Shaykh ʿAlī al-Ḥudhayfī provides some answers to various doubts and oppositions expressed by Asʿad al-Zaʿtarī, who is from the group of ʿArafāt al-Muḥammadī, and clarifies what the Book and the Sunnah came with and what the scholars are upon—in opposition to the views expressed by al-Zaʿtarī.
Regarding the first matter, Shaykh ʿAlī Ḥudhayfī comments on remarks made by Asʿad al-Zaʿtarī, expressing the view than when any faction that rebels and fights against the state people should refrain from supporting the state because the two parties are fighting over worldly matters, and their concern is not raising the banner of Tawḥīd or spreading the Sunnah, rather it is regarding power.
Shaykh ʿAlī provides numerous angles in responding to this:
First, this saying opposes the Book, the Sunnah and the way of the people of knowledge and it is not known that any of the people of knowledge spoke with it.
This is because the evidences in the Qurʾān and the Sunnah are very general, and likewise, in the fatāwā of the scholars, they censure those who rebel, without any distinction between a state and another state and a rebellious faction and another one (in terms of what they are fighting for).
Second, this view necessitates that if you know of a conspiracy against the state by someone who wants to create chaos (through revolt), then you are not bound to advise him, and show rejection against him, and nor to inform the authorities about him.
Rather, this view allows for the understanding that if someone fights the state claiming to establish the Sharīʿah, then it would be legislated to support him against the state, because the state would be fighting for worldly reasons (to keep power) whereas the rebels are fighting for the Sharīʿah. This would be a corrupt saying, and I do not think that you (al-Zaʿtarī) intend it or hold it.
As for the people of knowledge, they are upon the opposite of this, and stand with the governments against the rebels, even if they claim that they are going to establish the Sharīʿah. As an example, Shaykh Rabīʿ stood with the Algerian government against the Khārijites, despite the Islamic Salvation Front winning 60% of the votes in elections, while claiming to establish the Sharīʿah.
Third, he views that the state is only aided with fighting if its goal is to raise Allāḥ’s word, which is in error, and perhaps it escaped the brother that the speech of the scholars regarding fighting alongside the rulers is for the purpose of preserving the jamāʿah of the Muslims (i.e. unity), which is a mighty objective of the Sharīʿah which has commanded every way that preserves unity while prohibiting every way that splits the jamāʿah, and transgression (rebellion) is one of those ways which leads to splitting and corruption in society.
The Sharīʿah has prohibited rebellion against the state even if it is done in the name of enjoining the good and prohibiting the evil, and this is prevent splitting, civil strife, bloodshed and forms of corruption that ensue. Hence, the state is to be supported in the fighting that is to raise Allāh’s word and the fighting that preserves the unity, security and stability of the nation.
The fourth angle, regarding his statement that the state “fights for the sake of the world” is incorrect because in some wars waged by the state against rebels they are closer to the truth, such as when they fight the transgressing rebels, or terrorist organisations and their likes. So they are fought to preserve the security and integrity of the state, and the lives of the people from the corruption of the Khārijites and the destruction they bring to society.
After clarifying this error, Shaykh ʿAlī then goes on to discuss the second matter, which is fabricating lies against mashāyikh and using insulting words and labels such as “The Nizārī Sect (Firqah)”, and, “from them is that Sūdānī” and “they sold their religion to please this Sūdānī Ḥaddādī” and various other insults. Likewise, he said in another audio that Shaykh Nizār reviles and expels from Salafiyyah anyone who does not agree with him in the issue of Sūdan.
Likewise, from his erroneous speech is that he claimed that Shaykh Rabīʿ used to send his book against ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ʿAbd al-Khāliq to the scholars in case there were any observations (i.e. mistakes), and this is incorrect, because the Shaykh used to send his books so that they can see the deviation of the various groups, and write an introduction to for him, so that it is strengthened.
The third matter concerns the foulness in speech of al-Zaʿtarī such as his saying, “The Nizārites are the effeminates of the Muṣaʿfiqah”, and “Effeminate fools and madmen”, and “idiots, fools” and so on.
The fourth matter is concerning some speech of his brother, Saʿd al-Zaʿtarī in which he says that Algeria remains colonised (by France) and that its independence is fake. He says that it remains colonised and they have admitted this, and that this is true for Algeria and other countries, and that even if this may not be an apparent colonisation, it remains a hidden colonisation. Al-Zaʿtarī asks: “What independence did they take?” and: “The real independence is by implementing the religion.” Shaykh ʿAlī remarks that this is oppression against Algeria and its people, and asks him for his evidence for this speech.
Finally, Shaykh ʿAlī says to Asʿad al=Zaʿtarī:
—a) That there is no harm in contending with Shaykh Nizār bin Hāshim al-Sūdānī (as regards to his view) as everyone’s saying can be accepted or rejected besides the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم), so if he sees any errors he can refute the errors with evidence. As for behaving foolishly and using foul language and fabricating lies, then this is harmful, and so far, we have not seen any knowledge-based contention against Shaykh Nizār, only accusations without evidence.
—b) We do not know where your jealousy for Salafiyyah was on the day that many disgraceful manhaj violations took place, and they did not suffice with these violations but brought disrepute upon those who offered advice. We do not know where your jealousy was when our honour was oppressively crushed over many years. Further, your shaykhs were made aware of these deviations, yet they did not utter a single word. Not only that, but they also, without justification, warned against those who offered sincere advice. And Dr. ʿAbd Allah al-Bukhārī is aware of this unjust warning, yet he has done nothing.
End of the article.
See also: Shaykh Nizar’s Refutation of ʿArafāt al-Muḥammadī’s False Speech Regarding the Minister’s Rebellion.
Note: There is a clearly identifiable faction that has emerged which is marked by mixing political ambitions with Salafiyyah, complicity in rebellious, seditious and secessionist activities, opposing the fatwa of senior scholars, lying to senior scholars about matters of war and bloodshed and what entails splitting of nations, authorising fighting against legitimate authority, spreading doubts that justify rebellion among Salafī youth, confusing them about the firmly established foundations of the Sunnah and instilling hatred into their hearts against those who point out their errors in protection of the creed and methodology and the servant and the land.