Question

Is it permissible for a ghayr Aalim (non scholar) to listen to speeches or read books by a deviant?

Answer

It is not permissible to read any books written by those who have deviated from the correct path; neither is it permissible to listen to their speeches, even if it is the Quran or Hadith that they have written or mentioned in their speech.

Imam Al-Daarmi in his Musnad has recorded that two misguided men came to Imam Ibn Seereen and said:

“We shall recite a Hadith to you.”

Imam Ibn Seereen said:

“No (you shall not).”

They said:

“We shall recite a verse from the book of Allah to you.”

He again, replied:

“No, either you both stand and leave otherwise I shall stand and leave.”

The narrator said:

“They both left and one (or some) of the people said:

“O Abu Bakr, what harm would come to you, if they recited a verse from the book of Allah?”

The Imam replied:

“Indeed, I feared that if they recited a verse and interpreted it incorrectly, then that (incorrect interpretation) could have become established in my heart.”

If a Scholar of such stature believes listening to them is a threat to his faith,then where do we stand? If we listen to their sweet speech or read their work, is it not possible that we become lured in to their misguidance? Is it not possible that their company affects us? Allah the Almighty said in the Quran:

“And if the shaytaan causes you to forget then do not sit, after the remembrance, with the congregation of wrongdoers.” (Surah Al-An’aam, Verse: 68)

And Imam Muslim recorded in his Saheeh, from Abu Hurayrah, that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

“Keep them away from yourselves and keep yourselves away from them, because they may misguide you or place you into fitnah (corruption).”

Imam Al-Daarmi also recorded in his Musnad that a man from the deviated people asked Sayyiduna Ayyub Sakhtiyaani regarding (the meaning of) a word. The narrator says:

“He (Sayyiduna Ayyub Sakhtiyaani) turned away and gestured with his finger- not even half a word.”

Imam Al-Daarmi also recorded regarding Sayyiduna Sa’eed Bin Jubayr that a man asked him a question and he did not reply. Someone asked why he did not answer so he replied:

“He is from amongst them (the deviants).”

Imam Badr Al-Deen Al-Ayni writes in his ‘sharah’ of Bukhari Sahreef:

“Abd-Allah Bin Amr, Ibn Abbaas, Ibn Abi Awfaa, Jaabir, Anas Bin Maalik, Abu Hurayrah, Uqbah Bin Aamir and their peers (Allah is pleased with them all) used to advise their forthcoming generation that they must not do salaam to the Qadriyyah (a group of nominal Muslims in their time who were deviants), they must not visit them (when they are unwell), they must not perform Salah behind them and they must not perform Salah of Janazah on them when they die.”

After all these narrations how can it be permissible to read the work of deviants or listen to them? One must not even listen to half a word from them, nor should one read half a word from their books. In order to safeguard one’s Imaan, one must keep their literature and their speeches away from him and he must keep himself away from them.

It is mentioned in Gunyah Al-Taalibeen:

“When you see a deviant in a path, take another path.”

Thus, if you see a book written by a deviant, you must take another book. This is the way of our predecessors; they feared misguidance because they valued their Imaan. The only person who does not fear loss of faith is he who does not have faith.

The book is like a friend or a companion and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) emphasised the importance of choosing the friend and companion wisely. He (peace and blessings be upon him) advised:

“The man is on the religion of his friend. So each one of you must take care in selecting who he befriends.” (Sunan Abi Dawood)

He also advised:

“An example of the good companion and the bad companion is like that of the musk-seller and the blacksmith’s furnace. From the musk-seller, you will either buy it (musk) or you will receive its scent; and the blacksmith’s furnace will either burn your body or your clothes or you will receive a foul smell.”

This is the very same case in listening to the speeches of deviants or reading their literature. A man who becomes a victim to their literature or speeches begins to talk their talk and walk their walk. He slowly starts to take their side and provides excuses or interpretations for them; and then he becomes emotional; then slowly moves away from the rightly guided people and falls in with them. This is simply because when one starts to associate with a group, he feels emotionally attached to them. The reader feels a similar emotional relationship with the author.

Imam Ahmad has recorded in his Musnad that Sayyiduna Jaabir Bin Abd-Allah said that Sayyiduna Umar (Allah is pleased with them both) came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) with some literature that reached him from some of the people of the book. He recited it to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). He (peace and blessings be upon him) became angry then said:

“Are you confused about it (the straight path), O son of Khattaab? I swear by He in whose hands is my life, I have brought it to you bright and clear. Do not ask them about anything. They may give you true information and you may reject it or they may give you false information and you may accept it as the truth. I swear by He in whose hands is my life that if Musa (upon him be peace) was alive (in worldly form), he would have no choice but to follow me.”

In this narration it is clear that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) became angry because the literature of the Jews or Christians was being read. There is no doubt that the Jews and Christians have a book from Allah, but it has been altered and not recorded correctly. For this reason, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade us from reading anything from them. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) expressed his anger upon those who read the literature of those who had moved away from the straight path (Jews and Christians). Do you think he (peace and blessings be upon him) would not have minded if a few Sahabah (Allah is pleased with them) went to listen to speeches by the Rabbis or the Priests? Of course, it would most certainly have caused the anger of the most patient Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).

The Scholars of the Ahl Al-Sunnah Wa Al-Jamaa’ah are the representatives of the Prophet Muhammed (peace and blessings be upon him); therefore, we must read their literature and listen to their speeches only. Everyone is obliged to follow them, in order to follow the Prophet Muhammed (peace and blessings be upon him).

One of the biggest threats the UK, the United States and a few other European countries are facing today, is blowback. Blowback is when a citizen of theirs leaves the country, becomes radicalised, returns and blows himself up in his own country. They have researched the cause of this for years and they found that the main cause of Muslims and Non-Muslims alike being radicalised is the internet. The vulnerable Muslim reads the literature of the extremists (whether of Al Qaedah, ISIS or he listens to their speeches) and the idea starts to make its place in their hearts and minds. The Non-Muslim is the same: he reads their literature or listens to their speeches, accepts Islam and unfortunately, becomes a Wahabi extremist. They then read more and listen more, until they become completely faithful to the extremist ideology. Then the person finds a way to leave the country and join them. The reason why this happens so easily is because the laymen lack knowledge and do not have the knowledge and wisdom to counter the extremist ideology.

Ask the mothers or fathers of those children who became radicalised and blew themselves up. They will beg you to stay away from all forms of literature and speeches of the deviants and to keep your children away from them. Why is that? Simply to protect yourself and your children from such filthy and abhorrent ideologies.

And Allah knows best.

Zahid Hussain Al-Qadiri
(Beggar at the doorstep of Scholars)
29th Sha’baan 1436 AH