Is it permissible to accept the Invitation of Ahlul Bidah to give talks in their Masajid?

Question:

The Imām of a ḥizbi masjid requests from one of the Salafi brothers to come to his masjid to give a Jumu’ah Khuṭbah, should he answer his request and go to him?

Answer:

No! Not unless they want it to be a masjid upon Sunnah, or a masjid run by Ahlus-Sunnah whereby they take charge of the masjid, establish the Sunnah therein and use it to benefit the people. As for a Sunni coming to give a khuṭbah and then they use the rest of the time (when he’s not around) erasing what took place of good, and they have Taṣwīr and other oppositions to the Sunnah with them, then no! Anyone who seeks from Ahlus-Sunnah to establish his masjid, he should hand them the masjid and let them establish the Sunnah therein, without allowing the ḥizbees and the people of innovation to come and misguide the people. He will be rewarded for this. But if he wants to mix the truth with falsehood, such that this one gives a khuṭbah and that one gives a khuṭbah, this one rectifies and that one corrupts; this type of cultivation is like the one who tries to fill a leaking tank. It bears no results!…It becomes a ‘progressive’ (masjid) as is said; a Ṣūfi comes, they listen to him, a ḥizbi comes, they listen to him, a Shī’ē comes, they listen to him, and so on; the door is open for everyone. This is not right!

Allāh the Exalted said:

{قُلۡ هَلۡ یَسۡتَوِی ٱلۡأَعۡمَىٰ وَٱلۡبَصِیرُ أَمۡ هَلۡ تَسۡتَوِی ٱلظُّلُمَـٰتُ وَٱلنُّورُ}

“Say: “Is the blind equal to the one who sees? Or darkness equal to light?” [Sūrah Ar-Ra’d: 16]

And He said:

{أَمۡ نَجۡعَلُ ٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ كَٱلۡمُفۡسِدِینَ فِی ٱلۡأَرۡضِ أَمۡ نَجۡعَلُ ٱلۡمُتَّقِینَ كَٱلۡفُجَّارِ }

“Or should We treat those who believe and do good like those who make mischief throughout the land? Or should We treat the righteous like the wicked?” [Sūrah Ṣād: 28]

This is not right!

The Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever hears of the Dajjāl, then let him stay far from him.”

And he ﷺ said: “If you see those (in whose hearts is a deviation) following that which is not entirely clear thereof, then beware of them, for they are the ones whom Allāh has mentioned.”

And he ﷺ said: “Whoever innovates into this affair of ours that which is not from it will have it rejected.”

It is not right that we listen to every speaker!

It is mentioned in the introduction of Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim that: “A time will soon come when misguided individuals (Shayāṭīn) will emerge, narrating to you what neither you nor your fathers have ever heard, so beware (of them) and let them also beware (of speaking without knowledge)!”

This (matter) is established in the books of the Salaf.

“Do not sit with the people of innovation, for I fear they may drown you in their innovation or cause you to become confused about matters of your Deen.”

Ibn ’Abbās raḍhiyallāhu ’anhu said: “Do not sit with the people of innovation, because sitting with them will cause you to become sick.”

Allāh ﷻ said:

{فَأَعۡرِضۡ عَن مَّن تَوَلَّىٰ عَن ذِكۡرِنَا وَلَمۡ یُرِدۡ إِلَّا ٱلۡحَیَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنۡیَا…الآية}

“So turn away ˹O Prophet˺ from whoever has shunned Our Reminder, only seeking the ˹fleeting˺ life of this world.” [Sūrah An-Najm: 29]

And He ﷻ said:

وَٱصۡبِرۡ نَفۡسَكَ مَعَ ٱلَّذِینَ یَدۡعُونَ رَبَّهُم بِٱلۡغَدَوٰةِ وَٱلۡعَشِیِّ یُرِیدُونَ وَجۡهَهُۥۖ وَلَا تَعۡدُ عَیۡنَاكَ عَنۡهُمۡ تُرِیدُ زِینَةَ ٱلۡحَیَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡیَاۖ وَلَا تُطِعۡ مَنۡ أَغۡفَلۡنَا قَلۡبَهُۥ عَن ذِكۡرِنَا وَٱتَّبَعَ هَوَىٰهُ وَكَانَ أَمۡرُهُۥ فُرُطࣰا

“And patiently stick with those who call upon their Lord morning and evening, seeking His pleasure. Do not let your eyes look beyond them, desiring the luxuries of this worldly life. And do not obey those whose hearts We have made heedless of Our remembrance, who follow ˹only˺ their desires and whose state is ˹total˺ loss.” [Sūrah Al-Kahf: 28]

And He ﷻ said:

{فَٱسۡتَقِمۡ كَمَاۤ أُمِرۡتَ وَمَن تَابَ مَعَكَ…الآية}

“So be steadfast as you are commanded ˹O Prophet˺, along with those who turn ˹in submission to Allāh˺ with you.” [Sūrah Hūd: 112]

It is incumbent upon us to remain steadfast, as we are among those who have turned ˹in submission to Allāh˺ along with the Prophet ﷺ. So we must follow his guidance and remain guidance as He ﷻ has commanded us.

It is not right for one to say that everyone -in my view- is the same, as you have heard; because Allāh has distinguishes between people:

{ ٱنظُرۡ كَیۡفَ فَضَّلۡنَا بَعۡضَهُمۡ عَلَىٰ بَعۡضࣲۚ وَلَلۡـَٔاخِرَةُ أَكۡبَرُ دَرَجَـٰتࣲ وَأَكۡبَرُ تَفۡضِیلࣰا }

“See how We have favoured some over others ˹in this life˺, but the Hereafter is certainly far greater in rank and in favour.” [Sūrah Al-Isrā’: 21]

He ﷻ has distinguished between them in terms of Taqwa…, in terms of Sunnah…; thus the scholar is not like the ignoramus, the Muṣliḥ (rectifier) is not like the Mufsid (corruptor), and the person of truth is not like the person of falsehood. So the people are not all the same!

The reason for noting this is because there are people who say everyone is the same in my sight. This belief is neither correct, nor is this the path traversed by the Prophet ﷺ, his Companions and the Salaf (may Allāh be pleased with them all).

The Prophet ﷺ said: “The Jews split into seventy-two sects, and my Ummah will split into seventy-three sects; all of them will be in the Hellfire except one sect.” They asked, which is it O Messenger of Allāh? He said: “What I and my Companions are upon today.”

This addition is authentic once all the chains and supporting narrations are brought together.

Therefore, you are taking a risk by mixing with these destroyed sects.

The Prophet ﷺ said: “Leave me with what I have left to you, for those who were before you were desroyed because of excessive questioning, and their opposition to their Prophets.”

Thus, opposing the Messenger leads to destruction.

I advise my brothers with Tamayyuz (being distinct). And this is the meaning of Tamayyuz; being distinguished by holding to the book of Allāh, the Sunnah of His Messenger, and the methodology (manhaj) of the Salaf and remaining far from the people of innovation, and whoever wants goods, this is the goodness. Let him come to it, rather than him pulling me towards him. This means he has utterly degraded you and deemed you to be weak, and he has overpowered you together with his Shayṭān, as he has been able to pull you towards his falsehood by means of worthless worldy affairs or vile doubts.

صادك في فخاخه بل صرت من أفراخه
He has caught you in his trap, rather you’ve become one of his nestling birds

Distinguish yourself O Sunni and invite people to the truth.

{ فَمَاذَا بَعۡدَ ٱلۡحَقِّ إِلَّا ٱلضَّلَـٰلُۖ فَأَنَّىٰ تُصۡرَفُونَ }

“So what is beyond the truth except falsehood? How can you then be turned away?” [Sūrah Yūnus: 32]

Without being proud and haughty. This is the truth; Kitab, Sunnah, upon the manhaj of the Salaf (may Allāh be pleased with them).

فَإِنۡ ءَامَنُوا۟ بِمِثۡلِ مَاۤ ءَامَنتُم بِهِۦ فَقَدِ ٱهۡتَدَوا۟ۖ وَّإِن تَوَلَّوۡا۟ فَإِنَّمَا هُمۡ فِی شِقَاقࣲۖ فَسَیَكۡفِیكَهُمُ ٱللَّهُۚ وَهُوَ ٱلسَّمِیعُ ٱلۡعَلِیمُ

“So if they believe in what you believe, then they will indeed be ˹rightly˺ guided. But if they turn away, they are simply opposed ˹to the truth˺. But Allāh will spare you their evil. For He is the All-Hearing, All-Knowing.” [Sūrah Al-Baqarah: 137]

Goodness is with the Ḥaqq and its people. Wallahi! The masjids of Ahlus-Sunnah, even if they are covered up (i.e. hidden), they continue to be upon Khayr and Barakah.

And so whoever invites you from the good people; those who want khayr for you, answer their invitation and give lectures at their place.

Likewise, short talks on the way, give them a kalimah; “A good word is charity,” tell them to fear Allāh, hold onto the Sunnah, encourage them to hold fast to the Qur’ān, Sunnah, Taqwa, warning them from bid’ah, sins. There’s no harm in that. The same with giving reminders in the marketplace, in gatherings, during business transactions; reminding people while walking, driving; all of this is from da’wah. The Prophet ﷺ used to go to the marketplace of the Polytheists and call them to Islām. So perhaps this is a means for them to be guided.

As for official khuṭbas and lectures, this should only be in the masjids of Ahlus-Sunnah. Those who want khayr know where to go. And that which relates to reminders on the way, then this is from the means of da’wah which the Prophet ﷺ and the Salaf utilised.

Note: some parts are slightly paraphrased

Answered by: Shaykh, the Allamah, the Trustworthy Advisor, Abu Abdirrahman Yahya bin Ali Al-Hajuri – may Allah preserve him

Source: https://t.me/madrasatuna/2511