Are The People Of Innovations Our Brothers? | Shaykh Arafaat Bn Hasan al-Muhammadī

Questioner:

May Allāh be benevolent to you, esteemed Shaykh, this questioner says; is it permissible to refer to the people of innovation as our brothers?

Shaykh Arafaat bn Ḥasan al-Muḥammadī:

The basis with respect to the people of innovations is that they are boycotted and warned against, and are not sat with nor are they praised. This is the basis.

That does not mean we declare them to be disbelievers. If this innovation is not an innovation of disbelief and does not excommunicate him from the fold of Islām. Rather it is said, (he is) a Muslim, an innovator. And as long as this individual is still in the fold of Islām, and he is still a Muslim, there is no doubt that he is your brother.

Brotherhood in Islām does not cease, nor does it leave, except with disbelief. So when he exits the fold of Islām, due to disbelief or Shirk (associating partners with Allāh in His lordship, worship or names and attributes), or an innovation of disbelief, he is not your brother. But if he remains in the fold of Islām, then he is your brother.

However, on the other hand, do not mention the people of innovations, except with evil, so that people will run away from them. Because innovation is evil and a misguidance and a tribulation, and these people (of innovations) worship (Allāh) with this innovation. And they wage war against you and fight you (for being upon the Sunnah) because they think this is part of the religion that should be taken as an act of worship.

So him being your brother, there is no doubt that he is your brother, however, do not give any statement that contains praise or commendation of the people of innovations, so that the people will not be deceived by them.

And this is the methodology of the Salaf (righteous predecessors), generally. And a consensus has been reported from them all, that they used to warn against the people of innovations, boycott them, do not give them Salām (the Islāmic greeting), do not read their books, do not argue with them, do not listen to them and do not sit with them. This is the methodology of the Salaf. Na’am.