In the Name of Allaah…

* Updated 9/29/1433

There are some people who mention the scholars, and generally do not mention beyond the three biggest names of scholars in recent times – Al-Albaanee, Ibn Baaz, and Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have Mercy on all of them).

Since some people claim an attachment to them yet contradict their basic teachings, a good and wise tactic to use in calling them to the Truth would be to mention to them what those scholars have said about that issue that they are mistaken in, so that they could accept the correction more easily, coming from these mountains of knowledge – Al-Albaanee, Ibn Baaz, and Ibn ‘Uthaymeen.

While some people may honestly mention them and them only, perhaps for the aforementioned reason, or perhaps since they were the greatest and most notable people of knowledge in these times, there are others who hide behind mention of their names due to their immense popularity, but are not actually pleased with following their way.

We are always happy to hear people mention these outstanding scholars with goodness and attach themselves to them, yet for some people it is a mere cover for what they are really upon, and speaking against any of those three would only expose their reality clearly.

The three scholars, Al-Albaanee, Ibn Baaz, and Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have Mercy on them) recommended other well-known scholars and warned against certain callers. And through their recommendations, we should allow ourselves to get to know and learn from the next generation of scholars that remained after their passing, as the Muslims are in dire need of returning to their scholars who are alive for modern day issues, and we can not suffice with following only those who have passed.

So the three of them – Al-Albaanee, Ibn Baaz, and Ibn ‘Uthaymeen – all spoke quite highly of one of today’s scholars and outspoken critics, Shaykh Rabee’ ibn Haadee al-Madkhalee.  Those who earnestly love and truly follow the three mentioned scholars should be aware of their clear statements in praise of one of the finest of today’s scholars – Shaykh Rabee’ al-Madkhalee.

Click here for a series of articles showing the clear, specific praises of these three scholars and others for Shaykh Rabee’ al-Madkhalee. 

Example: Hiding Behind the Three Names

I’d like to mention a specific example of this, that is sadly too common to hear. People say, “I prefer the manhaj of Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen over the manhaj of Shaykh Rabee’ al-Madkhalee…” Or they may say Shaykh Ibn Baaz or Shaykh Al-Albaanee in place of Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, or all three of them!

Let’s be perfectly clear on this issue – This is not the speech of the people of knowledge. All three of those great scholars were upon the same manhaj of Shaykh Rabee’ ibn Haadee al-Madkhalee (may Allaah preserve him) – the manhaj of the Salaf. This is not merely a devoted student’s opinion, rather, all three of those scholars have clear and specific praises of Shaykh Rabee’, his teachings, his books, his recordings, and even his refutations.

As for the statements of taxi drivers and their students, anonymous internet writers, or so-called “Islamic” TV stars, that the manhaj of Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen was other than themanhaj of Shaykh Rabee’, etc… then it is simply jahl murak-kab (compound ignorance), when a person hears a specific point of disagreement between two scholars, and assumes that it means that a major disagreement has taken place, and that they have parted ways and gone forth on two different paths!  Or he hears about a difference in personal preferences of how gatherings should be conducted and concludes that this necessitates a difference in manhaj, and thus one is on the Sunnah and the other is not!

Some ignoramuses have done this, and actually have come to this conclusion, when they learned that Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen generally did not prefer to have names mentioned when people’s mistakes needed referred to him for clarification.  Shaykh Rabee’ does not share the same general approach.  As a result of this difference of personal preference, some ignorant people say that they were upon two different ways entirely, the way of Ibn ‘Uthaymeen being the way of Ahlus-Sunnah, the way of Rabee’ being deviance!  This is how far they have gone with their own deductions, while the clear and explicit speech of Ibn ‘Uthaymeen remains an unanswerable proof of how far off their conclusions really are!

As an abundantly clear example, here are the words of Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen himself, about the visit of Shaykh Rabee’ ibn Haadee al-Madkalee to his city (Unayzah) around the year 1421 shortly before the death of Shaykh Ibn Úthaymeen:

…Our brother (Shaykh Rabee’), may Allaah grant us and him success, is upon Salafiyyah, the way of the Salaf. And I do not mean here that Salafiyyah is a hizb (party) which is set up to oppose the Muslims outside of it, but I mean by Salafiyyah, that he is upon the path of the Salaf in his Manhaj. Especially in the field of actualizing towheed and rejecting what opposes this [manhaj].

The visit of our brother, Shaikh Rabee bin Haadee to this region, our city, Unayzah, no doubt will have a good effect, and it will also become clear to many of the people what used to be hidden from them due to the scare-mongering and rumour-mongering, and also letting loose the tongue [of discord].

You may access the original Arabic audio, transcription, and translation, including other helpful articles on the topic here.

So let those who insist that Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen was upon a different manhaj than Shaykh Rabee’ repent from their audacious lie against Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, and their oppression of Shaykh Rabee’ as well.  And let those who are ignorant of the scholars’ ranks and their support of each other refrain from diverting the everyday Muslims from their scholars.

Another Recent Example of Hiding Behind the Names

A shameful example of this trickery, hiding behind the names of the major scholars, yet calling to the exact opposite of their message, would be what a Huda TV star (may Allaah guide him and us) recently said when asked about Shaykh Rabee’ al-Madkhalee (02/15/2012):

Source: Screenshot from his own personal website, taken 9/28/1433

What an amazing contradiction and an obvious case of this deceptive attachment to the names of Shaykh Ibn Baaz and Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen!

As shown previously, both of these scholars (and many other major scholars of Islaam) praised Shaykh Rabee’ and recommended the Muslims to learn from him.  Furthermore, those two scholars actively invited the Muslims to behave honestly and fairly, and they warned the Muslims from dishonesty, treachery, and turning to ignorant people for Islamic rulings.

He Can Only Be One of Two Types

This Huda TV star either said these words knowing what the two scholars have said, or unknowingly.

If he honeslty did not know this, then – quite frankly – one would think that it is time for this man to stop answering questions, and turn himself towards the scholars and begin (or continue) learning for his own sake, as knowledge comes before speech and action!

If he did know what the two scholars he has quoted said, then this is treachery and a clear violation of the trust of conveying knowledge – to knowingly guide the people away from the teachings of the scholars, while pretending to speak on their behalf!

While this Huda TV star disagrees with the major scholars (like Al-Albaanee, Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, Ibn Baaz, Al-Fowzaan, al-Luhaydaan, etc.) and believes that people should “neglect” Shaykh Rabee’ al-Madkhalee, let it be known that the scholars have spoken highly of Shaykh Rabee’ and recommended him.  If the issue is presented to people honestly and without deception, the people can be free to decide for themselves if they want to follow the guidance of the major scholars of their time or misguided ramblings of this TV personality.

The TV Star’s Source of Information

With a conclusion as corrupt as this, its source must also be just as corrupt!  It should be known that the source of information used by this man is an article on the official website of ‘Alee ibn Hasan al-Halabee (may Allaah guide him), who was identified bythe Permanent Committee of Scholars for Research and Fatwaa some 15 years ago as someone who:

• Deceptively quotes things from the scholars’ books out of context
• Truncates passages in a way that distorts their intended meanings
• Lies on the scholars, as they concluded he flat-out lied on Shaykh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah
• Distorts the intended meanings of the words of the scholars, as they concluded he attributed positions to Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem that he never held
• Based his writings on the heretic beliefs of the Murji’ah sect, not the math-hab ofAhlus-Sunnah

And the conclusion of the Committee, after studying some of the books of ‘Alee al-Halabee, and highlighting the above points, was as follows:

Accordingly, the Permanent Committee believes that it is not permissible to print, publish, or distribute the two books because of the falsehood and fabrications they contain. We advise the author to fear Allah for himself and for Muslims, especially the youth, and endeavor to acquire knowledge of the Shari`ah (Islamic law) at the hands of scholars trusted for their knowledge and beliefs. Knowledge is a trust which should not be spread unless it is in accordance with the Qur’an and the Sunnah (whatever is reported from the Prophet). The author must renounce these opinions and highly shameful approaches in distorting the statements of the people of knowledge. It is known that returning to the truth is a virtue and a cause of dignity for Muslims.

[Click here for the Permanent Committee’s official warning against al-Halabee and his writings.]

Shaykh Rabee’ tried for many years to advise and correct al-Halabee, and began openly warning against him a few years ago.  This is when he began openly attacking Shaykh Rabee, a reward for the shaykh’s many years of patience and private advice.  Let it be known that this man – ’Alee al-Halabee (may Allaah guide him) – is the source of the TV star’s confusion.

So are people really expected to stumble around like him, avoiding the clear, explicit praises and recommendations from the highest-ranking senior scholars of our era, to follow the claims of those with personal vendettas against thier critic?!  People who have been criticized by the senior scholars (way before Shaykh Rabee’) for serious flaws in the trust of conveying knowledge and other issues of deviation in ‘aqeedah?!

Al-hamdulillaah, praise be to Allaah, the One who blessed us with intellects!

Personal Experience and Testimony

It really hurts to hear people slander a great man like Shaykh Rabee’, a man of the Sunnah, a concerned advisor, patient, full of love for the Muslims and hope for the success of their da’wah, busy with knowledge day and night, reading, writing, researching, compiling, falling asleep on a thin mattress on the floor with a book on his chest and books all around him, critical of his own self and his own students, a brave and guided critic whose writings are blessed with academic strength and clarity, a gracious host, a father-figure to people all over the world, a man who cries when he hears about things that harm the image of our da’wah, a man who reads a book about the history of the rightous Salaf and the trials they faced and becomes engaged in the story and attached to it more devoutly than how common people watch an action movie!!

The flesh of the scholars is poisonous! The way that Allaah exposes those who belittle them is well known! Those who unleash their tongues (with falsehood) against the scholars, Allaah shall cause them to suffer from the death of their hearts before their lives end! ( So let those who contradict his order be warned that a trial may befall them, or a painful punishment! )

(Words attributed to Ibn ‘Asaakir, as quoted in An-Nawawee’s Tibyaan)

I say this, being fully capable of saying much more in favor of this scholar, while I praise no one above Allaah, al-’Alee al-Qadeer, and it is HE alone who is his Reckoner.

And I do not endorse or encourage the blind following of Shaykh Rabee’, or any other specific scholar.

And Allaah knows best.

Written by: Moosaa Richardson

ST Archives: 01-14-2011 (since modified and updated)