Benefit 37: If someone is proven to be a Salafi with certainty, he is not excommunicated from Salafiyyah except with certainty!

Sheikh Zaid Al-Madkhali raḥimahullāh was asked: Question: Some say that once someone is proven to be a Salafi with certainty, they do not exit it (the fold of Salafiyyah) except with certainty; is this principle correct, and when is a person deemed a non-Salafi? Answer: The principle which states that: "whoever’s Salafiyyah is proven with certainty does not exit from it except with certainty", what's apparent to me is that this principle is correct. So just as a Muslim does not exit Islām and enter into disbelief except with something certain which proves his apostasy from Islām, in the same way a Salafi whose Salafiyyah has been attested to by trustworthy figures with certainty; it is not permissible for anyone to strip him of this and include him among the groups of whims and desires except with certainty or circumstantial evidence establishing that; such as the saying of Abū ’Amr Al-Awzā’ē: «من أخفى علينا بدعته لم تَخْفَ علينا» “Whoever conceals his innovation from us, [will not be able to] hide him companions from us.” Thus, a person is judged to be a non-Salafi if he chooses for himself a manhaj other than that of Ahlus-Sunnah wal Jamā’ah and proceeds to openly manifest his hostility towards Ahlus-Sunnah, and adds his voice to the voices of the people of innovation and champions their manhaj and promotes them.” [end quote] 📚 [Al-Ajwibah Al-Athariyyah (85-86)] Furthermore, one of the major principles of the Sharī’ah is that: «اليقين لا يزول بالشك» 'Certainty is not overruled by doubt' Meaning, whatever is established with certainty cannot be removed by doubt. In other words, things are assumed to remain as they are until it is established with certainty that they are otherwise. By extension, when someone is proven to be an upright, reliable individual, we cannot accept anyone's criticism of him unless this criticism is Mufassar (explained) and established with evidences. Imām Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal raḥimahullāh said: «كل رجل ثبتت عدالته لم يقبل فيه تجريح أحد، حتى يتبين ذلك عليه بأمر لا يحتمل غير جرحه». “If someone's uprightness is established, no one's criticism against him is accepted until that (which he is being criticised for) becomes apparent upon him in such a way that he cannot be excused from disparagement.” [Tahdhīb At-Tahdhīb (7/273)] Imām Aṭ-Ṭabari raḥimahullāh said: «من ثبتت عدالته لم يقبل فيه الجرح، وما تسقط العدالة بالظن» “If someone's uprightness is established, no (unverified) criticism will be accepted against him, and one's uprightness is not removed by speculation.” [Hadyu As-Sāri - P. 428] Imām Bukhari raḥimahullāh said: «لم ينج كثير من الناس من كلام بعض الناس فيهم، ولم يلتفت أهل العلم في هذا النحو إلا ببيان وحجة، ولم تسقط عدالتهم إلا ببرهان ثابت وحجة» “Many were unable to escape being criticised by others, and the people of knowledge did not pay any attention to that unless it was based on proof and evidence, and their uprightness was not overruled except with firm proof and evidence.” [Juz' Al-Qirā'ah Khalfa Al-Imām - P. 14] This was also mentioned by: - Muḥammad ibn Naṣr Al-Marwazi in 'Fat-ḥ Al-Mughīth' (2/188) - Al-Bayhaqi in 'Sunan Al-Kubrā' (10/124) - Ibn ’Abdil Barr in 'Jāmi’ Bayān Al-’ilm wa faḍhlihi' (2/1093) - Al-Biqā’ē in 'An-Nukat Al-Wafiyyah' (1/610) - Al-Mu’allimi in 'At-Tankīl' (1/255), and others... ┏━━━━━━━━━┓ 彡▶️ Click to Join ◀️ ┗━━━━━━━━━┛