Shaikh Falaah ibn Isma'eel refutes Jam'iyyah Ahlel-Hadith (UK), Jam'iyyah Ihyaa at-Turaath, Abu Usamah Dhahabi and Suhaib Hasan:
On the night of Tuesday 16th September 2008 (16th Ramadaan 1429H) Shaikh Falaah Isma'eel responded to the manhaj of the Jamiat Ahlel-Hadith UK, clearly showing and proving in detail why their manhaj is deviated and misguided. He was asked concerning Abu Usamah Dhahabi and his "shaikh" Suhaib Hasan as well as the Jam'iyyah Ahlel-Hadith (UK) as an entity and its manhaj.
The way of the Shaikh Falaah Ibn Ismaa'eel is always to begin by laying down the foundations and showing them clearly as being the path of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamaa'ah, then he shows how the various jama'aat such as the "Jamiat Ahl-e-Hadith UK" and the "Jam'iyyah Ihya Turath al-Islami (Kuwait)" have opposed and comprised and aided in the destruction of these foundations.
He stated that both these organisations are politically driven and have comprised their fundamentals in pursuit of power and politics; they will compromise with the innovators who are the avowed enemies of Salafiyyah in attaining their goals.
He quoted some beautiful points of benefit from Imaam Al-Albaanee showing how these organisations begin upon the Sunnah, then due to their desire to gather people and increase numbers, they begin to compromise their religious beliefs and methodology - they enter into politics and then a veil of silence overcomes them - they are no longer able to speak about the detailed issues or the clear manhaj of Salafiyyah, they are no longer able to refute the people of bid'ah, nor do they enjoin the good and forbid the evil except in generalities; rather they join ahlul-bid'ah, sign pacts and accords with them, join their platforms - they unite upon the lowest common point of agreement and the manhaj and usool are thrown "out of the window" - in this manner they oppose the Sunnah and aid in the destruction of Salafiyyah!
The Shaikh advised them to make tawbah, repent and return to the manhaj of the Sunnah, return to the true path that they have deviated from.
He also mentioned how people attach themselves to certificates and to the fact that they are graduates and therefore qualified to teach, yet the certificate becomes only a means to get their goals. He said he knows people who graduated and then opposed the Sunnah and the usool.
Note: Muhammad al-Maghrawi is a graduate and has been refuted; Safar al-Hawali is graduate, with a PhD; Salman al-Awdah is a graduate; Abdur-Rahman Abdul-Khaliq is a graduate; Suhaib Hasan is a graduate; Yasir Qadhi is graduate; Abu Muslimah is a graduate; Bilal Philips is a graduate; Abu Usamah is a graduate; Tawfique Chowdhury is a graduate and so on - yet their certificate did not protect them from misguidance and innovation. The education is a trust that they violated and a proof against them not a tazkiyyah for them!
The beauty of these words of Shaikh Falaah show us once again we are not concerned with taqleed and blind-following of those who praise the Jam'iyyah. This is an issue knowing the Usool of the Sunnah, and of evidences and proofs - this is not an issue of taqleed! If we were people of taqleed, then it would more worthy that we make taqleed of the Four Imaams than that we make taqleed of modern times. We are supposed to be people of Sunnah and evidences.
In conclusion: we make mention of the words of Shaikhul-Allaamah Ubaid al-Jaabiree wherein he said that anyone who knows Ubaid al-Jaabiree knows that he opposes the groups and parties of hizbiyyah and siyaasah (political activism) that misguide the people. He goes on to mention that this group 'Jam'iyah Ahlel-Hadith UK' is not a Jamaa'ah upon the Sunnah - that they have nothing to do with Hadith and Sunnah - Their only connection to the hadith is that it happens to appear in their group's name! He continues to say that he holds it impermissible to cooperate with this organisation or to organise events with them or participate along with them.
Yet we find the likes of Abu Usamah Dhahabi staunchly adhering to these organisations, defending them and comprising alongside them (and then he wonders what all the fuss is about!).
So after all this, we say: what is it that Abu Usamah Dhahabi is confused about exactly?! What evidences is he after exactly?
The fact that his "shaikh" Suhaib Hasan openly praises and sits with innovators and extreme soofees, such as Muhammad Adam al-Kawtharee and Yusuf al-Qardaawee?
Or the fact that Suhaib Hasan is on the European Fatwa council with Al-Qardaawee at its head, holding the role of president?
Or is it the fact that his other "shaikh" Abdul-Hadi holds that the misguided Maudoodi was a great scholar of international standing?
Or is that his "shaikh" Suhaib Hasan celebrated the Prophet's "birthday" alongside the Tory Party and a group of Soofees?
Or is Abu Usamah unaware that Salma Yaqub, of the Socialist Party who (in her own words) "would wage a campaign against the hijaab in Saudi Arabia", delivered a lecture in the mosque in which he himself is the khateeb, i.e. Green Lane mosque?!
Was he unaware - or is it just as he claims (and swears by Allaah) he was unaware of the fact that Waleed ibn Uqbah (radhi Allaahu 'anhu) was a companion when he accused him of being a Faasiq! Yet on the tape where he made this evil comment, he clearly states, "There was a companion by the name of Waleed ibn Uqbah, radhi Allaahu anhu" and then continues to declare him to be a faasiq!
Or is it that Abu Usamah himself sees himself beyond the restrictions of the Salafi manhaj - so he himself participates with people of misguidance, such as those who signed the pledge to unite (with grave-worhipping soofees) upon misguidance such as lecturing alongside Haitham al-Hadaad, Abdur-Raheem Green, Tawfique Choudhury and Yasir Qadhi?
Or is it that he is unaware that his colleague (in the Jam'iyah) Usamah Hasan, the son of Suhaib Hasan - who is also a khateeb and a Ramadhaan imaam in the Jam'iat Ahlel-Hadith Masjid, Leyton in East London who states that he now rejects the taking of the texts upon their apparent (dhaahiri) meaning and regards himself to be a "soofee-wahaabi", that muslim women do not have to cover their heads, that listening to music is halaal, that it is possible humans may have evolved from apes; that Britain is the most Islamic country in the world; that he would like to see a Turkish-style secular regime in the Islamic lands!?
Or is he unaware and ignorant of another "shaikh" of his, Bilaal Philips (whom he is constantly praising and defending), who praises Mawdoodi and Hasan al-Banna and raises them to the level of Mujadideen (revivers of the Religion) and regards anyone who criticises them like those who criticise Al-Hafidh Ibn Hajr and Imaam An-Nawawee (rahimahumullaah)!?
Or has he forgotten his own recent praise of Zakir Naik - the one who believes it is quite acceptable to call Allaah with the title Brahmah, Shiva and Vishnu!?
Is he unaware of the statements of the Scholars regarding Muhammad al-Maghraawee and his deviations, and likewise Usamah al-Qoosee - No he is not, yet he still joins them in their conferences and translates for them and brings to English speaking audience the words of those whom have been refuted by the Scholars!? And then he wonders what all the fuss is about! Instead of being alongside the evidences and proofs, he turns his attack and enmity towards the Salafis.
Or is it that all of this acceptable to you, because Shaikh Wasi'Ullaah still praises the Jam'iat Ahlel-Hadith UK? And as they claim, "we are with Shaikh Wasi'Ullaah"!!
This is taqleed in reality. And this taqleed is forbidden even for the general folk, i.e. to continue to take from a shaikh in this particular point, even after the evidences have been provided and he is shown to be incorrect in this particular matter.
So the measure is no longer what the Qur'aan and Sunnah and Salaf were upon - the new measure is "we will hold to what our shaikh has said"! This is the root of taqleed!
So now we find Abu Usamah openly attacking a group of Salafis, accusing them of hizbiyyah, extremism (ghuloo), and Hadaadiyyah - and declaring them to be ahlul-bid'ah. Why? - because they briought into the open his established public mistakes. Yet he sits in the belly of a jam'iyah known by those ulamah who have studied the evidences and have deep insight into the manhaj to be a "political group" and not a Jamaa'ah upon the Sunnah.
He defends his group, praises its heads, ignores their mistakes, and joins in their errors and throws accusations against the Salafis - and then invokes the curse of Allaah upon himself and his children, asking Allaah to make them die as jews if he does not wish to make tawbah?!
It is not forgotten by those who know Abu Usamah, how he worked and associated himself with Jami'yyah Ihyaa Turaath of Kuwait for years, knowing full-well from the scholars that this was a deviated and partisan group. Till this day he continues to praise and translate for its speakers, even attempting recently to use them in his claim to make "rectification" with the Salafis! How does he expect to make rectification with the Salafis by using speakers who belong to Jam'iyyah Ihyaa Turaath?!
Or has he also forgotten the statements of Shaikh Al-Albaanee, Shaikh Rabee', Shaikh Ahmad an-Najmee, Shaikh Muhammad ibn Haadee, Shaikh Ubaid Al-Jaabiree, Shaikh Muqbil ibn Haadee (in fact over 150 scholars) all warning against this group? Yet he wants to make 'islaah' with the Salafis by the use of this group! Is he real?
So we do not want to hear his claims to tawbah. A mere claim means nothing - he has been claiming for years with the mantra, "By Allaah, I want to make tawbah. May my children die as Jews! I want to make tawbah!" Yet he has not embarked upon this tawbah. His contradictions, deceptions and deeds belie his claim.
And IF he makes tawbah, it must be as clear as the sun in the sky with no ambiguities - he should take the evidences from the scholars and stop thinking he is a mujtahid who has valid opinions along with the Scholars, he has no such ability and he has not right to scholarship. He must seek the forgiveness of those who have tried to correct him over the years, to whom he has shown so much enmity and venemous hatred.
He should seek the forgiveness of those Shaikhs he has spoken ill of such as Shaikh Rabee' and likewise Shaikh Ubaid (against whom he has made nasty insinuations); he must leave his association with the groups, individuals and organizations of misguidance; he should declare his freedom from those deviants he has been defending for years.
Then after that he should stop talking and lecturing. And then learn the usool and manhaj - sit with those who know; abandon the people of innovation and hizbiyyah, do not keep company with them, don't make excuses for them - just be silent and listen. It is not the case, and nor the way of the Salaf, that one is a caller to misguidance one day, and then he becomes the greatest caller to Sunnah the following morning! No, Wallaahi, no! He will again become an evenue to misguidance. This is not the Salafi way. Learn the truth, learn the aqeedah, learn the usool and then act.
Shaikh Falaah Isma'eel | Jamiat Ahlul-Hadith UK & Abu Usamah Dhahabi