Despite their success as a reliable hub for the Salafi da’wah in the West, opposers of the Salafi Da‘wah have, however, taken aim at some of SalafiPubs’s pioneers such as Abu ‘Iyād Amjad Rafiq and Abu Khadeejah ‘Abdul-Wāhid with attempts to discredit them for failing to validate their da‘wah credentials with formal certification from an Islamic institution such as IUM, or the likes. At times the onslaught has been insidious and emanated from graduates who have inflated the value of certificates or degrees in a bid to compete with the elders in the UK and raise themselves in their stead.[1] The elder du‘āt, however, remain unphased by such assaults knowing that it is only ignorance, delusions of self-worth and arrogance that would cause such an individual to desire worldly status by way of the religion as well as the corruption of their intention which has prevented knowledge from being truly established in their heart and mind. [2]
Consequently, SalafiPubs’s defenders are keen to remind others not to fall into the trap of being amazed with oneself to the point that it leads them to deviation as was the case with the likes of Suhaib Hasan, Bilal Philips, Abu Usāmah, Abu Muslimah, Shadeed Muhammad, Muhammad Munir and others, all of whom gained their degrees at institutions and taught in their own centres but fell out of league with SalafiPubs and those affiliated with them:
The majority of local fitan [were] ‘ignited by those who studied at institutions, raised the [S]cholars, transmitted their books and [who also] patronised the elder UK students … [may Allah guide them] – [they were from] those whose certificates did not prevent them from deviation.[3]
They reiterate the statements of the Major Salafi Scholars such as Shaykh Sālih Al-Fawzan and Shaykh Muhammad Sālih Al-Uthaymeen in this regard: that not everyone who holds a certificate for a degree or PhD possesses knowledge or becomes a scholar.[4] This is because like the Scholars they know full well that there are present amongst them good students of knowledge who do not possess degrees or doctorates, yet they are from the best of people since Allah has blessed them with knowledge and understanding (fiqh) of the Religion of Allah, which is the uppermost pre-requisite for teaching the people the affairs of the Religion:
Did Shaykh Ibn Bāz have a certificate with him? Did Shaykh Ibn Humayd? … and they were the leading Imāms of this time. Hence, the speech (revolves) around the presence of knowledge in a person, and (the presence) of understanding in a person! … And reality will uncover a person when an issue comes along or a calamity arises, then the (true) scholar will become clear from the pseudo-scholar and the ignoramus.[5]
Further, in refutation of attacks upon SalafiPubs and its founders, their defenders have also been keen to highlight the tazkiyāt (validations) that Al-Maktabah As-Salafiyyah have received for their trustworthiness and firmness upon the Salafi Manhaj from some of the Major Salafi Scholars in the Arab lands over the years:[1]
They seek to indirectly [belittle] the elder students in their private conversations – those well known to Al-‘Allāmah Shaykh Muqbil Bin Hādi, who recognised their efforts and steadfastness, and well known to Al-‘Allāmah Shaykh Rabee’ and Al-‘Allāmah Shaykh ‘Ubaid Bin ‘Abdillāh Al-Jābiri for nearly three decades due to their continuous firmness upon the Sunnah, aiding its scholars and Marākiz- and indirectly insinuating that their reality would have been unveiled if compared to those who attained such and such certificates at such and such institution. So, when you come across a graduate who speaks in this manner, then remind him of the statements of Imām Muhammad Bin Sālih Al-Uthaymeen [may Allah have mercy upon him].[2]
[1] Shaikh Hasan Al-Banna on Witnessing Salafi Publications. 2022. Source: Salaficentre.com.
[2] Doctorate or Degree In Sharee’ah Does Not Automatically Give You Understanding Superior to That of Other People Recognized as Students of Knowledge By Scholars. 2022. Source: Salaficentre.com.
[1] Those Who Inflate Certificates and Indirectly Seek to Patronize Bona fide Elder Students in the UK. 2022. Source: Salaficentre.com
[2] Doctorate or Degree in Sharee’ah Does Not Automatically Give You Understanding Superior to That of Other People Recognized as Students of Knowledge by Scholars. 2022. Source: Salaficentre.com
[3] Ibid.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Ibid.
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