Biography of His Eminence the Mufti of Saudi Arabia, ‘Abdul-‘Azeez Aali ash-Shaykh

Position: General Mufti of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and President of the Administration for Knowledge-based Research and Islamic Rulings.

Date of Appointment as Mufti: 1/29/1420 A.H.

Positions in which he worked: He worked as an assistant professor for the Islamic University of Muhammad bin Sa’ood then as a member of the Permanent Committee for Research and Islamic Rulings.

Date of Birth: 1360 A.H.

His lineage: ‘Abdul-‘Azeez bin ‘Abdillah bin Muhammad bin ‘Abdil-Lateef Aali ash-Shaykh

His childhood: He was born in ar-Riyaadh in 1360 A.H. and since his youth he was stricken with weak eyesight until he totally lost it in 1381 A.H.

His seeking knowledge: He began seeking knowledge by studying the Noble Quran in the Ahmad bin Sanaan mosque where he memorized it at the age of twelve. Then he sought knowledge with the scholars in their study circles. In the year 1375 A.H. he enrolled into the institute Imaam ad-Da’wah and graduated from the college of Sharee’ah (Islamic Law) in 1383 /1384 A.H. He would also attend some of the scholars' study circles in the various mosques.

His Accomplishments: His life of knowledge began after graduating from the college of Islamic Law in the year 1384 A.H. He worked as a teacher in the same institute until the year 1392 A.H. He then transferred to teach in the college of Islamic Law in ar-Riyaadh and remained there until the year 1412 A.H. Then he became a member of the Permanent Committee for Islamic Rulings and in the year 1416 A.H. he was appointed as a representative for the General Mufti of the Kingdom. Before that he was appointed as a member of the Council for the Organization of Major Scholars in 1407 A.H.

His Efforts in addition to his work: He held the position of Imam for the Friday prayer in the ash-Shaykh ‘Abdullah bin ‘Abdil-Lateef mosque since 1390 A.H. then he transferred into the Imam position of the al-Imaam Turkee bin ‘Abdillah mosque in 1412 A.H. He has given the sermon in Nimrah mosque on the day of ‘Arafah since 1402 A.H. During his time teaching at the college of Islamic Law he supervised some of the university doctorates, participated in various panels, in addition to participating in Islamic rulings on the program Noor ‘alaa ad-Darb since 1414 A.H. He held several study circles in the al-Imaam Turkee mosque in ar-Riyaadh and was active in participating in several conferences and lectures as well as being involved in Da’wah (Islamic Propagation) in ar-Riyaadh and at-Taaif.

Source: http://www.mufti.af.org.sa/node/1456
Translated by: Thomas Maldonado

Biography of Shaykh ‘Abdullah bin Jaar Allah

He is ash-Shaykh ‘Abdullah bin Jaar Allah bin Ibraaheem Aali Jaar Allah. His lineage is traced back to the Nawaasir tribe of the Banoo Tameem. He was born in al-Mudhnib in the region of al-Qaseem. He had a righteous upbringing and from his youth he studied writing and memorized the Quran with his father. He traveled to ar-Riyaadh in the year 1368 A.H. and again in 1374 A.H. He took knowledge from ash-Shaykh Muhmamd bin Ibraaheem Aali ash-Shaykh. In the year 1375 A.H. he attended the Imaam-ad-Da’wah Institute where he studied under a number of scholars, from them ash-Shaykh Ismaa’eel bin Muhammad al-Ansaaree, as well as others.

He graduated from this institute in 1379 A.H. and then he attended the College of ash-Shar’eeah (Islamic Law) in ar-Riyaadh where he graduated in 1384 A.H. He was appointed as a teacher by the Ministry of Education. He taught in the middle schools in Haail and Buraydah in 1386 A.H. Then he moved to ar-Riyaadh for the same type of work. He then attended the Advanced Institute for Islamic Judges where he obtained his Masters in al-Fiqh al-Muqaarin (Comparative Islamic Jurisprudence) in the year 1399 A.H. In the year 1403 A.H. he moved to teach in the high schools and remained there until he had to retire because of his failing health.

He was one who constantly engaged in all acts of worship such as prayer, fasting, and supplications. He is mentioned with loving knowledge, with reviewing it and studying with others. He spent his time in that which was beneficial. He was humble and always smiling. He was patient, generous, and compassionate for the poor and the needy. He exerted all of his efforts, work time, free time, and wealth in the path of calling to Allah, advising and counseling, with money and by the pen. He died in Makkah al-Mukarramah in the spring of the 20th of Ramadhaan.

It has been mentioned that he authored more than one hundred and fifty treatises, mostly short and beneficial that treated the important issues that the general people were in need of knowing. Many have been printed and distributed with wide acceptance, and many have benefited from them.

Source: http://www.alukah.net/Web/jarallah/CV/
Translated by Thomas Maldonado
Visit the Shaykh's site (Arabic): http://www.alukah.net/Web/jarallah

Advice on Seeking Knowledge Q&A by Shaykh Saalih bin Fawzaan al-Fawzaan

What advice do you give to the one who seeks knowledge and what are the stages of studying knowledge and foundation that one should use to build himself upon it? What is your advice concerning adherence to the prophetic narrations?

Answer: All praise is for Allah, seeking knowledge is made easy:

{And We have indeed made the Quran easy to remember then is there any that will remember?} Soorat-ul-Qamar: 17

And the Prophet, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: (Whoever goes out in the path to seek knowledge Allah will make easy for him the path to Paradise.) Muslim (2699)

And the Glorified and Most High says: {And it is not for the believers to go out to fight all together. Of every troop of them, a party only should go forth, that they may get instructions in religion, and that they may warn their people when they return to them, so that they may beware.} Soorat-ut-Tawbah: 122

Thus the paths to learning knowledge are abundant and to Allah is all praise. You can either register into the schools, institutes, and structured colleges where you study the religious curriculum based on Tawheed, Fiqh, Tafseer, Hadeeth, and the Arabic language. Indeed these institutes, colleges, and schools have good curriculum for the one whom Allah the Glorified and Most High grants success. And they have within them teachers who are more than competent.

You can also study in the study circles that occur in the Masaajid at the hands of the Scholars who sit with the people and teach them.

If there is not a Masjid close to you to study, then go to another Masjid, even if it is far and if there is a need to travel. Indeed the previous Scholars used to travel to seek knowledge on long journeys, and in those times they did not have cars or planes. They only had the ability to walk or to ride on an animal, despite the distance and alienation from their homelands; despite this, they were patient.

Knowledge is not obtained by mere hoping and easiness, rather it deserves patience upon difficulty, reflection, and a pure intention.

Shaykh Saalih bin Fawzaan al-Fawzaan, member of the Major Scholars and Permanent Committee for Religious Rulings. 
Translated by Thomas Maldonado
Source: The Difference between Naseehah and Tajreeh pgs 28 – 29

Concerning the Manhaj (Methodology) of Aboo Haamid al-Ghazaalee by Shaykh Muhammad Khaleel Haraas

I read in al-Hadee an-Nabawee magazine, the article Natharaat fee at-Tasawwuf (Observations concerning Sufism), that the major Sufi scholars are Tawaagheet and that ash-Shaykh al-Ghazaalee the author of al-Ihyaa (the book entitled Ihyaa ‘Uloom-id-Deen) has errors in some of his books. On the contrary, some aspects of heresy. How can that be when he is a major scholar who believed in Allah and in his messenger? From what aspect was he a Taaghoot? I want you to establish the evidences because al-Ghazaalee was a believing man so how can his character be likewise? He researched every one of the sciences, and said himself that he studied Philosophy and the Philosophers, Sophism and the Sophists, along with Sufism. Yet despite this, I find the Sufis busy with the remembrance of their Lord and in loving their Prophet, and they always see him in their dreams?! I request that Ansaar-us-Sunnah give a sufficient explanation.

Answer: Indeed the Ansaar-us-Sunnah al-Muhammadiyyah group at that time brought to light a ruling based on a personality from those personalities that are widely known and of widespread prestige, which was the personality of Aboo Haamid al-Ghazaalee-may Allah forgive him and us. The personality of a person is never established based on the nobility that a man has obtained, nor by the admiration that he has gained from the people and their deep acclaim for him. Rather, rulings are given that either support him or are against him, and this is in accordance to the extent of his adherence to the Book and the Sunnah, or in accordance to his deviance from both.

This is the only scale that the Ansaar-us-Sunnah uses to measure the efforts of men. And this is the way it distinguishes every religious organization. It does not show mutual love to anyone or beautify anyone at the expense of forsaking the truth, nor in remaining silent about falsehood. According to this, what was published in the pages of al-Hadee an-Nabawee magazine from the issues surrounding al-Ghazaalee, author of al-Ihyaa, written by the president of the group was not intended to attack the man or to be biased towards him. On the contrary, what was intended was to clarify the errors and forms of deviance in which he fell into so that the people could be warned and not follow him into them.

The only way to do that was by returning to the books of al-Ghazaalee themselves and to convey the texts of these errors, while explaining those that are present within his works. At this time we cannot bring together all of the major errors in which al-Ghazaalee fell into in al-Ihyaa or in his other books. This issue surrounding the severe criticisms (of al-Ghazaalee) came from the ‘Ulamaa of the past as well as from those of this day and age.

But we say to the brother who asked the question, go back to what was written in al-Hadee magazine regarding the criticism of al-Ghazaalee, then look into the books of al-Ghazaalee. Will you find anything from that, that al-Ghazaalee did not say? When you find what he said and you do not understand the meaning of the error in the text, then come back to us and we will explain it to you Allah willing.

We will be content now with presenting to you the ruling of two men from the scholars of Islaam against Aboo Haamid al-Ghazaalee. The first is al-Haafith al-‘Iraaqee-may Allah have mercy upon him-who did Takhreej of the prophetic narrations contained in al-Ihyaa. He was considered a pupil of al-Ghazaalee, and yet despite this he said, “Indeed our Shaykh al-Ghazaalee entered the inner depths of Philosophy then tried to leave it but was not able to."

As for the second man, then it was Shaykh-ul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah-may Allah have mercy upon him-who said about him, “Indeed al-Ghazaalee was considered a bridge between Islaam and between Philosophy but not one leading to pure Islaam or to unadulterated Philosophy. So the Muslims who philosophizes in his books causes the Muslim to philosophize. While the Philosopher who writes about Islaam in his books only philosophizes."

After all of this, we advise you brother not to concern yourself with the mere importance of names. Do not make the greatness of personality worship a cover that surrounds you and surrounds the comprehension of the truth, and the contemplation of its light which is derived from the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His messenger-may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. Do not try to know truth by men, rather know men by the truth and know that the truth knows its true adherents.

Shaykh Muhammad Khaleel Haraas 
Translated by Thomas Maldonado
Arabic source: http://fatawa.al-islam.com/fatawa/Display.asp?FatwaID=1727&ParentID=500&Page=1

Concerning Shaykh Muhammad Khaleel Haraas' View on the Sufi Groups

What is the ruling in Islam upon the deviant sects (Tawaaif) such as the Sufis and others, and are they connected to the Quran and narrations of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and who was the one who started them?

Answer: I do not understand what the questioner means by the word Tawaaif (sects). If he means by that the Sufi groups that each group has attributed to its founder saying Shaykh of such and such Tareeqah then all of these Tariqahs are those that Shaytaan has placed to misguide the people from the straight path of Allah. The path He has ordered to be followed. The path He made the Book and the Sunnah as a guide. And to inform us of the division and disagreements that occur amongst the ranks of the unified Ummah. Allah the Mighty & Majestic says:

{…And hold to the rope of Allah altogether and do not separate.} Soorah Aali ‘Imraan: 103

And He warns us not to follow the ways of those before us who were divided and differed.

{…And do not be like those who separated and differed after there came to them the clear evidences. They are those who will have a great punishment.} Soorah Aali ‘Imraan: 105

There is nothing in the Book of Allah or in the prophetic narrations of the Messenger of Allah-may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him-that agrees with the existence of the likes of these sects. Rather what is contained in both bears witness against all of them regarding their deviance and innovation that opposes the Book and the Sunnah.

Shaykh Muhammad Khaleel Haraas 
Translated by Thomas Maldonado
Arabic source: http://fatawa.al-islam.com/Fatawa/Display.asp?FatwaID=1743&ParentID=500&Page=1

Translators Note: Regarding Shaykh Muhammad Khaleel Harraas
 
Shaykh Muhammad Amaan al-Jaamee said: “Shaykh Muhammad Khaleel Harraas was a man from the ‘Ulamaa of al-Azhar. He was an Ash’aree Sufi Philosopher. When he wanted to present a treatise for either his masters or doctorate he was asked to write a book refuting Shaykh-ul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah (rahimahullah) but he wanted to refute philosophy. So he gathered the books of Ibn Taymiyyah to refute them and when he had begun to read them within three months the truth was clarified for him regarding ‘Aqeedah. He then recanted from the Ash’aree creed and began to adhere to Ahl-us-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah, believing in their correct creed. He then changed his treatise to “the ‘Aqeedah of Ibn Taymiyyah the Salafi” switching it from “the Refutation upon him”.