Question:
From the ahlul bidah , whom can be given salaam to? bearing in mind there are narrations from the salaf which showed that they forbade from saying Salam to the people of innovations like the qadariyyah ?
Answer:
Those who are labelled as the ‘duaat’ (preachers and callers) to the innovations. Those who organize, control and maintain the deviant sects along with those who are persistent upon sins. As for the ‘awaam’ (laymen) they should not be boycotted even if they have innovations like the ash’areef and soofees.
Because Allah says
“You [yourselves] were like that before; then Allah conferred His favor upon you, ” (Surah Nisaa 94)
No one you was a sunni and salafi by birth. Rather you all were upon some kind of errors and someone advised you. So you should not boycott the commoners. If you boycott them who shall teach them? Rather they are your capital as our Shaykh Yahya hafidahullah says. Even if you see them saying tasbeeh using beeds advise him and rectify him.
Answered by: Shaykh Abu Amr Abdul Kareem Al Hajooree hafidahullah