Kashf Shubuhāt Al-Mumayyi’ah (2)

Doubt: Salafīs often critique one another, which gives the impression of division, whereas their opponents appear more unified and better organised. Response: It should be said: If what this speaker means is that Ahlus-Sunnah do not remain silent regarding those who err—even if they are among their own ranks—and that they differ with such individuals when they abandon the truth and fall into falsehood, then this is in fact one of the praiseworthy attributes of the Salafī call. It is one of the distinguishing virtues of this methodology compared to other sects. The Salafī call is like the ocean—it does not accept what is dead. So why would you criticise them for something that is among their greatest merits? Salafīs base their allegiance and disavowal, their love and hatred, purely for the sake of Allāh the Exalted. Thus, they actualise the ḥadīth narrated by Al-Bukhārī (16) and Muslim (43) from Anas (may Allāh be pleased with him), in which the Prophet ﷺ said: ((ثَلاَثٌ مَنْ كُنَّ فِيهِ وَجَدَ حَلاَوَةَ الإِيمَانِ: أَنْ يَكُونَ الله وَرَسُولُهُ أَحَبَّ إِلَيْهِ مِمَّا سِوَاهُمَا، وَأَنْ يُحِبَّ المَرْءَ لاَ يُحِبُّهُ إِلَّا لله، وَأَنْ يَكْرَهَ أَنْ يَعُودَ فِي الكُفْرِ كَمَا يَكْرَهُ أَنْ يُقْذَفَ فِي النَّارِ)) “There are three things, whoever possesses them will taste the sweetness of faith: That Allāh and His Messenger are more beloved to him than anything else; that he loves a person only for the sake of Allāh; and that he hates to return to disbelief as he would hate to be thrown into the fire.” This is in contrast to all other movements, whose allegiance and disavowal are based on loyalty to their respective groups. Whoever belongs to them, they show loyalty to him—even if he is among the most wicked of people—and they overlook his mistakes, even if they are of the gravest kind. And whoever is not part of them, they show hostility to him, even if he is among the most righteous. Among the most extreme of such groups are the Ikhwanis, who most closely resemble a cesspit that gathers all sorts of filth. They accept within their party every deviant and misguided individual—Sufi, grave worshipper, Muʿtazilī, rationalist, and others. One of the strangest things about them is what was said by "Maḥmūd ʿAffās Al-Ikhwānī" in his book 'With the Martyr Imām Ḥasan Al-Bannā' (p. 29): «حضر لزيارة الأستاذ. يعني حسن البنا. بالمركز العام عدد من المسيحيين أذكر منهم توفيق، أو وهيب. لا أذكر دروس باشا، ولويس، ومريت بطرس غالي مجلس عضو مجلس الشيوخ وطلبوا من الإمام أن يُنشِئ شعبه باسم "الإخوان المسيحيين" لكي يسهموا مع "الإخوان المسلمين" في نشرِ الإيمان بالله والحث علےٰ الفضائل. رد عليهم الإمام بِأنَّ الفِكرة طيبة ولكن "يحول دون تنفيذِهَا أنَّ دعوتنا عالميَة ..." وعلےٰ هذا لابأس من تكوين الإخوان المسيحيين وأوكد لكم بأنَّه سيكون هناك تعاون بيننا وبينكم» “A number of Christians visited the General Centre to meet with the Ustadh—i.e., Ḥasan Al-Bannā. I recall among them Tawfīq or Wahīb, someone named Durus Pasha (I don't recall precisely), and Louis, as well as Murīt Buṭrus Ghālī, a member of the Senate. They requested that the Imām establish a division called ‘The Christian Brotherhood’ so that they could work alongside ‘The Muslim Brotherhood’ in spreading belief in God and encouraging virtue. The Imām responded that it was a good idea, but the only obstacle to its implementation was the global nature of their call. He said: ‘Nevertheless, there is no objection to forming 'The Christian Brotherhood,' and I assure you that there will be cooperation between us.” I say: The Christians would not have dared make such a request of Ḥasan Al-Bannā had they not known that his movement welcomed all types of defilement and sects—even non-Muslim ones, such as Judaism, Christianity, and other disbelievers. What prevented him from creating this division was merely that the call of the Muslim Brotherhood is a global one, while the Christian call is confined to their religion.