“So High above all is Allah, the King, the True. And do not hasten with (reciting) the Qur’an before its revelation to you is concluded, and say, “My Lord, improve me in knowledge.” (Qur’an 20:114)
This entry is written as a response to a well known Pseudo-Salafi Sheikh by the name of Assim Al-Hakeem.
He has unfortunately uploaded a video in which he attacks Ahl Haqq Wal Istiqamah (The people of Truth and Steadfastness). This is possibly do to one of three factors. Two of which is trying to have a good opinion about the Sheikh. The third is the view that perhaps he is a person that deceives others intentionally. If it is option 1 or 2 may Allah (swt) over look his faults and our faults. If it is option 3 may Allah (swt) guide him and us.
Opinion 1 is due to his lack of understanding. Which all of us are ignorant about something.
Opinion 2 maybe he made these statements about Ibaadiyyah while under the influence of alcohol. That is because Sheikh Assim Al-Hakeem told young people all over the world that he “drinks beer” and that he is “proud of that.” So it is possible he made his comments while under the influence of intoxicants.
Opinion 3 is this Sheikh lied about a Sunni Imam (Imam Malik) and it is not above him to willfully lie about the Ibadi or tell half truths.
Opinion 1. His lack of understanding. No proper knowledge.
“Mabrouk says, who are the Ibaadiyyah? The Ibaadiyyah is a faction of Al Khawarij. It is one of the 72 sects that the Prophet (a.s) warned us from, dividing into. They follow the Khawarij; but they are a softer copy of the hard core Khwarij. And this what called Imam Ibn Taymiyyah (May Allah have mercy on his soul) to describe them as being the gay part of the Khawarij. They’re so gay compared to the Khawarij, that gives takfir and to have bloodshed. They are close in the attributes of Allah (Azawajal) to the Mutazila. So they deny allot of Allah’s attributes. They have their own misinterpretation when it comes to the scale and to the siraat. And to the things related to yom al qiyyamah (the day of judgement). They also believe that those who commit major sins are kafir, like the Khawarij. But they, it is is permissible to marry them. So they believe that those who are not from the Ibaadiyyah like us, they can marry from us and they can inherit from us. But we are, we will be in hellfire forever. And they have so many weird things. They believe the Qur’an is created and it is not one of Allah’s attributes. They believe that it is impossible to see Allah in paradise. So it’s a deviant cult. And allot of the scholars say that you must not pray behind them as the prayer would not be accepted and Allah knows best.”
The response to Sheikh Assim Al-Hakeem.
First point.
The Sheikh says about us, “They’re so gay compared to the Khawarij, that gives takfir and to have bloodshed.” Yet, he is the one who says, “And allot of the scholars say that you must not pray behind them as the prayer would not be accepted and Allah knows best.” Talk about takfir!
Second point.
The Sheikh says about us,
“They have their own misinterpretation when it comes to the scale and to the siraat. And to the things related to yom al qiyyamah (the day of judgement).” He did not elaborate on what those things are. So it is challenging to comment upon what he did not elaborate upon.
Third point.
The Sheikh says about us,
“So they deny allot of Allah’s attributes.” What attributes do they think we are denying? It is actually Sheikh Assim Al-Hakeem’s group who make up attributes about Allah (swt).
Ibn ‘Uthaymeen stated:
“We believe that Allah, The Most High, has two real eyes. And this is the saying of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamā’ah. Abul-Hasan Al-Ash’aree said: The saying of Ahlus-Sunnah and the As-hāb Al-Hadeeth is that Allah has two eyes, without saying ‘how’ just as Allah has said, “[It was] sailing under Our Eyes.” (54:14).”
Source: (See Izālatus-Sitār ‘an Al-Jawāb Al-Mukhtār li-Hidāyatil-Muhtār of Ibn ‘Uthaymeen, p. 22; also Al-Maqālāt Al-Islāmiyyeen 1/345)
There is no where in the Qur’an or the Sunnah that says Allah “has two real eyes.” A typical conversation between us Ibadi and those who claim we deny the attributes of Allah (swt) usually goes like this.
Fourth Point.
The Sheikh says about us,
“They also believe that those who commit major sins are kafir, like the Khawarij”
If you want to read our understanding about this you may see the following:
Muslims who commit major sins: The Ibadi position.
Sixth point,
The Sheikh says about us,
” But we are, we will be in hellfire forever.”
This is untrue. We don’t say simply because someone is not Ibadi they will be in hellfire forever! That is false. Please see what our noble Sheikk says here:
Seventh point,
The Sheikh says about us,
“They believe the Qur’an is created and it is not one of Allah’s attributes.”
That part is true. The Qur’an is created. It is not an attribute of Allah (swt). You may see our position here:
https://primaquran.com/2022/01/10/the-quran-is-created-4/
Eighth point,
The Sheikh says about us,
“They believe that it is impossible to see Allah in paradise.”
That part is true. No one will see Allah (swt). Not in this life, not in the life to come.
Opinion 2. He was under the influence of alcohol. He was intoxicated when he made such statements.
“I drink beer and I’m proud of that. But the beer I drink before you quote me for that is from Saudi Arabia and it has 2% maybe 3% alcohol, and it’s legal and it’s halal. One says, “oh it has alcohol!” Akhi, If I drink half a pack nothing happens.”
Now the individual who made the video above chooses to use the pejorative ‘Wahabi‘. However, I prefer to use the term ‘Pseudo-Salafi‘. Now, obviously images of Muslim youth breaking their Ramadan fast with a bottle of 3% Hoegaarden beer and dates did not sit well with many more sensible Muslims.
So the Sheikh issued a retraction, clarification, kind of, sort of, not really…. 🤷♂️
The Sheikh continues…. “The presence of alcohol, if you consume a large amount of it and you are not intoxicated this means that it is permissible to consume. Because why is wine haram? Because if you drink allot of it you become intoxicated. If I have a barrel of whatever substance and I’m not wasted I’m not intoxicated then drinking a little bit is o.k. But, if I have a bottle of a liquid of a drink and if I drink the whole bottle I become wasted, I become drunk, then a single drop of it is haram.”
This Sheikh is following the view of the famous Salafi Sheikh, Saleh Al-Uthaymeen. The same one above who says that Allah (swt) has “two very real eyes“. May Allah guide us! Sheikh Saleh Al-Uthaymeen gave a controversial beer drinking fatwa.
https://primaquran.com/2020/07/15/salafi-shaykh-saleh-al-uthaymeen-and-his-controversial-beer-drinking-fatwa/
Please DO NOT listen to people like Sheikh Saleh Al-Uthaymeen or Sheikh Assim Al-Hakeem! Please listen to someone sensible like Sheikh Mufti Menk on this matter!
Opinion 3. Sheikh Assim Al-Hakeem lied about a Sunni Imam (Imam Malik); and it is not above him to willfully lie about the Ibadi or tell half truths. You read the following and you decide.
https://primaquran.com/2022/01/23/salafis-bilal-philips-and-assim-al-hakeem-lie-about-imam-malik-and-the-prayer/
“Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best. Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who has strayed from His way, and He is most knowing of who is guided.” (Qur’an 16:125)
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