A Defense of Shaykh Abū ʿIyāḍ by Shaykh Nizār al-ʿAbbās
The following is a speech from Shaykh Nizār ibn Hāshim al-ʿAbbās al-Sūdānī in which he discusses the warnings that were circulated against Shaykh Abū Iyād, and offers his perspective on some of the recent disputes and fitan connected to Dr. ʿArafāt al-Muḥammadī and the broader Salafī daʿwah.
In his speech, the Shaykh touches upon matters related to disagreements surrounding nawāzil, certain positions connected to Yemen and political affairs, and the handling of statements and fatāwā attributed to the major scholars, particularly Shaykh Rabeeʿ. He also comments on the role of Shaykh al-Bukhārī (ʿAbdullāh bin ʿAbd al-Raḥīm bin Ḥasan bin Maḥmūd) in these affairs and expresses concern over the impact these issues have had upon Salafī communities and youth in different parts of the world.
The purpose of sharing this speech is so readers may hear the Shaykh’s words directly and understand his viewpoint in full context. Shaykh said:
“Therefore, no attention should be paid to ʿArafāt’s slander against our noble brother Dr. Abū ʿIyāḍ, nor to his declaration of him as an innovator. For Dr. Abū ʿIyāḍ—may Allāh preserve him—is a Salafī man whom Allāh has favored with knowledge of the Sharīʿah as well as worldly knowledge in which Allāh granted him success and specialization.“
The video and text of the Shaykh’s speech were provided by our noble brothers, by SalafiTanzanian and Abu Rayyan
The Noble Shaykh Nizār ibn Hāshim al-ʿAbbās — May Allah preserve and protect him — said:
As for your question regarding the silence and muteness of Shaykh al-Bukhārī, there is no doubt that this silence from Shaykh al-Bukhārī—may Allāh rectify him—is indeed a silence that I used to describe, at the beginning of these matters and trials, as a suspicious silence. And describing it as suspicious does not mean that its causes are unknown. Rather, it is a call to reflect and contemplate, and to direct the attention of the Salafīs—students of knowledge and callers to Allāh—towards the danger of this silence from Shaykh al-Bukhārī.
This is not only regarding our issue and our war in the land of Sūdān against the Khawārij, known as the War of Dignity, but his silence also extends to the violations of the “Transition Group” from the callers of ʿAdn, foremost among them the one called ʿArafāt. In fact, his silence extends to many matters within the field of daʿwah which he was expected—rather obligated—to strive to resolve and settle for the sake of Allāh, according to the guidance of the Islamic Sharīʿah, which calls for holding firmly to the Rope of Allāh and avoiding division and discord, especially in matters of religion and daʿwah.
Allāh the Most High said:
﴿وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا﴾
[آل عمران: 103]“And hold firmly to the rope of Allāh all together and do not become divided.”
And He also said:
﴿فَإِن تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ﴾
[النساء: 59]“And if you disagree over anything, refer it to Allāh and the Messenger.”
And there are many other clear verses and legal evidences establishing this great principle.
But unfortunately, Shaykh al-Bukhārī faced all these issues with silence. This also includes what has been happening in ʿIrāq, especially in Kurdistān, concerning those whose paths have changed regarding the issue of the party of al-Ḥalabī, whom Shaykh Rabīʿ declared innovators and warned against. The Salafī brothers in Kurdistān warned against this fitnah in order to protect the youth—both young men and women—from being deceived by it and from thinking that the issue of al-Ḥalabī was something minor or insignificant. Rather, behind this issue lies a path leading to the swamp of the Khawārij, the people of deviation, innovation, and misguidance.
Yet Shaykh al-Bukhārī responded to all of this with silence.
Then, when what happened with ʿArafāt and his followers occurred—unfortunately—towards Salafi Publications in Birmingham, and particularly towards our noble brother Dr. Abū ʿIyāḍ, in terms of fitnah and shaking the youth regarding a clear scholarly issue whose reality and presentation were clear, instead of Shaykh al-Bukhārī treating the matter with knowledge, evidence, insight, gentleness, and the care expected from scholars, he sided with ʿArafāt and helped ignite the fitnah. After that, he followed this strange conduct with yet more suspicious silence.
This recent behavior shown by Shaykh al-Bukhārī has no connection to Salafiyyah and its clear methodology, nor to the Salafī way of dealing with the problems of the Salafī daʿwah, nor with disagreements and conflicts that occur among the Salafīs in matters of viewpoints and perceptions.
Shaykh al-Bukhārī’s recent conduct in all of this has no connection to evidence, knowledge, and proof. For this reason, I warned against the danger of this conduct, and other scholars among the brothers around the world also warned against it.
And this conduct from Shaykh al-Bukhārī is not something suddenly new. Rather, it is an old approach. But we remained patient with it and said, “Perhaps he will reform.” We warned him explicitly and implicitly and said, “Perhaps matters will improve.”
However, when the matter reached the severity that it reached—when the fitnah expanded, the conflict widened, and this fierce war against the Salafīs erupted, not only in Britain but throughout the world—for ʿArafāt al-Muḥammadī has planted seeds of fitnah in many places around the world because he is pursuing a cunning scheme to strike the Salafī daʿwah and its people, as I have explained and continue to explain—then what is the obligation regarding all of this?
The obligation is to return to Allāh, to return to the Book of Allāh and the Sunnah of the Messenger ﷺ, to return to the methodology of the righteous predecessors, and to the methodology of the major Salafī scholars. Then we must proceed sincerely and earnestly upon this methodology in dealing with these fitnahs and problems caused by what I truthfully and rightly call “the new party.”
These matters must be treated with knowledge, evidence, proof, and firm decisive resolution, by coming together to clarify and refute these falsehoods, and by advising the Ummah and especially the youth everywhere, while upholding the Salafī methodology in these and other issues. We must unite upon that and call to it with knowledge, evidence, wisdom, and good instruction.
Therefore, no attention should be paid to ʿArafāt’s slander against our noble brother Dr. Abū ʿIyāḍ, nor to his declaration of him as an innovator.
For Dr. Abū ʿIyāḍ—may Allāh preserve him—is a Salafī man whom Allāh has favored with knowledge of the Sharīʿah as well as worldly knowledge in which Allāh granted him success and specialization.
