Speaking Ill of the Scholars

Questioner: May Allah do good to you, What is your advice to the youth who busy themselves with attacking the scholars and degrading their status, the likes of our Shaykh - Shaykh Saalih Al-Fawzan, and (they say) that he and others from the scholars are from the 'scholars of the rulers'? May Allah do good to you. Answer: No doubt that this is an evil action. It is not permissible for a person to speak ill of others, except if it is someone who calls to Bid’ah (innovation), so he is spoken about, that he is deviant and that he is an innovator who calls to innovation. As for one who seeks out the people's faults, then this is from the characteristics of the hypocrites. They are those who said: "We have not seen anyone like our reciters", referring to the other Sahaabah (Companions), "with a greater appetite nor more cowardly in battle", so Allah revealed regarding them: {Make no excuse; you have disbelieved after you had believed.} (9:66) We ask Allah for safety. This affair is dangerous. It is not permissible for anyone. And whoever hears any of them speaking with this (speech), then it is upon him to respond to them with blame, criticism, and contempt. Yes.