Introduction
Imaam al-Albani, may Allaah have mercy upon him said, "And Shaikh
ul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah has explained the perspective from which faith, Imaan,
consists of actions, and that it increases and decreases - [his discussion]
needing no further elaboration - in his book 'al-Imaan'. So the one who requires
more detail can refer back to it. I say: This is what I used to write for more
than twenty years, affirming the madhhab of the Salaf and the aqidah of Ahl
us-Sunnah - and all praise is due to Allaah - in the issues pertaining to Imaan,
and then there come - in the present times - reckless ignoramuses, who are but
young newcomers accusing us of Irjaa!! To Allaah is the complaint of the evil
that they are upon, [the evil] of ignorance, misguidance and scum..."
Some Question and Answers with Shaikh Ibn Uthaimeen on
30th April 2000 [1]:
Question: "The questioner asks that some people say that
Shaikh al-Albani – rahimahullaah – his position on the issues of Imaan is that
of the Murji’ah. What is your view on this?"
Answer: The Shaikh paused for a while, remaining silent and
then replied, "…I say, just as one who has preceded has said: "Al-Albani is a
scholar, a muhaddith, a jurist – even if he is greater in being a muhaddith than
a jurist – and I do not know of any of his statements which indicate Irjaa,
ever. However, it is those who want to perform takfir of people, they are
the ones who accuse him and those like him of being Murji’ah, and this action of
theirs is by way of ascribing evil names [to him]. I testify for Shaikh
al-Albani – may Allaah have mercy upon him – with uprightness, (istiqaamah), a
sound creed, and good intention… "
Question: "A person says ‘Laa ilaaha ilallaaha’ sincerely
from his heart, having belief in that (musaddiqan), showing submission
(mustasliman) and compliance (munqaadan), however, he does not perform with his
limbs a single action of goodness despite having the ability to do so. Is he
under the will, mashee’ah of Allaah, or is he a disbeliever, kafir?
Answer: "I say, and all praise is due to Allaah, the Lord
of all the Worlds, that if he does not pray, then he is a disbeliever, even if
he says, ‘Laa ilaaha illallaaha’. If he was truthful in his utterance of ‘Laa
ilaaha illallaaha’, being sincere to it, by Allaah he would have not left the
prayer. This is because prayer is the connection between Allaah Azzawajall and a
person. And in the evidences that have come in the Qur’an and the Sunnah, the
correct view (concerning them), and the consensus of the Companions which has
been quoted by more than one authority, there is what indicates that the one who
leaves the prayer is a disbeliever, who will abide in Hellfire forever, and He
will not be subject to Allaah’s will. And when we say this, we are not saying
something which is meaningless or empty. We say this because it is what is
clearly indicated and meant by the words of Allaah and the words of His
Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) and the statements of the Companions in
which their consensus has been narrated.
‘Abdullaah bin Shaqiq, said, ‘The Companions of Allaah’s
Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) did not used to consider the abandonment
of any action to constitute disbelief except the prayer.’ Also Ibn Raahawaih –
may Allaah have mercy upon him - who is a well known Imaam, quoted the consensus
of the Companions concerning the disbelief of the one who abandoned the
prayer.
As for the remainder of the actions, then if a person abandons
them, then he will be under the will of Allaah. Meaning, if he was not to give
zakaah for example, then he will be under the will of Allaah, because when the
Prophet (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) mentioned the punishment for the one who
withholds the zakaah, he said, ‘Then he will see his path, either to Paradise or
to Hellfire’, and it is known that if he was a disbeliever, there would not be a
path to Paradise for him. And fasting and Hajj are likewise, whoever abandons
them does not disbelieve, and he is under the will of Allaah, however he is the
most sinful of people." End of the Shaikh’s reply.
Question: "Is there a difference of opinion amongst Ahl
us-Sunnah concerning the ruling upon such a man [i.e. the one who abandoned the
prayer], bearing in mind the ruling upon the one who abandons the four pillars
(of action), and the difference of opinion concerning it?
Shaikh Ibn Uthaimeen on the Accusation of Irjaa' Against Imaam al-Albani