So let one of you look at he who he takes as a close friend

Question:

What’s the ruling of sitting with those that accompany the Hizbis and the people of desires and at the same time accompany the people of the Sunnah?

Answer:

Imām Ibn Batta, may Allah have mercy upon him, reported in “Al-Ibaanah” with its chain of narration:

“That it was said to Al-Awzā’ī, that a man says: I accompany the people of the Sunnah and I accompany the people of innovation.
Whereby Al-Awzā’ī said:

This man wants to equate between truth and falsehood.”

Imām Ibn Batta, may Allah have mercy upon him, said:

“Al-Awzā’i spoke the truth, I say: this is a man who doesn’t know truth from falsehood, nor belief from disbelief, regarding his likes the Qur’ān was revealed and the Sunnah of Al-Mustafa ﷺ has come about.
Allah, the Most High, said:

(وَإِذَا لَقُوا۟ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ قَالُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا وَإِذَا خَلَوْا۟ إِلَىٰ شَيَٰطِينِهِمْ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا مَعَكُمْ)

“And when they meet those who believe, they say: “We believe,” but when they are alone with their Shayatin (devils – polytheists, hypocrites, etc.), they say: “Truly, we are with you”
[Al-Baqara:14]”

[End of speech]

Those of this condition are to be avoided until they stop accompanying the people of innovation.

This is because he is enlargening their ranks and is spreading their ideology, even if he doesn’t take it as creed, and he is deceiving the people towards their innovation, for this reason he is lined with them.

As Muhammed bin ‘Ubayd Al-Khalābi said:

“The people of desires hide everything except where their harmony lies and who their companions are.”

Imām Abu Daud asked Imām Ahmed, may Allah have mercy upon them both:

“I see a man from the people of the Sunnah with a man from the people of desires, do I stop speaking to him?, whereby he replied: No, inform him that the one you seen him with is a person of innovation, either he leaves speaking to him or he is lined with him, Ibn Mas’ūd said: A man is [known] by his friend.”
[End of speech]

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

Source:
t.me/abouhatem/176

Answered on:
22nd, Rabee’ Al-Awwal, 1438H.

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