Questioner : I need some clarification regarding the following statements . Because some students of knowledge in Yemen..

I say :

Perhaps , rather these are digressions from some of the beginners and the impulsive ones. There is no consideration to the words of such people. Rather , consideration is only for the statements of those who speak in the name of the Dawah , and these impulsive ones are not from them. Most of the statements mentioned in your question are of this kind , so be aware of that .

But yes , it is obligatory for those Sheikhs ( who are in charge of these beginners ) to spread the correct understanding among them in order to save the Dawah from many negative consequences that result from the tampering of these impulsive beginners .

The statement : ( The Victorious Sect is in Yemen )

I say :

The Victorious Sect exists where ever the people of Hadith are found , the people of the Sunnah , and they are the people of knowledge and correct practice , whether they are in Yemen , Najd , Hijaz or China , without specifying a country, tribe or race etc.

Benefit :

The Hadith in which the Victorious Sect was specifically mentioned to be foudn in a particular place is the Hadith of Abu Umamah in which ( They said : O Messenger of Allah , where are they ? Then he replied : in Baitul Maqdis ) . It is an addition to the original authentic Hadith , and the scholars have judged it as a weak addition .

The statement : ( The truth is in Yemen )

I say :

The truth of what ?! If you intend the truth of the Victorious Sect , the statement has been cleared in what preceded before . And if you intend that the true Salafiyah is in Yemen only , it will be cleared in what comes after !

And if you intend the truth of Religion , then it is in the Book of Allah عز وجل and the Sunnah of His Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم .

And if you intend ……? Clarify what you intend.. May Allah عز وجل rectify us and you .

The statement : ( The Salafi Dawah in Yemen is the only pure Salafi Dawah in the world )

I say :

We have repeatedly stated that the Salafi Dawah in Yemen , its goodness are numerous , and it is a point of pride for every Salafi in this world . However , such exclusive claims bring greater harm than benefit to the Dawah . Also there is no textual or logical evidence to prove such claims rather the evidences and the reality reject such exclusive claims for example :

1. Restricting truth and guidance in this way requires clear , authentic texts from the Kitab and the Sunnah which cannot be understood in a different way , so where are they ?!
2. There is no clear research based on the principles of knowledge based researches by the scholars in Yemen regarding this issue. Rather , these are judgments from some people which are based merely on emotions
3. The acknowledgment by many of the Mashayk in Yemen that there are Salafi Scholars and Salafi Duaat in the world in places other than Yemen !
4. Who has traveled around the entire world and analysed the conditions of the scholars and callers there so that he can be certain of a statement like this ?

Rather , the claims and speech for which there is no proof do not even deserve to be discussed let alone spending time in refuting them !

The statement : ( Many Saudi scholars have become Ikhwani innovators )

I say :

This is another mere claim like the previous ones . For the Mashayk - Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah Aala Sheikh , Saleh bin Fawzan Al-Fawzan , Abdullah Al-Turki , Saleh Al-Suhaimi , Saleh bin Humaid , Saleh Al-Usaimi , Saad bin Nasser Al-Shethri , Muhammad bin Hasan Aala Sheikh , Abd al-Muhsin al-Badr , Abd al-Salam as-Sulaiman and many others , all of these are from the students of Shayk Ibn Baz رحمه الله and other scholars who preceded us and they are testified to for their knowledge and Salafiyyah .

And indeed , almost every one of them has atleast one clear and detailed statement warning against Hizbiyyah and Ikhwaniyyah in particular , and other than that . As for those issues in which they did Ijtihad and erred then this happens to every Mujtahid and a scholar , and no one is free from it except the Prophets !

The statement : ( We can find the Saudi scholars strong in Aqidah , Fiqh etc .. but when it comes to Ilmul Rijaal , then we have to take it only from the scholars of Yemen )

I say :

This is also a mere claim like the previous ones , and in addition it has a contradiction . Because being strong in Aqidah , Fiqh etc. necessitates strenght in one's Deen and Knowledge and that includes the ability to distinguish guidance from misguidance ( pertaining to the people ) , otherwise it is not a strength as you mentioned !

So the claim of being strong in Aqidah and Fiqh whilst at the same time negating strength in Manhaj is rejected . Rather being strong in Aqidah and Fiqh is an evidence of the correctness of the methodological principles which a person should rely upon during his journey towards Allah عز وجل and being so is synonymous to steadfastness upon the truth.

The Questioner : And much more (statements)

I say :

No problem .. bring them and let us clarify ...

Also explain how many scholars are in Yemen ?

I say :

Only Allah عز وجل can enumerate them and describing a person as 'Scholar' is only relative like Allah عز وجل said ( وَفَوْقَ كُلِّ ذِي عِلْمٍ عَلِيمٌ ) ( And above every knowledgeable person is someone who is more knowledgeable ) . So Allah عز وجل knows best .

Is everyone who is called a Sheikh considered a scholar ?

I say :

No and yes . And this needs explanation .

1. If you mean by " Scholar", i.e. the scholar of the Ummah who lead the people as the ruler leads the people , then the answer is “No” since this is a specific attribute for the one who fulfills a lot of conditions , which include things he does not have any power over like making the entire Ummah accept him ( as a scholar ) and being pleased with him and things which he has power over like he should have spent most of his life in learning the rulings of the Sharia in a detailed manner in so as to educate himself first and then the people regarding the rulings and aspects of the Shariah.
2. And if you mean by "Scholar" , the one who answers whilst being asked by those who do not know in order to know the rulings of their religion then we say "Yes" and the attribute "scholar" here becomes synonymous with "people of remembrance " as in the saying of Allah عز وجل : ( فاسألوا أهل الذكر إن كنتم لا تعلمون )

( So ask the people of remembrance if you do not know ) . Therefore he is a scholar relative to those people around him who learn from him . But he is not from those who are called 'scholars' from the first perspective .

May Allah عز وجل bless you.

And Allah عز وجل knows best .