Laying down the foundation:
Before going into any misconception or accusation, we need to come to a mutual agreement in order for our discussion to bear fruitful results. Hereunder I have listed some points which we -as Salafis- should have no disagreement concerning:
Firstly: If we are truly seeking the truth, then we must stay far from following our desires, as Allah The Most High said:
{وَلَا تَتَّبِعِ ٱلۡهَوَىٰ فَیُضِلَّكَ عَن سَبِیلِ ٱللَّهِ}
“And follow not your desire for it will mislead you from the Path of Allah.”
[Surah Sâd: 26]
Secondly: We must not be biased to anyone or anything but the truth.
Thirdly: The truth is that which is established in the Qurʿān and Sunnah; in conformity with the understanding of the Salaf.
Allah The Almighty said:
{ ٱتَّبِعُوا۟ مَاۤ أُنزِلَ إِلَیۡكُم مِّن رَّبِّكُمۡ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا۟ مِن دُونِهِۦۤ أَوۡلِیَاۤءَ}
“Follow what has been sent down to you from your Lord (i.e. Quran & Sunnah), and follow not any Auliya' (protectors and helpers, etc.) besides Him.”
[Surah Al-A`râf: 3]
And He The Almighty said:
{وَمَن یُشَاقِقِ ٱلرَّسُولَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ مَا تَبَیَّنَ لَهُ ٱلۡهُدَىٰ وَیَتَّبِعۡ غَیۡرَ سَبِیلِ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِینَ نُوَلِّهِۦ مَا تَوَلَّىٰ وَنُصۡلِهِۦ جَهَنَّمَۖ وَسَاۤءَتۡ مَصِیرًا}
“And whoever opposes the Messenger after guidance has become clear to him and follows other than the way of the believers - We shall leave him on his chosen path, then burn him in Hell—what an evil end! . ”
[Surah An-Nisâ': 115]
Fourthly: Once the truth is established, we have to be just and accept it, whether we like it or not - even if it is presented to us by our worst enemy.
Allah The Most High said:
{ یَـٰۤأَیُّهَا ٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُونُوا۟ قَوَّ ٰمِینَ لِلَّهِ شُهَدَاۤءَ بِٱلۡقِسۡطِۖ وَلَا یَجۡرِمَنَّكُمۡ شَنَـَٔانُ قَوۡمٍ عَلَىٰۤ أَلَّا تَعۡدِلُوا۟ۚ ٱعۡدِلُوا۟ هُوَ أَقۡرَبُ لِلتَّقۡوَىٰ}
“O believers! Stand firm for Allah and be just witnesses and let not the enmity and hatred of others make you avoid justice. Be just! That is closer to righteousness.”
[Surah Al-Mâ'idah: 8]
Fifthly: from the general principles of the Shari’ah is that:
اليقين لا يزول بالشك
'Certainty is not overruled by doubt'
Meaning, whatever is established with certainty cannot be removed by doubt. In other words, things are assumed to remain as they are until it is established with certainty that they are otherwise.
By extension, when someone is proven to be an upright, reliable individual (as 'was' the case with Sheikh Yahya by everyone's admission), we cannot accept anyone's criticism of him unless this criticism is Mufassar (explained) and established with evidences.
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal rahimahullah said:
«كل رجل ثبتت عدالته لم يقبل فيه تجريح أحد، حتى يتبين ذلك عليه بأمر لا يحتمل غير جرحه».
“If someone's uprightness is established, no one's criticism against him will be accepted until that (which he is being criticised for) becomes apparent upon him in such a way that he cannot be excused from disparagement.”
[Tahdheeb At-Tahdheeb (7/273)]
Imam At-Tabari rahimahullah said:
«من ثبتت عدالته لم يقبل فيه الجرح، وما تسقط العدالة بالظن»
“If someone's uprightness is established, no (unverified) criticism will be accepted against him, and one's uprightness is not overruled by speculation.”
[Hadyu As-Saari - P. 428]
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah said:
«لم ينج كثير من الناس من كلام بعض الناس فيهم، ولم يلتفت أهل العلم في هذا النحو إلا ببيان وحجة، ولم تسقط عدالتهم إلا ببرهان ثابت وحجة»
“Many were unable to escape being criticised by others, and the people of knowledge did not pay any attention to that unless it was based on proof and evidence, and their uprightness was not overruled except with firm proof and evidence.”
[Juz' Al-Qiraa'ah Khalfa Al-Imaam - P. 14]
This was also mentioned by:
- Muhammad ibn Nasr Al-Marwazi in 'Fat-h Al-Mugheeth' (2/188)
- Al-Bayhaqi in 'Sunan Al-Kubraa' (10/124)
- Ibn 'Abdil Barr in' Jaami' Bayaan Al-'ilm wa fadhlihi' (2/1093)
- Al-Biqaa'ee in 'An-Nukat Al-Wafiyyah' (1/610)
- Al-Mu'allimi in 'At-Tankeel' (1/255)
and others...
Before going into any misconception or accusation, we need to come to a mutual agreement in order for our discussion to bear fruitful results. Hereunder I have listed some points which we -as Salafis- should have no disagreement concerning:
Firstly: If we are truly seeking the truth, then we must stay far from following our desires, as Allah The Most High said:
{وَلَا تَتَّبِعِ ٱلۡهَوَىٰ فَیُضِلَّكَ عَن سَبِیلِ ٱللَّهِ}
“And follow not your desire for it will mislead you from the Path of Allah.”
[Surah Sâd: 26]
Secondly: We must not be biased to anyone or anything but the truth.
Thirdly: The truth is that which is established in the Qurʿān and Sunnah; in conformity with the understanding of the Salaf.
Allah The Almighty said:
{ ٱتَّبِعُوا۟ مَاۤ أُنزِلَ إِلَیۡكُم مِّن رَّبِّكُمۡ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا۟ مِن دُونِهِۦۤ أَوۡلِیَاۤءَ}
“Follow what has been sent down to you from your Lord (i.e. Quran & Sunnah), and follow not any Auliya' (protectors and helpers, etc.) besides Him.”
[Surah Al-A`râf: 3]
And He The Almighty said:
{وَمَن یُشَاقِقِ ٱلرَّسُولَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ مَا تَبَیَّنَ لَهُ ٱلۡهُدَىٰ وَیَتَّبِعۡ غَیۡرَ سَبِیلِ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِینَ نُوَلِّهِۦ مَا تَوَلَّىٰ وَنُصۡلِهِۦ جَهَنَّمَۖ وَسَاۤءَتۡ مَصِیرًا}
“And whoever opposes the Messenger after guidance has become clear to him and follows other than the way of the believers - We shall leave him on his chosen path, then burn him in Hell—what an evil end! . ”
[Surah An-Nisâ': 115]
Fourthly: Once the truth is established, we have to be just and accept it, whether we like it or not - even if it is presented to us by our worst enemy.
Allah The Most High said:
{ یَـٰۤأَیُّهَا ٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ كُونُوا۟ قَوَّ ٰمِینَ لِلَّهِ شُهَدَاۤءَ بِٱلۡقِسۡطِۖ وَلَا یَجۡرِمَنَّكُمۡ شَنَـَٔانُ قَوۡمٍ عَلَىٰۤ أَلَّا تَعۡدِلُوا۟ۚ ٱعۡدِلُوا۟ هُوَ أَقۡرَبُ لِلتَّقۡوَىٰ}
“O believers! Stand firm for Allah and be just witnesses and let not the enmity and hatred of others make you avoid justice. Be just! That is closer to righteousness.”
[Surah Al-Mâ'idah: 8]
Fifthly: from the general principles of the Shari’ah is that:
اليقين لا يزول بالشك
'Certainty is not overruled by doubt'
Meaning, whatever is established with certainty cannot be removed by doubt. In other words, things are assumed to remain as they are until it is established with certainty that they are otherwise.
By extension, when someone is proven to be an upright, reliable individual (as 'was' the case with Sheikh Yahya by everyone's admission), we cannot accept anyone's criticism of him unless this criticism is Mufassar (explained) and established with evidences.
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal rahimahullah said:
«كل رجل ثبتت عدالته لم يقبل فيه تجريح أحد، حتى يتبين ذلك عليه بأمر لا يحتمل غير جرحه».
“If someone's uprightness is established, no one's criticism against him will be accepted until that (which he is being criticised for) becomes apparent upon him in such a way that he cannot be excused from disparagement.”
[Tahdheeb At-Tahdheeb (7/273)]
Imam At-Tabari rahimahullah said:
«من ثبتت عدالته لم يقبل فيه الجرح، وما تسقط العدالة بالظن»
“If someone's uprightness is established, no (unverified) criticism will be accepted against him, and one's uprightness is not overruled by speculation.”
[Hadyu As-Saari - P. 428]
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah said:
«لم ينج كثير من الناس من كلام بعض الناس فيهم، ولم يلتفت أهل العلم في هذا النحو إلا ببيان وحجة، ولم تسقط عدالتهم إلا ببرهان ثابت وحجة»
“Many were unable to escape being criticised by others, and the people of knowledge did not pay any attention to that unless it was based on proof and evidence, and their uprightness was not overruled except with firm proof and evidence.”
[Juz' Al-Qiraa'ah Khalfa Al-Imaam - P. 14]
This was also mentioned by:
- Muhammad ibn Nasr Al-Marwazi in 'Fat-h Al-Mugheeth' (2/188)
- Al-Bayhaqi in 'Sunan Al-Kubraa' (10/124)
- Ibn 'Abdil Barr in' Jaami' Bayaan Al-'ilm wa fadhlihi' (2/1093)
- Al-Biqaa'ee in 'An-Nukat Al-Wafiyyah' (1/610)
- Al-Mu'allimi in 'At-Tankeel' (1/255)
and others...