The following are some benefits from our sitting with the Noble Shaykh Usāmah al-‘Amrī (may Allāh preserve him) after Ṣalat Al-‘Asr on the 2nd of Rajab 1437, corresponding with the Gregorian date April 9th 2016.

1. The importance of being sincere, constantly guarding, and having concern for one’s heart more than one’s wealth.

2. The one who teaches is to only teach that which he knows.

3. Shaykh Rabee’ (may Allāh preserve him) mentioned, “The statement that ‘only a scholar is to teach’ will restrict knowledge from being spread and reaching the people.”

4. Remembering Allāh audibly after the Ṣalāh is a matter that the scholars differ on, (the views being mentioned) into two statements.

(a) The Prophet did it for the purpose of teaching the people. Once the people learned, there was no need for it (i.e. audibly remembering Allāh after the Ṣalāh) to be done anymore.
(b) It is still to mentioned audibly as this is what the Prophet practiced, and it’s from the Sunnah that remains. The Shaykh mentioned that this is the strongest position, as ‘Abdullāh Ibn ‘Abbās narrated this ḥadīth and he was young (intending by that the Prophet did this towards the end of his life which shows this was a common practice).

5. The one who truly has understanding in the religion is the one who knows the better of two goods and the worse of two evils. Meaning by this, when a person is faced with two matters of good, he knows which one to give precedence to. (Likewise) when a person is faced with two matters of evil, he knows the worse of the two evils, so the lesser one is done to repel the greater.

6. Two groups from Africa came to Shaykh ‘Uthaymīn (raḥimahullāh). Each was declaring the other to be disbelievers, over the issue of putting the hands on the chest after coming up from rukū’. We have similar situations going on today between the Salafis; not (from the aspect of) declaring one another to be kuffār but declaring one another to be innovators. The reason for this is the groups not having a head in the matter of knowledge that they can return back to. (Instead, the groups end up) debating amongst themselves.

7. Knowledge is not to be taken from one who is foolish, even if he is Salafī. As Imām Mālik mentioned, there are four people you should not take knowledge from:

(a) The foolish.
(b) The person of innovation.
(c) The liar.
(d) The righteous worshiper who doesn’t memorize that which he narrates.

8. Imām Abū Ḥanīfah is an Imām and virtuous. However, the scholars of ḥadīth considered him to be weak in ḥadīth. Him being an Imām in Islām, having virtue and us honoring him, does not prevent our mentioning that he was considered weak in ḥadīth by the scholars of ḥadīth.

9. Studying refutations of the people of falsehood is from the religion. The Qur’ān has refutations within it. The Sunnah has refutations within it. The books of the Scholars have refutations within them, such as the books of Shaykhul-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah. (His books contain) refutations against the people of the Book, the Raafidah, and Jaḥmiyyah, as well as other groups. However, that which is blameworthy is that a person busies himself with refutations, not studying anything else from the other books of knowledge.

10. The Du’ā that is made when finishing the Qur’ān while one is making Ṣalāh has no origin, as mentioned in the fatāwā of Scholars. However, outside of the Ṣalāh there is a narration about ‘Abdullāh Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) gathering his family together to make Du’ā to Allah after finishing the recitation of the Qur’ān.

11. Reciting the Qur’ān in a group for the purposes of teaching is known as Talqeen (getting one to repeat after you what you are saying to them). This is permissible, for the purposes of teaching. As for reciting the Quran in a group like group Dhikr, as done by the people of innovation,  then this is not permissible and is from the matters of innovation.

12. The Shaykh had advised some brothers regarding the refutations that were taking place between two Salafi students of knowledge. (The Shaykh advised the brothers to) not involve themselves in the matter (between the two students) and return back to the scholars, not (to the students’ own) selves. (This is) due to these brothers being similar to the students, for their statement about the issue will not be befitting. Rather, they are not to take sides, boycotting one (student) or the other due to them both being Salafi students who are to be benefitted from. However the matter of the differences between them (i.e. the two students) are to be returned to the ‘Ulamā and not him (i.e. the student).

13. Those who study the books of Imām Ibn Bāz, Imām ‘Uthaymīn and Imām Al-Albānī (may Allāh have mercy upon them all), will gain greatly beneficial knowledge from their works.

This is what I [Abu Yusuf Khaleefah] was able to write from the benefits, noting that there was much more. Present at this sitting were:

(a) Ustādh Shaykh Aḥmad Hamdān
(b) Abu Muḥammad al-Jamaiky
(c) Abu ‘Abdis Salām al-Juyaanī
(d) Abu Āsiyah Ilyās
(e) Ḥusayn al-Afriki, and others.

May Allah reward Shaykh Usāmah al-‘Amrī with good for his hospitality and points of benefit. Aameen.

Written by: Abu Yusuf Khaleefah.
3rd of Rajab, 1437 AH (04-10-2016)
Makkah Al-Mukarramah