The Rulings on Groups and Parties

Shaikh Suhaib Hasan Abdul-Ghaffaar, hafizahullaah, head of the 'Noble Quraan Society' in London requested a verdict from the Committee of Major Scholars in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. So the reply was Fatwaa no. 18870 dated 11/6/1417H which corresponds to Wednesday the 23rd of October 1996, and it was signed by:

(i) The noble Shaikh and prominent scholar Shaikh Abdul-Azeez ibn Abdullaah ibn Baaz and
(ii) Shaikh Abdul-Azeez ibn Abdullaah Aal ash-Shaikh and
(iii) Shaikh Saalih ibn Fawzaan al-Fawzaan and
(iv) Shaikh Abdullaah ibn Abdur-Rahmaan al-Ghudayaan and
(v) Shaikh Bakr ibn Abdullaah Aboo Zayd, hafizahumullaah wa Ayyadahum bifadlihi.

Note: The number of questions which Shaikh Suhaib put to the Committee of Major Scholars was two.
The first of the questions from Shaikh Suhaib: "Based upon the Saying of Allaah, the Most High: Help you one another in al-Birr and at-Taqwaa, but do not help one another in sin and transgression.
Soorah al-Maaidah (5):2 It is said that it is obligatory to co-operate with all of the Islamic Jamaaahs, even though they differ with us with regard to methodologies and their way in giving dawah.
So Jamaaatut-Tableegh has a way of giving dawah different to the way of the Ikhwaanul-Muslimeen and Hizbut-Tahreer and Jamaaatul-Jihaad and the Salafees.
So how is this co-operation to be? And is it restricted for example to joint participation in conferences and gatherings? And what is to be the case when dawah is being given to non-Muslims, since confusion may be caused in the minds of new Muslims by the fact that each Jamaaah from these Jamaaahs will direct them to their own centres and their own scholars, which will confuse them.

So how will it be possible to avert this matter?" The Committee of Major Scholars replied: "What is obligatory is to co-operate with the Jamaaah that proceeds upon the manhaj (methodology) of the Book and the Sunnah and that which the Salaf of the Ummah were upon in calling to the Tawheed of Allaah, the One free of all imperfections, and making worship purely and sincerely for Him, and warning against shirk and innovations and sins, and to advise the Jamaaahs that are contrary to that.

So if they return to what is correct, then they are to be co-operated with. But if they persist upon being contrary then it is obligatory to keep away from them and to adhere to the Book and the Sunnah. Then co-operation with the Jamaaah that adheres to the manhaj (methodology) of the Book and the Sunnah will be upon everything that is good, righteousness and obedience to Allaah whether gatherings, conferences, lessons or lectures and in everything containing benefit for Islaam and the Muslims."


Shaikh Bin Baz on entering Islamic Groups and Parties

Q. ....and the students refer back to you and to the major scholars and ask them. So what do you advise them. Do you advise them that you approve of entry into the like of these Jamaa'ahs: Jamaa'atul-Ikhwaan, Jamaa'atul-Tableegh, Jamaatul-Jihaad, Jamaa'ah so and so..., or do you advise them to remain upon seeking knowledge with the students of knowledge from the Salafi da'wah?

Ans. All praise is for Allaah and may Allaah extol and send blessings of peace upon his Prophet. We advise them all to unite upon a single way, and that is ... (words unclear) seeking knowledge, and attaining understanding of the Book and the Sunnah - and to proceed upon the methodology (minhaj) of the Salafus-Saalih. But as for partisanship (tahazzub) for the Ikhwaanul-Muslimeen or Jamaa'atut-Tableegh or so on, then I do not advise that. That is a mistake. Rather we advise them that they should be together upon a single way, a single Jamaa'ah - advising one another upon the truth and...(words unclear), and having allegiance to the Ahlus-Sunnah wal Jamaa'ah. This is the correct way to prevent differences, and if there are groups (jamaa'ahs) upon that way - then that will not harm - for example a group in ...(words unclear), or a group for example in San'aa - but all of them are upon the Salafi way - following the Book and the Sunnah, calling to Allaah and having allegiance to the Ahlus-Sunnah wal Jamaa'ah, without partisanship (tahazzub) and without bigotry (ta'assub - rigidity upon a way even if it is false) - that will not harm, even if there is a number of groups as long as their way and their goal is one.

{From the taped cassette (no.11), recorded in the month of Dhul-Hijjah 1408H (1987CE) at 'at-Tawiyyatul-Islaamiyyah.}