Is a channel's description of a large number of Sunni scholars as "Khawarij al-Qa'idiyyah" (sedentary Kharijites), or "takfiris," or "instigators of rebellion" considered misguidance and an embellishment of falsehood in the guise of truth, especially when another channel describes its owner as "the Lion of the Sunnah"? And is the methodology of the Ahl al-Sunnah in dealing with scholars' mistakes one of advising rather than attacking and labeling in this manner? And does this justify the use of al-Jarh wa al-Ta'dil (discrediting and accrediting) to pass judgment on many contemporary scholars in this way, or is it specific to narrators of hadith?
Slandering people of knowledge and virtue is dangerous, and declaring them innovators without right is destructive. Adopting this as a methodology is a sign of perdition. It is advisable to refer to the advice of Ibn Baz regarding slandering people of knowledge (Fatwa No. 39320), the words of Ibn Uthaymeen regarding deterring people from seeking knowledge from them (Fatwa No. 132563), and Fatwa No. 103010 regarding the science of al-Jarh wa al-Ta'dil (discrediting and accrediting narrators), with a caution that it might be used to unjustly slander.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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