AL-ALBANI
Concise Guide
to the Chief Innovator of Our Time
by Sh. G F Haddad
[with a typical reaction to the text]:[his deviant approach to hadith]:
Nasir al-Albani is the arch-innovator of the Wahhabis and "Salafis" in our
time. A watch repairman by trade, al-Albani is a self-taught claimant to
hadith scholarship who has no known teacher in any of the Islamic sciences
and has admitted not to have memorized the Book of Allah nor any book of
hadith, fiqh, `aqîda, usûl, or grammar. He achieved fame by attacking the
great scholars of Ahl al-Sunna and reviling the science of fiqh with
especial malice towards the school of his father who was a Hanafi jurist.
A rabid reviler of the Friends of Allah and the Sufis, he was expelled
from Syria then Saudi Arabia and lived in Amman, Jordan under house arrest
until his death in 1999. He remains the qibla of the people of Innovation,
self-styled re-formers of Islam, and other "Salafi" and Wahhabi
sympathizers, and the preferred author of book merchants and many
uneducated Muslims. Most of the contemporary Sunni scholars warned of his
heresy and many of them wrote articles or full-length works against him
such as:
- The Indian hadith scholar Habib al-Rahman al-A`zami who wrote al-Albani
Shudhudhuh wa Akhta'uh ("Al-Albani's Aberrations and Errors") in four
volumes.
- The Syrian scholar Muhammad Sa`id Ramadan al-Buti who wrote the two
classics al-Lamadhhabiyya Akhtaru Bid`atin Tuhaddidu al-Shari`a
al-Islamiyya ("Not Following A School of Jurisprudence is the Most
Dangerous Innovation Threatening Islamic Sacred Law") and al-Salafiyya
Marhalatun Zamaniyyatun Mubaraka La Madhhabun Islami ("The `Way of the
Early Muslims' Was A Blessed Historical Epoch, Not An Islamic School of
Thought")
- The Moroccan hadith scholar `Abd Allah ibn Muhammad ibn al-Siddiq
al-Ghumari who wrote Irgham al-Mubtadi` al-Ghabi bi Jawaz al-Tawassul bi
al-Nabi fi al-Radd `ala al-Albani al-Wabi ("The Coercion of the
Unintelligent Innovator with the Licitness of Using the Prophet 
as an Intermediary in Refutation of al-Albani the
Baneful"), al-Qawl al-Muqni` fi al-Radd `ala al-Albani al-Mubtadi` ("The
Persuasive Discourse in Refutation of al-Albani the Innovator"), and Itqan
al-Sun`a fi Tahqiq Ma`na al-Bid`a ("Precise Handiwork in Ascertaining the
Meaning of Innovation").
- The Moroccan hadith scholar `Abd al-`Aziz ibn Muhammad ibn al-Siddiq
al-Ghumari who wrote Bayan Nakth al-Nakith al-Mu`tadi ("The Exposition of
the Treachery of the Rebel").
- The Syrian hadith scholar `Abd al-Fattah Abu Ghudda who wrote Radd `ala
Abatil wa Iftira'at Nasir al-Albani wa Sahibihi Sabiqan Zuhayr al-Shawish
wa Mu'azirihima ("Refutation of the Falsehoods and Fabrications of Nasir
al-Albani and his Former Friend Zuhayr al-Shawish and their Supporters").
- The Egyptian Hadith scholar Muhammad `Awwama who wrote Adab al-Ikhtilaf
("The Proper Manners of Expressing Difference of Opinion").
- The Egyptian hadith scholar Mahmud Sa`id Mamduh who wrote Wusul
al-Tahani bi Ithbat Sunniyyat al-Subha wa al-Radd `ala al-Albani ("The
Alighting of Mutual Benefit and Confirmation that the Dhikr-Beads are a
Sunna in Refutation of al-Albani") and Tanbih al-Muslim ila Ta`addi
al-Albani `ala Sahih Muslim ("Warning to the Muslim Concerning al-Albani's
Attack on Sahih Muslim").
- The Saudi hadith scholar Isma`il ibn Muhammad al-Ansar who wrote
Ta`aqqubat `ala "Silsilat al-Ahadith al-Da`ifa wa al-Mawdu`a" li al-Albani
("Critique of al-Albani's Book on Weak and Forged Hadiths"), Tashih Salat
al-Tarawih `Ishrina Rak`atan wa al-Radd `ala al-Albani fi Tad`ifih
("Establishing as Correct the Tarawih Salat in Twenty Rak`as and the
Refutation of Its Weakening by al-Albani"), and Ibahat al-Tahalli bi
al-Dhahab al-Muhallaq li al-Nisa' wa al-Radd `ala al-Albani fi Tahrimih
("The Licitness of Wearing Gold Jewelry for Women Contrary to al-Albani's
Prohibition of it").
- The Syrian scholar Badr al-Din Hasan Diab who wrote Anwar al-Masabih
`ala Zulumat al-Albani fi Salat al-Tarawih ("Illuminating the Darkness of
al-Albani over the Tarawih Prayer").
- The Director of Religious Endowments in Dubai, `Isa ibn `Abd Allah ibn
Mani` al-Himyari who wrote al-I`lam bi Istihbab Shadd al-Rihal li Ziyarati
Qabri Khayr al-Anam ("The Notification
Concerning the Recommendation of Travelling to Visit the Grave of the Best
of Creation ) and al-Bid`a al-Hasana Aslun
Min Usul al-Tashri` ("The Excellent Innovation Is One of the Sources of
Islamic Legislation").
- The Minister of Islamic Affairs and Religious Endowments in the United
Arab Emirates Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ahmad al-Khazraji who wrote the article
al-Albani: Tatarrufatuh ("Al-Albani's Extremist Positions").
- The Syrian scholar Firas Muhammad Walid Ways in his edition of Ibn
al-Mulaqqin's Sunniyyat al-Jumu`a al-Qabliyya ("The Sunna Prayers That
Must Precede Salat al-Jumu`a").
- The Syrian scholar Samer Islambuli who wrote al-Ahad, al-Ijma`,
al-Naskh.
- The Jordanian scholar As`ad Salim Tayyim who wrote Bayan Awham al-Albani
fi Tahqiqihi li Kitab Fadl al-Salat `ala al-Nabi .
- The Jordanian scholar Hasan `Ali al-Saqqaf who wrote the two-volume
Tanaqudat al-Albani al-Wadiha fi ma Waqa`a fi Tashih al-Ahadith wa
Tad`ifiha min Akhta' wa Ghaltat ("Albani's Patent Self-Contradictions in
the Mistakes and Blunders He Committed While Declaring Hadiths to be Sound
or Weak"), Ihtijaj al-Kha'ib bi `Ibarat man Idda`a al-Ijma` fa Huwa Kadhib
("The Loser's Recourse to the Phrase: `Whoever Claims Consensus Is a
Liar!'"), al-Qawl al-Thabtu fi Siyami Yawm al-Sabt ("The Firm Discourse
Concerning Fasting on Saturdays"), al-Lajif al-Dhu`af li al-Mutala`ib bi
Ahkam al-I`tikaf ("The Lethal Strike Against Him Who Toys with the Rulings
of I`tikaf), Sahih Sifat Salat al-Nabi Sallallahu `alayhi wa Sallam ("The
Correct Description of the Prophet's Prayer "), I`lam al-Kha'id bi Tahrim al-Qur'an `ala al-Junub wa al-Ha'id
("The Appraisal of the Meddler in the Interdiction of the Qur'an to those
in a State of Major Defilement and Menstruating Women"), Talqih al-Fuhum
al-`Aliya ("The Inculcation of Lofty Discernment"), and Sahih Sharh
al-`Aqida al-Tahawiyya ("The Correct Explanation of al-Tahawi's Statement
of Islamic Doctrine").
Among Albani's innovations in the Religion:
1- In his book Adab al-Zafaf he prohibits women from wearing gold
jewelry - rings, bracelets, and chains - despite the Consensus of the
Ulema permitting it.
2- He claims that 2.5% zakât is not due on money obtained from commerce,
i.e. the main activity whereby money circulates among Muslims.
3- He absolutely prohibits fasting on Saturdays.
4- He prohibits retreat (i`tikaf) in any but the Three Mosques.
5- He claims that it is lawful to eat in Ramadan before Maghrib as defined
by the Law, and similarly after the true dawn.
6- He compares Hanafi fiqh to the Gospel.1 
7- He calls people to imitate him rather than the Imams of the Salaf such
as the founders of the Four Schools, and his followers invalidate the
hadiths that contradict his views.
8- He prohibits the make-up performance of prayers missed intentionally.
9- He claims that it is permissible for menstruating women and those in a
state of major defilement (junub) to recite, touch, and carry the Qur'an.
10- He claims over and over that among the innovations in religion
existent in Madina is the persistence of the Prophet's grave in the mosque.
11- He claims that whoever travels intending to visit the Prophet or to ask him for his intercession is a misguided
innovator.
12- He claims that whoever carries dhikr-beads in his hand to remember
Allah Most High is misguided and innovating.
13- He invented a location to Allah Most High above the Throne which he
named al-makân al-`adamî - "the non-existent place."
14- He claims in Tamam al-Minna that masturbation does not annul one's
fast.
15- He published "corrected" editions of the two Sahihs of al-Bukhari and
Muslim, which he deceitfully called "Abridgments" (mukhtasar) in violation
of the integrity of these motherbooks.
16- He published newly-styled editions of the Four Sunan, al-Bukhari's
al-Adab al-Mufrad, al-Mundhiri's al-Targhib wa al-Tarhib, and al-Suyuti's
al-Jami` al-Saghir, each of which he split into two works, respectively
prefixed Sahih and Da`if in violation of the integrity of these
motherbooks.
17- He said: "Many of those who interpret figuratively [the Divine
Attributes] are not heretics (zanâdiqa), but they say what heretics say,"
and "figurative interpretation is the very same as nullification
(al-ta'wîl `ayn al-ta`tîl)."2
18- He suggests that al-Bukhari is a disbeliever for interpreting the
Divine Face as dominion or sovereignty (mulk) in the verse { Everything
will perish save His countenance } (28:88) in the book of Tafsir in his
Sahih: "Except His wajh means except His mulk, and it is also said: Except
whatever was for the sake of His countenance." Albani blurts out: "No true
believer would say such a thing" and "We should consider al-Bukhari
innocent of that statement."3
19- In imitation of the Mu`tazila, tawassul (seeking means), istighâtha
(asking for help), and tashaffu` (seeking intercession) through the
Prophet or one of the Awliyâ' he declared
prohibited acts in Islam (harâm) tantamount to idolatry (shirk) in his
booklet al-Tawassul as did his friends Bin Baz and those who obey them
such as al-Qahtani in al-Wala' wa al-Bara' and others, in flat rejection
of the numerous sound and explicit narrations to that effect, such as
al-Bukhari's narration of the Prophet from
Ibn `Umar - Allah be well-pleased with him -: "Truly the sun shall draw so
near on the Day of Resurrection that sweat shall reach to the mid-ear,
whereupon they shall ask (istaghâthû) help from Adam - upon him peace -,
then from Musa - upon him peace - , then from Muhammad who will intercede (fa yashfa`u)... and that day Allah shall
raise him to an Exalted Station, so that all those who are standing
[including the unbelievers] shall glorify him (yahmaduhu ahlu al-jam`i
kulluhum)."
20- He denies that the name of the Angel of death is `Azrâ'îl and claims
such a name has no basis other than Israelite reports, although `Iyad
reports the Consensus on the Umma on it in al-Shifa'.
21- Like the rest of Wahhabi and "Salafi" innovators he declares Ash`aris,
Maturidis, and Sufis to be outside the fold of Ahl al-Sunna and even
outside the fold of Islam, although Allah Most High and His Prophet praised them! Upon revelation of the verse { Allah shall bring a people whom He loves and who love Him } (5:54), the
Prophet pointed to Abu Musa al-Ash`ari -
Allah be well-pleased with him - and said: "They are that man's People."4
Al-Qushayri, Ibn `Asakir, al-Bayhaqi, Ibn al-Subki, and others said that
the followers of Abu al-Hasan al-Ash`ari - i.e. Ash`aris who were mostly
Sufis - are included among Abu Musa's People for in every place that a
people are affiliated to a Prophet, what is meant is the followers of that
Prophet. As for Maturidis, they are referred to in the narration of the
Prophet from Bishr al-Khath`ami or
al-Ghanawi with a sound (sahîh) chain according to al-Hakim, al-Dhahabi,
al-Suyuti, and al-Haythami: "Truly you shall conquer Constantinople and
truly what a wonderful leader will her leader be [Mehmet Fatih Sultan -
Allah be well-pleased with him -], and truly what a wonderful army will
that army be!" Both the leader and his army were classic Hanafi Maturidis
and it is known that Mehmet Fatih loved and respected Sufis, practiced
tawassul, and followed a Shaykh. Moreover, enmity against Ash`aris,
Maturidis, and Sufis, is nifâq and enmity against the Umma of Islam as
most of the Ulema of Islam are thus described.
22- In at least five of his books5 he calls for the demolition of the
Green Dome of the Prophet's Mosque in al-Madina al-Munawwara and for
taking the Prophet's grave outside the Mosque.
23- He states: "I have found no evidence for the Prophet's hearing of the salaam of those who greet him at his grave"
and "I do not know from where Ibn Taymiyya took his claim6 that he hears the salaam from someone near." This and the
previous item are among his greater enormities and bear the unmistakable
signature of innovation and deviation.7
24- He considers it an innovation to visit relatives, neighbors, or
friends on the day of `Eid and prohibits it.8
25- He gave the fatwa that Muslims should exit Palestine en masse and
leave it to the Jews as it is part the Abode of War (dâr al-harb).9
26- He advocates in his Salat al-Nabi , the
formula "Peace and blessings upon the Prophet" instead of "upon you, O
Prophet" in the tashahhud in contradiction of the Four Sunni Schools, on
the basis of a hadith of Ibn Mas`ud whereby the Companions used the
indirect-speech formula after the passing of the Prophet . But the Prophet himself
instructed them to pray exactly as he prayed saying: "Peace and blessings
upon you, O Prophet" without telling them to change it after his death,
nor did the major Companions (whose Sunna we were ordered to imitate
together with that of the Prophet ), such as
Abu Bakr and `Umar, teach the Companions and Successors otherwise!
27- He prohibits praying more than 11 rak`as in Tarawih prayers on the
grounds that the Prophet never did and in
blatant rejection of his explicit command to follow the Sunna of the
well-guided Caliphs after him.
28- He declares that adding more to 11 supererogatory rak`as in the late
night prayer (tahajjud) is an innovation rather than an act of obedience
on the grounds that the Prophet "never ever
prayed one hundred rak`as in his whole lifetime"10 although the Ulema
agree that there is no prescribed limit to something which the Prophet commanded without specifically quantifying it,
and he said in three authentic narrations:
"Know that the best of your good deeds is prayer,"11 "Prayer is a
light,"12 and "The night prayer is in cycles of two [rak`as] and when one
of you fears the rising of the dawn, let him pray a single one."13 It is
also established in many authentic narrations collected by Imam `Abd
al-Hayy al-Lacknawi in the second part of his Iqamat al-Hujja `ala anna
al-Ikthar min al-Ta`abbudi Laysa bi Bid`a that the Companions and Salaf
prayed hundreds if not thousands of rak`as in every twenty-four hours!
29- He considers it an innovation to pray four rak`as between the two
adhâns of Jumu`a and before Salat, although it is authentically narrated
that "the Prophet prayed four rak`as before
Jumu`a and four rak`as after it."14
30- He declares it prohibited (harâm) and an innovation to lengthen the
beard over a fistful's length although there is no proof for such a claim
in the whole Law and none of the Ulema ever said it before him.15
31- He gives free rein to his propensity to insult and vilify the Ulema of
the past as well as his contemporaries. As a result it is difficult to
wade through his writings without being affected by the nefarious spirit
that permeates them. For example, he considers previous editors and
commentators of al-Bukhari's al-Adab al-Mufrad ("Book of Manners"!)
"sinful," "unbearably ignorant," and even "liars" and "thieves." Of one he
says: "There are so many weak hadiths [in his choice]... that it is an
unIslamic practice"; of another: "It is ignorance which must not be
tolerated"; of another: "Forgery and open lie... His edition is stolen
[from a previous one]."16 Such examples actually fill a book compiled by
Shaykh Hasan `Ali al-Saqqaf and titled Qamus Shata'im al-Albani wa
Alfazihi al-Munkara al-Lati Yatluquha `ala `Ulama' al-Umma ("Dictionary of
al-Albani's Insults and the Heinous Words He Uses Against the Scholars of
the Muslim Community").
32- He revived Ibn Hazm's anti-madhhabî claim that differences can never
be a mercy in any case but are always a curse on the basis of the verse
{ If it had been from other than Allah they would have found therein much
discrepancy } (4:82).17 Imam al-Nawawi long since refuted this view in his
commentary on Sahih Muslim where he said: "If something is a mercy, it is
not necessary for its opposite to be the opposite of mercy. No-one makes
this binding and no-one even says this, except an ignoramus or one who
affects ignorance." Similarly, al-Munawi said in Fayd al-Qadir: "This is a
contrivance that showed up on the part of some of those who have sickness
in their heart."
33- He expresses hatred for those who read Imam al-Busiri's masterpiece,
Qasidat al-Burda, and calls them cretins (mahâbîl),18 i.e. millions of
Muslims past and present including the likes of Imams Ibn Hajar
al-`Asqalani, al-Sakhawi, and al-Suyuti who all included it as required
reading in the Islamic curriculum.19
34- He perpetuates lies if they detract from Ash`aris, such as his remark
that Imam Sayf al-Din al-Amidi did not pray,20 although Dr. Hasan
al-Shafi`i in his massive biography entitled al-Amidi wa Ara'uhu
al-Kalamiyya showed that the story that al-Amidi did not pray was a
forgery put into circulation during the campaign waged by Imam Ibn
al-Salah against him for teaching logic and philosophy in Damascus.
35- He perpetuates the false claim first made by Munir Agha the founder of
the Egyptian Salafiyya Press, that Imam Abu Muhammad al-Juwayni - the
father of Imam al-Haramayn - "repented" from Ash`ari doctrine and
supposedly authored a tract titled Risala fi Ithbat al-Istiwâ' wa
al-Fawqiyya ("Epistle on the Assertion of Establishment and Aboveness").21
This spurious attribution continues to be promoted without verification -
for obvious reasons - by modern-day "Salafis" who adduce it to forward the
claim that al-Juwayni embraced anthropomorphist concepts. The Risala in
question is not mentioned in any of the bibliographical and biographical
sources nor does al-Dhahabi cite it in his encyclopedia of
anthropomorphist views entitled al-`Uluw. More conclusively, it is written
in modern argumentative style and reflects typically contemporary
anthropomorphist obsessions.
36- He derides the fuqahâ' of the Umma for accepting - in their massive
majority - the hadith of Mu`adh ibn Jabal on ijtihâd as authentic then
rejects the definition of knowledge (`ilm) in Islam as pertaining to fiqh
but claims that it pertains only to hadith,22 although the Ulema of the
Salaf explicitly said that a hadith master without fiqh is a misguided
innovator! And he defines the `âlim as "meaning, of course, the `Salafi'
`âlim, not the `Khalafi [late Egyptian Shaykh] Ghazali'!"23 Al-Qurtubi
said: "One of the knowers of Allah said: A certain group that has not yet
come up in our time but shall show up at the end of time, will curse the
scholars and insult the jurists."24
NOTES
1 In his commentary on al-Mundhiri's Mukhtasar Sahih Muslim, 3rd ed.
(Beirut: al-Maktab al-Islami, 1977, p. 548). This phrase was removed from
later editions.
2 Fatawa (p. 522-523) and Mukhtasar al-`Uluw (p. 23f.).
3 Fatawa (p. 523).
4 Narrated from `Iyad by Ibn Abi Shayba and al-Hakim who said it is sahîh
by Muslim's criterion, and by al-Tabarani with a sound chain as stated by
al-Haythami.
5 Ahkam al-Jana'iz wa Bida`uha, Talkhis Ahkam al-Jana'iz, Tahdhir al-Sajid,
Hijjat al-Nabi, and Manasik al-Hajj wa al-`Umra.
6 In Majmu`a al-Fatawa (27:384).
7 In his notes on Nu`man al-Alusi's al-Ayat al-Bayyinat (p. 80) and his
Silsila Da`ifa (#203).
8 Fatawa (p. 61-63).
9 Fatawa (p. 18).
10 Fatawa (p. 315-316).
11 Narrated as part of a longer hadith from Thawban with sound chains by
Ibn Majah and Ahmad. Malik cites it in his Muwatta'.
12 Part of a longer hadith narrated from Abu Malik al-Ash`ari (Ka`b ibn
`Asim) by Muslim, al-Tirmidhi (hasan sahîh), al-Nasa'i, Ibn Majah, Ahmad,
and al-Darimi.
13 Narrated from Ibn `Umar in the Nine Books.
14 With a fair chain from `Ali and Ibn `Abbas as stated by al-`Iraqi in
Tarh al-Tathrib (3:42), Ibn Hajar in Talkhis al-Habir (2:74), and
al-Tahanawi in I`la' al-Sunan (7:9).
15 Fatawa (p. 53).
16 Sahih al-Adab al-Mufrad (Introduction, p. 15, 20, 26).
17 Al-Silsila al-Da`ifa (1:76 #57).
18 Introduction to al-San`ani's Raf` al-Astar (p. 24-25).
19 Cf. al-Suyuti, Husn al-Muhadara (Cairo 1293 ed. 1:260) and al-Sakhawi,
in A.J. Arberry, Sakhawiana: A Study Based on the Chester Beatty Ms. Arab.
773 (London: Emery Walker Ltd., 1951, p. 5-9).
20 In his notes to Nu`man al-Alusi's al-Ayat al-Bayyinat (p. 88).
21 Mukhtasar al-`Uluw (p. 277).
22 In his notes on al-Qasimi's al-Mash `ala al-Jawrabayn (p. 38). On the
hadith of Mu`adh see our May 1999 post titled, "[4] Probativeness of the
Sunna" and Note 5 in that post.
23 Tahrim Alat al-Tarab (p. 160).
24 Al-Qurtubi, Tafsir (7:191).
Wal-'Aqibatu lil-Muttaqin.
GF Haddad ©
Typical response by H.A.M., a 'Salafiy',
not caring much about the evidence put forward, as above:
Salaam,
What is all this nonsense on your website about refuting so and
so??? Since when did the Prophet or his companions sit back behind the
veil and slander their muslims brothers and sisters??? Where did you
get this nonsense?
Fear Allah brother. A muslim does not attack his muslim
brother/sister. Didn't the Prophet say the one who testifies there is
no god except Allah his life is sacred? So if his life is sacred, what
makes you think you can sit up and slander him? In the grave, will not
Allah punish those who slandered/backbited? So what makes you slander
the righteous scholars of the ummah?
Do you know their relationship with Allah? It maybe so that their
relationship with Allah is far more firmer than yours or mine, so hold
that tongue brother and Fear Allah.
Wa salaamu alaykum,
We are convinced that it is not slandering to say where one scholar has failed and is
wrong and
that it is our duty to warn the Muslims about it
for the safeguarding of our doctrin and our dîn.
Concerning this typical reaction Shaykh Gibril F Haddad wrote the following:
“There are notable exceptions in the Law to the prohibition
of slander, i.e. of saying something unpleasant but true.
From the strictest viewpoint of the Law, the Prophet upon him
blessings and peace, did mention someone's bad characteristics to warn
others of the danger they represented. Another time he was reported
to say: "Until when will you refrain from mentioning the wrongdoer
[for the wrong they do]? Mention them so people can protect themselves
from them!" or something to that effect.
So the prohibition of slander and backbiting excludes those that
make no effort whatsoever to hide their transgressions nor are
they repentent.
Furthermore, Allah Most High said:
{ Allah does not like the announcing of evil in public
speech except by one who has been wronged; and Allah is
Hearing, Knowing. } (4:148)
So the prohibition of slander and backbiting also excludes
warning about a wrongdoer by someone that has been wronged.
Most relevantly here, such prohibition also excludes warning
about innovators. As Imam Ahmad said, this is not backbiting nor
slander but obligatory nasiha by and for those that truly fear
Allah Most High, was-Salam.”
Hajj Gibril
*
The above text is further elaborated in
Shaykh Gibril F Haddad's book:
"Albani and His Friends",
• aqsapublications.com -- New revised edition, checked 2009-07-22
• bokus.com/bok/ from 2004-05-01
see also:
• Al-Albani's Revolutionary Approach to Hadith (pdf), S. Lacroix