Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah
All
praise is for Allah Lord of the worlds. Peace and blessings be upon
Muhammad (sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa salaam), his pure family, his
companions and all those who strive to follow in their footsteps till
the last day. To precede :
Many
people today accuse some of the greatest scholars of Islam of blasphemy
and kufr (disbelief). One who is frequently attacked is Sheikh al-Islam
Ibn Taymiyyah - rahima-hullaah -. In actual fact he is slandered and
lied against. People say things about him which he never said... in
actual fact things which he was totally against!! These people who do
should fear Allah, and remember that they should be just and judge a man
with justice and from knowledge, rather than judging him from ignorance
and hearsay ! subhaan-Allaah, Ibn Taymiyyah used to strive for the
upliftment of the sunnah, and for the defense of this deen from those
who in ignorance are changing it. And it was he who led the people to
fight the tyrant tartars and it was he who suffered the darkness of the
jails of Egypt so that Islam can be lifted, and it was he who used to
pray to Allah to guide those who are misguided. Therefore let there be a
warning to those who blemish his name - a severe warning indeed- that
they may not slander him, for a scholar's flesh is poisonous.
Many
people accuse Ibn Taymiyyah of Likening Allah to the creation.....this a
big lie and slander...and these people should fear Allah, and take
account of the evil their tongues utter before its too late.
Inshaa.-Allah below are some quotes from the writings of the noble
Sheikh which clarifies his position beyond doubt on this issue. And
those who after reading this still utter slander and lies against the
Sheikh, then all that can be said about them is that they have an
illness in their hearts, and we pray to Allah that He cures them of this
disease.
In
"al-'Aqeedatul Waasitiyaah " Ibn Taymiyyah - rahima-hullaah - says:
"from faith (eemaan) is acceptance (eemaan) of what Allah has ascribed
Himself in the scripture as well as what the messenger r ascribed to
Him. [This creed] prevents any attempts at altering the sacred texts
(tahreef), and rules out stripping Allah of his tributes (ta'teel) or
asking questions), concerning their modality ( takyeef..ie ..ascribing a
"howness", or attempting to understand them analogically (tamtheel).
Indeed [the ahlus-sunnah] hold that:
There
is nothing like unto Him (Allah); [that] He is the All-Hearing and
All-Seeing One (Quran 42:11).
They
do not negate what Allah has attributed Himself, nor do they alter the
meaning of His words on these matters, nor subscribe to heretical
notions regarding the divine names (asmaa') and manifestations (aayaat).
They do NOT (!!!) seek to explain His attributes (sifaat) or COMPARE
THEM with those of HIS CREATURES, for He (Allah) has no namesake
(samiy), no equal, no peer (nidd) and, therefore, He, the One free of
all imperfections and Most High, does NOT befit of being compared to His
creatures."
Ibn
Taymiyyah says in at-Tadmuriyyah (p20):
"It is a must to affirm that which Allah affirms for himself , whilst
NEGATING ANY likeness to Him to His creation..... whoever says His
Knowledge is like my knowledge, His Power like my power, or Love like my
love, or Pleasure like my pleasure, or Hand like my hand, or istawaa
(ascending) like my ascending-- then he has resembled and likened Allah
to His creation. Rather, it is must to affirm (Allaah's Attributes)
without any resemblance, and to negate (what Allah negates for Himself),
without ta'teel (divesting Allah of any of His affirmed Attributes)."
Ibn
Taymiyyah wrote in Majmoo-al Fatwa (5/262):
"Whosoever considers the Attributes of Allah to be like the attributes
of creation- such that the Istawa (Ascending) of Allah is like the
ascending of the creation, or His nuzool (descending) is like the
descending of the creation, or other than that-- then he is a DEVIATED
INNOVATOR."
So
people please read and pay heed to the words of the noble scholar !!!!
This
is enough proof for those that are just and who are sincerely seeking
the truth ...and Allah knows best.
Taqi.ud-deen Abu-'Abbaas Ahmad Ibn 'Abdul-Haleem Ibn 'Abdus-Salaam Ibn
Taymiyyah al-Harraanee al-Hanbalee, was born on Monday the 10th of Rabi'
al-Awwal 66l A.H./22nd of January 1263 C.E. at Harraan (northern Iraq)
into a well known family of "mutakallimoon"(theologians). His
grandfather, Abu al-Barkat Majd-ud-deen ibn Taymiyyah (d.653 A.H./1255
C.E.) was a reputed teacher of the Hanbaleete school and his "Muntaqa
al-Akhbaar (selections of prophetic sayings) which classifies such
Ahaadeeth upon which Islamic legislation is based, is even today
regarded as a very valuable work. Likewise, the scholarly achievements
of Ibn Taymiyyah's father, Shihaabuddeen 'Abdul-Haleem Ibn Taymiyyah
(d.682 A.H./1284 C.E.) were wide spread.
This
was the time when the Tataar hordes under Hulagu Khaan were inflicting
their barbaric onslaught throughout the world of Islam - especially the
mesopotamium region. Ibn Taymiyyah was only seven when the Tataars
launched their attack on Harraan. Consequently, the populace left
Harraan to seek refuge elsewhere. Ibn Taymiyyah's family proceeded to
Damascus in 667 A.H./1268 C.E. which was then ruled by the Mamlooks of
Egypt. It was here that his father delivered sermons from the pulpit of
the Umayyad Mosque and was invited to teach Hadeeth in the mosque as
well as in the Daarul-Hadeeth 'Assaakuriyyah in Damascus. These
discourses were attended by a large number of students as well as by the
scholars. Damascus was the center of Islamic studies at that time, and
Ahmad Ibn Taymiyyah followed in the footsteps of his father who was a
scholar of Islamic studies by studying with the great scholars of his
time, among them a woman scholar by the name Zaynab bint Makkee who
taught him hadeeth.
Education
From his early childhood, Ibn Taymiyyah was an industrious student. He
fully acquainted himself with all the secular and religious sciences of
his time. He devoted special attention to Arabic literature and gained
mastery over grammar and lexicography. Not only did he become an expert
on the great Arab grammarian Seebawayh's al-Kitaab which is regarded as
the greatest authority on grammar and syntax, but he also pointed out
the errors therein. He commanded knowledge of all the prose and poetry
then available. Furthermore, he studied the history of both pre Islamic
Arabia and that of the post-Islamic period. Finally, he learnt
mathematics and calligraphy.
As
for the religions sciences, Ibn Taymiyyah studied the Quran, Hadeeth and
Sharee'ah. He learnt the Hanbalee fiqh (law) from his own father and
then became a distinguished representative of the Hanbalee school of
law. He is reported to have acquired his knowledge on Hadeeth in Syria
like Ibn 'Abduddayaam. Another of his teachers was Shamsuddeen
'Abdurrahman al-Maqdisee (d.682 A.H./1283 C.E.).Thus Ibn Taymiyyah
received a thorough grounding in the Sihaah Sittah and the Musnad of
Imam Ahmad.
Ibn
Taymiyyah had great love for tafseer (Qur.aanic exegesis). He read over
a hundred commentaries of the Quran.
He
completed his studies when he was a teenager and at age 19 he became a
professor of Islamic studies. Well versed in Qur.aanic studies, Hadeeth,
fiqh, theology, Arabic grammar and scholastic theology, etc., he started
giving fatwa's on religious legal matters without following any of the
traditional legal schools, the Hanafee, Maalikee, Shaafi'ee and
Hanbalee. He defended the sound prophetic traditions by arguments which,
although taken from the Quran and the Sunnah, had hitherto been
unfamiliar to people of his time. The freedom of his polemics made him
many enemies among the scholars of the traditional Orthodox Schools, who
falsely accused him, of all kinds of heretical beliefs. Among them was
the famous Muslim medieval traveler, Ibn Batutah, who visited Damascus
while Ibn Taymiyyah was in jail. This did not hinder Ibn Batutah in
testifying in his book that "he witnessed Ibn Taymiyyah on the pulpit
saying, 'every night Allah descends to the lower heaven like my
descent', and he descended one step down the pulpit". From reading this
'aqeedah we learn that Ibn Taymiyyah accepted the attributes of Allah
without questioning (bi-laa kayfa).
When
Ibn Taymiyyah lost his father in 682 A.H./1283 C.E. at the age of twenty
two, he succeeded at the 'Assaakuriyyah. He began to teach "Tafseer" at
the Umayyad mosque and in 695 A.H./1296 C.E. he began to teach at the
Hanbaleeyyah in Damascus. Soon he became prominent among the leading
scholars of Syria and also became immensely popular with the masses.
The Mongol Threat
In the meanwhile, Iraq, Iran, and Khuraasaan continued to smother under
the cruel domination of the Tataars. The Mamlooks who were ruling over
Egypt, Syria and the Hijaaz (Arabian peninsula) attempted several times
to capture Iraq but failed each time. When it was learnt that the
Tataars were planning to conquer Damascus, the Mamlook Sultaan,
al-Maalik an-Naasir Muhammad bin Qalawoon left Egypt with a powerful
army to check the advance of the Tataars.
The
two forces met in a bloody battle in 699 A.H./1299 C.E. but the Sultaan
was defeated and he returned to Egypt. Now Damascus lay open before the
Tataar forces led by Ghazzaan, also known as Mahmood, the great grandson
of Ghengis Khaan. Consequently, all the nobles including the religions
scholars, judges, administrators and traders fled from Damascus where
total chaos and anarchy held sway in the face of the Tataar invasion.
At
this critical moment Ibn Taymiyyah and their remaining notables decided
to lead a delegation to meet Ghazzaan and pursue for peace of the city.
Accordingly, the delegation led by Ibn Taymiyyah met Ghazzaan at Nabak
(near Damascus) and he agreed to grant amnesty to the people of
Damascus.
News
of the Tataar army advancing towards Syria again reached Damascus in 702
A.H./1303 C.E. Delay in the arrival of Sultaan Qalawoon from Egypt
caused panic among the people, many of whom began to abandon their homes
for safer places. When Ibn Taymiyyah saw this, he began to urge the
people to defend themselves and their city, thereby arresting the
exodus. He also went personally to appeal to the Sultaan to speed up his
journey to Damascus.
At
last the Muslim forces of Egypt and Syria encountered the Tataar forces
at Thaqab during Ramadan 702 A.H./1303 C.E. and after a bloody conflict
the Muslims defeated and dispersed the Tataar armies.
Jihad Against Heretics
Ibn Taymiyyah's fight was not limited to the Soofees and the people who
followed the heretical innovations; in addition, he fought against the
Tataars who attacked the Muslim world and almost reached Damascus. The
people of Syria sent him to Egypt to urge the Mamlook Sultaan, the
Sultaan of Egypt and Syria to lead his troops to Syria to save it from
the invading Tataars. When he realized that the Sultaan was hesitant to
do what he asked of him, he threatened the Sultaan by saying: "If you
turn your back on Syria we will appoint a Sultaan over it who can defend
it and enjoy it at the time of peace". He was present at the battle of
Shaqhab near Damascus against the Tataars which took place during the
fasting month of Ramadan and gave a fatwa to the army to break their
fast in order to help them against their enemy, as the Prophet Muhammad
(sal-Allaahu `alayhe wa salaam) did during the battle of the liberation
of Makkah. The Muslims won the battle against the Tataars and drove them
away from Damascus and all Syria. Ibn Taymiyyah's courage was expressed
when he went with a delegation of 'ulamaa. to talk to Qazan the Khan of
the Tataars to stop his attack on the Muslims. Not one of the 'ulamaa.
dared to say anything to him except Ibn Taymiyyah who said: "You claim
that you are Muslim and you have with you mu'adhdhins, judges, Imam and
Sheikh but you invaded us and reached our country for what? While your
father and your grandfather, Hulago, were non-believers, they did not
attack the land of Islam, rather, they promised not to attack and they
kept their promise. But you promised and broke your promise."
Once
the Tataar threat was eliminated, Ibn Taymiyyah again devoted himself to
his mission of his intellectual pursuit and teaching. At the same time,
he continued to wage Jihad against the heretical sects like the
Baatinites, Ismaa.eelites, Haakimites and Nusayrites living in the hilly
tracts of Syria who had invited the Crusaders and the Tataars to invade
the Muslim lands, helped these invaders against the Muslims and looted
and plundered the weak and defenceless population. Ibn Taymiyyah
personally led expeditions against these sects.
Religious Condition Of The Muslims
Apart from the external threats mentioned above, Islam was also
confronted at this time with internal dangers. There were Baatinites (an
extremist Sheeite sect which confronted the Muslim Government at that
time) and their followers, the Assassins (Hasheeshiyoon). Their creed
was a mixture of Magian dogma and Platonic concepts which could easily
sow the seeds of intellectual dissension and spread irreligousness and
apostasy among the simple minded people. Then there were Muslims who,
under the influence of the polytheistic beliefs and customs of the
non-Muslims with whom they had free associations, began to glorify their
saints (highly pious Soofee personalities - Walee-Allaah) as the Jews
and the Christians were doing. Further more, some Soofee's orders like
the Rifaa'iyyah had adopted certain neo-Platonic and Hindu doctrines
which became so confused with the true Islamic beliefs that it became
almost impossible to distinguish one from the other.
In
the wake of crusaders, some Christians were emboldened to censure Islam
and criticise the Prophet in their speeches and writings. In the
intellectual circles of the Muslims there was stagnation and rigidity in
their theological disputations and in their approach to the
re-interpretation of the Sharee'ah. There was continuous polemical
wrangling between the 'Asharites and Hanbaleeites. Finally, some of the
philosophers, influenced by the theories of Plato and Aristotle, began
to spread their agnostic ideas and concepts in total disregard to the
teachings of Islam.
These
were the conditions pertaining to the time of Ibn Taymiyyah and which he
had to contend. Ibn Taymiyyah formed a society along with his students
and followers to renounce the polytheistic cults, un-Islamic cults,
un-Islamic influences and heretical beliefs and practices among the
Muslim masses. As a result of his enthusiastic and zealous reformative
activities and condemnation of heresies, un-Islamic innovation and
practices at the visitation of graves of saints, he earned the
displeasure of certain sectors of the population. Nonetheless, his
popularity among the Muslim masses increased tremendously.
All
this jihad against the enemies of Islam did not help Ibn Taymiyyah with
the 'ulamaa.. The authorities put him in jail many times until he died
in jail because of his daring and free progressive opinions on many
legal and social issues which angered his opponents, the followers of
the Orthodox Schools of law.
However when Ibn Taymiyyah had the chance to punish his opponents among
the 'ulamaa. who caused him all kinds of trouble and put him in jail
many times, he showed the utmost of magnanimity and forgave them when
the Sultaan an-Naasir Qalawoon gave him the chance to do so. He said:
"If you kill them you will never find 'ulamaa. like them." The Sultaan
said: "They harmed you many times and wanted to kill you!" Ibn Taymiyyah
said: "Whoever harmed me is absolved, and who harmed the cause of Allah
and His Messenger, Allah will punish him."
The
Muslim historians, like adh-Dhahabee, Ibn Katheer, Ibn al-'Imad
al-Hanbalee and many others praised Ibn Taymiyyah and considered him one
of the greatest scholars of Islam of all time.
He
fought heretical innovations in religion which were wide spread during
his time all over the Muslim world, especially certain acts and beliefs
of some Soofee orders, like saint worship and visiting saints' tombs,
and throwing themselves in the fire. His attack on the Soofees caused
him a lot of trouble with the authorities whose leaders were under the
influence of certain soofee leaders.
As a
result of Ibn Taymiyyah's popularity, some influential religions
scholars became jealous of him and even annoyed because he challenged
the Qaadhee's on juridical matters. They therefore sought ways and means
to discredit him in the eyes of the Government and the people. Ibn
Taymiyyah rejected the teachings expounded in the al-Futuhaat al-Makkah
("the Makkan Revelations") and Fusoos al-Hakeem ("The Mosaic of Wisdom")
of Sheikh Muheeuddeen ibn al-'Arabee (d.638 A.H./1240 C.E.) the most
respected Soofee and teacher of tasawwuf - as incompatible with the
teachings of the Quran and the Sunnah, thereby earning the wrath of the
Soofee's, and by being outspoken on Government policies, he earned the
hostility of the government. Consequently he was summoned to Egypt in
705 A.H./1305 C.E.
When
Ibn Taymiyyah arrived in Egypt, he was asked to attend a meeting of
theologians, jurists and the chiefs of the state. During the session
certain charges were levelled against him relating to his concepts of
the nature and attributes of Allah. He was not allowed to defend himself
and was promptly imprisoned for about 16 months. While in prison, he
diverted the attention of his followers from indulgence in frolics and
amusements to a sense of piety, discipline and temperance. A number of
prisoners became his devoted disciples on their release.
After
Ibn Taymiyyah was released from prison in 707 A.H./1307 C.E. he decided
to remain in Egypt for a while. Soon he began to deliver lectures in
various Mosques and educational institutions before select gatherings of
scholars, jurists and theologians. However, Ibn Taymiyyah's views on
pantheistic monoism, intercession, etc were not received kindly and
numerous complaints were made against him to the Sultaan. The religions
scholars to whom the complaints were referred could not find any fault
with Ibn Taymiyyah. However, as the administration was growing weary of
the charges brought against him, he was detained for a while but was
soon released on the unanimous request of the religions scholars. But
when Sultaan Qalawoon abdicated in favor of his viceroy Baybaan
al-Jashnikeer in 709 A.H./1309 C.E., Ibn Taymiyyah was exiled to
Alexandria where, inspite of his internment, he earned himself a
respectable position in the Academic and literary circles. Soon though
Baybaan abdicated and Sultaan Qalawoon returned to Egypt and ordered Ibn
Taymiyyah.
Return To Damascus
In Cairo, Ibn Taymiyyah had busied himself in his teachings and
reformative activities for about 3 years. At the same time, he acted as
adviser to the Sultaan and was instrumental in having several important
reforms introduced in Egypt and Syria. Several royal edicts were issued
on his advice in 712 A.H./1312 C.E. He visited Jerusalem in the same
year, then went for Hajj (pilgrimage) and eventually returned to
Damascus in 713 A.H./1313 C.E. From now onward he devoted his attention
primarily to juristic problems though he continued teaching. His chief
disciple was ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah (d.751 A.H./1350 C.E.) who was
chiefly responsible for spreading his ideas.
The Question Of Three Talaaq's
Ibn Taymiyyah like his forefathers was a Hanbaleeite and his legal
opinions conformed to that school, though not exclusively. He often
rejected the Hanbaleeite view just as in some matters he expressed
disagreement with all the four principal juridicial schools. One such
case in which he differed with them was in regard to the repudiation of
one's wife by three divorces given at one time.
The
issue was whether a divorce pronounced thrice at the same time took
legal effect or not. This issue raised the following considerations:
•
whether revocation of such a divorce was possible or not.
•
whether the three sentences of divorce would be counted as one revocable
pronouncement (talaaq) or taken as an irreversable separation.
•
whether the wife so divorced could return to her husband or not without
a halaalah (i.e until his divorced wife was married to another man who,
in turn, after the consummation of the marriage, divorces).
All
the earlier jurists and traditionalists, likewise a good number of the
Prophet's companions were of the view that such a pronouncement,
although being repugnant to the law as well as irregular and sinful,
would be regarded as an implied divorce with legal effect. As against
that Ibn Taymiyyah firmly held the opinion that the three sentences of
divorce spoken at the same time should be regarded as one revocable
divorce. The view of Ibn Taymiyyah happened to be against the official
view which naturally brought him in conflict with the 'ulamaa on one
hand and with the government on the other.
Consequently, the theologians tried to prevent him from expressing
further legal opinion on such matters. In fact, a royal edict was issued
from Cairo in 718AH/1318AD forbidding him from giving legal opinions in
such cases.
Initially Ibn Taymiyyah abided by the edict but later again began giving
legal judgment on this issue as he decided that it was improper for him
to desist simply for fear of the government. As a result in 720
A.H./1320 C.E. he was detained in a citadel for just over five months
till he was released on direct orders from Cairo.
The Final Years
Between 721 A.H./1321 C.E. and 726 A.H./1326 C.E. Ibn Taymiyyah devoted
himself to teaching in the Madrasah Hanbaleeyyah and his own Madrasah
Qassaaseen and revising some of his earlier works. In 726 A.H./1326 C.E.
his adversaries again conspired to have him imprisoned. Here he
continued writing his exegesis of the Quran as well as treatises and
monographs on various issues.
Ibn
Taymiyyah died in jail in Damascus on the night of Sunday-Monday 20th
Dhul-Qa'dah 728 A.H./26-27 September 1328 C.E. at the age of 67, and is
buried in the cemetery of the Soofiyyah in Damascus.
The
people of Damascus, who held him in great honor, gave him a splendid
funeral and an estimated 200,000 men and 15,000 women attended his
funeral. He was buried at the Soofee cemetery in Damascus where his
mother was buried.
Character And Achievements
Ibn Taymiyyah occupied a highly honorable place among his contemporary
religions scholars due to his prodigious memory, intellectual
brilliance, encyclopedic knowledge and dauntless courage. He is
described as a great orator, brave and fearless, resolute, disciplined,
very pious, resigned and contended, noble and forgiving, just and ever
determined.
Ibn Taymiyyah's reformative endeavors and literary pursuits cover a vast
field which can be summarized as follows:
1 revival of faith in and adherence to "Tawheed"(oneness of Allah).
2 eradication of pantheistic beliefs and customs.
3 criticism of philosophy, syllogistic logic and dialects in order to
demonstrate the superiority of the Quran and the sunnah.
4 extirpation of un-Islamic beliefs through refutation of Christianity
and Sheeism.
5 rejuvenation of Islamic thought and its related sciences.
The total number of Ibn Taymiyyah's works is 621 though many of his
writings have been lost. Some of Ibn Taymiyyah's writings dealing with
the themes are listed below:
1 al-Jawaab as-Saheeh liman baddala Deen al-Maseeh (an answer to the
criticism against Islam by the Christians).
2 Radd 'ala al-Mantiqiyyeen (a refutation of the philosopher).
3 Kitaab as-Siyaasah ash-Shar'iyyah (deals with political theory and
government in Islam).
4 Minhaaj as-Sunnah an-Nabawiyyah (a refutation of Sheeite beliefs
written in response to Minhaaj al-Karanmah of Ibn al-Mutahhir
al-Hillee).
5 Ziyaarah al-Quboor (a criticism of saint-workshop, intercession,
superstitious beliefs).
6 Majmoo'at ar-Rasaail al-Kubra (this book contains articles on various
subjects).
7 Majmoo'at al-Fataawa (a collection of opinions on various issues).
8 Majmoo'at ar-Rasaail wa al-Masaail (contains articles and legal
opinions on various issues).
9 Majmoo'at Sheikh al-Islam Ahmad ibn Taymiyyah (contains discussion on
Islamic jurisprudence and legal opinions enunciated by Ibn Taymiyyah).
Conclusion
To include in the words of Mawlaana Abu al-Hasan 'Alee Nadawee who has
paid a glowing tribute to Ibn Taymiyyah as follows:
"Ibn Taymiyyah interpreted the Quran and Sunnah, established the
superiority of Islam over heresy, Philosophical concepts and other
faiths and contributed to a genuine revival of religion after a deep
study and deliberation that was necessary for lighting the religions and
intellectual waywardness of the time. Seeking to surpass his opponents
he mastered the methodology employed by them to attack Islam. In fact,
his learning, his erudition, his intellectual attainment and his mental
grit always left his adversaries spell bound"(*1)
Little wonder then that Ibn Taymiyyah's contemporary and succeeding
scholars have acclaimed him with such complimentary remarks as "The
master spirit of the age", "The crown of scholars", "Last of the
Enlightened scholars", and "A sign among the signs of God".
Shaykh 'Abdul-'Azeez Ibn 'Abdullaah Ibn 'Abdur-Rahmaan Ibn Baaz
Abu 'Abdullaah
Shaykh 'Abdul-'Azeez ibn 'Abdullaah ibn 'Abdur-Rahmaan Aal-Baaz was born
in the city of Riyadh in Dhul-Hijjah 1330 A.H./1909 C.E.
He
memorized the Qur.aan in his early age and then he acquired knowledge
from many of the great scholars of the Kingdom. Some of his teachers
were Shaykh Muhammad ibn 'Abdul-Lateef Aal-Shaykh, Shaykh Saalih ibn
'Abdul-'Azeez Aal-Shaykh and the eminent Shaykh Muhammad ibn Ibraaheem
Aal-Shaykh who, in his time, was the Muftee of Saudi Arabia. Shaykh Ibn
Baaz accompanied the eminent Shaykh and learned from him for about ten
years. Thus he gained his religious education from the family of Imaam
Muhammad ibn 'Abdul-Wahhaab.
Afterwards Shaykh Ibn Baaz was appointed as a Justice and he worked for
fourteen years in the judiciary until he was deputed to the education
faculty. He remained engaged in teaching for nine years at Riyadh
Islaamic Law College, Riyadh Religious Institute. Then he was appointed
Vice-Chancellor of the Islaamic University, al-Madeenah; but shortly
afterwards, he was made the Chancellor with all the administrative
powers. Later he was appointed President of the General Presidency of
Islaamic Research, Ifta, Call and Propagation, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
He
held the position of Grand Muftee of Saudi Arabia, the Presidency of
many Islaamic Committees and Councils, the prominent among these being:
Senior Scholars Committee of the Kingdom, Permanent Committee for
Islaamic Research and Fataawa, the Founding Committee of Muslim World
League, World Supreme Council for Mosques, Islaamic Jurisprudence
Assembly Makkah; and the member of the Supreme Council of the Islaamic
University at al-Madeenah, and the Supreme Committee for Islaamic
Propagation, until he passed away on Thursday 27 Muharram 1420 A.H./May
13 1999 C.E. May Allaah (Subhaanahu
wa Ta'aala)
have Mercy upon his soul, aameen.
What the newspapers had to say.............
For
more about the noble Shaykh, kindly refer to
Scholarly Jewels
The
Shaykh's official website:
www.binbaz.org.sa