Shaykh Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah bin Baz (HA) to Falih Ibn Nafi Al-Harbi
Taken with thanks from http://www.central-mosque.com/index.php/Islam/investigative-reports-findings-of-saudi-scholars-on-tableeghi-jamaat.html
Correspondence 889 (خ) dated 12th of Sha’baan 1406 AH (22nd of April 1986)
In the name of Allah (SWT), the most beneficent the most Merciful
From Abdul-Aziz Ibn Baz (RA) to honourable brother respected Shaykh Falih Ibn Nafi Al-Harbi (HA) and may Allah (SWT) increase his Baseerah (foresight for Islam) and expand his breast for actions suited for His (SWT)’s pleasure (Ameen).
Asslamo Allaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh,
And thereafter, I received your letter dated 22nd of Rajab 1406 AH and the objections raised towards Tableeghi Jam’aat I understood. Whatever I wrote regarding the Tableeghi Jamaat and before me our respected Shaykh (Allamah) Muhammad Ibn Ibraheem Al-Shaykh (RA) [who was the Mufti of the of this Kingdom of Saudia in his time] who also praised Tableeghi Jamaat and I understood your objections towards it. You have devalued Shaykh (Allamah) Muhammad Ibn Ibraheem Al-Shaykh (RA)by referring to him as “Ibn Ibraheem” and I disliked it! And I also disliked those whom you have referred to who have disagreed with the Shaykh (RA) with regards to his opinion regarding Tableeghi Jamaat and I am astonished! Where is their knowledge and their opinion (in comparison)? (Who are they) compared to the Baseerah, understanding, depth in knowledge, foresight and steadfastness of our Shaykh (RA)? We (Alhumdolillah) are upon Baseerah on our Deen and we don’t compare benefits and harms and we prefer where our heart finds peace. We investigated the affairs of the Tableeghi Jamaat and our contentment (of the heart) is towards agreement and alongside it those are deficient should be encouraged to reform (themselves) out of good will because deficiency is part of human nature apart from whom Allah (SWT) protects.
If our teachers and student brothers whom you have pointed to should have kept in touch with these (Tableeghi) people and participated in their work (of Tabeelgh) and guided them and tried to reform their deficiencies and shortcomings and guided them where they committed mistakes it would be of great benefit to Islam and Muslims. But, to hate them and to stay away from them and to warn people from mixing with them is a mistake and its harm is greater than its benefit. So my brother! Reconsider your opinion and beseech your Lord (SWT) with humility to expand your breast towards actions which are pleased to Him (SWT) and which bring benefit to his bondsmen and to show you the path of truth in this matters (of difference of opinion) and I ask Allah (SWT) to show me and you truth as truth and falsehood as falsehood and to abstain from it as His (SWT)’s special favour and not to let the haqq and falsehood become (mixed up) upon us otherwise we will be misguided and Surely He (SWT) is Capable of it and Owner of it.
Was-Salamo Allaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh,
In the name of Allah (SWT), the most beneficent the most Merciful
From Abdul-Aziz Ibn Baz (RA) to honourable brother respected Shaykh Falih Ibn Nafi Al-Harbi (HA) and may Allah (SWT) increase his Baseerah (foresight for Islam) and expand his breast for actions suited for His (SWT)’s pleasure (Ameen).
Asslamo Allaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh,
And thereafter, I received your letter dated 22nd of Rajab 1406 AH and the objections raised towards Tableeghi Jam’aat I understood. Whatever I wrote regarding the Tableeghi Jamaat and before me our respected Shaykh (Allamah) Muhammad Ibn Ibraheem Al-Shaykh (RA) [who was the Mufti of the of this Kingdom of Saudia in his time] who also praised Tableeghi Jamaat and I understood your objections towards it. You have devalued Shaykh (Allamah) Muhammad Ibn Ibraheem Al-Shaykh (RA)by referring to him as “Ibn Ibraheem” and I disliked it! And I also disliked those whom you have referred to who have disagreed with the Shaykh (RA) with regards to his opinion regarding Tableeghi Jamaat and I am astonished! Where is their knowledge and their opinion (in comparison)? (Who are they) compared to the Baseerah, understanding, depth in knowledge, foresight and steadfastness of our Shaykh (RA)? We (Alhumdolillah) are upon Baseerah on our Deen and we don’t compare benefits and harms and we prefer where our heart finds peace. We investigated the affairs of the Tableeghi Jamaat and our contentment (of the heart) is towards agreement and alongside it those are deficient should be encouraged to reform (themselves) out of good will because deficiency is part of human nature apart from whom Allah (SWT) protects.
If our teachers and student brothers whom you have pointed to should have kept in touch with these (Tableeghi) people and participated in their work (of Tabeelgh) and guided them and tried to reform their deficiencies and shortcomings and guided them where they committed mistakes it would be of great benefit to Islam and Muslims. But, to hate them and to stay away from them and to warn people from mixing with them is a mistake and its harm is greater than its benefit. So my brother! Reconsider your opinion and beseech your Lord (SWT) with humility to expand your breast towards actions which are pleased to Him (SWT) and which bring benefit to his bondsmen and to show you the path of truth in this matters (of difference of opinion) and I ask Allah (SWT) to show me and you truth as truth and falsehood as falsehood and to abstain from it as His (SWT)’s special favour and not to let the haqq and falsehood become (mixed up) upon us otherwise we will be misguided and Surely He (SWT) is Capable of it and Owner of it.
Was-Salamo Allaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh,
Addendum:
You have referred to honourable Shaykh Muhammad Amaan (HA) that he has retracted his opinion in which he has praised Tableeghi Jamaat and stated that they are the originator of fictitious tales and baseless stories and people of Bid’ah. So know that Shaykh (HA) has denied this and is astonished by these opinions (attributed to him) and has stated that I had written from observation and Yaqeen and I am still of the same opinion (of praising Tableeghi Jamaat) and whosoever asks him about the Tableeghi Jamaat he refers to his report (of Bangaldesh Ijtema) so it’s wrong to attribute this opinion towards him.
خطاب من سماحة الشيخ عبد العزيز بن عبد اللهبن باز رحمه الله إلى فضيلة الشيخ / فالح بن نافع الحربي برقم 889/خ المؤرخ 12/8/1406هـ
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم من عبد العزيز بن عبد الله بن بازإلى حضرة الأخ المكرم فضيلة الشيخ فالح بن نافع الحربي أمدّه الله البصيرة, وشرحصدره لما يرضى رب العالمين, آمين. السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته، وبعد: فقدوصلني كتابك المؤرخ 26/2/1406هـ , وفهمتُ ما تضمّنه من النيل من جماعة التبليغ,واستنكارك لما كتبتُ بشأنهم، وما كتبه قبلي شيخنا العلامة الشيخ محمد بن إبراهيم آل الشيخ مفتي الديار السعودية في زمانه قدّس الله روحه, ونور ضريحه من الثناء عليهم. ولقد ساءني كثيراً تنقُّصُك وحطُّك من قدره بقولك: "ابن إبراهيم", وأنالأشخاص الذين أشرتَ إليهم يخالفونه في الرأي فيهم. ولقد عجبتُ مما ذكرتَ فأين يقع علم هؤلاء ورأيهم من علم شيخنا, وبصيرته, وبُعد نظره, وسعة اطلاعه, وتأنّيه, وحكمته . ونحن بحمد الله على بصيرة من ديننا, ونوازن بين المصالح والمضار، ونُرجحما تطمئن إليه قلوبنا, وقد تأكّدنا من أخبارهم ما يطمئننا إلى الوقوف بجانبهم, معمناصحتهم فيما يحصل من بعضهم من النقص الذي هو من لوازم البشر كلهم إلا من شاء الله. ولو أنّ إخواننا من المشايخ وطلبة العلم الذين أشرتَ إليهم خالطوهموشاركوهم في الدعوة إلى الله، ووجّهوهم وكملوا ما يحصل منهم من النقص, وأرشدوهم فيمايخطئون فيه، لحصل بذلك خير كثير, ونفع عظيم للإسلام والمسلمين. أما النُّفرة منهموالتخلّي عنهم والتحذير من مخالطتهم فهذا غلط كبير وضررُه أكبر من نفعه . فاتهمالرأي يا أخي, واضرع إلى ربك أن يشرح صدرك لما هو الأحب إليه والأنفع لعباده, وأن يهديك لما اختلف فيه من الحق بإذنه, وأسأل الله عز وجل أن يُرينا وإياكم الحق حقاً ويمنّ علينا باتباعه، والباطل باطلاً ويمنّ علينا باجتنابه, ولا يجعله ملتبْساًعلينا فنضل, إنه ولي ذلك والقادر عليه, والسلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته .
الرئيس العام لإدارات البحوث العلمية والإفتاء والدعوة والإرشاد
تكميل أنا بعد ما نسبت إلى فضيلة الشيخ محمد أمان من رجوعه عن الثناء على الجماعة المذكورة, وإنه يقول خرافيون ومبتدعة, فقد أنكر ذلك, واستغربه جداً, وأخبر أنه لا زال على ما كتب عنهم, لأنه كتبه عن مشاهدة ويقين, وأنه يحيل كل من سأله عنهم الى ما كتبه في ذلك .
