His repeated assaults on the Salafis, his charge that they are hirelings, and his claim that each one of them is paid so that he will call the crooked straight—this is something no rational mind can accept. I can understand—and even tolerate—that a person may be in error and invite people to that error, provided the mistake springs from his own heart and mind, from his own thought and reason. If, with his unaided intellect, he sincerely sees the mistaken as upright and urges others to adopt the same view, he is excused, for in his eyes the line truly appears straight, even though it is crooked in the eyes of others.
But for someone to be summoned to a crooked path, to be bought and sold, to be given money and supplied with funds so that he may declare the crooked straight—such a person must never be followed, imitated at any time, or walked behind at all. Error, as error, can occur with the greatest imams and with ordinary folk alike; yet for a man to preach error for material gain, having been purchased for it, is error in its most solid and compounded form—an error that will not be pardoned.
Therefore, O people, as the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Allah’s religion lies between the extremist and the negligent.” We ask Allah to guide us to the path of truth, by the truth; to set us upon the guidance of Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, in word and deed, in conduct and practice; to make us among those who speak the truth and follow the best thereof; to make us among those who enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong, who believe in Allah, and who call to Allah with insight and clear guidance. Allah speaks the truth, and He shows the way. I say these words of mine, and I ask Allah’s forgiveness for myself and for you.
Abu Ghuddah’s sermon ends here, reproduced verbatim from the recorded tape in my possession. I first transcribed it in draft, then prepared this clean copy, also in my own handwriting, with complete precision and impartiality.
Muhammad Nāṣir al-Dīn al-Albānī
Damascus, 24 Ramadan 1394 AH