The text below is reproduced from Abu Iyaad’s article, How the Scholars Dealt With The Fitnah of Ibn Hādī and the Muṣaʿfiqah (opens in a new tab).
In early 2018, after it had become clear that Ibn Hādī has no basis for his campaign of warning against a group of his own students, and after he rejected the advice of Shaykh Nizār bin Hāshim and others, there was an important set of questions and answers in which Shaykh Rabīʿ explained the correct legislative stance that must be taken. This was months before he wrote his own article, challenging Ibn Hādī to provide his evidences (see below). These are some of the questions in that meeting which took place on 10 March 2018 by a group of students of knowledge from Tunisia.
Question: “Our Shaykh, may Allāh preserve you, there are some youth present in Tunisia who revile their brothers and say of them [that they are] ‘Ṣaʿāfiqah’ (paupers in knowledge), and ‘Zaʿānif’ (riff-raff) and they show partisanship towards Shaykh Muḥammad bin Hādī.”
Shaykh Rabīʿ:
Shaykh Muḥammad bin Hādī does not have any evidence with him, and not even a half-piece of evidence, “Say: Bring your evidence if you are truthful.” (2:111-). Use this verse as proof against them and its likes and demand evidences from them. What are the Saʿāfiqah?!! They are those who have no knowledge. But these [accused ones], they are teachers and they are graduates from the university and they have doctorates and masters [qualifications], and among them are those who have [efforts] in daʿwah. “Say: Bring your evidence if you are truthful.”
So if they are not truthful [in bringing these evidences], then they are liars and oppressors. The one who reviles people without evidence, this is lying. Do not speak about anyone except with proofs and evidences as clear as the sun. Muḥammad bin Hādī does not have anything with him, he has not even an iota of proof, there is only oppression therein.
Question: “This tribulation has spread in Tunisia.”
Shaykh Rabīʾ:
This fitnah has torn apart Salafis across the world, it has spread to every place and not just in your city alone.
Question: “Our Shaykh, some of our brothers who are students in Madīnah [University], they left the gathering of Shaykh Muḥammad bin Hādī and so they [the followers of this oppressive way] announced a boycott of them.
Shaykh Rabīʿ:
The ones who boycotted them are oppressors. It was not befitting for them to do that. Those who show bigotry towards falsehood and blindly-follow without any proof or evidence, they are blind. And this is the path of the people of desires.
Question: “Some of them—when we argue with them and say there is no evidence—they say, ‘The evidences will soon come’.”
Shaykh Rabīʿ:
Soon... soon... this is a lie, there are no evidences. When they come with evidences then we are with the evidence. However, speaking about people with falsehood, then no. Shaykh Muḥammad does not have any evidences... He belittled his brothers and disfigured their reputation without any proof or evidence. Do not accept the speech of anyone who reviles the Salafis without any proof and without any clarification.
Be brothers, clinging together like a single body, when one part of it complains, all of the body reacts with sleeplessness and fever. Those who show partisanship towards the speech of Muḥammad bin Hādī in falsehood and who blindly follow his speech in falsehood without any evidence, they have been nurtured upon an evil cultivation. They have not been nurtured upon Salafiyyah. They have not been nurtured upon the cultivation of Imām Aḥmad, Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn al-Qayyim and others from the Righteous Salaf.
Note: The Shaykh indicated here that when one part of the body (individual or group of Salafīs) complains, then rest of the body reacts with sleeplesness and fever to put it aright. And this should be most pronounced among Ahl al-Sunnah, as they are upon the truth in all spheres of religion, and hence, have the greatest of zeal and jealousy for truth and its people.
Question: “When we speak to one of them, he says: ‘I am silent, I will not enter into this tribulation’.”
Shaykh Rabīʿ:
It is obligatory upon them to stand against falsehood, against oppression. Allāh (عز وجل) said: ‘If you aid Allāh’s [cause], then Allāh will aid you and make your feet firm’ (47:7-).
Note: Resorting to silence in such a context, and claiming that you are not required to say anything because you never had a position on the issue is incorrect, especially, if the issue at hand concerns you and has reached you and your people, and your voice is one that is heard and listened to. This would be desertion of the truth, and in this case, if Ibn Hādī and his evil was left alone and people said: “It does not concern me, I will stay silent”, then there would be greater confusion.