The Deviations of the Madaakhilah

A Summary of the Deviations of the Madaakhilah
by Aboo Hafs Ash-Shaamee
Source: ClearGuidance.com

The Madaakhilah are the name of a sect which ascribes itself to Salafeeyah. They are named after Rabee' bin Haadee al-Madkhalee (from the Madkhalee tribe). Just like the Ashaa'irah are named after Abul-Hasan al-Ash'aree (from the Ash'aree tribe).

They have been named other things too

Jaameeyah: named after Muhammad Amaan al-Jaamee, a scholar from Africa, who started some of the criticisms of scholars, students, and callers early on. I personally don't like this name, because Muhammad Amaan al-Jaamee is not as well known as Rabee', nor does he hold as high a place amongst the sect, nor was he as extreme as Rabee'.

• Salafeeyah Jadeedah: Neo-Salafeeyah.

• Jamaa'at at-Tabdee' wal-Hijrah: The group of declaring others innovators and boycotting.

• Ad'iyaa' as-Salafeeyah: Salafee claimants.

• Khuloof: Which means those who came after (the Salaf), in reference to the Hadeeth in Saheeh Muslim, "Then there will come Khuloof, who will say what they do not do, and do what they were not ordered, so whoever does Jihaad against them with his hand, then he is a believer...etc."

• Salafeeyoo Ahl al-Walaa': Those with alliance/friendship [to the government] Salafees. This term was coined up by a group of Madaakhilah in a research paper that they wrote for the interior minister of Saudi Arabia, to help him against "the callers to revolution." The label has also been used against them by some of the scholars.

• Murji'at al-'Asr: The Murji'ah of the era, due to the fact that Irjaa' runs rampand amongst their followers, although it is not their most unique trait.

I prefer to call them Madaakhilah, because the person who spread their corrupt call east and west was Rabee', May Allaah Give him what he deserves. He is also the most famous of their scholars.

As for their most unique trait (not their worst), I personally believe that to be their exaggerated and extreme understandings of Jarh and Tabdee'. Jarh is the science of disparaging narrators due to deficiency in their trustworthiness. This was practiced by the scholars so as to know from who Hadeeth can be accepted from, and from who should it be rejected. They also used it in the later generations in the sense from who can knowledge be taken from. Tabdee' is to declare someone an innovator.

This extremity is most clear in their wrong application of the principle "whoever does not declare the innovator to be an innovator then he is an innovator." So they misapply this principle as the Takfeeree groups misapply the correct principle "whoever does not declare the Kaafir to be a Kaafir then he is a Kaafir." The starting point for the average and typical Madkhalee (layman or scholar) is Sayyid Qutb. Whoever does not declare him to be an innovator, then he is an innovator. Whoever does not declare the one who abstained from Tabdee' of Sayyid, to be an innovator, then he also is an innovator, and onwards, until noone is left on the earth except the few members of their sect.

Due to their extremism, they followed the habits of Ahl al-Bida' before them, so they further divided into subsects. Those who sided with Rabee' on some issues, and those who sided with an Egyptian by the name of Abul-Hasan al-Ma'ribee. The division started over Abul-Hasan's abstaining from declaring certain individuals innovators (in addition to other things), and those who abstained from declaring Abul-Hasan an innovator was grouped with him. This includes the Jordanian Madaakhilah who claim to be students of Shaykh al-Albaanee (which has been declared a false claim, by some of those who were close to the Shaykh, such as Aboo Maalik Muhammad Ibraaheem Shaqrah, an ex-Madkhalee).

The innovations and deviance of the Madaakhilah include:

• Believing that legislating manmade laws, complete abstinence from ruling by the Sharee'ah, or resisting to rule by the Sharee'ah, seeking judgement from Taaghoot, are all just minor Kufr, that do not exit the doer from the religion of Islaam, except with Istihlaal. Istihlaal is to believe his sin to be permissible. So they make the sins of major Kufr and major Shirk equal to lesser sins like adultery, drinking alcohol, etc., by placing the condition of Istihlaal on the major Kufr, which only exists as a condition for minor Kufr.

• Believing that actions of the limbs are not a pillar nor condition for the existence of Eemaan for one to be ruled a Muslim. So for them one can never pray, give Zakaah, fast Ramadaah, or do Hajj, never do Wudoo', never get Tahaarah, etc., and he would still be a Muslim, who's Islaam can save him from Hellfire eventually. They would label him a sinner, as for a Kaafir, then no. So they have followed the Murji'ah of the past.

• Exaggerating the concept of excuse due to ignorance with regards to the rules of this life. So for them they excuse the one who calls himself a Muslim (i.e., they judge him a Muslim), in all situations, in all issues. So for them, there is no difference between the basis of Islaam, the matters that are known from the religion by necessity, or those issues that are less apparent or obvious. There is no difference between one who was raised amongst the Muslims, or the one who was not. There is no difference between the new Muslim, and others. All of them are always Muslims, even if they fall into many types of obvious Kufr and Shirk, because of the "possibility" of ignorance. This confusion amonst them also applies to the issue of Ta'weel (misinterpretation) by which (for example) they excuse many of the rulers who have pronounced their Istihlaal of their legislating manmade laws.

• Believing that major Walaa' (alliance/friendship) with the Kuffaar is not major Kufr, unless the person internalizes a Kufr intention, such as wishing to aid the religion of Kufr, or to destroy Allaah's Religion, etc. So if one were to lead the crusade against Islaam, head it, support it by wealth and blood, he would still be a Muslim, until he pronounces the internalized intentions of Kufr. So they do not make the act itself Kufr, until this innovated condition is proven.

• Believing that Jihaad cannot be Fard 'Ayn upon the whole Ummah. Also, related to Jihaad, is believing that Jihaad is not permissible without an Islaamic state whose Imaam directs it. Believing Jihaad to be forbidden without the permission of the Imaam. All of this is regarding defensive Jihaad.

• Labelling those who do Takfeer of the apostate rulers and their soldiers to be Khawaarij or Takfeerees. They prohibit Khurooj against these apostate rulers, due to the fact that they rule them to be Muslims. If they rule some of them to be Kuffaar, they still prohibit it due to the fact it is not led by an Imaam (head of Muslim state).

• Belittling the importance of awareness of current affairs and events, saying that such is only for the rulers and scholars, and that the laymen have no need for such. This foolish idea leads many laymen to believe the rulers in their lands to be Muslims, because they are unaware of the Kufr that he practices. So these laymen sometimes end up sacrificing themselves for the apostate ruler by being his sincere servants and slaves.

• Testing people on their positions regarding certain individuals they have labelled innovators. If the person agrees with them regarding their Tabdee' then he is befriended, if not, he is taken as an enemy and belittled. The individuals they test people by, many times are labelled innovators based upon some of the above misunderstandings. Example: 'Abdullaah 'Azzaam said Jihaad is Fard 'Ayn, according the Madaakhilah this is an innovation, so he is an innovator. They ask Fulaan at the Masjid giving a lecture, what do you think of 'Azzaam? He says he is good, then they consider him an innovator, or hold him suspicious.

• They blindly follow the official government scholars on their stances towards their governments and politics. So if the government scholars say peace with the Jews is fine in Palestine, the Madaakhilah parrot his words. Note: Not all government scholars are Madaakhilah, but the Madaakhilah blindly follow them in politics. Example, Ibn Baaz or Ibn 'Uthaymeen are not Madaakhilah, although they might possibly have some branches of the Madkhalee fundamentals, but the Madaakhilah blindly follow their opinions that are related to politics.

• Holding a few people to be scholars in what they call "Manhaj." Noone else can be questioned on these "Manhaj" issues. These "Manhaj" doctors include Rabee', 'Ubayd al-Jaabiree, etc. They follow them blindly in issues of Jarh and Tabdee'.

• The Madaakhilah tend to have a supportive position of the Saudi apostate regime, although they are supportive of most of the apostate regimes in general. But due to the fact that some of them do do Takfeer of some of these regimes (Syria, Libya, etc.), they always are in agreement in praising and supporting the Saudi regime by heart and soul.

• They are very quick and easy in declaring people to be innovators, even over issues which are not innovation, rather from the best of Islaam! Like Jihaad. As for things that are indeed innovation, if one falls into them, they prohibit reading or praising anything that person wrote. For example, Sayyid Qutb had innovations, but so did many many scholars of the past and present, who Ahl as-Sunnah, as well as the Madaakhilah, both quote, such as Ibn Hazm, an-Nawawee, Ibn Hajr, etc. Yet they absolutely prohibit to treat the books of Sayyid Qutb, or others like him in the same respect.

• Due to the fact that they hold many of these apostate rulers to be legit Muslims rulers/governments, and those who revolt against them to be rebellious Khawaarij bandits, they permit allying and befriending the apostate governments, even if that ends up in aiding these apostates against a Muslim. This is probably the worst of the Madaakhilah's crimes (for those who hold this position) since it is apostasy, the apostasy of Mudhaaharah (helping the Mushrikeen against the Muslims).

In the end, they tend to take positions that are favorable for Islaam's enemies, harsh against the Muslims, mimmicking the Khawaarij in their "killing of Islaam's people, leaving the idol-worshippers."