Al-Fawzaan Asked Whether Refutations Split the Ummah

[Shehzad Sattar]

Al-Fawzaan Asked Whether Refutations Split the Ummah

Questioner: There are people who abstain from rebuttals and think that it causes the Ummah to split and they may even forsake the people who do refute the people of innovation and misguidance, and there are those who hold that [one should] not delve into refutations or speak about the mistakes of the students of knowledge and callers when they make a mistake, we would like some direction in view of this?

Al-Fawzaan: Refutations are of two types, those done by the people of knowledge, learning and insight, to clarify the truth and refute falsehood, these are beneficial and essential. As for the refutations which emanate from the ignorant and students who are not well-versed, or the refutations that emanate from desires and [particular] inclinations, then these refutations are not allowed because they harm and do not benefit. As for the correct, reliable refutations which come from the people of knowledge in clarification of the truth and not based upon desires, then these are essential, because it is not allowed to remain silent about the people of misguidance who spread their misguidance and deceive the Ummah and the Ummah’s youth.

Al-Ijaabaat al-Muhimmah fil-Mashaakil al-Mulimmah, p. 239.