To the right is the cover for the second edition of "Baraa'ah Ulamaa il-Ummah Min Tazkiyah Ahl il-Bid'ah wal-Mudhammah" (The Innocence of the Scholars of the Ummah from the Commendation of the People of Innovation and Censure). This book was prepared by Isaam bin Abdullaah as-Sinaanee. It contains a refutation of the one who used the intercession of Shaykh Bin Baaz (rahimahullaah) for Sayyid Qutb as a proof for the 'adaalah (integrity) of Sayyid Qutb and commendation of his (Qutb's) manhaj, when it is not a proof at all.

The book, after compilation and authorship was sent to Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan who checked over it and made recommendations, and also suggested an improvement to the title of the book. Then it was read by Imaam Muhammad bin Saalih al-Uthaymeen (rahimahullaah), who made his own written notes on the pre-print copy that was sent to him, and he also advised that the section titled "The Salafi Manhaj", should be placed before "The Qutubi Manhaj" and not after it, unless the author had a specific reason for doing that. And images of these hand-written notes are included at the end of the book. We will be quoting from this book inshaa'Allaah in this series. Both of these scholars endorsed the contents of this book and the purpose for which it was to be published and distributed. And the purpose is clearly outlined in the title of the book itself. Namely, to declare the Scholars of Ahl us-Sunnah free and innocent (in particular Imaam Ibn Baaz, and the other scholars in general) of having made tazkiyah (i.e. given adaalah) to those who are from the people of innovation: In this case Sayyid Qutb, who aside from writing his commentary on the Qur'an upon an Ash'arite creed, added other great calamities, some of which are serious enough that they cannot really be excused by mere ignorance, such as accusing the Scribe of the Prophet (alayhis salaam) the Uncle of the Believers, Mu'awiyah - whose integrity is attested to by the Prophet himself - of treachery, deception and hypocrisy.

And this book essentially sunk their ship, leaving them only the flotsam to hold onto thereafter, which is what they have been doing since then.

Shaykh Abdul-Muhsin on the Tafseer of Sayyid Qutb

Shaykh Abdul-Muhsin al-Abbaad (hafidhahullaah) said:

The book "Zilaalul-Qur'aan" or "Fi Zilal il-Qur'aan" of Shaikh Sayyid Qutb - rahimahullaah - is one of modern tafseers based upon the opinion and not narrations and reports; and it is known that the people of opinion (ra'i) and those who speak from their opinions, and speak in their own style - then both error and correctness will be seen from them; they will be correct (sometimes) and mistaken (sometimes).

A person who does not have understanding, and is not grounded upon knowledge - then it is better for him that he does not refer to it. Rather he should refer to the books of the notable scholars - such as the Tafseer of Ibn Katheer, the Tafseer of Ibn Jareer and the Tafseer of Shaikh 'Abdur - Rahman ibn Sa'dee - from the later scholars - for these are the explanations of the scholars.

As for Sayyid Qutb - rahimahullaah - then he is one of the writers - meaning that he writes in his own style, and his own words, and speaks with words not based upon.... Therefore, if a person reads he will find: What so and so said, what so and so said, and "Allah's Messenger said" ... and so on. Meaning - those which gather narrations and give importance to the narrations. But his is based upon intellect and speech according to opinion - which is why speech comes from him which is not established and is not correct - therefore one should be occupied...life is short and not long enough for a person to read everything, so since this is the case - then one must read that which is beneficial and which is definitely useful, and the speech of the people of knowledge..., the people of knowledge who are scholars and not just writers; writers are other than scholars, a writer is other than a scholar. The writer is a person of letters - someone who has the ability to write and produce literature. So he speaks and produces words - some of which he is correct and some of which he is mistaken in. He may make mistake in wording and produce a phrase that is not good, and not fitting - but it occurs due to his speaking flowingly and using his own expressions. Therefore, in the words of Sayyid Qutb - rahimahullaah - there are things that are not befitting. In the words of Sayyid Qutb, in his works concerning tafseer and other than it there are unbefitting words and things that are not appropriate, and not befitting that a Muslim should express and say them.

As for the saying that no one has explained Tawheed as well as Sayyid Qutb did, then this is not correct at all. Tawheed is not taken from the speech of Sayyid Qutb but rather from the speech and precise scholars such as al-Bukhaaree and other than al-Bukhaaree who brought chains of narration and ahaadeeth from Allahıs Messenger (sallallaahu 'alayhi wasallam) , and they clearly explained Tawheed and clarified Tawheed and the reality of Tawheed. Then those scholars likewise who are knowledgeable of Tawheed - then that is not their own composition, composed in their own style and in the manner of literary works, but rather they base that upon the Speech of Allah, and the speech of His Messenger - (salawaatullaahi wa salaamuhu wa barakaatuhu 'alaihi) - this is the reality of those (scholars) who wrote about Tawheed and occupied themselves with Tawheed.

He said this after his lesson from Sunan an-Nasaa-ee in al-Masjid an-Nabawee on 7/11/1414H, and it is documented in "Baraa'ah Ulamaa 'il-Ummah Min Tazkiyaat Ahl il-Bid'ah wal-Mudhammah" of Isaam bin Abdullaah as-Sinaanee, a compilation of the sayings of the Scholars of the Sunnah regarding Sayyid Qutb.