Jarh wa Ta'deel: If the Scholars Differ About the Same Person

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Shaykh ‘Abdul-Muhsin al-‘Abbaad al-Badr [may Allaah Preserve him] was asked:

Question: There are some people asking about al-Jarh wa at-Ta’deel; if recognised scholars differed in al-Jarh wa at-Ta’deel - one scholar praising whereas another dispraises the same individual, there then remains a difference of opinion between Ahl as-Sunnah. So if a person blindly follows the opinion of one of the scholars, or agrees with opinion of the scholar because of the evidences he has presented (without blindly following him), do we refrain from labeling this person because he is trying to follow the opinion of a scholar?

Answer: Firstly, al-Jarh wa at-Ta’deel has traditionally been used to verify narrations by the scholars. For this reason, the books of men are full of examples of scholars talking about its narrators – “such and such person is like this”, or “such and such person is like that”. There are plenty of examples of scholars praising narrators and dispraising others. 

However, it may be that those who praise are not aware of the reason why a person has been discredited and those who discredit may not be aware of the reason why those who have praised. So each scholar speaks according to what is apparent to him. 

Sometimes some discredit on issues which doesn’t necessity a person being discredited over. This doesn’t count as Jarh. Some of them became very stern on making Jarh and made Jarh of people on issues that didn’t necessitate Jarh. 

However, what is a must to know is that al-Jarh wa at-Ta’deel was traditionally discussed in order to verify narrations, that which is authentic and that which isn’t. This is how the science of al-Jarh wa at-Ta’deel was traditionally used.

As for al-Jarh wa at-Ta’deel nowadays, and becoming preoccupied with it, talking about people, chasing their mistakes and chasing what has been said about such and such people, gathering information against him - this all leads to one being warned against; all of this are not actions which befits dealing with a Muslim, someone who knows the truth and acts upon it. If a person is known to be from the people of innovation and this becomes apparent from him and shares their methodology, then this person becomes eligible to be talked about.

However, as for those who make a mistake and based on this mistake the whole world is brought upon him and is then warned against, then this is not from justice or fairness.

[Recorded in Masjid an-Nabawee on 02/01/1437 – 16/10/2015]

Jarh Without Advising Is Not From Salafiyyah

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Questioner: May Allaah Grant you with good - person of Honour, the questioner is asking: In current times the use of insults like, "Such and such person is not (or no longer) Salafee" or "He is not from the Salafees". Do such expressions dictate that the person being talked about has become an innovator? Or is it a must that the evidences for his mistakes must be clarified before placing such a ruling on him?

                                      

Answer: By Allaah, I warn against such insults. Alhumdulilah, the children of the Muslims and the students of knowledge, all of them are upon goodness - all upon the 'Aqeedah of the Salaf. Even if some of them are deficient in certain areas or have ignorance, they can't be casted out if Salafiyyah because of this. 

Such insults are not permissible; between Muslim brothers, students of knowledge and the children of the Muslims in the lands of the Muslims.

None of these insults are permissible.

One must advise if they see a mistake in their brother, then advise him.

As for claiming others as not being a Salafee then the claimant most likely doesn't even know what Salafiyyah truly is. 

Some claim to be Salafee but in reality don’t actually know what it really is.

If you were to ask him what Salafiyyah truly is, he won't be able to tell you.

http://www.alfawzan.af.org.sa/node/9918

Also see: 
Defaming Others and Tarnishing their Reputation Without the Intent to Help Them Rectify Their Mistakes
http://ahledhikr.blogspot.com/2014/09/defaming-others-and-tarnishing-their.html

Not Declaring Disbelief (Kaafir) and Innovation (Mubtadi') Until the Proof Has Been Established 

http://ahledhikr.blogspot.com/2014/10/not-declaring-disbelief-and-innovation.html 

The Purification of the Extremist

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Shaykh Sa’ood bin Ibraaheem ash-Shuraym said in explaining the purification that the Muhrim (the person in Ihraam) must forego before starting his rituals:

Actualise these two forms of purification (i.e. being sincere in seeking Allaah and following the commands of the Messenger) oh slaves of Allaah, and this will suffice you from constantly enquiring about the conversations and circles of others.

This is because whoever is sincere in seeking Allaah and follows His Commands, will be sufficed with the wisdom within it. He will be just when he acts. He will be balanced when he talks and in describing others. He will abstain from the gatherings of idleness when he hears it, and as a result, his heart will be dictated by wisdom when dealing with others, being just and not inequitable.

He will not be forced to seek his pleasure in agreeing with the exposure of others. Likewise, he won’t seek to dispel his anger by throwing around accusations with slander.

For this reason, some of the Salaf said, “Do not be like those that when they are happy, they find their happiness in falsehood. And when there are angry, they find their anger against the truth.”

I swear by Allaah, if the Ummah was to actualize these two forms of purification (i.e. being sincere in seeking Allaah and following the commands of the Messenger) then the evils and corruptions that face it will be lifted, and the Fitnah will be reduced. Hatred and anger between believers would not be widespread like it is today. Groups and cults wouldn't exist. The blood, honour and the lands of the Muslims would not be spilt and made permissible.

What we see today are people being engage in Hamz (the act of backbiting or slandering) and Lamz (description given to the backbiter, slanderer etc.) (cf. 104), going forth seeking to spread Nameemah (spreading tales, trying to create disunity by giving certain people a bad description) (cf. 68:11). Such people seek every path on the earth to fulfill their desires and objectives. They would do this even if it means eating the rights of others unjustly; eating the flesh of others by backbiting (Gheebah). They claim that they are sincere advisors but in reality, they are spreading defamation. Under the name of protective jealousy (Gheerah) but in reality they are spreading envy and jealousy. Under the guise of guidance, in reality they are spreading corruption.

For this reason, Ibn Jawzee (may Allaah have Mercy on him) said:

From the deceptions of Shaytaan is that he makes degrading and defaming others fair-seeming, and makes it seem that it is a means to seek rectification. So those who have been deceived, partake in defaming others under the name of Jarh wa Ta’deel, however those who came before us (the Salaf) only used Jarh wa Ta’deel in order to protect the Sharee’ah (and not degrade and defame the honour of people in this way). And only Allaah Knows the objectives of these people.

However, what is the root-cause of all of this? Answer: diseases and desires, oh slaves of Allaah! Loving of the Dunyaa and hating death:

“You desire the good of this world, but Allah desires for you the Hereafter.”  [al-Anfaal 8:67]

Khutbah: Purification for the Sake of Allaah in Ihraam (14/11/1436 – 29/8/2015)

We Act Upon what is Apparent and We Don’t Look at What is Hidden from Us, This Was the Way of the Best of Generations

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Shaykh Wasee-Ullaah bin Muhammad al-'Abbaas [May Allaah Preserve him]

What Ibn Salaah means is that if there is a narrator that comes and he is apparently trustworthy and accurate in what he says, i.e. He has 'Adl and Dubt, then we take the narration from him as this is sufficient for us. This was the view of the majority of the scholars, from the past and those that came after them, meaning they would accept the narration of one who appears to have 'Adl and Dubt.

Is there a different of opinion in this? We shall discuss this in greater detail later, but as an example, if we take Yahya bin Ma'een who died 230AH and Imaam Ahmad who died 241H, they used to make a ruling on people that came a hundred years before them. How is this? In two ways, either they depended on what they heard from their scholars or they acted on what was apparent looking at whom and where they narrated from and to. So this is acting upon what is apparent trustworthiness.

I asked Shaykh Naasir ad-Deen al-Albaanee on this issue as I wanted to understand it properly and he replied by saying that we act upon what is apparent. So if he appears to be righteous and trustworthy in the apparent then we accept this but if he is apparently a sinner then we reject him, we act upon what is apparent from the narrator. We can’t act upon what is hidden, it is a must that we go by what we can see and not think bad about people. If a person does bad deeds but he appears to be good, then Allaah has concealed him so we can’t see his sins, but if he sins openly then his affair is known. Like the scholars say, ‘if a person intends to lie in the morning we will know about it by the evening.’

The point is, the statement of Ibn Salaah means that we act upon what is apparent and we don’t look at what is hidden from us, this was the way of the best of generations however some of the scholars that came after differed from this.

There is no doubt, if one is completely unknown then we reject his narration but what we are talking about is when a narrator appears to have Adalaah and Dubt then we accept it, if he doesn’t have these then he is Majhool or unknown.

[Adapted from Sharh Tadreeb ar-Rawee fee Sharh Taqreeb an-Nawaawee; Tape 58, 12-15mins]