Recollections about Shaykh Rabee’ bin Haadee
By Shaykh Muhammad bin Ramzan Al Haarijee
Translated by:
Akram Abdul Qaadir As-Saylanee an-Najdee
[Some sentences have been reworded in English for clarity, yet the meaning remains the same -notify us if you find any translation errors]
Source:
Liqaa fil Kuwait (1:09:00 to 1:25:00), 15th of Safar, 1433 [http://ia601607.us.archive.org/33/items/likaa_al_machayikh_bi_al_kowait/1.mp3]
Shaykh Muhammad bin Ramzan Al Haajiri recalls something about Shaykh Rabee’ bin Haadee Al Madkhalee:
Regarding the history of Kuwait and with what occurred from the transgressor of Iraq, Saddam Hussain- the deceased; some people think that this was the beginning of what happened. Shaykh Rabee’ bin Hadee is well-known among the people of knowledge, from a long time ago. From the 70’s in Hijriyyah, I think that’s the 50’s for you in the Gregorian calander. The scholars have known him for a long time, his efforts, his call, his upbringing, his setting out to seek knowledge, his authentications, some of them are deep compilations, his travels to India in the year (13)84H – maybe about 95% of this gathering weren’t even born at this time-. Also his travels in Da’wah, and his forbearance… for a long time he’s been a person of the Sunnah. As for his refutations, he’s been doing it for a long time- such as (his refutation) on Abu Ghuddah, on Al-Ghazaalee, and other than him.
When the Gulf war occurred, when those who issued a ruling about not seeking aid (from the disbelievers), he authored a treatise entitled “Repelling the Aggression of the Athiests and the Ruling of Seeking Aid from Non Muslims”. During that time, we had a gathering in the Eastern Province, in Dammam, and the Shaykh was present. Those days, was as if they didn’t want the Shaykh to clarify many of the issues, and I mean by “them”, the Sururiyyah (surooris). That meeting was with our brother, Shaykh Riyadh bin Abdullah Al Barraak in Dammam. The Shaykh (Rabee’) was present and the gathering was full of Surooris. The Sururiyyah is an organization, it’s not something imaginary, nor is it an ideology that no one follows. No! It has its person (Muhammad Suroor) who says “I have a group.” I remember, before the war of Kuwait, we were with our Shaykh – May Allaah grant him Jannah – Shaykh Muqbil bin Hadi Al Wadi’ee, he said “Suroor came to us, do you not know who Suroor is?” We said, “Yes we do O Shaykh.” He said, “He came to us calling to a group that he has, a hizb.” So he has a hizb, a group, an organization. So these people were the majority, and if they hear my words here, then they’ll remember that gathering. They were leaders, major ones in our area, the Eastern Province. They were major leaders and they have followers, and they will remember that incident just as I am telling you about it.
Their argument in that gathering, they raised their voices in arguing with the Shaykh (Shaykh Rabee’ bin Haadee) so that he may retract. One of them lived in the area, the Eastern Province, for a long time and he did not have the Saudi Nationality, however he worked on many things and he was present in that gathering. The Shaykh had some advice for everyone and he wanted to trick the Shaykh. He said, “O Shaykh, the Students of Knowledge are fighting, they are menacing…” So he (Shaykh Rabee’) asked, “Where are you from?”. So he mentioned his country. (Shaykh Rabee’) said, “Why do you come here? To this country that ‘fights knowledge, the students of knowledge, and the people of knowledge?’ Return to your country that you’ve come from where you are respected.”
That gathering was a reason for the change of many of the youth in some of their issues. I am from one of those who was affected by that gathering.
– Shaykh Muhammad bin Ramzan begins to cry –
Many of the brothers love the Good and they love the Sunnah and they love Da’wah. However, they have some of the people with them who have a manhaj (methodology) of secrecy, they do not condone it. That gathering was a gathering of good and blessings, and I was one of those who benefited from that gathering. A group of our brothers also attended that gathering, and from them are those who have strong efforts in the Sunnah in the Eastern Province and in other areas.
Pardon, however some history has an effect [words unclear]… and moves the one who is tranquil
-Shaykh Muhammad continues to cry while speaking-
However, this scholar has been oppressed. By Allaah he has been oppressed. He is, by Allaah, sincere – and only Allaah knows. Due to that, many of the brothers were affected (by him). Such that even those who opposed him, they know his status and ability, and it is not hidden from you, how many of them are not able to refute him because they know that he is upon guidance and the ones being refuted are upon desires.
This happened that gathering with that issue. Regarding another issue, he visited us in Jubail after a while. So what happened was, he had a lecture entitled: “The importance of knowledge and the scholars” in the Jaami’ Uthmaan bin Affaan in Jubail as Sina’iyyah in the Fanateer area. An hour before the lecture, some of the ones responsible for the Da’wah Affairs (organization) changed the venue, it was to be in the heart of the city, but was changed to Masjid Abdullaah bin Mas’ood.
When they hear this speech of mine, they will remember completely.
They changed the venue to Masjid Abdullaah bin Mas’ood which was in Sina’ah al Musanidah, an area where there is no one there. Subhan-Allaah, the Masjid was full. The Shaykh spoke about knowledge and the importance of knowledge and the importance of the scholars. After the lecture, a group of charity workers stood up to raise donations for Afghanistan. So they spoke and the Shaykh interrupted them. That was the time that Hikmatyaar and those with him gathered upon the life of our Shaykh – May Allaah grant him Jannah- Shaykh Jameel-ur-Rahman. The day when the groups gathered upon him (to take his life). “How can you send donations for them?” This was the start of his statement in refuting the Afghani Jihaad with something from the reality and he issued a ruling with the impressibility of giving donations to them (those groups). Many of our scholars have ruled with the impressibility of giving them donations after that incident.
I’ll speak about some positions that the Shaykh had preceded and was the first (to speak about), and it’s not hidden from you, that many of the scholars followed it. This is one of the issues, where he clarified.
So what happened happened with the refutations of their actions and it resonated strongly, not just in Jubail or the Eastern province, not just in the Kingdom, but it spread further. This is before the fast telecommunications, like the internet or social media like Facebook or Twitter. It was what used to be known as the white tapes. The white tapes, the brothers -may Allaah reward them- used to cooperate and they didn’t have the resources for recording and stickers (etc), they recorded it themselves and distributed it for free. With it being free, and they were warned against, it still had an effect in many issues
So what happened in Afghanistan, regarding the murder of Shaykh Jameel-ur-Rahman, had occurred and the situation of Afghanistan is well-known.
The positions are many… after those days, the “person of refutations” (person specialized in refutations), Shaykh Hamood At-Tuwayjiree passed away – perhaps some of you did not know him (in person), but know him from his books. Before Shaykh Hamood, Shaykh Sulayman bin Sahmaan was known as the “Person of refutations“. This was his title “Saahib ar-Rudood” (Person of refutations), he had about 30 or 40 refutations. Likewise, Shaykh Hamood, his refutations were up to about 50 refutations. So when Shaykh Hamood passed away, I called the Shaykh and said “O Shaykh, yesterday Shaykh Hamood at Tuwayjiree, the Saahib ar-Rudood, passed away. So May Allaah Aid you in carrying the banner O Shaykh.” By Allaah he cried. “May Allaah aid you O Shaykh. Fear Allaah regarding Ahlus Sunnah O Shaykh” The man is steadfast. And all of his books have a story behind it. All of the books that he has written have a story. There is a whisper that I’ll place in the ears of my brothers, or I can say my sons from the students of knowledge: Whenever the Shaykh would write a book, he would not publish it. He would send it to the scholars, even his refutations, he sends it to the scholars. Even his refutation of Al-Awdah, and after he refuted Al-Awdah it became clear to the Shaykh the defiency… that these people were just branches, and they have a head, and he was Sayyid Qutb- and then he began his writing on Sayyid Qutb. So he set a precedent in clarifying who is Sayyid Qutb for the people of knowledge, and the people of knowledge followed him in that. So it became clear to them, this school of secrecy that began to spread in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and other than it from the Arabic countries and the Muslim countries, and the countries of the world. That’s the reason for this severe anger from the Ikhwan al Muslimeen (the Muslim Brotherhood) and all of its branches, because their throne has been criticized and it became clear what they were upon.
O Brothers, the effects of the Shaykh and the stories about what happened are many. If there was a preparation for this talk, then we’d speak about many issues. In Kuwait, the Shaykh’s efforts are clear… (for example) in rectifying Ihyaa at-Turaath, and what it has reached to. Before these issues, he wrote his book, “The Methodology of the Prophets”, before this… I said to you there is no book that he wrote except that it has a story behind it. And these books were sent to the people of knowledge and sometimes they would write an introduction for it, or say may Allaah bless you, publish it, we agree with it. And something of mention reaches them, they benefit. To the level that the people of knowledge advise him about this issue and that issue, to the level that the Mufti of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia would send him books saying “Look at what fulan said and refute him”. It’s present, not things that are “just said”, but confirmed.
O students of knowledge, this is a sincere person. Why do you find these attacks on this man? With the existence of the major scholars, they see him as a major scholar. So when the Kibaar pass away, they passed away being pleased with his actions.
So people come after them, who are nobodies, and you find that for every one of those major scholars, there’s a substitute who started attacking the Shaykh. And the problem is that this substitute takes on the role of who? That he’s on the path of the Kibaar. So all of the Kibaar who died, have a substitute in their place that began attacking the Shaykh, why? Because they aren’t upon the path of the Kibaar. For the Kibaar were upon a single path. And Allaah knows best, this is Shaykh Rabee’ since we’ve known him. This is his way and this is his issue, and the “change” isn’t in him, it’s in those who have changed themselves. There’s a different between those who change their principles and those that change the way they attain their access to it, so be warned. The recollections, stories, and positions are many, and perhaps I should suffice with what I have said.
This man has combined the rectification of the beliefs, and the rectification worship, and rectification of manners and behavior. Salman al Faarisee said, as Ad-Daarimee recorded in the introduction of his Sunan: “The people will not cease to be upon good for as long as latter take from the former. So if the former are deceased before the latter take from them, the people will be destroyed.” So beware of those who mislead you from the path of those who preceded us.
With Allaah is Tawfeeq, and may the Salaah and Salaam be upon the Prophet Muhammad.