Discontinuing speech on an innovator because he died?

Question:

What is your reply – even if in summary – to the one who prevents ‘Abdurrahman Al-‘Adani  being spoken about and having his Fitnah clarified after his death, using dreams and the situation he died in as proof in him dieing upon the Sunnah?

Answer:

الحمدلله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله وعلى آله وصحبه ومن اتبع هداه.

أما بعد:

This speech does not occur except from an ignorant person or someone who has been deceived.

For verily the man was a Hizbi and his Fitnah has reached the east and the west.

And the effects of his and his party’s war against the people of the Sunnah is still evident, and all of it has been compiled against them alongside binding evidences and clear proofs.

And Allah, the Most High, said:

(إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ تَابُوا۟ وَأَصْلَحُوا۟ وَبَيَّنُوا۟)

“Except those who repent and do righteous deeds, and openly declare.”
[Al-Baqara:160]

And the evidences of the legislation establish (Istishābl Hāl, remaining upon that which was decided) and (Baqā Mā Kān ‘Ala Mā Kān, leaving what was how it was) until proof is established which takes it away from this.

And it’s not known that ‘Abdurrahman Al-‘Adani repented from his fitnah and performed righteous deeds by putting a stop to the oppressions which have taken place nor clarified his atrocities against the people of the Sunnah, for it to be said that he died upon the Sunnah, which if a person was to die upon would be considered a good end.

Ājuri in his book “Sharī’ah” and Al-Lālakā’ī in his book “Sharh Usūl Al-‘Itiqād” and other than them, mentioned that it’s reported from Mu’tamar bin Suleymān, that he said:

“I entered upon my father while I was sad, whereby he said: what happened?, whereby I said: a friend of mine passed away, to which he replied: did he die on the Sunnah? To which I responded: yes, he then said: then don’t be sad for him.”

And whoever died upon innovation it’s the opposite to this.

Ibn Qudāmah in “Mukthasar Manhāj Al-Qāsidīn” said:

“For an evil end there are causes which precedes death like innovation for example.”

[End of speech]

And the evidences and the speech of the people of knowledge in this is plentiful.

So it’s a must that every claimant provides evidences for his claim, due to the statement of His, Exalted is He:

(قُلْ هَاتُوا۟ بُرْهَٰنَكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ صَٰدِقِينَ)

“Say, “Bring forth your proofs, if you are truthful.”
[An-Naml:64]

And if they don’t come with it, they would be from those that argue on behalf of the accused and defend them with falsehood.

Allah, the Most High, said:

(يُجَٰدِلُونَكَ فِى ٱلْحَقِّ بَعْدَمَا تَبَيَّنَ)

“Disputing with you concerning the truth after it was made manifest”
[Al-Anfāl:6]

And, He, Exalted is He, said:

(وَلَا تَكُن لِّلْخَآئِنِينَ خَصِيمًا)

“so be not a pleader for the treacherous.”
[An-Nisā:105]

And distancing from the person of falsehood and their falsehood –each type accordingly– is from the affairs which is ordered by the Book and the Sunnah and what the way of the Salaf was, be it that the person was alive of after his death.

Allah, the Most High, said:

(وَبَدَا بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكُمُ ٱلْعَدَٰوَةُ وَٱلْبَغْضَآءُ أَبَدًا حَتَّىٰ تُؤْمِنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَحْدَهُۥٓ)

“and there has started between us and you, hostility and hatred for ever, until you believe in Allah Alone”
[Al-Mumtahina:4]

And Imām Al-Baghawi, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:

“It is upon a Muslim when he sees a man takes something of desires and innovation as belief, or is negligent with something of the sunnan: to boycott him, and to free himself from him, and to leave him, dead or alive.”
[Sharh As-Sunnah]

And we are ordered with ruling upon a person in what his apparent was, whoever was a Hizbi and we didn’t know from him any repentance, then what we know from him would continue after he died.

In “Sahih Al-Bukhari” is that ‘Umar bin Al-Khatāb, may Allah be pleased with him, said:

“People would take by way of the revelation at the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, verily now the revelations stopped so we only hold you responsible by way of what appears to us from your actions; whoever shows us good we grant him peace, and bring him close, and his inner affairs and secrets is not for us, Allah will hold him to account for his inner private affairs.
As for those that show us evil, we will not grant him peace, even if he says that his inner private affairs are good.”

As for the subject of his recompense in the hereafter – in reward or punishment – then this affair is for Allah.

We are only requested to what is made apparent to us from his bigoted partisanship (Hizbiyyah) and his Fitnah.
As the narration of Al-Fārūq in the “Sahih” points towards.

Imām Yahya bin Ma’īn, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:

“Verily we disparage a people who could perhaps finished their travels in paradise over a hundred years ago.”
[End of speech as found in “Siyar” of Adh-Dhahabi]

If this was in regards to clarifying the weakness or mistakes of the deceased who were from the Imams of knowledge and Sunnah,

Then what do you think about someone whose Hizbiyyah and Fitnah and animosity and hostility and that of his party towards to the people of truth, was to the extent of that of ‘Abdurrahman Al-‘Adani?

The books of al-Jarh wat Ta’dīl which were written by the Imams of the Religion from the time of the Righteous Predecessors are full of the disparagement of the narrators and callers and other than them, living and deceased, in regards to their ‘Adālah (uprightness) or their Dabt (precision in memorisation and preservation), each accordingly.

And the death of the innovator – if there wasn’t any repentance and correction and clarification – does not remove the effects of his innovation which he has spread between the people, and has corrupted the uprightness of many people who were upon the Sunnah, due to his Fitnah.

And what has come in the evidences and narrations of preventing the speaking ill of the deceased from amongst the Muslims; then this is restricted by the evidences of the Book and the Sunnah and the Consensus of the people of knowledge to the preceding of the consideration of the benefit of religion and it’s preservation from the mistakes of the mistaken and the falsehood of those who are trialed, and everyone who has clear harms which affects Islām and the Muslims; then it’s legislated to mention them after their death – each accordingly-, this is what the Salaf were upon, may Allaah be pleased with them, and it was considered from the greatest acts of nearness to Allah and the most noblest of acts of worship.

And Imam Muqbil bin Hādi Al-Wādi’ī, may Allah have mercy upon him, has a chapter in his book “Nashr As-Suheyfa” entitled:

“The permissibility of disparaging the living or the deceased due to a religious benefit.”

And the speech of the people of knowledge in that are plenty.

So we ask Allah to grant us life firmly upon the Sunnah, and to grant us an end upon it.

And success is granted by Allah.

Answered by:
Shaykh Abu Hatim Yusuf Al-‘Inaabi Al-Jazaa’iree – may Allah preserve him.

Source:
t.me/abouhatem/35

Translated by:
Abu ‘Abdirrahman ‘Abdullaah bin Ahmed Ash-Shingaani.