CONCERNING CONDEMNING

CONCERNING CONDEMNING

From the apparent signs of condemning is: Exposing someone’s evil and propagating it under the

pretense of advising, while claiming that it is only these defects that are making him do it,

general or specific. Meanwhile, on the inside, his aim is only to condemn and cause harm.41 So

he is from the brothers of the hypocrites, those whom Allaah has disparaged in His Book in

many places, for indeed Allaah disparages those who outwardly display a good action or saying,

while intending inwardly to accomplish a mischievous and evil goal. And He has counted that

as one of the aspects of hypocrisy, as is stated in Surah Baraa,42 in which He humiliates the

hypocrites and exposes their despicable attributes:

“And as for those who set up a masjid in order to cause harm, (spread) disbelief, disunite

the believers and to make it as an outpost for those who made war against Allaah and His

Messenger since aforetime, they will indeed swear that their intention is nothing but good.

But Allaah bears witness that they are certainly liars.” 43

And Allaah says:

“Think not that those who rejoice in what they have done, and love to be praised for what

they have not done – do not think that they are rescued from the torment. And for them is

a painful punishment!” 44

41 This is from the actions of the heart which no one has knowledge of except Allaah, the Most Perfect and

Exalted.

42 [Translator's Note: He means Surat-ut-Tawbah]

43 Surat-ut-Tawbah: 107

44 Surah Aali 'Imraan: 188

The Difference between Advising & Condemning 26

This ayah was sent down concerning the Jews, when the Prophet, sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam,

asked them about something and they concealed knowledge of it informing him instead of

something else. Yet they showed to him that they had indeed informed him about what he had

asked them. And they sought praise from him, sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, because of it and

became joyous at what they gained by concealing it and because he, sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa

sallam, asked them. This is what Ibn ‘Abbaas, radyAllaahu 'anhumaa, stated and his hadeeth

concerning that is transmitted in the two Saheeh collections.45

Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudree, radyAllaahu 'anhumaa, said:

“There was a group of men among the hypocrites who when the Messenger of Allaah,

sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, would go out to fight in the (military) expeditions, would refrain

from going with him. And they would be happy with opposing the Messenger of Allaah,

sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, with their sitting (instead of fighting). So when the Messenger of

Allaah, sallAllaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, would arrive, they would make excuses for themselves

and swear to him. And they loved to be praised for that which they did not do. So this ayah was

revealed.” 46

Therefore, these characteristics are the characteristics of the Jews and the hypocrites. And it is

that someone outwardly displays a saying or an action, while presenting an image in which he

appears to be upon good. Yet his intention in doing that is to accomplish an evil goal. So he is

praised for what good he has made manifest outwardly, while accomplishing by it, the evil goal

he has kept hidden inwardly. And he basks in the praise he receives for that which he has

outwardly portrayed as being good, which is in fact evil on the inside, and he is happy that his

evil hidden objective has been achieved. So his benefit is perfected for him and his scheme is

carried out effectively by this deception!!

Anyone with this characteristic definitely falls under the (threat) of this ayah - thus he is

threatened with a painful torment. An example of this is: When someone desires to defame a

man, belittle him and expose his faults so that people turn away from him. This is done either

because he loves to cause harm to him, because of his enmity towards him, or because he fears

45 Reported by Al-Bukhaaree (9/301), Muslim (17/123), Ahmad (1/298) and Ibn Jareer (4/207).

46 Reported by Al-Bukhaaree (8/233), Muslim (17/123) and Ibn Jareer (4/205). It must be noted here that

Al-Haafidh Ibn Hajr mentioned in Al-Fath (9/301) that it is possible to combine these two causes for the

ayah's revelation found in the two hadeeths by saying that it was revealed with regard to both of these

groups (Jews and hypocrites). Shaikh Muqbil Ibn Haadee Al-Waadi'ee said in his As-Saheeh-ul-Musnad

(pg. 35): "If the hadeeth of Abu Sa'eed is more established then that takes more precedence because the

hadeeth of Ibn 'Abbaas is from that which the two Shaikhs have been criticized by, as has been stated in

Muqaddimat-ul-Fath (20/132) and as is stated in Fath-ul-Baaree (9/302). And there is no point in

restricting it to only the People of the Book…"

The Difference between Advising & Condemning 27

27

him due to a rivalry that exists between them with regard to wealth, leadership, or other

blameworthy causes. So he does not find a way towards accomplishing his goal, except by

publicly degrading him due to some religious reason. For example, someone (i.e. a scholar) has

refuted a weak opinion from the many opinions of a well known and famous scholar. So this

(evil) individual spreads that amongst those who respect that scholar, saying: “This person (that

did the refutation) hates this scholar, and is only defaming and criticizing him.”

So by doing this, he (the evil person) deceives all those people that hold that scholar in esteem,

making them believe that such a refutation was done out of hatred and with insult on the part of

the one refuting, and that his deed was full of audacity and arrogance. So he (the evil person) is

(outwardly) defending this scholar and uplifting the abuse from him - and that is an act pleasing

to Allaah and in obedience to Him. So he combines this outer facade of advising with two

disgusting and forbidden things:47

First: The insinuation that this scholar's refutation of the other opinion was done out of hatred,

seeking to belittle (the other scholar), and as a result of following his desires. But (in reality) he

only desires by it to advise the believers and to make known some aspect of knowledge that is

unlawful to keep concealed.

Second: He (the evildoer) manifests and magnifies the (scholar's) criticism (for the other

scholar), so that he can fulfill his desire and achieve his evil goal under the pretense of advising

and defending the scholars of the Religion.

This type of evil plotting is similar to the injustice and oppression displayed by the tribe of

Marwaan and their followers, who won the people's affection and at the same time, turned these

people's hearts away from 'Alee Ibn Abee Taalib, Al-Hasan, Al-Husain and their offspring, may

Allaah be pleased with all of them.

47 [Translator's Note: We ask the noble readers to consider these precious words stated by the Shaikh of

our glorious past and compare them with the likes of the situations we find today. No doubt the scholars

of the Sunnah in these days are accused in such a manner. Such an example can be found in Shaikh

Muhammad Naasir-ud-Deen Al-Albaanee (rahimhullaah) and the lies and attacks that were launched

against him by Hasan Saqqaf, Kabbani and their likes, who make themselves appear as though they're

advising the Muslim ummah. But yet in reality they are doing no more than discrediting, defaming and

belittling a scholar. And the claims that come from them are well known in that these scholars, such as

Al-Albaanee, who warn against "blind-following" are labeled as deviants who hate the four Imaams and

who want to do away with their teachings! May Allaah give us the ability to see through the false

accusations of the ignorant and the unjust.]

The Difference between Advising & Condemning 28

When 'Uthmaan, radyAllaahu 'anhu, was killed, the Muslim nation did not see anyone possessing

more right to succeed him other than 'Alee, radyAllaahu 'anhu, so they pledged allegiance to him.

So those who sought to turn the people away from him set about their goal by manifesting the

outrageous and scandalous murder of 'Uthmaan. And it was just as they said it was. But then

they added to it that the one who conspired his murder and carried it out was none other than

'Alee, radyAllaahu ' anhu. And this was a lie and a slander against him!

And 'Alee, radyAllaahu 'anhu, would swear and reaffirm his oaths in denying this accusation -

and he was truthful and innocent in his oath, may Allaah be pleased with him. But they began to

fight against him, claiming that their struggle was for the sake of the Religion and that it was

pleasing to Allaah, and then they began to fight with his children. These individuals strove hard

in publicizing this (lie), propagating it on the mimbars on the days of Jumu'ah, as well as on

other occasions in which there were large gatherings. This continued until it settled into the

hearts of their followers that the matter was as these individuals said it was, and that the tribe of

Marwaan had more right (to the Khilaafah) than 'Alee and his children due to their closeness to

'Uthmaan, and that they had more right to avenge his, radyAllaahu 'anhu, death. So in doing this,

they were able to unite the hearts of the people against 'Alee and his sons and to turn the people

to fight against him and his children after him. This asserted the kingship for them and their rule

became established as a result of that.

While in privacy, one of them would say to those he confided in, something with the meaning:

"No one amongst the Companions was more restrained from (causing harm to) 'Uthmaan than

'Alee." So it would be said to him: "Then why did the people revile him?" So he would

respond: "The kingship (i.e. end of the Khilaafah) would not be established if it weren't for that."

The meaning of this is that if they did not turn the people's hearts away from 'Alee, radyAllaahu

'anhu, and his children, and if they didn't attribute the injustice done to 'Uthmaan to them, the

hearts of the people would not feel sympathy for them (later), due to what they knew of their

beautiful attributes and honorable qualities, for they used to rush to follow them and pledge

allegiance to them (in the past). And because of this, the Umayyah dynasty came to an end and

the people ceased obeying them.48