Muslim Scholars advice RE Muslim Rulers and Israeili military assaults

[Aslam AbuIsmaeel]

Assalamu alaikum

Scenario One: Silence of a friend: A friend sent an email which condemned in proverbial words the silence of friends - to the ethnic cleansing and massacre of the Palestinians by the Israeli government.  That is what some person wrote.

But Silence is not always blameworthy: However, if that silence is from a superpower "friend" capable of stopping the injustices, then indeed their silence is wrong to say the least.  But if it is from a nation that is itself too weak militarily to stop the massacres except by having its own people massacred or "nuked", then surely their silence is for the protection of our other friends/Muslims and not a betrayal.  The latter is the situation of leaders of Muslim countries, and Allah alone knows what is in their hearts.

Scenario Two: Some Muslims want to rally and demonstrate for the Palestinians on the street and want to scream their loudest slogans of support for the Palestinians so the world can see via the media.  Whereas a second type of Muslims believe that all the world would be made to see from the screams is them portrayed as fanatic, blood thirsty Muslims chanting against what they portray to be a friendly nation - i.e. Israel - whereas the real humane charitable purpose of the rally would be lost except to a few passer-byers and only an opposite message is engrained in the minds of the Western public watching the same rally via the media!  

Muslims against Muslims!!  Unfortunately, the first group who rallied and demonstrated, as passionate as they are, turn against the second group of Muslims and accuse them of abaondoning their Palestinian brother's by not rallying in the streets of Australian captial cities.  Thereby this first group,  instead of being united, they are turning some Muslims against Muslims!!!   Truly a shame!

Do the first group not realise that the second group who did not take to the streets in demonstrations, perhaps they care just as much for their Palestinian brothers/sisters and forwarded them the help but in other ways?  Perhaps, they may have written letters to the government members of parliament, to other important figures, alerting them to these atrocities against the innocent Muslims.  Perhaps they also set up a bench in a city street and peacefully and calmly distrubuted flyers to the public to alert them of these atrocities.  Perhaps they prayed all night long - or for some time - sincerely with their good deeds for Allah to help the oppressed brothers in Palestine.  Perhaps they raised money to give to the Palestinians - aid in form of medical supplies, food, water, shelter, clothes and so much more that is desperate help to our suffering Palestinian Muslims.


Let us remember, some Muslims believe rallies are halaaal and good (in a secular democratic country that constitutionalises rallies whereas haraam in a Muslim country) whereas others among Muslim scholars believe the rallies and demonstrations are not allowed but there are other forms of acheiving the same purpose in a halaal manner.   So, there is difference of opinion among scholars about validity of rallies and demonstrations in a country such as Australia - and we ought to respect the right to differ on Ijtihaad matters in fiqh.

Let us remember, some Muslims think a Muslim country should declare war against the aggressor against innocent Muslims whereas the leaders in command with the best information of the situation may feel that such a thing would lead to sure inhumane annihalation of far more people than ones being killed in Palestine or Lebanon thus they try to avoid war by public silence.

In both these situations - and in other such situations - let us remember that as long as the person responsible does his/her best Ijtihad in that decision which is theirs, then that is what Allah and any one can expect of them and any mistake thereafter is forgiven by Allah, as in hadith of the Prophet (s.a.w).  

Therefore, let us not end up fighting within ourselves turning Muslims against Muslims while others externally are attacking and massacring a section of our Ummah!  Instead lets try to help the ones in need whether you believe that is by rallying on streets or just by raising charity money for medicines, food and clothing.  Do not blame one another as long as each is trying to understand a difficult matter of Ijtihaad and follow Islam as correctly and best as they can from the Quran and Sunnah.  


Remember this incident from the Prophet - a great example for our times ...

When the Muslims returned from the Battle of Ahzab/Khandaq, Allah ordered the Prophet to race with the Believers to the tribe of Banu Quraizah who were aiding harm of Muslims from behind.   So, in order to hasten the travelers, the Prophet said to them, "Let none of you pray Asr until he reaches the Banu Quraizah's (dwellings)."   They went as quick as they could.  When time for Asr came and was nearly going to finish, some companions decided what the Prophet meant was to race to get before Asr but not to actually miss Asr if it was finishing, so they prayed Asr before getting to Bany Quraizah.  Whereas, some other Companions understood that this was special due to the utmost need to race to Bany Quraizah even if miss Asr time, so it seems they prayed Asr after they reached Banu Quraizah when Asr time had ran out.

To each camp of understanding, the other camp seemed like the one disobeying the Prophet (s.a.w) but neither of them blamed the other - nor did the Prophet (s.a.w) blame any of them when they returned and informed the Prophet.

Why?  Because there was an obvious room for different interpretation of the same authentic statement of the Prophet (s.a.w).


Likewise, we Muslims today need to do the same - all Muslims care just as much about the oppressed Palestinians but some help by rallying while others by charity or other means.  The masses feel the leaders should declare war to help the oppressed against the oppressors, whereas the leaders feel that is suicide and would lead to far many more deaths than what is now so they refrain to avoid such an explosive situation.  We cannot be so sure that our Muslim country leaders have sold you while there is such possibility that they may well be smiling to the killer to please him in order to avoid further death.  

Allah in the Quran allowed Muslims to not engage in war with an aggressor/oppressor if their number (and strength) is twice that of the Muslims (Surah Anfaal) - in order to buy time to save lives and religion of those people.

Some hyped up Muslim Youth: This is what Allah has allowed, is it too much to ask our hyped up, well meaning but not-very-knowledgable Muslim youth who demand that every Muslim should follow their way and MUST rally on streets and leaders must declare war OR ELSE they claim that the leaders are disbelievers or ones who sold their religion!!!!!   This ignorant attitude is what is harming Muslims further by turning Muslims against Muslims at a desperate hour of need for unity to help the suffering innocent Muslims, even if with little charity or prayer, any help at all.   Allah is allowing this death and destruction due to our sins, so let us not panic behaving radically in an extreme fashion, instead help the ones suffering now in whatever little or big way that you can in a legal Halaal way, and thereafter in order to prevent future suffering of our brothers, let us invite ourselves and our brothers and sisters to repent to Allah and to follow His Guidance - a near solution and the more permanent solution.    

Dont blame your Muslim friend/leader if he is silent, may be his silence is saving more lives of our Muslims - or may be - he is doing something else but not a show off and you dont see!  

We need common sense from our youth and unity.  The youth can benefit a lot from the elderly as the elderly have seen all this before.  The youth can benefit a lot from the Islamic scholars as the Scholars understand why this is happening and how to deal with the situation calmly for the short and the long term welfare and security for our brothers and sisters.

Very Imporant Note about Muslim country Rulers - Are they Kafir or Muslims - given they torture Muslims etc?:  It is also good for us to not forget that quite a number of Muslim country leaders today are so protective of their power that they fear Muslim youth who practice religion too much and are concious of it.  Such rulers would put pressure (or worse) of one sort or another on young Muslims to remove their beards - a religious obligation.  They do not allow much of religious preaching in Masjids at all.  It seems they are afraid that such youth, once they become religiously aware and dedicated, may then become politically active against that Government - perhaps in a indiscrationary rebellion and demands.  Some Muslim Governments also imprison and toruture most severely those Muslim youth who expressed opposition to the Government or acted to cause its downfall or called for politico-religious awareness. Yes, the youth can be excited and go overboard lacking life experience and lacking the knowledge of Islam but that is not sufficient excuse as having good scholars and some media control of radical movements can overcome this problem of over-excited misguided yet well-meaning youth.  All of these over-zealous brutal ways in which such of these Muslim Governments protect their power are major sins, no doubt, and only pleasing Shaytan.  Allah would surely not protect the power of oppressors for long except allow in short term as a trial and a test for all concerned - test the leaders and the common folk.  

We ought to be clear though, IF what is mentioned in the above paragraph is precisely the case and FOR THIS reason, then it is a grave sin on part of those leaders which may well lead to their completely leaving Islam step by step in future, but it does NOT at present mean their Kufr out of Islam.  If their intentions are those of Kufr then indeed it is a different story.  But if not of kufr, then in such matters as mentioned in this Note and in matters discussed in this post from the beginning, we ought to not be judgemental that they have Kufr intentions when it is very much possible that their is possibility that it is out of protecting personal power or protecting personal or Muslims' lives - especially given that there are clear Islamic practices that are noticeable from them and they regard and claim to still be Muslims - after all isn't this the level of Iman and practise of most of the Muslims in the Ummah today - little Iman and compromising Allah's obedience for worldly power and money so long as it is not Kufr!   I caution, thus, our brothers and sisters, to realise such rulers of Muslims are no doubt committing such sins but we do not have the warrant to go further than this to declare them Kafirs.  It is possible in some national issues these rulers are working for their own wealth and power whereas when it comes to lives they do care to protect their own first and then that of their Muslim nation - and perhaps Islam - and only Allah knows the hidden.  Thus their political policies show such sinful actions on one hand and yet possible protection of the non-rebellious masses and the country against foreingers by trying to avoid a suicidal military conflict on the other hand.

Last Note: If some Muslim leadership have become Kafir - and that is well possible of few but not many - then it is a judgment that is not for anyone to make.  Rather declaring someone to be a Kafir while he claims to be Muslim ought to be done only by a great scholar with (A) firm grounding in Islamic knowledge (B) as well as a full awareness of the situation of the person being judged.  With this, such a scholar can pronounce the judgement but that too only after having spoken to the accused sufficiently and/or investigated his situation thoroughly.  This obviously cannot be done by our Muslim youth living in Australia nor by any one of the many little - not big - Islamic scholars in Australia; particularly because they are so far from the accused Muslim leaders and thus not in the right position to make such judgement of kufr of a Muslim country leader or leadership.

And Allah knows best and is the best to guide and protect His obedient slaves - we pray Allah makes us among such pious obedient Ibaad (slaves and worshippers) of Allah.

[Aslam AbuIsmaeel]

Below is a press release from the Mufti of Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Abdul Aziz Aal Sheikh, the Standing Committee for Fatwa & Research and the Council of the Major Scholars (Kibar Ulamaa) in Saudi Arabia taken from their website (translation is in next post) ...

http://www.alifta.net/Bayan.aspx

بيان اللجنة الدائمة للبحوث العلمية والافتاء حول كارثة غزة

بيان اللجنة الدائمة للبحوث العلمية والافتاء بالمملكة العربية السعودية حول ما يجري في قطاع غزة من قتل وحصار وتشريد :
الحمد لله رب العالمين والصلاة والسلام على أشرف الانبياء والمرسلين نبينا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه ومن تبعهم بإحسان الى يوم الدين.

وبعد

فإن اللجنة الدائمة للبحوث العلمية والافتاء في المملكة العربية السعودية تابعت بكل أسى وحزن وألم ما جرى ويجري على إخواننا المسلمين في فلسطين وفي قطاع غزة على الخصوص من عدوان وقتل للاطفال والنساء والشيوخ وانتهاك للحرمات وتدمير للمنازل والمنشآت وترويع للآمنين ولا شك أن ذلك إجرام وظلم في حق الشعب الفلسطيني.

وهذا الحدث الاليم يوجب على المسلمين الوقوف مع إخوانهم الفلسطينيين والتعاون معهم ونصرتهم ومساعدتهم والاجتهاد في رفع الظلم عنهم بما يمكن من الاسباب والوسائل تحقيقا لاخوة الاسلام ورابطة الايمان قال الله تعالى (إنما المومنون إخوة) (الحجرات 10) وقال عز وجل (والمؤمنون والمؤمنات بعضهم أولياء بعض) (التوبة 71) وقال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم "المؤمن للمومن كالبنيان يشد بعضه بعضا وشبك بين أصابعه" متفق عليه وقال أيضا عليه الصلاة والسلام "مثل المؤمنين في توادهم وتراحمهم وتعاطفهم مثل الجسد الواحد إذا اشتكى منه عضو تداعى له سائر الجسد بالحمى والسهر " (متفق عليه) وقال عليه الصلاة والسلام "المسلم أخو المسلم لا يظلمه ولا يخذله ولا يسلمه ولا يحقره" رواه مسلم.

والنصرة شاملة لأمور عديدة حسب الاستطاعة ومراعاة الاحوال سواء كانت مادية أو معنوية وسواء كانت من عموم المسلمين بالمال والغذاء والدواء والكساء وغيرها أو من جهة الدول العربية والاسلامية بتسهيل وصول المساعدات لهم وصدق المواقف تجاههم ونصرة قضاياهم في المحافل والجمعيات والمؤتمرات الدولية والشعبية وكل ذلك من التعاون على البر والتقوى المأمور به في قوله سبحانه وتعالى (وتعاونوا على البر والتقوى) (المائدة 2).

ومن ذلك أيضا بذل النصيحة لهم ودلالتهم على ما فيه خيرهم وصلاحهم ومن أعظم ذلك أيضا الدعاء لهم في جميع الاوقات برفع محنتهم وكشف شدتهم وصلاح أحوالهم وسداد أعمالهم وأقوالهم.

هذا وإننا نوصي إخواننا المسلمين في فلسطين بتقوى الله تعالى والرجوع اليه سبحانه كما نوصيهم بالوحدة على الحق وترك الفرقة والتنازع وتفويت الفرصة على العدو التي استغلها وسيستغلها بمزيد من الاعتداء والتوهين.

ونحث إخواننا على فعل الاسباب لرفع العدوان على أرضهم مع الاخلاص في الاعمال لله تعالى وابتغاء مرضاته والاستعانة بالصبر والصلاة ومشاورة أهل العلم والعقل والحكمة في جميع أمورهم فإن ذلك أمارة على التوفيق والتسديد.

كما أننا ندعو عقلاء العالم والمجتمع الدولي بعامة للنظر في هذه الكارثة بعين العقل والانصاف لاعطاء الشعب الفلسطيني حقوقه ورفع الظلم عنه حتى يعيش حياة كريمة وفي الوقت نفسه نشكر كل من أسهم في نصرتهم ومساعدتهم من الدول والافراد.

نسأل الله بأسمائه الحسنى وصفاته العلا أن يكشف الغمة عن هذه الامة وأن يعز دينه ويعلي كلمته وأن ينصر أولياءه وأن يخذل أعداءه وأن يجعل كيدهم في نحورهم وأن يكفي المسلمين شرهم إنه ولي ذلك والقادر عليه.

وصلى الله وسلم على نبينا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه ومن تبعهم بإحسان الى يوم الدين.


سماحة المفتي العام للمملكة العربية السعودية

رئيس هيئة كبار العلماء

الشيخ عبدالعزيز بن عبدالله بن محمد آل الشيخ

وأعضاء اللجنة الدائمة للبحوث العلمية والافتاء

[Aslam AbuIsmaeel]

Here is the translation of the above Press Release from the Mufti of Saudi Arabia and the Committee for Fatwa about the Palestinian killings by the Israeli Government ...

Taken from the website of the Mufti and the Standing Committee for Fatwa - Allah bless them and grant mercy to them and protect and safeguard them and all our Ulamaa across the world, their website link to this is ...
http://www.alifta.net/Bayan.aspx

-------------------

The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta' Statement on the Gaza Catastrophe

Riyadh-SPA

The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta' has issued the following statement on the Gaza killings, siege, and forced evictions

All praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings be upon the most noble of the prophets and Messengers, our Prophet Muhammad, his family and Companions, and those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Resurrection!

   

The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta' in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been following, with great distress, sadness, and pain, the offensive that is being carried out on our Muslim brothers in Palestine, and in Gaza in particular, and what is being said about it. Children, women, and the elderly are being murdered, their sacred places are being violated, their houses and buildings are being demolished, and their safety is being terrorized. There is no doubt that this is a crime and an injustice against the rights of the Palestinians.

This painful event obligates all Muslims to stand by their Palestinian brothers, to cooperate with them, to support and help them, and to exert every possible effort to remove this injustice from them, with any possible reasons or means, to cement our brotherhood in Islam and bonds of Faith. Allah (may He be Exalted) says:

"The believers are nothing else than brothers (in Islamic religion)." (Surah Al-Hujurat, 49:10)

He (may He be Exalted and Glorified) also says:

"The believers, men and women, are Awliya' (helpers, supporters, friends, protectors) of one another." (Surah Al-Tawbah, 9:71)

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said, "One believer to another is like a building, each supporting the other.” And he (peace be upon him) interlaced his fingers". (Agreed upon by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

He (peace be upon him) also said, "The similitude of believers in regard to their mutual love, affection, and empathy is that of a body; when any of its parts ache, the whole body aches due to sleeplessness and fever." (Agreed upon by Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

And he (peace be upon him) said, "A Muslim is a brother of (another) Muslim; he neither wrongs him, lets him down, surrenders him, nor despises him." (Related by Muslim)

   

Supporting Muslims entails many things and depends on ability and situation; financial, physical, and spiritual. Ordinary Muslims can help with money, food, medicine, clothing, etc., and Arab and Muslim states can make sure this aid reaches the Palestinians. They have to adopt a sincere stance and champion the Palestinian cause in national and international gatherings, meetings, and conferences. All of these efforts are the cooperating in righteousness and piety that Allah orders from Muslims when He says: "Help you one another in Al-Birr and At-Taqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety)." (Surah Al-Ma'idah, 5:2)

Supporting the Palestinians can be done in the form of advising and guiding them to what is best for them, and greater than that is to supplicate to Allah for them at all times, asking Him to remove their adversity, alleviate their hardship, set their affairs aright, and guide them to the best words and deeds.

As for our Palestinian brothers, we advise every Muslim in Palestine to fear Allah as He should be feared and to return to Him. We also advise you to unite on the Truth, avoid factionalism and dissention, and avoid giving the enemy chances that they can take advantage of and exploit to increase their aggression and destruction.

We urge you to do what you can to end these attacks on your land, by acting sincerely for the Sake of Allah, wishing to please Him, and seeking His Help with patience and Prayer, and consulting knowledgeable wise men in all your affairs, as this is a sign of success.

We call upon every sensible person in the world and in the international society to consider this catastrophe intelligently, and give the Palestinians their rights, remove this injustice from them, and allow them to enjoy a normal peaceful life. We would also like to thank every individual and country that is helping and supporting the Palestinians.

We ask Allah by virtue of His Most Beautiful Names and Attributes to remove the distress from this nation, honor His Religion, and raise its Word. May He grant victory to His Supporters, defeat His Enemies and make their plotting turn on them, and protect the Muslims from their evil, as He is the Only One Capable of that!

 

Peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family and Companions, and those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Resurrection!

 

His Eminence, the Grand Mufti of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ,

 

Chairman of the Council of Senior Scholars,

 

Shaykh `Abdul-`Aziz ibn `Abdullah ibn Muhammad Al Al-Shaykh

 

And members of the Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta'

[Aslam AbuIsmaeel]

Assalamu alaikum

Muslim youth - out of sincere concern - often wonder about the atrocious torture by some Muslim rulers of their subjects and about them banning beards for youth etc.  This leads to some of them declaring the rulers are hypocrites and Kafirs.

Likewise why they dont declare a war to help an innocent lot of Muslims being brutally massacred - if they dont, then they must be Kafir rulers, the youth may feel.

It is possible the rulers are Kafir and Hypocrites.  It is also possible they are not.  For this you may refer to the first post above in this topic with the latest modifications to the Important Note section at the bottom.

Wassalam

[Abu Maryam]

Advising the Muslim Rulers is from the most important matters of the Deen, from the works of the noble Shaykh Ahmad Bazmool (may Allaah preserve him)

Advising the Muslim Rulers is from the most important matters of the Deen. On the authority of Tameem ad-Daaree (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said:

"The Deen is Naseehah (Sincerity/Advice)." We (The companions) said: "For who?" The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: "For Allaah, His book, His messenger, the leaders of the Muslims and their common folk." (Muslim)

On the authority of Abdillaah bin Mas'ood (may Allaah be pleased with him) on the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam):

"Three things that the heart of a Muslim will not despise: making the action sincerely for Allaah, advising the leaders of the Muslims, and holding fast to their jamaa'ah..." (Ibn Maajah, Authenticated by Imaam al-Albaanee may Allaah have mercy upon him)

The meaning of this hadeeth is that these three matters which are making the action sincerely for Allaah, advising the Muslim leader, and holding fast to the Jamaa'ah (that which is in accordance to the truth); whoever does them does not have any hatred, deception, or rancour in his heart.   

Abu Nu'aym al-Asbahaanee (may Allaah have mercy upon him) said: "Whoever advises the leaders and the rulers is guided, and whoever decieves them is misguided and has transgressed the bounds."   


The different ways of advising the rulers

1. Advising the leader in a secret/private manner that's between the leader and the one advising.

2. Advising the leader in front of the people outwardly in his presence while having the ability to advise him privately.   

3. Advising the leader in a private manner - which is between the leader and the adviser - then the adviser goes out and spreads what took place amongst the people.   

4. Criticizing the leader in his absence in the sittings, the lectures, the khutbas (sermons), and the classes.
   

*As for the first manner of giving advise to the leader, it is when it is done privately. This is a foundation from the foundations of the methodology of the salaf, which the people of desire and innovation have opposed like the Khawaarij and others. This is based upon that which is on the authority of I'yaad (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said:   

"Whoever wants to advise a sultaan (leader/ruler) with a matter, do not do it outwardly but let him take him by the hand and go into seclusion with him. If he accepts it from him then that (is good) and if not then he (the adviser) has fulfilled that which was upon him (to do)." (Musnad of Ahmad, as-Sunnah of Ibn Abee Aa'sim. Authenticated by al-Albaanee may Allaah have mercy upon him).   

On the authority of Shaqeeq (may Allaah have mercy upon him) that it was said to Usaamah bin Zayd (may Allaah be pleased with them both):
 quote:
"Will you not enter upon Uthmaan (may Allaah be pleased with him) and talk to him?"  So he (Usaamah bin Zayd) said: "Do you see that i don't talk to him except that I make you to hear (what I say to him)? By Allaah I have spoken to him in manner which was between me and him without opening an affair that I do not love to be the first one to open it."
 

(Bukhaaree #3267)   

In this narration, we see that the advise given out in the open is an evil affair which will result in their being turmoil. Also, we see that giving the advise privately is the origin in which the advise can be completed without their being turmoil.

*As for the second manner of advise which is to advise the leader out in the open in his presence while having the ability to do it privately. This is exposing (of the faults) and not advice (in reality). It is prohibited for the following reasons:   

1. It opposes the hadeeth of I'yaad bin Ghanam (may Allaah be pleased with him)   

2. It opposes the narrations of the salaf, as well as their methodology like we have seen in the narration of Usaamah bin Zayd (may Allaah be pleased with them both)   

3. It opposes the statement of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam): "Whoever disgraced the sultaan of Allaah in the earth, Allaah will disgrace him." (at-Tirmidhee, authenticated by Imaam al-Albaanee may Allaah have mercy upon him)   

*As for the third manner, it is to advise the leader privately in that which is between the adviser and the leader then the adviser goes and spread that which took place amongst the people. This is prohibited based upon the following points:     

1. It opposes the hadeeth of I'yaad bin Ghanam (may Allaah be pleased with him). That is because the intent is to not allow the people to be aware of that which has taken place, as evil taken place can/will be the result of that.

2. It is subjected to ar-Riyaa (showing off) and it is a sign of the weakness of one's sincerity.

3. It leads to turmoil, chaos, and separation of the Muslim jamaa'ah.

4. It is from disgracing the leader, therefore opposing the statement of the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) which was mentioned previously.   

*As for the last manner that was mentioned, it is to advise the leader in his absence in the sittings, the lectures, the khutbas, and the classes. This is also prohibited for following reasons:   

1. It is considered from the spreading of evil. Allaah has said (what means): "Verily those who love to spread indecency amongst those who believe for them is a painful punishment in the life of this world and in the hereafter, and Allaah knows and you do not." (Surah an-Noor:19)   

2. It is backbiting. Allaah has said (what means): "and Do not backbite one another." (Surah al-Hujaraat:12)
   

On the authority of Abee Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: "Do you know what gheebah (backbiting) is?" The companions (may Allaah be pleased with all of them) said: "Allaah and His messenger knows best." The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: "Your mentioning of your brother that which he dislikes." It was said: "Do you see it (to be ok) if what I say is [true] present in my brother?" The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam said: "If what you say is in him then you have backbit him and if it is not in him, then you have slandered him." (Muslim #2579)

3. It opposes the hadeeth of I'yaad bin Ghanam (may Allaah be pleased with him)

4. It opposes the guidance of the righteous predecessors in how the advise should be given.

5. It is from disgracing the leader which is prohibited as has preceded.

6. It leads to the unlawful shedding of blood and unjust killing.   


Baarakallaahu feekum. I hope that this was of some benefit to all. These points were taken from the works of the noble Shaykh Ahmad Bazmool (may Allaah preserve him) titled "As-Sunnah in that which is connected to the one in charge of the affairs."   


Translated by Abu Yusuf Khaleefah. The 8th night of Safar 1430 (Feb. 2nd, 2009)