What Is the Ruling on Taking Knowledge From an Imam Who Conceals His Aqeedah Out Of Fear?
Question: السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته Jazakallahu Khairan ya Shaykh. May Allah preserve you. My question is regarding talking from a imaam who hides their aqeedah. In my local area, we have a shaykh upon Salafiyyah. He teaches all salafi books such as riyadh As-saliheen, 40 hadeeth of imaam nawawi, Bulugh al maram and so on so forth. However, when it comes to aqeedah classes he teaches it to small circles and only privately. Our area is majority sufi and asha'ri in creed. Furthermore, he doesn't refute nor warn against deviant individuals, but only does so vaguely so as anyone who listens to him won't be able to identify who the deviant is. I want to understand what is the rulling in regards to this, if this question is appropriate to ask. Jazakallahu Khairan wa barakAllah Feekum.
Summary:
If the Shaykh is known for Salafi Aqeedah and following the Sunnah, teaches the books of Ahlus-Sunnah, and affirms the Aqeedah of the Salaf, then it is not permissible to judge him as being upon deviation merely because he does not openly teach Aqeedah lessons before the general public or because he does not name the people of innovation and deviation individually. Wisdom and the Shariah benefit may require that he teach Aqeedah privately, delay openly addressing certain matters, or warn against an error without naming the person responsible for it, out of fear of harm, being prevented from teaching, the occurrence of a greater harm, or because he considers the time and circumstances unsuitable for mentioning names explicitly.
Answer:
First: The Basic Principle Is That the Scholar Clarifies the Truth
From the Qur'an:
- [An-Nahl: 125]
"Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction."
What is required is to clarify the truth, but Allah commanded that this be done with wisdom. Wisdom requires placing matters in their appropriate place and taking into consideration the circumstances of those being called, as well as the benefits and harms that may result from what is said.
Second: Naming the Person Is Not Always a Condition for Warning Against an Innovation The objective of refuting and warning is to protect people from falsehood and clarify the Sunnah. Mentioning the names of individuals is not an objective in and of itself. For example, if a scholar says: "This belief opposes the Sunnah, this action is an innovation, and the correct position is such and such," then he has clarified the ruling and warned against the error, even if he does not say that a particular person is an innovator or deviant. However, if there is a need to identify a particular person in order to protect the people from his evil and innovation, then identifying him has its proper place according to what serves the benefit. Third: The Benefit May Lie in Not Speaking Explicitly This is an important point regarding the situation mentioned by the questioner. A Shaykh may live in an area where Sufism or theological creeds are predominant, and he may know that if he openly speaks about certain issues or begins naming individuals, he may be harmed, prevented from teaching, have the door of dawah closed upon him, or cause people to turn away from him before they have had an opportunity to learn the Sunnah. He may therefore consider it wise to begin by teaching them prayer, hadith, manners, and acts of worship, then gradually teach them Aqeedah and clarify errors without presently becoming involved in naming individuals.
From the Scholars:
- Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله said regarding enjoining good and forbidding evil:
"If the benefits that would be lost or the harms that would result are greater, then it is not commanded."
Therefore, not everything that is permissible to say must necessarily be said at every time and place and in the same manner.
Fourth: Observing Wisdom in Dawah "It is obligatory upon the caller to Allah and the one who enjoins good and forbids evil to carefully seek the means of persuasion, because the objective is not merely that you spoke and commanded; rather, the objective is benefit." Thus, the objective is that guidance and benefit are achieved, not merely displaying harshness or explicitly naming individuals. How Does a Muslim Warn Against Innovations and Sufism? Warning against innovations should be done: "With good speech, wisdom, and gentleness." Fifth: Even in Dealing With the People of Innovation, Benefit and Harm Are Taken Into Consideration Wisdom in Boycotting the People of Innovation and Sin "Boycotting is a treatment and a remedy; it is done where it is beneficial and left where it is not beneficial." This clarifies an important principle: some methods of forbidding evil and warning are not objectives in and of themselves. Rather, consideration is given to their effects and benefits. Therefore, if explicitly mentioning the name of a particular person would lead to a greater evil without any considerable benefit, then wisdom may lie in clarifying his error without naming him. This principle concerning boycotting and weighing benefit and harm is also stated by Shaykh Ibn Baz رحمه الله, who explained that boycotting is used when beneficial and left when it would not bring benefit or would result in greater harm. Sixth: How Should We Judge This Shaykh? The sole criterion should not be: Does he name the people of innovation by name or not? Rather, his overall condition should be considered: Is his Aqeedah the Aqeedah of Ahlus-Sunnah? Does he affirm Tawheed and the Sunnah? Does he warn against the innovations themselves? Does he teach the books of the Sunnah? Does he refrain from affirming Sufi and theological creeds? Is his lack of explicitness due to wisdom, consideration of the benefit, and fear of harm? If this is his situation, then it is incorrect to accuse him of concealing his Aqeedah out of compromise merely because he does not explicitly mention names. However, if he affirms innovations, praises false creeds, causes confusion among the people regarding their religion, or conceals the truth out of compromise despite there being a need to clarify it and despite being capable of doing so, then this is a different situation and its ruling differs. Conclusion: If the Shaykh is Salafi in Aqeedah, known for following the Sunnah, affirms the truth, and warns against innovations, then it does not harm him that he does not name the people of innovation and deviation individually, nor that he makes some of his Aqeedah lessons private. Wisdom and the Shariah benefit may require that, at the present time, he does not openly address certain matters or name particular deviants, because he may be subjected to harm, prevented from teaching, or this may cause people to turn away and close the door to dawah, particularly in an environment where Sufism or theological creeds are predominant. Therefore, merely refraining from mentioning names is not, in itself, evidence of compromise or deviation. Rather, what matters is the soundness of his Aqeedah and what he teaches of the truth and Sunnah, while observing wisdom and benefit in the manner of dawah and forbidding evil.
And Allah knows best.
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