Words From Shaykh Fû’âd Az-Zintânî Regarding JIBWIS
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The Question Sent To Shaykh Fû’âd Az-Zintânî, May Allâh Preserve Him.
As-Salām ʿalaykum wa raḥmatullāh wa barakātuh.
To the Eminent Shaykh, Fūʾād Az-Zintānī, may Allāh preserve him and guide him to all that He loves and is pleased with.
In the name of Allāh, the Most Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
In our country Nigeria, we have with us callers who ascribe to the Salafī Daʾwah (call), and they have named this group [of theirs] *Jama'atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa Iqamatus Sunnah (JIBWIS).
*Jamāʿah Izālah Al-Bidʿah Wa Iqāmah As-Sunnah — The Group Which Eradicates Bidʾah (Innovations) and Establishes The Sunnah.
And these people have some issues we do not agree with them on. And we desire that Your Eminence responds to these questions with their proofs from the Book and authentic Sunnah, with the understanding of the Salaf of the Ummah.
Their Mistakes Include:
1. Saying our scholars are Ghulāt at-Tajrīḥ (extremists in disparagement).
2. Dealing with Ahl-ul-Bidʾah (The People of Innovations) with Mudāhanah (flattery) and Tamyīʿ (watering down established principles of the religion).
3. Nicknaming the Salafīs "Madākhilah".
4. Advising the rulers publicly on the Manābir (Pulpits), and even on the internet.
5. They praise Ahl-ul-Bidʾah (The People of Innovations), such as: Al-Qaraḍāwī, Muḥammad Ḥassān, Safar Al-Ḥawālī, ʿĀʾid Al-Qarnī, Salmān Al-ʿAwdah, Abū Isḥāq Al-Ḥuwaynī, Al-ʿArīfī, Ibn Lādin, and other than them.
6. Sitting with the people of innovations from the Ṣūfīs and other than them.
7. They drive their students away from listening to the tapes of Ash-Shaykh Al-Mujāhid, Rabīʿ bn Hādī Al-Madkhalī, may Allāh preserve and take care of him, and other scholars.
8. They call people to democracy and voting, using the verdicts of Shaykh Muḥammad Nāṣir Ad-Dīn Al-Albānī to the Algerians, and that of Shaykh Muḥammad b. Ṣāliḥ Al-ʿUthaymīn, may Allāh have mercy upon both of them, as proof.
Likewise, from their violations with which they split the ranks of the Muslims are:
1. Having Walāʾ and Barāʾ (loyalty and disavowal) on the basis of [their] group, and not on the basis of the correct creed and the Salafī methodology. And from the examples of that:
a. The rejection of the (JIBWIS) branch in Jos (a state in Nigeria) — those who ascribe to Muḥammad Thānī Yaḥyá Jingir — of all the forms of Taslīm in Ṣalāh except for the single Taslīm.
b. The rejection of the (JIBWIS) branch in Kaduna (a state in Nigeria) — those who ascribe to ʿAbdullāh Bala Lau — of the single Taslīm while affirming the other forms.
So, based on that: If one of the Imāms of their Masājid (Mosques) were to bring the form [of Taslīm] that they disprove of, they would remove him from being an Imām, even if he provides them with the Aḥadīth (statements) of Allāh's Messenger (ﷺ) that came with these forms that they disprove of.
So, based on that, they split the people and segregated their Masājid (Mosques). And the one who ascribes to the Jos branch does not pray behind the one who ascribes to the Kaduna branch—in most cases.
c. The practice of the Jos branch of shortening their beards, wearing their garments below their ankles (for males), dropping the hands to the flanks during Ṣalāh—with the claim that that is from the Madhhab (School of Jurisprudence) of Imām Mālik, may Allāh have mercy upon him.
And so forth from what these people have of violations.
Now, [our] question, may Allāh bless you.
1. What is a Ḥizb (party)? And what is Ḥizbiyyah (partisanship)? And when is it said that so-and-so is a Ḥizbī (partisan)? And is it everyone that joins one of these groups that is an innovator and is treated as an innovator?
2. What is your advice to these people generally, and to the students of knowledge specifically?
3. Do you advise me (the questioner) and others from the students of knowledge to join this group?
4. Is this group considered to be an innovated group?
5. They say: “How would we not read the books of Sayyid Quṭb, Al-Qaraḍāwī, Muḥammad Ḥassān, and others from the people of desires, while you read the books of As-Suyūṭī, Ibn Ḥajar, An-Nawawī, and other than them from the major scholars.” How do we refute this doubt?
6. What is Al-Muwāzanāt? Did the Salaf counterbalance the good and bad deeds of the people of innovations and deviations from the early generations?
7. Is it correct for the Salafī students of knowledge in Nigeria to keep silent regarding the like of this issue?
8. What is the [correct] understanding of the Salafī call with you? And when is it said that so-and-so is a Salafī?
And we desire from Your Eminence that the response is written or in an audio form—and we prefer audio so that we can share it in Nigeria.
We are immensely grateful to you.
The Response of Shaykh Fû’âd Az-Zintânî, May Allâh Preserve Him.
Translation:
Wa ʿalaykum as-Salām wa raḥmatullāh wa barakātuh.
Ḥayyākallāh, O our brother, ʿAbdur-Raḥmān.
Regarding your question about those who named themselves Jama'atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa Iqamatus Sunnah (JIBWIS) and you mentioned that from their statements is that they say regarding our scholars that they are Ghulāt at-Tajrīḥ (extremists in disparagement), and that this group flatters and offers lip service to the people of innovations, just as they nickname the Salafīs as Madākhilah, and they advise the rulers publicly on the Manābir (Pulpits), and they praise the people of innovations such as: Al-Qaraḍāwī, Muḥammad Ḥassān, Safar Al-Ḥawālī, ʿĀʾid Al-Qarnī, Al-Ḥuwaynī, Al-ʿArīfī, Ibn Lādin, and other than them, and they sit with the people of innovations from the Ṣūfīs, and they drive their students away from listening to the tapes (i.e. the recorded lessons) of Shaykh Rabīʿ, may Allāh preserve and take care of him, and other than him from the scholars, and they call to democracy and voting, just as they have loyalty and disavowal based on [their] group, and you brought examples for this, with what occurred with the Jos branch, that they do not affirm all the forms of Taslīm (in Ṣalāh) except for the single one, while the Kaduna branch does not affirm the single form of Taslīm, so based on that, if one of the Imāms of their Masājid (Mosques) does this form [of Taslīm], they would remove him from being an Imām and they do not accept the Aḥadīth (statements of the Messenger ﷺ) reported regarding that.
Just as they also commit some sins like shortening of the beard and wearing garments below the ankles (for males).
I say, may Allāh bless you, this group is in reality, an extension of Jamāʿah al-Ikhwān al-Muslimīn (The Muslim Brotherhood)—if they make these statements that you have mentioned regarding them.
And these people are not from Salafiyyah in the least.
And regarding them naming this (group) as Jamāʿah Izālah Al-Bidʿah Wa Iqāmah As-Sunnah, rather, they are **Jamāʿah Iqāmah Al-Bidʿah Wa Izālah As-Sunnah. And they do not know the Sunnah! For, had they known the Sunnah, they would not have practised this partisanship and based loyalty and disavowal upon the basis of their group.
**Jamāʿah Iqāmah Al-Bidʿah Wa Izālah As-Sunnah — The Group Which Establishes Bidʾah (Innovations) and Eradicates The Sunnah.
As for your question: “What is a Ḥizb (party)? And what is Ḥizbiyyah (partisanship)? And when is it said that so-and-so is a Ḥizbī (partisan)? And is it everyone that joins one of these groups that is an innovator and is treated as an innovator?”
So, I say to you: Ḥizbiyyah is constricted loyalty. Loyalty and disavowal upon the basis of the group and the party, that they have loyalty and disavowal upon the basis of the party; so whoever agrees with this party, they are loyal to him, and whoever frees himself from this party and takes it as an enemy, they free themselves from him and take him as an enemy. This is Ḥizbiyyah.
And whoever joins this group while knowing their condition, then he is from them, he is affixed to them, and treated like an innovator, because Ḥizbiyyah is an innovation.
And what is my advice to these people generally?
[It is] that they fear Allāh regarding themselves and abandon this partisanship. And that they repent to Allāh, the Exalted and Most High, from their revilement of the scholars, and charging the Salafīs with false accusations. And that they manifestly and clearly recant their errors.
As for advising the Salafīs and the students of knowledge to join this group, no. What is compulsory is to free oneself from this group and warn against it, if they do not repent to Allāh, the Exalted and Most High.
It is upon them [the Salafīs] to warn against and be cautious of it, and not mix or sit with them [its proponents]. And they should not join them for any reason whatsoever.
It is upon the Salafīs to be distinct from the likes of these [groups], “so that the path of the criminals might be manifest” (Sūrah Al-An’ām). Regarding whether it can be considered a group of innovation; yes, if these are their statements. They are an extension of Al-Ikhwān Al-Muslimīn, may Allāh bless you.
And from what asserts that is that you mentioned that they say: “How would we not read [the books] of Sayyid Quṭb, Al-Qaraḍāwī, Muḥammad Ḥassān,” and they compare that with our reading of the books of As-Suyūṭī, Ibn Ḥajar, An-Nawawī.
So, we say to them, O ignoramuses, where is the ground from the stars?! Where are those whom you have mentioned, these partisans, from these scholars whose intent was to aid the Sunnah and they were not partisan to anyone?
Their sole intent was to aid the Sunnah. They erred in some affairs, and their error is forgiven. And these people are not to be compared with those!
These people whose names you mentioned are callers to innovations! So, it is erroneous to compare Al-Qaraḍāwī with As-Suyūṭī, Ibn Ḥajar, or An-Nawawī. There is a great distance between the two parties. So, this is a doubt that has been refuted a very long time ago. These scholars of ours, such as As-Suyūṭī, Ibn Ḥajar, and An-Nawawī intended to aid the Sunnah and made some errors, and they were not partisan. As for these people (Al-Qaraḍāwī and his likes), they were partisan, and they became people of innovation. So (instead), these people are to be compared with the heads of innovations who were upon deviant sects, such as Wāṣil bn ʿAṭāʾ, An-Naẓẓām, Jahm (b. Ṣafwān), Abū Manṣūr Al-Māturīdī, and their likes. So, these people that you mentioned are to be compared with these. Hence, look at the stance of the scholars from these people.
And look at the stance of the scholars from Al-Karābīsī, when he said: “My pronunciation of the Qurʾān is created,” despite him being knowledgable and legal verdicts used to be sought from him, Imām Aḥmad warned and spoke against him. And we do not find anyone who came after Imām Aḥmad saying, “How can you warn against Al-Karābīsī while you do not warn against so-and-so and so-and-so.” Rather, Al-Karābīsī authored a book during his era, in which he compiled the errors of the scholars of Ḥadīth, and he said: “These ones also erred.” So, Imām Aḥmad refuted him (saying) that “this individual compiled for the people of innovations what they themselves are unable to.” So, this is a refuted doubt.
Regarding your question about Al-Muwāzanāt, and whether the Salaf used to counterbalance the good and bad of the actions of the people of innovations and misguidance from the early generations? The innovation of Al-Muwāzanāt is what was mentioned by the Surūrīs and Quṭbīs, (they claim) that when you want to speak against an individual, you must mention his good and bad qualities. You should counterbalance this and that. You should say, Sayyid Quṭb, for example, reviled Muʿāwiyah (رضي الله عنه), however, he has efforts, knowledge, and so forth, and you mention whatever Allāh wills from his good qualities. And you must not limit yourself to mentioning what he is being criticized for alone. This is not the way of the Salaf. Rather, the Salaf would speak against an individual and mention his deviation, and they would not mention anything from his good qualities. Yes, in biographies, when they record the biography of an individual, they mention what is for him [of good] and what is against him [of bad]. But when they intend to warn against him, they only mention what is against him [of bad] and they do not mention what is for him [of good]. If we mention what is for him, what is then the benefit of warning against him?!
As for whether it is correct for the Salafī students of knowledge in Nigeria to keep silent regarding the like of this issue, we say to them, criticize according to your capability, and do not keep silent. And display the authentic Salafiyyah with its correct understanding. And do not allow these people to mount on your backs and think they are upon Salafiyyah while there are not. Salafiyyah is (to adhere to) the Book (The Qurʾān) and the Sunnah with the understanding of the Salaf. And the Salafī methodology is known. Its fundamental principles are known.
The fundamental principles of the Sunnah are known. So, whoever opposes these fundamental principles is a misguided innovator. Whoever (willingly) opposes one of these fundamental principles is a misguided innovator. And whoever clings to the fundamental principles of the Sunnah (which consists of both the correct ʿAqīdah [creed] and Manhaj [methodology]) is the Salafī. So, due to this, it is imperative for the students of knowledge over there to clarify Salafiyyah to the people with knowledge, forbearance, and wisdom. And that they invite the people to act upon the Book (The Qurʾān) and the Sunnah with the understanding of the Salaf. And that they venerate the methodology and way of the Salaf in the hearts of the people. And that they are severely cautious of the contemporary callers, from the Ḥizbīs and others.
We ask Allāh, the Exalted and Most High, to grant all success, and to guide the misguided among the Muslims, and to aid the Salafī call in your country.
And may Allāh extol our prophet Muḥammad, his household, and his Companions, and grant them peace.
Dictated by: Abū Sulaymān on the 13th of Shawwāl, 1444AH.
And Allāh knows best.
[Translated by AMMAN CIRCLE Editorials]