Shaykh Salih al-Fawzan Addressing Some Doubts of the "Revolutionaries" And Aspects of Their Ideology
In this short but very powerful statement the Shaykh has addressed and rebutted some of the major doubts of the Qutbiyyah regarding the issue of revolting and tyrannical rulers and he has hinted that the people only deviated in this regard when they started taking their knowledge from "mufakkirs" and "adeebs" and threw the inheritance of the Salaf, in knowledge and action, behind their backs.
This statement is in the Shaykh's book "Lumhah an Firaq ad-Dalaalah", under the section on the Khawaarij, as a footnote (on page 21):
وفي عصرنا ربما سمّوا من يرى السمعَ والطاعةَ لأولياء الأمور في غير ما معصية عميلاً، أو مداهنًا، أو مغفلاً. فتراهم يقدحون في وَليَّ أمرهم، ويشِّهرون بعيوبه من فوق المنابر، وفي تجمعاتهم، والرسولُ صلى الله عليه وسلم يقولُ: (من أرادَ أن ينصحَ لسلطان بأمر؛ فلا يبدِ له علانيةً ولكن ليأخذْ بيدِه، فيخلوا به، فإن قَبِلَ منه فذَّاكَ، وإلا كان قد أدَّى الذي عليه) رواه أحمد: (3/404) من حديث عياض بن غنم - رضي الله عنه -، ورواه - أيضًا - ابن أبي عاصم في "السنة": (2/522).
And in our time, perhaps they will label the one who holds the [obligation] of hearing and obeying those in authority in whatever is other than disobedience to be a [paid] worker, a compromiser or a simpleton. You will see them reviling the one in authority over them, publicising his faults from the pulpits and in their gatherings, and the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) says, "Whoever wishes to advices the ruler with a matter, then let him not proclaim it openly, but let him take him by the hand, take him into seclusion [and advise him], so if he accepts it from him [then so be it], and if not, then he has fulfilled that which is upon him." Reported by Ahmad (3/404) from the hadeeth of Iyaad bin Ghunm (radiallaahu anhu) and it was also reported by Ibn Abi Aasim in "as-Sunnah" (2/522)
أو إذا رأى وليُّ الأمرِ إيقافَ أحدِهم عن الكلام في المجامع العامة؛ تجمعوا وساروا في مظاهرات، يظنونَ - جهلاً منهم - أنَّ إيقافَ أحدِهم أو سجنَهُ يسوغُ الخروج، أوَلَمْ يسمعوا قولَ النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم في حديث عوف بن مالك الأشجعي - رضي الله عنه -، عند مسلم (1855): (لا. ما أقاموا فيكم الصلاة).
And when the wali ul-amr (one in authority) considers the prevention of one of them from making speeches in public gatherings, they gather together and participate in demonstrations, thinking - out of ignorance on their behalf - that the prevention of one of them, or imprisonment of one of them permits revolt. Have they not heard the saying of the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) in the hadeeth of Awf bin Malik al-Ashja'ee (radiallaahu anhu) - which is in [the Saheeh] of Muslim (no. 1855), "No [do not contend with them] so long as they establish the prayer amongst you".
وفي حديث عبادة بن الصامت - رضي الله عنه - في "الصحيحين": (إلا أن تروا كفرًا بواحًا، عندكم فيه من الله برهان) وذلك عند سؤال الصحابة واستئذانهم له بقتال الأئمة الظالمين.
And in the hadeeth of Ubaadah bin as-Saamit (radiallaahu anhu) in the Two Saheehs, "Unless you see clear kufr for which you have a proof from Allaah", and this was [in response to] the question of the Companions and their seeking permission to fight the oppressive rulers.
ألا يعلمُ هؤلاء كم لبثَ الإمامُ أحمدُ في السجنِ، وأينَ ماتَ شيخُ الإسلامِ ابنُ تيمية؟!. ألم يسجن الإمام أحمد بضع سنين، ويجلد على القول بخلق القرآن، فلِمَ لَمْ يأمر الناس بالخروج على الخليفة؟!. وألم يعلموا أن شيخ الإسلام مكث في السجن ما يربو على سنتين، ومات فيه، لِمَ لَمْ يأمرِ الناسَ بالخروجِ على الوالي - مع أنَّهم في الفضلِ والعلمِ غايةٌُ، فيكف بمن دونهم -؟؟!.
To those people not know how long Imaam Ahmad spent in the prison, and [do they not know] where Shaykh ul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah died? Was not Imaam Ahmad imprisoned for numerous years, and flogged in relation to the saying of the creation of the Qur'an. Why did he not order the people to revolt against the khalifah?! Do they not know that Shaykh ul-Islaam spent what exceeds two years in prison and died therein. Why did he not order the people to revolt against the ruler - [and all of this] whilst they [Imaam Ahmad and Shaykh ul-Islaam] are in the extremity of excellence and knowledge. So how about those besides them?
إنَّ هذه الأفكارَ والأعمالَ لم تأتِ إلينا إلا بعدما أصبحَ الشبابُ يأخذون علمَهم من المفكِّرِ المعاصرِ فلان، ومن الأديب الشاعرِ فلان، ومن الكاتبِ الإسلامي فلان، ويتركونَ أهل العلمِ، وكتبَ أسلافِهم خلفَهم ظهريًا؛ فلا حولَ ولا قوّةَ إلا بالله
.
Indeed these ideologies and [courses of] action did not come to us except after the youth started to take their knowledge from so and so "mufakkir" (thinker) and from so and so "adeeb" (literary write) and from so and so "Islamic writer", and they abandon the people of knowledge, and the books of their Salaf behind their back, and there is no might or power except by Allaah.
Further Reading
You can learn more, especially about this last remark of the Shaykh, in these articles: