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Lessons From the Fall and Sacking of Dammaaj at the Hands of Yahya Al-Hajuri: Shaykh Muhammad Bin Abdul-Wahhaab Al-Wasabee Posted by Abu.Iyaad, Editor in Articles

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Shaykh Muhammad bin Abdul-Wahhaab al-Wasaabee is from the most senior (in age and knowledge) from the students of Shaykh Muqbil, and he gave a lecture recently with some valuable advice and reflections in light of the fall and sacking of Dammaaj at the hands of Yahya al-Hajuri al-Haddadi, the reviler of the Companions and the instiller of hatred and enmity towards the Scholars of Ahl al-Sunnah. The audio can be downloaded from here.

This is extremely, extremely valuable advice and though it is directed at the various maraakiz (centres) in Yemen and to the Shaykhs of those maraakiz and the students of knowledge therein, it is also highly relevant to Ahl al-Sunnah in every place. Note also the wisdom, calmness and deliberation of Shaykh Muhammad bin Abdul-Wahhaab, Allaahuma baarik (and compare it to the state of the likes of al-Hajuri). When you listen to a Shaykh who has been granted tawfeeq, you feel calmness and serenity and you perceive the wisdom emanating from his speech. And when you hear the Haddaadiyyah talk and speak, you feel the foul, scorching wind with fiery hot-headedness. Anyone with intellect can see and feel the difference.

As you read the points keep in mind the Hajaawirah Haddaadiyyah that are found in the West, their history and behaviour and you will see what the Shaykh is speaking about. The reader should also note that there are those in the West, mingling in the ranks of the Salafis, harbouring sympathy for Yahya al-Hajuri. They withheld their tongues from al-Hajuri but work intrigues to undermine their Salafi brothers and cause dissension. One should beware of this type of faction, for they are intending for the da'wah the same as what al-Hajuri brought upon the da'wah in Yemen. They wish for the Salafi maraakiz to be undermined and to fall for whatever desires they have and pursue.

So here are the main points, these are summary points, in most cases its verbatim, but in places it has been summarized for brevity:

1. We are not a state (dawlah) nor a battlefront (jabhah), nor a resistance (muqaawamah). But we are simply da'wah. This is nobility for us, even if some people belittle us and our da'wah because they entered into politics and groups. This does not bother us, we are da'wah. We feel honoured by this. "And who is better in speech than one who calls to Allah and says I am from the Muslims (41:33).

2. Our da'wah is envied by others and thus we must protect and safeguard it, we have the favour of knowledge, sunnah, da'wah. There are people with weak souls (who can be motivated by desires) and others who like to incite between the seekers of knowledge, and to spread controversies. We do not have any hizbiyyah, we have no secrecy, we warn against revolutions, demonstrations, bombings. Our da'wah is pure. We respect the Scholars and obey the rulers.

3. Look at those who were reviling and mocking the scholars, making fun of them, speaking ill of them. Where are they now? They were reviling al-Nawawi and Ibn Hajar and al-Albani, and I advised some of them and told them to withhold their tongues and fear Allaah.

4. We love the seeker of knowledge who is well-mannered and who does not cause commotion and stir things. Look at Dammaaj, we can take a lesson from it. We must reflect... Look at the whirlwind that took place there... there were revilements upon the Scholars, every person seeking to proclaim and manifest himself (get limelight), make himself well-known. This is a great danger and we do not accept it. The seeker of knowledge must maintain manners with the scholars, with his teachers, with the Muslims.

5. You must praise Allaah for these maraakiz that are present, they are goodness. In these centres, we must preserve them through obedience to Allaah and His Messenger. Sins are a cause of destruction of the servant, the land and (entire) nations. We must be upon istiqaamah (uprightness). We do not change Dar al-Hadith into qeel and qaal. Look at where Dammaaj used to be, it was a crown on the heads of the believers. And when qeel and qaal, revilment, mockery, abuse appeared what happened to it? So we must fear Allaah.

6. The maraakiz are many and the duroos are many, so there is abundance so fear Allaah and keep away from qeel and qaal (i.e. speaking about other maraakiz and students and scholars), speaking about the Shaykh of markaz and speaking about this and that. This is what destroyed Dammaaj. "Allaah does not change the condition of a people until they change what is with themselves" (13:11). The verse contains the precursor (muqaddimah) and the end-result (khaatimah). When they change what is with themselves, the situation will be made to change over them. When they change then the end-result will come to them. There is no doubt that Dammaaj has been changed, but this did not happen until they changed, this would not have happened. If they remained upright, upon respect of others, not having mockery, belittlement, abuse of others, the situation would not have changed upon them, but they changed. When you correct or refute a Sunni, do so with utmost adab, within the limits of the legislation. If they remained like this, the situation would not have changed upon them. But when they changed, the situation was made to change upon them. Do you want to experience the same thing as them? Preserve your time, wherever you may be in any markaz or any centre from the centres of the Sunnah. Show respect and manners.

7. The hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah (radiallaahu anhu), "You will not enter Paradise until you believe, you will not believe until you have mutual love, shall I not direct you to something which if you do will bring about mutual love, that you spread the salaam between yourselves." Reported by Muslim.

8. In Dammaaj they got involved in qeel and qaal, and then they splintered and manifested hizbiyyah. I advise those who have established the maraakiz in the various areas that they protect their maraakiz and not to accept any incitation and commotion. We respect all the Scholars, those of Hijaaz, Najd and all scholars in the world who are upon the Book and Sunnah, we respect them, and the same in Yemen, we respect all of our Shaykhs, we do not accept any abuse of them, wherever they are, not against those in Egypt, or Sudan or anywhere. You are a student of knowledge, so manifest the characteristics. We do not accept into our ranks except those who have manners, one who does not complain and is not complained about. He is concerned with studying, revises his lessons, has love for his brothers and so on.

9. This da'wah is not based on wealth it is based on mutual love and cooperation and of respect of the Shaykh (no matter where your markaz is), do not belittle, mock, abuse, fear Allaah in your soul. Do not be deceived by your memorization. Do not become inflated by your memorization. If you compared yourself with the Huffaadh (of Hadeeth), you are nothing. Do you know that some of those people, their hearts have become hardened, because they just speak about others (in the maraakiz). Busy yourself with knowledge, write, record, memorize (benefits) but don't get involved in qeel and qaal.

10. I also advise that you (students) do not give fataawaa, that should be for the Shaykh of the markaz. If you giving lessons, remain with the limits of your lessons. But when issues come to you from here and there, do not give fatwa, we do not open up the door to confusion. Some of them when they have finished a lesson they say, "Whoever has an issue or question, then let him ask..." What is this? Rather he should say, "Whoever has a question I will take it to the Shaykh", he should be the hamzat al-wasl between the people and the Scholars. As for when we all become Scholars (there is confusion)... so not any person should be given fatwas. Look at some of the Scholars, questions come about talaaq, and the Scholars say "No, I don't give fatwa in this topic" take it to the Muftee, yet he is a Scholar. So when you know your own level, and respect the scholars, then Allaah will honour and raise you. The scholars have their position and status. You are a student, don't hasten things. Don't desire for it to be said, "Shaykh."

11. We heard the hadeeth of Abu Waaqid al-Laythee in the lesson earlier, the three who entered a mosque, the one who sat in the lesson, the one who was shy, and the one who left. This hadeeth is one of many that proves the principle "al-jazaa'u min jins al-amal" (the recompense for a deed is of its like), so the one who left (the lesson in the mosque) without a reason or excuse, do you wish to be like such a one... When you know the presence of lessons, knowledge and you turn away. Do you want Allaah to turn away from you? So by Allaah, you must attend the lessons, and cooperate with each other upon righteousness and piety.

12. Brothers, take lesson from Dammaaj, the mother of all centers (umm al-maraakiz), how it used to be in the life of Shaykh Muqbil (rahimahullaah), it was a torch of light. There was love, affection, respect, mercy, knowledge, action, teaching, da'wah to Allaah and so on. Then when came al-Hajuri, what did he do? He destroyed it. He demolished it. Dammaaj did not fall at the hands of the Houthis, they only came afterwards. They came after al-Hajuri came and destroyed Dammaaj. Revilements, abuse, cursing, cutting off, turning backs on each other, revilements upon scholars, cursing, giving fatwas without evidences. The Houthis only came afterwards when Dammaaj was already destroyed by al-Hajuri.

13. We free ourselves in front of Allaah from what al-Hajuri has done to the da'wah. Al-Hajuri does not represent the da'wah, nor the Sunnah, nor Islam, nor the Scholars, he only represents himself. When the Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) said, "O Allaah I free myself in front of you from Khalid" as reported in al-Bukhari, who is Khalid? Khalid bin Waleed, the noble Companion (radiallaahu anhu), he fell into an error, and the Messenger said this. Shall we not say this about what al-Hajuri has done. By Allaah there is no comparison between al-Hajuri and Khalid bin Waleed (radiallaahu anhu), by Allaah there is no comparison. The errors of al-Hajuri are in the hundreds, if they are not in the thousands. And Khalid's was one mistake and yet the Messenger said that, and this is for one whom he has love for. How many mistakes does al-Hajuri have, not just in one area, but in all areas, causing problems between students, leaders of the tribes, for the rulers etc.

14. We will not allow and accept a second al-Hajuri, a person who is going to be a second al-Hajuri, we will not allow this... only the major scholars of Yemen should give fatwa.. and we do not do as al-Hajuri did, those whom he names as mashaayikh al-dar, giving permission for those not fit for giving fatwa for giving fatwa, until even al-Hajuri himself is not fit giving for fatwa.

15. Also from the factors in destruction of Dammaaj is opening the doors fully, widely open for everyone to enter into al-Jarh wal-Ta'deel. Everybody making jarh of whomever he wishes... so there occurred what occurred, this is just one of the causes of many that led to the destruction of Dammaaj. Whatever error al-Hajuri fell into and those who have partisanship towards him, we do not want those errors repeated. The intelligent, insightful person is the one who takes admonition from others. When the intelligent person asks what destroyed Dammaaj, this is it, this is one of the major factors, opening the flood gates wide open to al-Jarh wal-Ta'deel for everyone. They criticized whom they desired and praised whom they desired and they would speak upon other than knowledge. They spoke about others, so and so is a hizbee, so and so is this, so and so is that, and the only one spared was al-Hajuri and whoever he was a Shaykh to, as if revelation was being sent down to such an individual, just like revelation was sent down to the Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam).

16. There were many things that destroyed Dammaaj, we should reflect upon them. In the field of al-Jarh wal-Ta'deel you should just be quoting the words of the Scholars, Shaykh Rabee' said such and such about so and so, Shaykh Muqbil said, Shaykh Ibn Baaz said... that's what you should be doing, and then you get on with your learning. But as for when you become the mu'addil and the mujarrih. This we do not accept this, we consider a person who enters into this as one who destroys. Let the people of knowledge speak, and you continue with your studies.

17. O Allah bear witness, we do not wish that the mistake of Dammaaj should be repeated. They made it a torch of fire after it was a torch of light. They changed it into a torch of fire after it was a torch of light. The recompense for an action is of its like, and as you behave and deal (with others), then likewise it will be done to you. Look at Shaykh Abdur-Rahmaan [whom the Hajaawirah attacked and made tabdee' of], he was patient, he did not speak, and he just continued on, he bore their harm... and some of them were saying that they have been making du'a against him since 1428H. But look what happened, they got overturned on their heads, and their du'a in fact fell upon themselves. They made du'a against a Sunni Shaykh who calls to Tawheed and Sunnah and to the aqeedah and to fiqh, a Sunni Shaykh! It did not harm him alhamdulillaah, but it harmed you and whoever is upon your way. It is as if you O fulaan, when you make du'a, then the angels say "and the same to you", every time you made du'a [against Shaykh Abdur-Rahman) the Angels said "and the same to you" and it did return upon you and from Allaah is aid sought.

18. Because of necessity I only mentioned these things so I can give example (through Dammaaj) that this error does not happen again in any of the other maraakiz. Look at the results, reflect upon what happened in Dammaaj of revilement, abuse, jarh, qeel and qaal and so on and so it departed from its way. Look at all of what they said about the Mashaayikh of abuse and bad descriptions all of it recorded with their voices... "Their testimony will be recorded and they will be asked" (43:19). "Your Lord will judge between the on the Day of Resurrection concerning that wherein they differ" (32:25).

19. Have they asked for pardon from their brothers? Look at this abandonment (that has been made upon them), they made much abuse, revilement, qeel and qaal, kadhib (lies), zoor (false witness), buhtaan (slanderous fabrication), did they ask for pardon? Did they say "All of the sons of Adam make mistakes and the best of those are the ones who repent" pardon us, we seek forgiveness from Allaah and repent to him from every evil, speech or action. (Did they say this?) It is as if they are like Angels who are free from mistakes. Whilst these people (students) were reviling others, al-Hajuri sits (listens) and laughs. We want people with adab (manners).

20. O Shaykhs, fear Allaah with respect to your maraakiz, and O students of knowledge fear Allaah and we do not accept any speech, not against the maraakiz, not against the state. Spend your time studying... we ask Allaah to take our hands into that which He loves and is pleased with.

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