as-Shaykh al-Imām Rabee's advice to those who rely on commendations and their actions do not testify for them that they are Salafī.

as-Shaykh Rabee’ was asked:
"Some of the callers are not known for Salafiyyah and they were warned against, but there are still those who sit with them with the argument that they were not disparaged with a detailed disparagement, and they were commended by as-Shaykh al-‘Abbād and other than him. So brothers have been divided between critic and praiser because of those callers. So what is your statement to them?"

Answer:
"I say it is obligatory upon the one who the people have differed concerning him and who does not commend himself by openly manifesting the Salafī  methodology, but he relies on the commendation of this one and that one...This one and that one are not infallible with their commendations, they could give a commendation based on the apparent condition of an individual and that apparent condition could flatter them and he could pretend that he is upon Salafiyyah and that he is upon the correct methodology, and he hides the opposite of what he makes apparent to them. And if he inwardly manifested that which he makes apparent then it would appear on the slips of his tongue and in his sittings and in his lessons and in his gatherings. Indeed the vessel pours out that which is inside of it 'and every vessel pours out what is in it'. So if he was Salafi, if he taught any subject even if it was geography or calculus (may Allāh bless you) you would see the Salafi methodology being circulated in his lessons and in his gatherings and so forth.
So I advise this person who does not openly manifest his Salafiyyah and suffices with commendations, to commend himself by being open with this methodology in his lessons and in all places. For indeed the Ummah is in extreme need of being called to the Salafi methodology. So if this person from this category that you mentioned relies on commendations (for his salafiyyah) and does not testify for himself, then this individual harms himself by concealing knowledge and concealing the aqeedah and concealing this methodology and I fear that the ayāt regarding concealing knowledge and not enjoining the good and forbidding the evil will apply to him. And from the most serious evils and disgusting of them and the most wicked of them with Allāh is innovation, and that has spread through out the midsts of the ummah.
Also, a lot of individuals rely on commendations and they don't face the dark reality of what they're upon which they claim is upon the methodology of the Salaf.
One time I said to Shaykh ibn Bāz: there was some words that came from him and some of those words seemed like a commendation for the Jamā'ah at-Tablīgh, even if along with those words there where some gestures for intelligent people of what they have from misguidance and ignorance. So they took advantage of those words that had sort of a praise for them. And it was hidden or they hid what it contained from hidden criticism of their aqeedah and methodology, so they highlighted the praise and concealed the criticism.
So i sat with the Shaykh in a sitting (may Allāh have mercy on him) and i said to him: "O shaykh, you are on the level of Ahmed ibn Hanbal and Ibn Taymiyyah with the people (may Allāh have mercy on all of them), you have a status with the people. If you said a word they will grasp it to be the truth, and now it has come from you some words that they consider to be praise of the Jamātul at Tablīgh, even if you were careful during your speech, but they (Jamātul at Tablīgh) have deceit and deception, they take advantage of the praise and commendation for them and conceal the ignorance and misguidance that you indicated and pointed to." So we spoke until I said to him,  "Shaykh"
He said, "yes".
I said to him, "has anyone from Ahlul hadeeth in Pakistan or India come to you or from Ansār as Sunnah in Egypt and Sudān, (at that time Ansār us Sunnah in Egypt and Sudan were upon the utmost firmness on the methodology of the Salaf, then suddenly the storms of fitan and politics creeped into their ranks and a sort of deviation occured) requesting from you a commendation that they are upon the truth and they are upon the Sunnah?"
He said, "No"
I said, "why is that?"
He said, "Why?"
I said, "Because their actions testify and bear witness that they are upon the truth, as for the Jamātul at Tablīgh and those like them their actions do not testify for them, infact their actions profess for them that they are upon misguidance and bidah."
So the Shaykh laughed (may Allāh have mercy on him).
Some of the people their actions and positions do not commend them, and they do not testify that they are Salafi, so they lean to these despicable means from trickery of some of the people and flattering them so they can get a commendation, and they suffice with that, and they go, and if only they would withhold their harm and their evil from the people of the truth and the Sunnah, but they go and prey on the people of the Sunnah with these commendations. So these commendations are a trap and they waste with this trap a lot of the youth, and these youth deviate from the methodology of the Salaf.
And I know a lot from this type, and a lot who follow this wicked path, we ask Allāh for salvation, and to give them success that they commend themselves with their actions, and that he makes from their actions a witness for them for good, righteousness and for the methodology of the Salaf."

(From a recording titled: Reasons of Deviation and advice in Manhaj)

Also found in: al-Majmoo' vol.14 pg.259-261 dar alemam Ahmad 1431H- 2010