BENEFIT 451: Possessing a Tazkiyah is Not a Necessary Requirement for Teaching and Giving Da'wah

Sheikh Sulayman Ar-Ruhaili hafidahullah: Dear brothers, a person must call to Allāh based on what they know. It is not permissible to prevent anyone from calling to Allāh with knowledge — to the extent of what they have learned — under any pretext. Those who oppose our brothers who call to tawheed and the Sunnah and say, “You are not allowed to do so unless you have a tazkiyah from such-and-such scholar,” are mistaken. By Allāh, this is not permissible! As long as the person is calling to tawheed and the Sunnah with knowledge and does not go beyond what they know, then it is not allowed to obstruct them. What some of our brothers do by stopping lessons in ‘aqeedah — taught by people known in their countries for following the creed of tawheed and the Sunnah — on the grounds that they have not obtained a tazkiyah from our scholars in Saudi Arabia, is not acceptable. This is blocking the path to a great virtue. Yes, it is true that knowledge should be taken from those who are endorsed and trustworthy, but it is not a condition that such endorsement comes from a specific scholar. We have explained multiple times what constitutes proper tazkiyah. But someone who is known for calling to tawheed, known for adhering to the Sunnah, not contradicting the scholars, and teaching only what they know — by Allāh, such a person is among the best of Allāh’s servants and does not require a specific recommendation. If a personal tazkiyah happens to be given, then that is light upon light. But insisting on this — and I say this with pain — I still feel sorrow over what happened to one of our students from the Islamic University. We know him as a diligent student of knowledge — may Allāh reward him — who is still actively seeking knowledge. He said to me, “Shaykh, I returned to my country,” which is a non-Muslim majority country, “and I went to a village to call people to Islam. They were non-Muslims. I called them to Islam based on what I learned in the university over the past two years, and from your lessons and those of Shaykh ‘AbdulMuhsin.” Then, some brothers came to him and objected, saying, “You are not allowed to call them to Islam unless you have a tazkiyah.” Subhan Allah! This is not the way of the scholars or the way of our shuyukh. The misunderstanding comes from how some students of knowledge interpret the scholars’ words. Brothers, calling to Allah with insight — to tawheed and the Sunnah — is a great honour. We must support each other in this. Anyone we find calling to tawheed and the Sunnah with insight, within the limits of their knowledge, and known for not opposing the scholars nor speaking ill of them, we should encourage and tell them: Continue. This is what we have seen from all our scholars — whether those inside or outside the university. And if we find someone deviating, we deal with them accordingly, in line with the Shari'ah. By Allāh, if Allāh guides one person through you — you who have learned tawheed here, or at the university — and then go back to your homeland and see your people drowning in misguidance, calling upon others besides Allāh, visiting graves and seeking help from others than Allāh — and you sit idly, saying: “I don’t have a tazkiyah”? Allāh has commanded you, and the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ has commanded you. Teach people what you know, and no one has the right to stand in your way. Stop where your knowledge stops, and follow the scholars. Do not elevate yourself above them, and do not act arrogantly in front of them. Rather, call to Allāh with insight. This is the balanced path, the middle way, and what we call to, strive for, and patiently persevere in — hoping to please Allāh, the Exalted. ____ Related benefit: https://t.me/almanhajussalafi/1729