Shaykh Saalih ibn Fawzan al-Fawzan (hafidhahullaah) was asked:
Question: What is the ruling of an individual who loves a scholar or a Da’ee and says: I love him very much, I do not want to listen to anyone refuting him and I take his word even if it goes against the evidence, because the shaykh has more knowledge of the evidence than us?
Answer: “This is detestable and blameworthy partisanship and it is not allowed. We love the scholars-and all praise is to Allaah-and we love the Du’aat (callers) for the sake of Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic. However if one from amongst them makes an error in an issue, we make clear the truth in that issue with the evidence and this does not decrease our love for the one who is refuted nor does it decrease his status. Imaam Maalik-rahimahullaah- said: “There is no one from amongst us except that he will refute or be refuted, except the companion of this grave.” Meaning the Messenger of Allaah (ﷺ).
If we refute some of the people of knowledge and some of the people of virtue, this does not mean that we hate him or dispraise him, we only make clear what is correct and for this reason some of the scholars, when some of their colleagues made an error, said: “So and so is beloved to us, however the truth is more beloved to us than him. ” And this is the correct way.
Do not understand from this, that to refute some of the scholars in an issue where they have erred in, means lowering them or having hatred for them. Rather the scholars have not ceased refuting each other and at the same time being brothers and having mutual love. It is not allowed for us to take everything that an individual says unquestionably, whether he is correct or in error, because this is partisanship.
The one whose statement is taken absolutely and nothing from it is left, is the Messenger of Allaah (ﷺ). Because he is a Messenger from his Lord and does not speak from his desires. As for other than them (messengers), then sometimes they make errors and sometimes they are correct, even though they may be from the best of the people, they are Mujtahidoon that make mistakes at times and are correct at others. No one is infallible from falling into error except the Messenger of Allaah (ﷺ). It is therefore Waajib that we know this and that we do not remain silent upon error, due to love of an individual. Rather it is upon us that we make the error clear. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “The religion is sincere advice. We said: To whom. He said: To Allaah, His book, His messenger, the leaders of the Muslims and their general people.”
So clarification of an error is advice for all, as for concealing it, then this goes against advice.”
Reference: Al Ajwibah Al Mufeedah ‘an Asilat Al Manaahij Al Jadeedah: Q67 Beneficial Answers to Questions on New Methodologies.”(Q: 67). - Shaykh Saalih ibn Fawzan al-Fawzan said (hafidhahullaah)
