BENEFIT 163: How to understand the condemnation of Sheikh Fawzān and Sheikh Uthaymeen in the issue of the first Adhan

Questioner: What is your opinion regarding the statement of Sheikh Salih Al-Fawzan, may Allah preserve him who said: "Whoever claims that Uthman committed an innovation, then he himself is an innovator." Also, there are those who say, 'If you say that Uthman committed an innovation, then why don't you consider his compilation of the Qur'an an innovation also?'" Sheikh Yassuf Al-Jazairi, may Allah preserve him, responds: "As for his compilation of the Qur'an, it is based on evidence. Allah Almighty has referred to the Quran as a "Book" in many Āyāt, such as [the saying of Allāh ﷻ] {كتاب أحكمت آياته} "A Book whose Āyāt have been perfected" {كتاب أزلناه} "A Book We have revealed" {وهذا كتاب أزلناه} "And this is a Book We have revealed," among other Āyāt in wherein Allah refers to the Qur'ān as a "Book". So what did Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him, do to be accused of innovation? He compiled what Allah Almighty named as a Book into a Book! Therefore, it is incorrect and ignorant to link these two distinct matters together. Allah Almighty has called this Qur'an a "Book," indicating encouragement to compile it. Therefore, what Uthman did was not an innovation in any way. In fact, the companions unanimously agreed on this, and this consensus is established. Moreover, the caliphs before Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him, had initiated the compilation of the Quran, but Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him, completed it and was granted success by Allah Almighty in doing so. It is ignorant of such people to link the two matters together. Regarding the matter of the Adhan on Friday, they themselves acknowledge that the Prophet, peace be upon him, did not do that, nor did Abu Bakr As-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, nor did Umar ibn Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him. Rather, Uthman, may Allah be pleased with him, during the early part of his caliphate, did not practice the first Adhan. This is evidence against them. Yes. Questioner: What is your opinion regarding the statement of Sheikh Salih Al-Fawzan, O Sheikh? Sheikh: As for Sheikh Salih Al-Fawzan, his words are similar to those of Sheikh Ibn Uthaymeen. What's to be understood from this speech is not that everyone who says so is an innovator, otherwise Abdullah ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, who was a companion, said so. So, whoever wants to apply the words of Sheikh Al-Fawzan and Sheikh Ibn Uthaymeen to everyone, we respond to them with that; if that were the case, then you consider Abdullah ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, an innovator - because he said so, and Sheikh Al-Fawzan said, "Whoever says this is an innovator." So do you consider Abdullah ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, an innovator?! Do you consider Nafi' an innovator?! Do you consider Imam As-San'ani an innovator?! Do you consider Sheikh Muqbil an innovator?! Do you consider Taqi ad-Din Al-Hilali an innovator?! Do you consider [Sheikh Muhammad ibn Adam] Al-Ithyobi an innovator?! This is not just. Rather, those who speak without evidence, out of personal desire, are the ones being referred to by the statements of Sheikh Al-Fawzan and Sheikh Ibn Uthaymeen. If you went to Sheikh Ibn Uthaymeen and asked, "Do you intend Abdullah ibn Umar by that?" he would say, "No, I mean whoever speaks without evidence." So, this is clear and obvious. And as mentioned earlier, the issue is an issue of ijtihād. They say whoever says this is an innovator, just as we say that whoever introduces the first Adhan is an innovator, but that does not necessitate applying these rulings on individuals. Source: https://t.me/almanhajussalafi/501