It is shocking how, throughout the year, Muslims neglect their obligations, such as Prayer and zakat, or even recommended acts, such as fasting on Mondays and Thursdays,

only to engage in acts of innovation that are not required of them at all and have no basis whatsoever, such as performing specific acts of worship on the 15th night of Sha’ban.

If this is not misguidance…

Sadly, we have become too negligent when it comes to giving and accepting advice.

Many Salafis have friends whom they have known for a long time, yet no advice is ever given. Why though? Are we free from mistakes? Are we infallible? Are we that perfect?

And when advice is given, it is often about small matters rather than important ones. When this type of advice, regarding small matters, is given, everyone seems to accept it and starts making five-line-long supplications for the person who gave it.

Giving advice on smaller issues is, of course, not wrong at all. However, what happens when advice is given on more important issues?

Silence. Yes, silence. Even in groups of Salafis, it can sometimes feel like being in a group of “yes-men.” When someone gives advice, it’s almost as if they have dropped a bomb, total silence.

And not only is there silence, but the advice may also be rejected, or the people you advised might distance themselves from you. Worse, they might even turn hostile towards you.

And if you, the one who gave the advice, make a mistake, they might be very rude and angry at you. But if a “yes-man” who never advises them makes the same mistake, they might just smile and laugh. Of course, the yes-man may also get praised. Is this truly loving and hating for the sake of Allah?

Some people claim they are open to being advised, but when you do give them advice, they respond with dishonest questions like: “Are you a scholar?”, “How many books have you read?”, “Who did you study with?” etc.

If the issue is a lack of wisdom, knowledge, or bad timing when advising, then both sides, the one advising and the one being advised, can work on both issues. Why just straight out reject advice?

And the lack of advice or refusal to accept it has caused many problems among Salafis. It seems that many nowadays have their own small groups of yes-men, where there is only praise and no forbidding of evil.

The Prophet ﷺ said: “The Religion is sincere advice.” So, we should all strive to improve in both giving and accepting advice. Most importantly, we should advise with knowledge and sincerity, seeking the reward from Allah.

قال الإمام البربهاري رحمه الله:

"وإذا رأيت الرجل يدعو على السلطان فاعلم أنه صاحب هوى، وإذا رأيت الرجل يدعو للسلطان بالصلاح فاعلم أنه صاحب سنة إن شاء الله."

ويقول الإمام الفضيل بن عياض رحمه الله:

"لو كانت لي دعوة ما جعلتها إلا في السلطان."

[وقال أيضاً:]

"إذا جعلتها في نفسي لم تعدني، وإذا جعلتها في السلطان صلح فصلح بصلاحه العباد والبلاد.”

شرح السنة، ص. ٣١

Imam Al Barbahari, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

“If you see a man supplicating against the ruler, then know that he is a person of desires. And if you see a man supplicating for the ruler’s righteousness, then know that he is a person of Sunnah, in shaa Allah.”

Imam Al Fudayl ibn ‘Iyad, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

“If I had one supplication that would be answered, I would not make it for anyone except for the ruler.”

[And he also said:]

“If I were to make it for myself, then it would not extend beyond me. But, if I made it for the ruler, then he would be reformed and, through his righteousness, the servants of Allah and the lands would also be reformed.”

Sharh as Sunnah, p. 31

إن نصفَ الناسِ أعداءٌ لمنْ * * * ولـيَ الأحكامَ هذا إن عَدَلْ

لامية ابن الوردي

Half of the people are enemies to the one
who has the authority to rule, even if he is just.

Laamiyyah of Ibn al Wardi

قال الإمام الذهبي رحمه الله :

علامة المخلص الذي قد يحب شهرة، ولا يشعر بها، أنه إذا عوتب في ذلك، لا يحرد ولا يبرئ نفسه؛ بل يعترف، ويقول: رحِم الله من أهدى إليّ عيوبي.

سير أعلام النبلاء (٧/٣٩٣)

Imam adh Dhahabi, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

A sign of a sincere person (towards Allah), who might love fame without realizing it, is that when he is criticized for it, he does not become offended or absolve himself. Rather, he admits it and says:

“May Allah have mercy on the one who gifts me (the opportunity to see) my flaws.”

Siyar A‘lam al Nubala (7/393)

Additionally, we advise him to address such matters directly with his friends, rather than waiting for someone else to criticize them first, especially if they consider themselves students of his.

We could also mention that brother Faris Al Hammadi, who is promoted by Al Haqqan, who, by the way, avoids naming individuals, but when it comes to promoting his friends, he doesn’t…so he doesn’t avoid names? This can be confusing for the laymen? Anyway, while brother Faris might have said some questionable things in his fatwas, discussing them in detail would take too long. Therefore, we also advise Al Haqqan to advise those close to him regarding the way they issue fatwas.

We don’t really want to see people posting videos with shaky answers, that lack honesty to some degree, in response to criticism, while seeming bothered by the lack of knowledge from those who criticize, only to go on and do things like these. Contradictions are never good.

Closing note: Always refer back to the scholars of the Sunnah for correct fatwas, and do not become attached to individuals, but rather to the truth.

Keep making dua for your brothers and sisters, because it has become far too easy to slip nowadays.

We ask Allah to guide all of us.

قال النبي ﷺ:

سَتَكُونُ فِتَنٌ الْقَاعِدُ فِيهَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْقَائِمِ، وَالْقَائِمُ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْمَاشِي، وَالْمَاشِي فِيهَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ السَّاعِي، مَنْ تَشَرَّفَ لَهَا تَسْتَشْرِفْهُ، فَمَنْ وَجَدَ مَلْجَأً أَوْ مَعَاذًا فَلْيَعُذْ بِهِ.

صحيح البخاري ٧٠٨٢

The Prophet ﷺ said:

There will be fitan (tribulations) during which the one sitting will be better than the one standing. And the one standing will be better than the one walking. And the one walking will be better than the one running. Whoever exposes himself to these fitan will be destroyed by them. So whoever finds a refuge or a shelter (from them), let him take refuge in it.

Sahih al Bukhari 7082

قال الشيخ عبد الرزاق البدر حفظه الله:

رغم وضوح هذا المنهج وظهوره وكثرة عوائده وفوائده إلا أنَّه قد ظهرت في زماننا هذا من بعض الأفراد والجماعات مواقف مخذولة وآراء مرذولة تدعو بلا حياء إلى السكوت عن أهل البدع والأهواء وعدم التحذير منهم، وزعموا أن هذا هو المنهج الأقوم والطريق الأحكم، وقالوا: في هذا رأبٌ للصدع ولمُّ للشمل وتوحيدٌ للصفّ وجمعٌ للكلمة. وما من ريبٍ أنَّ هذا منهج باطل، أضراره كثيرة وأخطاره جسيمة على الإسلام والسنة، وفيه أعظم تمكين لأهل البدع والأهواء في نشر ضلالهم وباطلهم، وهو منهج منحرف عن الكتاب والسنة.
القول السديد في الرد على من أنكر تقسيم التوحيد, ص. ١٠

Sheikh AbdurRazzaq Al Badr, may Allah preserve him, said:

Despite the clarity and prominence of this manhaj, as well as its many benefits and advantages, some individuals and groups in our time have adopted degrading positions and ignoble opinions.

Without shame, they call for remaining silent about the people of innovation and desires and refraining from warning against them.

They claim that this is the most upright manhaj and the wisest approach, claiming that it would bridge the cracks, reunite, unify the ranks and that there would be unity.

However, there is no doubt that this is a false manhaj with many harms and grave dangers to Islam and the Sunnah.

It significantly allows the people of innovations and desires to spread their misguidance and falsehood. And it is a manhaj that deviates from the Book and the Sunnah.

The Correct Statement in Refuting Those Who Deny the Categorization of Tawhid, p. 10

Remember all your brothers and sisters around the world who are suffering in your duas.

قال الشيخ أبو الفضل الصويعي حفظه الله:

عندما يتقدّم بك العمر؛ يستيقن الإنسان أنّ هناك الكثير من الأمور الّتي قام بها، لو رجع الزّمان ما فعلها، ولكثيرٍ من الكلام ما تكلم به، ولكثيرٍ من الأمور ما قام بها.
خُذها نصيحة من مُجرب لا تُجاري السّفهاء، وفكّر بعمق قبل أيّ قول، أو فعل.

https://t.me/AbolfadlA/2199

Sheikh Abu Al Fadl As Suway’i, may Allah preserve him, said:

As one grows older, a person realizes that there are many things he has done,
that if time were to go back, he would not have done them.

And many of the words he has said, he would not have spoken. And many actions, he would not have undertaken.

Take it as advice from someone experienced: do not engage with the foolish and think deeply before saying or doing anything.