KEYS TO STRENGTHENING THE RANKS OF THE SALAFEES

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On the morning of the 7th of Ramadhaan, 1431 AH1, after Fajr prayer, Shaykh Ahmad Bazmool2, may Allaah protect him, sat down and offered some personal advice, therein, he mentioned some valuable points pertaining to maintaining cohesiveness within the ranks of those who adhere to Salafiyyah (i.e. adhere to the Quraan and Sunnah as understood by the Companions). I ask Allah, the Most High, to make this effort entirely for Him and to benefit us by way of it. What follows are a few points that Shaykh Ahmad, may Allah protect him, mentioned that morning3:

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[TN]: August 17th, 2010 [TN]: Dr. Abu Umar Ahmad Ibn Umar Ibn Saalim Bazmool is a lecturer at the University of Umm al-Quraa. He is well known for his academic accomplishments as well as having learnt at the feet of the scholars. May Allah protect him from all that is evil. [TN]: On September 19th, 2010 / Shawwaal 10, 1431 AH, I (Abu Adam) visited Shaykh Ahmad Baazmool to seek permission to spread these words and to make sure I understood their meanings correctly. He kindly granted me permission to do so and confirmed my understanding of his words.

KEYS TO STREGTHENEING THE RANKS OF THE SALAFEES

[Interact with One Another Based upon Knowledge]

Shaykh Ahmad, may Allah protect him, mentioned:

...Do you believe that Shaykh Saalih as-Suhaymee, Shaykh Rabee b. Haadee alMadkhalee, and Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan, [for example], encounter with one another the same problems that some students run into with one another? No. They don't. Why is that? It's because their interactions with one another are based upon knowledge...

[Frequent and Aid Salafee Mosques and Centers]

Shaykh Ahmad, may Allah protect him from evil, also mentioned:
Another way to maintain cohesiveness with your Salafee brothers is to protect each others thoughts from suspicion and confusion. An example of this is to distance ones self from Mosques that are not founded upon other the Quraan and Sunnah as understood by the Pious Predecessors (i.e. they are founded upon hizbiyyah). By [unnecessarily] frequenting these Mosques it may cause your Salafee brothers to suspect something about you. They may say or suspect: Why are you associating with those who arent adherents of the Quraan and Sunnah upon the understanding of the Pious Predecessors - (i.e. hizbees)?!4 I say, stay away from this action. Accompany your Salafee brothers at their Mosques [and centers].

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Perhaps the doubt will come, I am giving them dawah. Shaykh Muhammad Ibn Haadee, may Allah preserve him, mentioned an enlightening point about dawah. He mentioned: It is not imperative that a person mixes with those whom he intends to give dawah to. He can write to them or use other means. Listen to An Explanation of Ibn Battahs al-Ibaanah al-Sughraa. www.miraath.net, Lesson #2.

KEYS TO STRENGTHENING THE RANKS OF THE SALAFEES

A proof that Islamic legislation encourages us to guard our brothers thoughts from suspicion and confusion is the following Prophetic tradition5: On the authority of Anas b. Maalik [d. 92/93 AH]: A man passed by the Messenger of Allah while he, prayers and peace upon him, was with a woman. So, the Messenger of Allah, prayers and peace upon him, summoned the man and said: This is my wife, [Safiyyah]. The man said: O Messenger of Allah, that which I would have suspected about someone else, I did not suspect that about you. Upon hearing that, the Messenger of Allah, prayers and peace upon him, said: Indeed, the devil circulates through mankind just as blood does. [Collected by Muslim, #2174]

Shaykh Ahmad, may Allah protect him, explained this prophetic practice by saying:
From this prophetic practice, we are enlightened to something that Islam encourages: Islam encourages us to guard our brothers thoughts, just as the Messenger of Allah, prayers and peace upon him, guarded his Companions thoughts. So, guard your Salafee brothers thoughts; aid them in having good thoughts about you by being cautious about being around those who do not practice Islam according to the Quraan and Sunnah as understood by the Companions, lest your Salafee brothers may question: Why are you behaving in such a manner?6

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[TN]: Shaykh Ahmad paraphrased this hadith. I returned back to its source and found its exact wording. [TN]: Ibn al-Jawzee mentions al-Khattaabee said: This Prophetic practice shows the desirability of being cautious about performing disliked actions that may cause suspicious thoughts to enter into the hearts [of people]. We also learn that a person should seek safety from [the evil thoughts] of people by performing actions which are free from doubt. [See Talbees Iblees, 39.]

KEYS TO STREGTHENEING THE RANKS OF THE SALAFEES

[Have Patience with Your Salafee Brothers]

Shaykh Ahmad then mentioned:
Be patient with your Salafee brothers. Be patient with them if they offend you, and seek your reward from Allah. Be careful not to give off a vibe of [negative] independence. Make your brothers feel you are with them, and that you are there to aid them, not that you are there to replace them in the responsibility of affairs. Then, Shaykh Ahmad mentioned the following Prophetic tradition: The Muslim who mixes with the people and bears their harm is better than the Muslim who withdraws from the people and doesnt bear their harm.7/8 This is what was easy for me to accurately remember from Shaykh Ahmads advice.

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Authenticated by Shaykh al-Albaanee in Sunan at-Tirmithee, #2507. [TN]: The scholars of Islam have mentioned that this hadith is not unrestricted, rather, a person looks a his personal situation and evaluates when is mixing beneficial and when is seclusion beneficial. As far as mixing with the people of innovation, Shaykh Saalih Aali Shaykh, may Allah protect him mentioned, ...Staying away from the people of innovation is a foundation of Islam and a foundation of those who practice the Sunnah... [See An Explanation of Lumatul-Itiqaad, 154

KEYS TO STRENGTHENING THE RANKS OF THE SALAFEES

[Learn to Let Trivial Issues Go] 9

Shaykh Ahmad also mentioned that it is imperative for students, [and other than them], to learn to let personal issues go. He mentioned how the Messenger of Allah, may Allah exalt his mention and grant him safety, did not become angry for personal reasons, rather, he would become angry for the sake of Allahs region.

I ask Allah to reward the Shaykh for taking out some of his valuable time to offer some advice. I also ask Allah to increase our (the Salafees) cohesiveness and to expose the plots of the devil, the men and jinn from amongst them, which are aimed at causing disunity amongst us. And may Allah send His prayers and peace upon our messenger, his family, and his Companions.

9 [TN]: This advice is from a separate sitting. It was added it to this article for extra benefit.