Chapter Eight

Accusations and Implications Imposed by Opponents on Those Who Share the Views of Contemporary Scholars on the Issue Some individuals direct accusations towards those who align with the views endorsed by the three contemporary scholars, may Allāh have mercy on them. Additionally, some attempt to impose certain negative implications on those who hold such views. These accusations and implications can be addressed with two types of responses: a general response and a detailed response. The General Response: Firstly: The Responding to the Accusations This can be addressed from three angles: The First angle: Anyone can make false accusations, but like any other claim, they require evidence to be credible. Without valid proof, such accusations hold no weight The Second angle: Even Prophets and Messengers, peace be upon them, and with their followers, were not spared from such accusations. They endured much harm, defamation, and slander, yet this did not diminish their status nor detract from their message. The Third angle: When these accusations are made in the cause of Allāh, they are considered a mark of honour and an elevation of status, rather than a source of shame or blame. As Ash-Shāṭibi, may Allāh have mercy on him, stated: «فتردَّد الأمرُ بين: أنْ أتَّبع السنة، على شرط مخالفة ما اعتاد الناسُ؛ فلا بد من حصول نحو مما حصل لمخالفي العوائد، لا سيما إذا ادعى أهلها أن ما هم عليه هو السنة لا سواها؛ إلا أنَّ في ذلك العِبْءِ التَّقيل ما فيه من الأجر الجزيل. وبين: أن أتبعهم؛ على شرط مخالفة السنة، والسلف الصالح؛ فأدْخُل في ترجمة الضلال، عائذاً بالله من ذلك؛ إلا أَنَّي أُوافق المُعْتَادَ وأُعَدُّ من المُوَالِفِين، لا من المخالفين. فرأيتُ أنَّ الهلاك في اتباع السنة هو النجاة، وأنَّ الناس لن يُغْنوا عنِّي من الله شيئاً» “The matter revolves between two paths: either I adhere to the Sunnah, even if it means going against what people are accustomed to, which will inevitably bring about the kind of opposition faced by those who challenge established norms—especially when the proponents of these norms claim that what they follow is the true Sunnah and nothing else—though this path carries great difficulty, it also brings immense reward. Or, I follow them at the cost of contradicting the Sunnah and the pious predecessors, thereby falling into the category of the misguided. I seek refuge in Allāh from this, even if it means agreeing with common practices and being counted among the conformists, not the dissenters. I realised that perishing in adherence to the Sunnah is true salvation, and that people cannot avail me anything against Allāh.” [Al-I’tiṣām, p. 34] Secondly: Responding to the Imposed Implications This can also be addressed from three angles: The First angle: The implications of a statement do not necessarily reflect the actual belief of the person making the statement; in fact, the person may explicitly hold a contrary belief. The Second angle: If a person denies holding a certain belief, attributing that belief to them based on the implication alone is false, even if the implication seems to suggest that they do hold it. The Third angle: Attributing a belief based solely on implication is speculative; it cannot be considered definitive. This is especially true when the person has explicitly stated the opposite. Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allāh have mercy on him, said: «ولازم المذهب؛ لا يجب أن يكون مذهباً، بل أكثر الناس يقولون أقوالاً ولا يلتزمون لوازمها؛ فلا يلزم إذا قال القائل ما يستلزم التعطيل؛ أن يكون معتقداً للتعطيل، بل يكون معتقداً للإثبات، ولكن لا يعرف ذلك اللزوم» "A necessary implication of a doctrine does not necessarily become part of the doctrine itself, as many people make statements without adhering to their implications. Thus, if someone makes a statement that implies negation (of Divine Attributes), it does not mean they believe in negation, but rather they believe in affirmation, though they might not be aware of that implication" [Majmū’ Al-Fatāwā (16/461)].