and false, oppressive judgments!
ﻓﺈﻳَّﺎﻛﻢ ﺛُﻢَّ ﺇﻳَّﺎﻛﻢ ﺃﻥ ﺗﺴﻠﻜﻮﺍ ﻫﺬﺍ ﺍﻟﻤﺴﻠﻚ ﺍﻟﺬﻱ ﻳُﻬﻠﻜﻜﻢ ، ﻭﻳُﻬﻠﻚ ﺍﻟﺪﻋﻮﺓ ﺍﻟﺴﻠﻔﻴﺔ ، ﻭﻳﻬﻠﻚ ﺃﻫﻠﻬﺎ . ﺍﻫـ
So beware, beware of treading this path that destroys you, destroys the Salafi da'wah, and destroys its people." [1]
2️⃣ Likewise, he said:
"ﻭﺃﻧﺎ ﺃﻗﻮﻝ ﻟﻺﺧﻮﺍﻥ : ﺍﻟﺬﻱ ﻳُﻘَﺼِّﺮ ﻣﺎ ﻳﻨﺒﻐﻲ ﺃﻥ ﻧﺴﻘﻄﻪ ﺃﻭ ﻧُﻬﻠﻜﻪ ، ﻭﺍﻟﺬﻱ ﻳُﺨﻄﺊ ﻣﻨَّﺎ ﻻ ﻧُﻬﻠﻜﻪ ، ﺑﺎﺭﻙ ﺍﻟﻠّﻪ ﻓﻴﻜﻢ ،
“And I say to the brothers: The one who falls short should not be dropped or destroyed. The one who errs among us should not be destroyed.
ﻭﻟﻜﻦ ﻧﻌﺎﻟﺠﻪ ، ﺑﺎﻟلطف ﻭﺍﻟﺤﻜﻤﺔ ، ﻭﻧﻮﺟِّﻪ ﻟﻪ ﺍﻟﻤﺤﺒﺔ ﻭﺍﻟﻤﻮﺩﺓ ﻭﺳﺎﺋﺮ ﺍﻷﺧﻼﻕ ﺍﻟﺼﺎﻟﺤﺔ ، ﻣﻊ ﺍﻟﺪﻋﻮﺓ ﺍﻟﺼﺤﻴﺤﺔ ﺣﺘَّﻰ ﻳﺌﻮﺏ ، ﻭﺇﻥﺑﻘﻲ ﻓﻴﻪ ﺿﻌﻒ ﻓﻼ ﻧﺴﺘﻌﺠﻞ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ، ﻭﺇﻻ ؛ ﻭﺍﻟﻠّﻪ ﻣﺎ ﻳﺒﻘﻰ ﺃﺣﺪ ! ، ﻣﺎﻳﺒﻘﻰ ﺃﺣﺪ ! .
Rather, we treat him with kindness and wisdom, and we direct towards him love, affection, and all good manners, along with proper da'wah until he returns. And if he remains weak, we should not hasten against him. Otherwise, no one would remain! No one would remain!
ﻓﺒﻌﺾ ﺍﻟﻨﺎﺱ ﺍﻵﻥ ﻳﻄﺎﺭﺩﻭﻥ ﺍﻟﺴﻠﻔﻴﻴﻦ ﺣَﺘَّﻰ ﻭﺻﻠﻮﺍ ﺇﻟﻰ ﺍﻟﻌﻠﻤﺎﺀ ، ﻭﺳﻤﻮﻫﻢ ﻣُﻤﻴﻌﻴﻦ!
Now, some people are casting aside the Salafis to the extent that they have reached the scholars, calling them compromisers!
ﻭﺍﻵﻥ ﻣﺎﺑﻘﻲ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﺴﺎﺣﺔ ﻋﺎﻟﻢ ﺗﻘﺮﻳﺒًﺎ ﺇﻻ ﻃُﻌﻦ ﺑﻪ ﻭﻓﻴﻪ! ، ﻭﻫﺬﻩِ ﻃﺒﻌﺎً ﻫﻲ ﻃﺮﻳﻘﺔ ﺍﻹﺧﻮﺍﻥ ﺍﻟﻤﺴﻠﻤﻴﻦ ، ﻭﻃﺮﻳﻘﺔ ﺃﻫﻞ ﺍﻟﺒﺪﻉ! .
Now, there is almost no scholar left without being attacked. This, of course, is the way of the Muslim Brotherhood and the people of innovation.
ﻓﺈﻥ ﺃﻫﻞ ﺍﻟﺒﺪﻉ ﻣﻦ ﺃﺳﻠﺤﺘﻬﻢ ﺃﻥ ﻳﺒﺪﺀﻭﺍ ﺑﺈﺳﻘﺎﻁ ﺍﻟﻌﻠﻤﺎﺀ ، ﺑﻞ ﻫﻲ ﻃﺮﻳﻘﺔ ﻳﻬﻮﺩﻳﺔ ﻣﺎﺳﻮﻧﻴﺔ : ﺇﺫﺍ ﺃﺭﺩﺕ ﺇﺳﻘﺎﻁ ﻓﻜﺮﺓ ﻓﺄﺳﻘﻂﻋﻠﻤﺎﺀﻫﺎ ﺃﻭ ﺷﺨﺼﻴﺎﺗﻬﺎ!! .
The people of innovation use one of their weapons to discredit the scholars. This is indeed a Jewish-Masonic method: if you want to discredit an idea, discredit its scholars or figures!
ﻓﺎﺑﺘﻌﺪﻭﺍ ﻋﻦ ﻫﺬﺍ ﺍﻟﻤﻴﺮﺍﺙ ﺍﻟﺮﺩﻱﺀ ، ﻭﺍﺣﺘﺮﻣﻮﺍ ﺍﻟﻌﻠﻤﺎﺀ . ﺍﻫـ
So stay away from this despicable legacy and respect the scholars." [2]
3️⃣ Likewise, he said:
ﻭﺃﻧﺎ ﺃﻋﺮﻑ ﺃﻧﻜﻢ ﻟﺴﺘﻢ ﻣﻌﺼﻮﻣﻴﻦ ، ﻭﻟﻴﺲ ﺍﻟﻌُﻠﻤﺎﺀ ﺑِﻤﻌﺼﻮﻣﻴﻦ ﻗﺪ ﻧُﺨﻄﺊ ﺍﻟﻠﻬﻢ ﺇﻻ ﺇﺫﺍ ﺩﺧﻞ ﻓِﻲ ﺭﻓﺾ ، ﺃﻭ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻋﺘﺰﺍﻝ ، ﺃﻭﻓﻲﺗﺠﻬُّﻢ ، ﺃﻭ ﺗﺤﺰُّﺏ ﻣﻦ ﺍﻟﺤﺰﺑﻴﺎﺕ ﺍﻟﻤﻮﺟﻮﺩﺓ ؛ ﻓﺈﻥ ﻫﺬﺍ ﻫﻮ ﺍﻟﻤﻨﺒﻮﺫ .
And I know that you are not infallible, and the scholars are not infallible. We may err unless someone falls into the doctrine of the Rafidah, the Mu’tazilah, Jahmiyyah, or any of the existing partisan groups; this is what is rejected.
ﺃﻣﺎ ﺍﻟﺴﻠﻔﻲ ﺍﻟﺬﻱ ﻳﻮﺍﻟﻲ ﺍﻟﺴﻠﻔﻴﻴﻦ ، ﻭﻳُﺤﺐ ﺍﻟﻤﻨﻬﺞ ﺍﻟﺴﻠﻔﻲ
ﺑﺎﺭﻙ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﻓﻴﻜﻢ ﻭﻳﻜﺮﻩ ﺍﻷﺣﺰﺍﺏ ﻭﻳﻜﺮﻩ ﺍﻟﺒﺪﻉ ﻭﺃﻫﻠﻬﺎ - ﻭﻏﻴﺮ ﺫﻟﻚ ﻣﻦ ﻋﻼﻣﺎﺕ ﺍﻟﻤﻨﻬﺞ ﺍﻟﺴﻠﻔﻲ - ﺛُﻢَّ ﻳﻀﻌﻒ ﻓﻲ ﺑﻌﺾ ﺍﻟﻨﻘﺎﻁ ؛ ﻓﺈﻥﻫﺬﺍ ﻧﺘﺮﻓﻖ ﺑﻪ ، ﻭﻣﺎ ﻧﺘﺮﻛﻪ! ، ﻭﻟﻜﻦ ؛ ﻧﻨﺼﺤﻪ ، ﻭﻧﻨﺸﻠﻪ ، ﻭﻧﺼﺒﺮ ﻋﻠﻴﻪ ، ﻭﻧﻌﺎﻟﺠﻪ ، ﺑﺎﺭﻙ ﺍﻟﻠﻪ ﻓﻴﻜﻢ
But the Salafi who is loyal to the Salafis, loves the Salafi methodology, hates the parties, hates innovation and its people—among other signs of the Salafi methodology—if he weakens in some points, we should treat him gently, and we do not abandon him! Instead, we advise him, uplift him, be patient with him, and treat him, may Allah bless you.
ﺃﻣﺎ ﺃﻥ ﻳﻘﺎﻝ: ﻣﻦ ﺃﺧﻄﺄ ﻫﻠﻚ! ، ﻓﻌﻠﻰ ﻫﺬﺍ ﻓﻠﻦ ﻳﺒﻘﻰ ﺃﺣﺪ
However, to say that whoever makes a mistake is destroyed means that no one will remain.
ﻭﻟﻬﺬﺍ ، ﻓﺘﺮﻯ ﻫﺆﻻﺀ: ﻟﻤَّﺎ ﻓﺮﻏﻮﺍ ﻣﻦ ﺍﻟﺸﺒﺎﺏ ، ﺑﺪﺀﻭﺍ ﺑﺎﻟﻌﻠﻤﺎﺀ ﻳﺴﻘﻄﻮﻧﻬﻢ ، ﻓﻬﺬﺍ ﻣﻨﻬﺞ ﺍﻹﺧﻮﺍﻥ ﺍﻟﻤﺴﻠﻤﻮﻥ . ﺍﻫـ
Hence, you see that when these people finished with the youth, they started discrediting the scholars. This is the methodology of the Muslim Brotherhood."
(Majmoo' Kutub wa Rasail wa Fatawa al-Allama Rabi' bin Hadi bin Umair al-Madkhali)
[1] (1/475)
[2] (1/481-482)
[3] (1/482-483)