In the Name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. All praise belongs to Allāh, Lord of all creation. May peace and blessings be upon the Seal of the Prophets, the Leader of the pious, Muḥammad bin ʿAbdullāh, and upon his family, his Companions, and all who follow them upon guidance. To proceed:

I say, seeking the aid of Allāh in that which He has granted me in presenting a concise rebuttal to what has been spewed forth by the one called Amjad Rafīq. Who had previously announced repentance, yet he invalidated that repentance through what he wrote in his recent ramblings. As the proverb states:

عادت حليمة إلى عادتها القديمة

"Ḥalīmah has returned to her old ways."

In doing so he insisted upon nothing other than exposing himself and his deceptive methodology, thereby invoking the whips of the Salafī adherents of Ahus-Sunnah.

Indeed, the true reality of those like him, who are not known for sitting with the scholars, nor possess any genuine scholarly lineage, is aptly described by the saying of Allāh, the Most High:

وَمَثَلُ كَلِمَةٍ خَبيثَةٍ كَشَجَرَةٍ خَبيثَةٍ اجتُثَّت مِن فَوقِ الأَرضِ ما لَها مِن قَرارٍ

"And the example of an evil word is that of an evil tree, uprooted from above the earth, having no stability."  — Ibrāhīm: 26

What follows is transmitted here out of academic honesty, taken from an audio exchange between him [Amjad] and a questioner.

The Questioner: "We have a common concern—not specifically ourselves—but many brothers, a large number of them, are raising questions regarding this issue. Of course, we—by Allāh’s grace, as you taught us, may Allāh bless you and reward you with goodness, our teacher, and Abū Khadījah, and Abū Ḥakīm, all of you—return every matter to the scholars. In this context, many brothers are asking: Is Ustādh Abū ʿIyāḍ in agreement with any of the scholars regarding the posting of articles about COVID, and the claim that it is a hoax or a conspiracy theory? And are any scholars consulted before such material is published?"

I say: Where, then, is his returning to the scholars?! Did he consult them? Was there coordination with them? Did any of them agree with him, especially given that he appointed himself to this matter throughout all these years since the onset of the pandemic, posting and speaking continuously, misleading many people who were influenced by his views, never ceasing from this path, and even until recently, continues to post?

And you, dear reader, if you examine the lives and conduct of the scholars, you will find that they speak with wisdom and due measure, never exceeding what is required. You now realize that his persistent posting, his deep immersion in this issue, and his insistence on imposing his opinions through Salafī platforms are clear indicators of a lack of academic composure; hence the confusion and inconsistency that overtook him.

This pandemic was among the critical affairs (nawāzil) in which Allāh, Glorified and Exalted, has commanded that matters be referred back to the scholars. I ask: did he return to any of the senior scholars regarding this issue? It will later appear in this article that he merely mentioned discussing the matter with some students of knowledge.

The Questioner: "This is what we assume of you, our teacher, and what we learned from you; this is what we believe you do and practice in reality. However, regarding this issue—subḥānallāh—the discussions have become extremely strange and illogical. This is one of the primary concerns being raised. I hope you understood my intent, even though my English is weak."

He [Amjad] said: "As for the matter you mentioned concerning informing the scholars about some of these issues, some brothers have indeed done so, and I have discussed this matter with certain students of knowledge."

I say: Are matters of critical affairs (nawāzil) to be handled by students of knowledge?!

I say: Read the statement of Allāh, the Most High:

وَإِذَا جَاءَهُمْ أَمْرٌ مِنَ الْأَمْنِ أَوِ الْخَوْفِ أَذَاعُوا بِهِ، وَلَوْ رَدُّوهُ إِلَى الرَّسُولِ، وَإِلَى أُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْهُمْ، لَعَلِمَهُ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَنْبِطُونَهُ مِنْهُمْ، وَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُ، لَاتَّبَعْتُمُ الشَّيْطَانَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا

"When information reaches them concerning security or fear, they spread it. But had they referred it to the Messenger and to those in authority among them, those capable of deriving conclusions would have known it. And were it not for the favor of Allāh upon you and His mercy, you would have followed Satan, except for a few."  — An-Nisāʾ: 83

He [ Amjad] said: "The general conclusion is that the scholars will say nothing other than: 'Obey the rulers, and perhaps take the vaccine if it is offered to you.' They will not say anything that contradicts the policies of the rulers, and this is entirely understandable."