ADMONITION IS FOR EVERYONE

By

Ibn 'Abdillah As-sudaisiy Al-Iloori 

Why will someone hate a person who admonishes him? That is ignorance of the highest order. Sometimes, an individual may not see himself, those who sees him would have to tell him about himself. In fact, a useful advise that could assist a Muslim to get better in his Deen can sometimes come from a disbeliever, talkmore of a believer. So, let us form the habit of appreciating good advice, irrespective of where it emanates from.

I have always had the believe that da'wah is not one way traffic, we all need it,  irrespective of the camp we are. The degree and extent of da'wah needed by an individual or a group of people depends on the extent of their deviations from the injunctions of Allah, and His Messenger صلى لله عليه وسلم. For instance, for someone who specializes in worshipping graves, you don't start treating his problems by telling him to keep his beards. It is wise to first treat his kufr of grave worship first before any other thing. Anyone who thinks he has reached a stage that he doesn't need admonition again has paved way for his own destruction. 

If someone who doesn't ascribe to salafiyyah sincerely tells me a pure truth about some glaring challenges facing salafiyyah through the attitude of some salafis, i will admit it wholeheartedly and try to call for the ammendment of the problems accordingly. Salafiyyah is perfect, a salafi is not. I will even thank him and pray for him for telling me the truth. The fact that we are Muslims doesn't mean we would not face some fitan (trials) from among us in the course of practising the Deen. As noble as our salaf were, they faced many trials. In an instance, Abubakar رضي لله عنه had to wage war against those who refused to pay zakah. 'Ali ibn Abi Taalib رضي الله عنه had to face the Khawaarij. The emergence of various kinds of sects from the time of the Companions up till today are examples of trials and tribulations facing the Muslim ummah. We can't avoid it. Therefore, the fact that we are salafis by understanding of the Deen doesn't mean we would be trial free. Allah سبحانه وتعالى says:

(أَحَسِبَ النَّاسُ أَنْ يُتْرَكُوا أَنْ يَقُولُوا آمَنَّا وَهُمْ لَا يُفْتَنُون, وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ ۖ فَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ الْكَاذِبِينَ)

Do the people think that they will be left to say, "We believe" and they will not be tried? But We have certainly tried those before them, and Allah will surely make evident those who are truthful, and He will surely make evident the liars. [Q29:2-3]

These verses state clearly that believers would be tested. We are being tested with the activities of khawaarij and takfeerees who wrongly ascribes to salafiyyah. Yes, we would always clarify that they are not part of us. But the ignorant people would not understand. If care is not taken, the fake salafis would infiltrate us and cause mischief within us. That was how the khawaarij infilterated the Army of the Muslims during the time of Ali رضي الله عنه which made it hard for him to be able to identify those who killed 'Uthman Ibn 'Affaan رضي الله عنه. This later lead to a bigger fitnah in the ummah. 

Except we want to be deceiving ourselves, we are tested with people with poor adab and akhlaaq (manners and conducts) who misrepresents the true nature of salafiyyah in this regard. The only thing is that Islaam is not to be blamed for our trials and challenges. No! We should blame ourselves and rectify our areas of flaws because they are means by which Allaah is testing us. As we can't blame Islaam for the atrocities or errors of an ignorant or negligent Muslim, we can't blame salafiyyah for the poor or irrational activities of an ignorant Salafiy who go about displaying bad character here and there. In fact, Islaam is Sunnah, Sunnah is Islam, and the Sunnah is salafiyyah and salafiyyah is Sunnah just as Imam al-Barhaaree رحمه الله noted in his Sharh us Sunnah. Sheikh Saalih fawzaan حفظه الله gave a detailed explanation of this concepts in his sharh of the book. 

Generally, we should learn to accept advices and thank advisers who are helping us to get better. That is Islaam, and that is the usual conduct of our salaf.

May Allah guide us aright