Shaykh Rabīʿ Bin Hādī: The Use of Intellectual Terrorism to Shut Down Knowledge-Based Discussions and Critiques
The use of intellectual terrorism, threats, intimidation, and dictatorial methods have no relation to Islām, its sciences, rulings, or ethics. They will never silence the voice of truth, nor will they prevent its emergence and the emergence of its people, sooner or later, by Allāh’s might and power.
Shaykh Rabīʿ bin Hadī (رحمه الله) said:[1]
This era is the era of intelllectual terrorism. If you were to witness the intellectual terrorism taking place now on the Internet, when you say: “So-and-so erred”, the whole world becomes disturbed (by it), you merely point out someone’s mistake, and you are met with abuse, insults, threats and intellectual terrorism. These criminal methods aid them in fighting the truth and its people, and in persisting upon their falsehood, wandering like cattle, without morals, decency and honour at all.
By Allāh, until recently, there used to be some among the people of innovation who had some (degree) of reason, whereby they would give their opponents a platform to speak. Newspapers and magazine (publishers) would make their pages and magazines accessible to their adversaries, enabling them to criticise their editors and their scholars. Whoever wanted to respond could respond. But now, woe be to you! The swords are drawn and the tongues are sharpened.
This emanates from ignorance, misguidance, extremism and moral decline, a truly horrific decline compounded by a horrendous dictatorship having no equal. Even the most tyrannical despots may not even reach this level of intellectual terrorism against those who speak the truth.
Notes
Knowledge-based discussion, dialogue and critique is the hallmark of Ahl al-Sunnah between themselves as their pursuit is always the truth, and they operate in this field upon known and established principles which include truthfulness, trustworthiness, academic and intellectual integrity, sincerely desiring the truth, acknowledging the truth that is with the opponent, and engaging in meaningful discussion.
This leads to manifestation of truth, regardless of who possesses it, and leads to resolution of differences and conflicts and preserves unity and brotherhood. This is what used to be found in the presence of the great scholars of this era, who were upon this methodology and this is very apparent in their differences with each other, or in their refutations of those who go astray.
Sadly, in recent years, there has been a departure from this way, and this is due in part to the passing of the senior scholars, and prematurely raising others to their level. Improper cultivation has led to the use statuses and personalities (often exaggerated) to support views or judgements (and not actual evidences), and the use of intellectual terrorism, threats, bullying, intimidation to drown any meaningful discussion of views or positions. Or, these methods are used as a means of fleeing or deflecting from such discussions, or in order to shield clear mistakes and violations of the Salafī methodology that have taken place.
The way of the people of truth is to clearly identify the actual points of dispute, whether they are knowledge-based issues or rulings or judgements or disparagements. Then, following scholarly methods founded upon clear legislative (sharʿiyy) and methodological (manhajiyy) principles, with truth and integrity, they seek to discover and unravel the truth, because they want to adopt it. This is far removed from these other “criminal methods” as alluded to by Shaykh Rabīʿ bin Hādī.
However, despite these methods, the truth will always surface, sooner or later, since these methods can only emanate from people who have little to stand upon and are too cowardly to employ the proper methods of knowledge-based discussion and to embrace the truth, when it is apparent.
Further reading:
- Shaykh Rabīʿ Bin Hādī: Disparagement and Appraisal Are Made In Accordance With A Methodology and Principles, Not Statuses of Scholars
- Shaykh Rabīʿ bin Hādī: On the Necessity of Studying and Understanding the Speech of Two Contending Parties and Distinguishing Truth from Error
- Shaykh Rabīʿ bin Hādī: On Academic and Intellectual Integrity When Criticising Errors, Innovations and Misguidance
- Shaykh Rabīʿ bin Hādī: On the Necessity of Following Criticisms Based on Verification of Evidence, Not Bigotry and Partisanship Towards Individuals
- Shaykh Rabīʿ bin Hādī and Shaykh Ḥamūd al-Tuwayjurī: Accepting Truth from Scholars Due to Evidence Not Status, and There is no Place for Emotions, Schemes and Tricks in Clarifying Truth
- Shaykh Rabīʿ Bin Hādī: None Show Bigotry, Partisanship (Taʿaṣṣub) Save the Foolish Or Insane, a Believer Must Always Seek the Truth
Arabic Text:
Footnotes
1. Al-Dharīʿah ilā Maqāṣid al-Sharīʿah (1/246).