wa alaykum salam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh
The Khawarij were the most
"devout" of all. They spent the most time in worship, more than other Muslims. They spoke about "ruling upon Allah's law". They would call anyone who they deemed not to be obeying Allah and following the Shari'ah to be disbelievers. - Even, they accused our beloved Prophet Muhammad (salallahu alayhi wa salam) of not fearing Allah. They murdered many of the most beloved Sahaba, because they thought they were not "good Muslims".
They spoke much about the Deen, and they put themselves forwards as the warriors of the Ummah, they said they were the ones who were not scared to defend Islam. This however, does not mean they were good or righteous. Rather, the Prophet Muhammad (salallahu alayhi wa salam) warned against these people and described them as the "dogs of the hellfire."
Khawarij History, Who are the Khawarij?
So, of course, what this man wanted to do, and what others have done can never be justified or right, nor is it from Islam.
People must not live in a cocoon, it is true, that there is state terrorism, that the disbelievers do many bad and harmful things to the Muslims. It does shadow the actions of the handful of extremists that do things in the name of Islam.
However, that does not mean these extremists of today are not following in the way of the khawarij or that they do not exist.
It is ridiculous for some people to keep spinning tales of conspiracies, when these things are for real, this is an issue of learning the Deen properly and making sure that we give proper support for it.
Some of these people, who get caught up with such extremists and do their "dirty work" so to speak, have very little knowledge of Islam. They have never really studied Islam properly, nor have understanding in any of the fundamentals of our Deen. They have certainly not listened to or consulted or have respect for the Ulema'.
They are easily picked up by some speakers or other people, who themselves may even have links to the CIA or other organisations.
They gain trust of these people, because they hear everything they wish to hear. They will start by softening their hearts with stories, which are Islamic and good, such as about the sahaba and the past and jihad battles and about the lost glory of the Ummah, but, at same time give them untrue ideas about how the scholars who teach that such things like suicide bombing or doing any unjust acts against disbelievers are not "real shaykhs", and that various Muslim governments are disbelievers. - They teach the same, as the khawarij did, calling Muslims disbelievers and legitimising the blood of the innocent people.
What are the signs of such people who call to this extremism??
They have:
No real background in the Deen.
They have no proper background in the learning of the Deen. Often, they are doctors, engineers or from some other profession. THey even try to pass this as some sort of qualifying factor for them to speak about Islam or give fatawa.
So, the people who teach such extremist ideas, have never really sat or studied with the Ulema', and also they have no permission to teach from them. Our deen is not one made of pieces of paper! - The Ulema' in question are the muhaditheen and Fuqahaa of our times, such as Al-Albaani, Ibn Baz, Ibn Uthaimeen, Abdul Muhsin al Abaad, Aadam al Ethiopi, and other than them who are well known for their solid abundant knowledge. Their students are well known. Its not simply the case of saying you have studied with them, they have to be conforming and carrying what their teachers taught, rather than rejecting it all. - Are the people and their teachers known and do their beliefs match those with the Ulema of Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama'ah?
The Ulema' are all united upon the Deen in these matters. - Matters of opinion and difference are in things such as fiqh issues, like certain rulings to do with prayer or fasting, or whether the niqab is obligation or not. However, in these other matters the true scholars are united.
So, its a matter of some people, unfortunately are taking their Deen from those who are lesser in lineage, and trusting them and their opinions over those who are more knowledgeable, wise and upon the truth!
They speak bad about the Scholars.
They say that scholars such as Shaykh Albani, Ibn Baz or Ibn Uthaimeen, can not be trusted in matters that concern the Muslim ummah, or that they were "scared". - Even though, Shaykh Albaani, Shaykh Muqbil, Shaykh Badi'udeen and countless other scholars were living in various countries and taught the deen freely. - Such accusations against the ulema' are smoke screens, that rely on people having ignorance about them and about the deen itself.
The Obligation of Following the Worthy Scholars and a Timely Warning
Hudhayfah (radiyallaahu anhu) said:
“People used to ask the Messenger of Allaah about the good times, but I used to ask him about the bad times fearing lest they should overtake me. I said: Messenger of Allaah, we were in the midst of ignorance and evil, and then Allaah brought us this good (time through Islaam). Is there any bad time after this good one?” He said: “Yes.” I asked: “Will there be a good time again after that bad time?” He said: “Yes, but in it will be a hidden evil.” I asked: “What will be the evil hidden therein?” He said: “(That time will witness the rise of) the people who will adopt ways other than mine and seek guidance other than mine. You will know good points as well as bad points.” I asked: “Will there be a bad time after this good one?” He said: “Yes. (A time will come) when there will be people standing and inviting at the gates of Hell. Whoever responds to their call will be thrown into the fire.” I said: “Messenger of Allaah, describe them to us.” He said: “They will be a people having the same complexion as ours and speaking our language.” (Saheeh Muslim)
Allaah (Subahana Wa Ta’ala) said:
“And of mankind there is he whose speech may please you (O Muhammad), in this worldly life, and he calls Allaah to witness as to that which is in his heart, yet he is the most quarrelsome of the opponents.” (Al-Baqarah 2:204)
‘Abdullah bin Umar (radiyallaahu anhu) narrated that 2 men came from the east and addressed the people who wondered at their eloquent speech. On that Allaah’s Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said:
“Some eloquent speech is as effective as magic.” (Saheeh al-Bukhaaree)
And we are in a time where the ignorant ones are giving verdicts in matters that they have no knowledge about, and people are taking these ‘ignorant ones’ as scholars.
Ibn Mas’ud (radiyallaahu anhu) said:
"There will not come upon you a time, except that it is more evil than the time before it. I do not mean a leader better than another leader, nor a year better than another year. But your 'Ulemah and fuqahaa (i.e. your Scholars) will disappear, and you will not find anyone to succeed them. Then there will come a people who will give verdicts according to their opinion." (Ibn Hajr related it in Fathul-Baaree). And in another wording: "It is not due to abundance of rain, nor due to its scarcity. Rather it is due to the disappearance of the Scholars. Then there will come a people who will give verdicts on matters based upon mere opinion; and thus they will destroy Islaam." (Ibn Hajr related it in Fathul-Baaree)
And that, which affirms the truth of what Ibn Mas’ud (radiyallaahu anhu) said, is what is reported in the Sunnah of the Prophet, in his (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam’s) saying:
"Indeed, Allaah does not snatch away the knowledge, but He takes it away by the passing away of the Scholars. Such that when no Scholar remains, the people take ignorant ones as their leaders. They are asked and give verdicts without knowledge. Thus, they misguide themselves and misguide others." (Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim)
And the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said:
“Indeed it is among the signs of the Hour that knowledge be sought from the asaghar (minor / lesser people, in lineage or knowledge).” (Recorded by Ibn al-Mubarak in az-Zuhd, 61 and al-Lalaka’i in Sharh Usool I‘tiqad Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa‘ah, 102)
And in the Hadeeth of Anas (radiyallaahu anhu), the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) mentioned some more signs of the Last Hour, amongst which he said:
"Knowledge will be lifted and ignorance will become widespread." (Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim)
And the following statement of the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam):
“Towards the last days, a people will emerge who will be young in age and have foolish ideas. They will speak with the best speech of the creatures. Their Eemaan will not go past their throats. So wherever you encounter them, kill them, for indeed there will be a reward for the one who kills them on the Day of Judgement.” (Recorded in as-Sunnah of Imaam Ahmed bin Hanbal)
Muhammad bin Sireen, Maalik bin Anas and many more of the Salaf (Rahimullah) have said:
“Indeed, this knowledge is the Religion! So look carefully towards whom you take your Religion from.” (An authentic narration on Muhammad Ibn Sireen reported by Muslim in the introduction to his Saheeh Muslim)
So when taking knowledge we have to be extremely careful where we take it from because taking knowledge from untrustworthy, unreliable and unqualified sources has led many a people to confusion and eventual straying from the straight path. So this taking of knowledge is something that could be a matter of heaven or hell.
It was said:
“The people will not cease to be in good as long as they obtain knowledge from the Companions of Muhammad and their elders. But when they obtain knowledge from their asaghar (minor / lesser people, in lineage or knowledge), then that is when they shall be ruined.” (Recorded by Ibn al-Mubarak in az-Zuhd, 851 and al-Lalaka’i in Sharh Usool I‘tiqad Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa‘ah, 101 and others)
The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said:
“This knowledge shall be carried by the trustworthy of every generation, negating the distortions of the extreme from it, as well as the impersonation of the false people, and the interpretations of the ignorant.” (Related by Ibnul Wazeer al-Yamaanee in ar-Rawdhun Naas (1/21-23), it was authenticated by Shaykh al-Albaanee in Takhreejul Mishkaat (1/28-38/248) and by Shaykh Saleem al-Hilaalee in Hidaayatus Sultaan no. 38)
Abu Hurayrah (radiyallaahu anhu) reported that Allaah's Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said:
"Love the one whom you love to a certain degree (moderately), perhaps one day he will be someone for whom you have hatred, and hate the one for whom you have hatred to a certain degree (moderately), perhaps one day he will be one whom you love." (at-Tirmidhee)
They speak ill of the Muslim Governments
They also, devote much Speach against Muslim governments, accuse them of disbelief. They have no qualms with calling people disbelievers on account of sins. -
So, for example, in Iraq, they would target the police, even doctors, university lecturers or anyone who they thought was condoning the Iraqi government. Because, to them the new government was working with the disbelievers, the Americans and the British. Therefore, step by step, they eliminated many people as being disbelievers, hypocrites and targetted them in bombings, just because they were associated with them. This is why, they were so astray and upon the teachings of the khawarij.
Here, we see that they feel free to reject and not take the opinions of the Scholars, and believe they know better. - Misquoting and misunderstanding ayaat from the Qur'an. -- This is in sharp contrast and opposite to the teachings of Islam, where the Muslim rulers must be obeyed even if they are sinful. The harm that comes from unlawful revolting is much greater than if the Muslims have patience. Many of the great scholars noted in their books, that this is from the belief of Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama'ah. They made note of this in books of aqeedah, due to the fact that it was a sign of the khawarij who would rebel against the Muslim rulers.
They Rely on emotional talk,
A lot rely on emotional talk, much political ramblings, not so much in terms of the Deen. Certainly, they will not be calling and making contact with the senior scholars as have been mentioned before or those of similar stature. A sign of the right people, the right scholars is their love of the Scholars and their usage of them.
This is something the Prophet Muhammad (salallahu alayhi wa sallam) warned us about.
Unfortunately, a lot of the young people are effected by magic speech, "powerful speeches", and they fail to realise they are fooled and are not actually learning anything, certainly not learning the true teachings of our deen.
They bypass all the legislation from the Quran and Sunnah, all the sayings of the Salaf and put forward their own twisted ideas and explanations and pose it all in the guise of the Deen of Islam. This would be where they tell Muslims to ignore the fatawa of the scholars. Or, they present an old fatawa or they misrespresent what Scholars actually said.
They feed people with an emotional drip. So, they basically close their minds to anything else except that which feeds directly into their emotion, just like many people, even we see around us, they jump for the quick answer to hard questions which require patience.. So, theirs is the deen of emotions, hearsay and extremism, not that of the teachings of the Quran and Sunnah with the explanation of the wise ulema who warn against the actions which cause more harm to the Muslims.
