Part 1

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Allpraise is forAllaah, Lord ofthe worlds. Peace and Prayers be upon Muhammad, his family, his Companions and allthose who follow in their footsteps until the Last Day.

This is the English translation of the booklet "Al-Khilaafo Baynal 'Ulamaa Asbaabuhoo wa Mawqifunaa Minhoo" by the great scholar Shay k h Mu h ammad Ibn S.aalih al- 'Uthaymeen, may Allaah preserve him and i_ncrease him in good.

It is hoped that this book, although small in size, will have an impact in explaining this vital subject. Inshaallaah one who studies this book will increase in his respect for the scholars and in his tolerancetowards his brothers who holdvalid opinions which may differfrom his.

May Allaah reward allthe brothers and sisters who helped in the publication ofthis book, particularly the author for providing useful clarifications on a number ofpoints and also the translator for his hard work and very useful footnotes.

• His lineage: He is Aboo 'Abdullaah, Muhammad ibn S.aalihibn Muhammad ibn 'Uthaymeen al-Wuhaybee at-Tameemee. • His birth: He was born in the town of'Unay z a h on the 27th ofthe blessed month ofRamadaan in the year 134 7 H. His early life:He recitedthe Noble Qu r ' aan with his maternal grandfa ther 'Abdu r -Rahmaa n ibn Su l ay m aan Aal Daamigh , rah.imahullaah. He first memorised the entire Qu r 'aan, and then continued to seek knowledge. He learned writing, arithmetic and other disciplines.Also two students of Shaykh 'Abdur-Rahmaan as-Sa' dee, rah.imahullaah, took up the task ofteaching small children; one ofthem was Shaykh 'Alee a~-S.aalih ee, and the other was

Shay k h Mu h ammad ibn 'Abdu l -' Az e ez al-Mu t awwa', rah.imahumullaah under whom Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen studied the abridgem ent of al- 'Aqeedat ul-Waas itiyyah of Shay k h 'Abdu r - Rahmaan as-Sa' dee, and Minhaaj us-Saali keen in Fiqh, also by Shaykh 'Abdur-Rahmaan and al-Ajroo miyyah and al-Alfiyyah.

He studied .fiqh and the laws of inheritance with Shaykh 'AbdurRahmaan ibn 'Alee ibn 'Awdaan. With Shaykh 'AbdurRahmaan ibn Na~ir as-Sa' dee, who is consideredhis firstShaykh, since he remained with him for some time, he studied tawbeed, tafseer, h.adeeth, .fiqh, the principles of.fiqh (u$_oolul-.fiqh), laws ofinheritance, sciences ofh.adeeth, Arabic Grammar (nah.w) and morphology ($_arj).

Indeedthe noble Shaykh was highly regarded by Shaykh 'AbdurRahmaan, rah.imahullaah, and when Shaykh Muhammad's father moved to Riyadh he initiallyexpressed a desire that his son should do likewise . However Shay k h 'Abdu r -Rahmaa n as-Sa' dee, rah.imahullaah, wrote to him: "This is not possible, rather we hope

6 Muhammad, hafidhahullaah, himselfsaid: "I was greatly influenced by him in his manner of teaching and presenting knowledge and making it understandable to the students by use of examples and explanations. I was also greatly influenced by his good manners. Indeed Shay k h 'Abdu r -Rahmaan, rah_imahullaah, had excellent manners and character along with a great deal of knowledge and worship. He would jokepleasantly with the young and laugh with the elders, and he was the most excellent person in manners that I have seen."

He also studied under the eminent and noble Shaykh 'Abdu l -' Azeez ibn Baaz who is consideredhis second Shaykh. He began studying under him by studying S.a!leeh_ al-Bukhaare e, some ofthe works of Shaykh-ul-lslaam Ibn Taymiyyah and some ofthe books of.fiqh. Shaykh Muhammad says: "I was influenced by Shaykh 'Abdul- , Azeez ibn Baaz, hajidhahulla ah, with regard to the great attention he gave to h_adeeth, and I was also influenced by his manners and the way in which he makes himself available to and puts himself at the service ofthe people."

In the year 1371 H he began teaching in the congregationalmosque, and when the educational institutes were opened in Riyadh he joined them in the year 1372 H. The Shaykh, ha.fidhahullaah, says: "I entered the educational institute in the second year and took up the studies upon the advice of Shaykh 'Alee a.s.-S.aalihee and having been given permission for that by Shaykh 'Abdur-Rahmaan asSa' dee. The institute at that time had two sections: a general section and a higher level. Ijoinedthe higher level and it was also the case that anyone who wanted to complete their studies more quickly could do so by studying the following years work in the holiday period, and then take the exams at the start of the following year. If he passed the exam he could then pass on to the next year afterthat. So by this means I studied in a shorter time period."

7 the educational institute of 'Unay z a h, whilst continuing his own studies in affiliationwith the College ofSharee 'ah, and continuing his studies u n der Shay k h 'Abdu r - Rahmaan as-Sa' dee,

When the noble Shaykh 'Abdur-Rahmaan as-Sa' dee, rah.imahullaah, died,Shay k h Mu h ammad was made imaam ofthe main congregational mosque of 'Unay z a h, and took u p teaching in the national library of'Unay z a h, in additionto teaching in the educational institute, He latermoved to teaching in the College ofSharee 'ah and the College of U!i_oolud-Deen (the Fundamentals and Principles ofthe Religion) in the Qaseem branch of Imaam Mu h ammad ibn Sa'u d IslamicUniversity, which he continues to this day. He is also a member of the council of eminent scholars of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the Shaykh, hafidhahullaah, is very active in callingto Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, and in enlightening the callersin every place. He has made great effortsin this field.

It is also worthy ofmention that the noble Shay k h Mu h ammad ibn lbraaheem, rah.imahullaah, offered him and encou r aged him to take the position ofjudge. Indeedhe even sent ou t the decisionthat he had been given the position as head ofthe Sharee 'ah court in Ahsaa, bu t he requested that he shou l d be excu s ed from taking the position. After a number of requests and personally speaking to him, the Shaykh, rah.imahullaah, granted him his wish not to take up the post.

His works: He has written around forty differentworks, some larger books and some treatises. These will, ifAllaah wills, be combined in a single collectionofhis verdicts and treatises.

All praise is forAllaah. We praise Him, seek His help and forgiveness and turn to Him in repentance. We seek refuge in Allaah from the evil of ou r selves and the wickedness of ou r own deeds. Whomsoever Allaah guides, cannot be leadastray and whomsoever Allaah misguides, none can guide him. I bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah, alone without partner, and I bear witness that Mu h ammad is His Slave and Messenger; may Allaah praise him and send peace u p on him, his household, his Companions and allthose who follow them in righteousness tillthe Day ofJudgement.

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~ ~ ~ .J ~0'-"' J _j.:.~\.A.) ~ .ul i_JA-l !J-'-A ~ U.._.. ';':. I~ 0 you who believe! Fear Allaah as He should be feared, 1 and die not except as Muslims. 2

1 Ibn Mas'ood. rad_iyallaahu 'anhu, commentated:"He shou l d be obey e d and not disobeyed, remembered and not forgotten, and he shou l d be thanked and not be shown ungratefulness."

2 Soorah Aal 'Imraan (3): I02

9 a single soul, and from him, created his wife, and from them both, brou g ht forth many men and women. Fear Allaah throu g h Whom you requ e st y o u r mu t u a l rights and do not sever relation softhe womb (i.e. kinship) . Surely, Allaah is forever an 3 observer over you a11.

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0 you who believe! Fear Allaah and always speak the tru t h. (Ifyou do so) He will directyou towards righteou s actions and fo~give you y o u r sins. Whoever obeys Allaah and His Messenge r has indeed 4 achieved a great success.

This topic ofdiscussion may cau s e many people to ask questions; some may even query, "Why this topic and this title, when there could well exist other matters of the Religion which are more important? " Bu t this topic, especially in this time ofours, occupies the minds ofmany people. I do not only imply the common people, bu t inclu d e amongst them students ofknowledge. This has arisen as a resu l t ofan increase in the dispersion oflegalrulings amidst the people via the many forms ofmedia. Consequently, the differences between the rulings ofthis person and that person have become a source ofconfusion, or even more so: a source ofdoubt, to many people, especially the lay m an who does not comprehe nd the origins ofthe differences.

3 Soorah an-Nisaa' (4): 1

4 Soorah a1-Ahzaab (33):70-71 issue which in my opinion is ofgreat importance to the Muslims. From the blessings ofAllaah, the Most High, upon this ummah is that the differingin this ummah didnot occur in the fundamentals 5 ofthe religionand its primary sources . Differingonly occurred in issues which do not touch upon the real unity ofthe Muslims and the presence ofdisagreement is a reality which must be. Ihave structured and summarised the main points which I would liketo discuss as follows:

Every Muslim knows, as a result of comprehending the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (~), that Allaah sent Mu h ammad (~) with the Guidance and Reli~ion ofTruth. 6

This truth embodies the factthat the Messenger ofAllaah (~) has explained this religionin a clearand sufficient manner, which is in no need of any further clarification.Because the very meaning of the word 'guidance ' negates deviation and allits connotations, and

5 It is well known that many ofthe sects ofinnovation likethe Mu 'tazilah and the Ashaai 'rah contested some ofthe sources ofthe Sharee 'ah. This however does not expel them from being sects within this ummah as they believe in these sources in a general way and do not categorically deny them. Likewise,their agreement on the fundamentals such as the pillarsofthe religionbeing five and so on. This is the intention ofthe Shay k h here.

d~~~ '!-.fl\~:.~~.;.H-r-;:;L>~~:.J;..~J::.j e0x~~~~~J~~~ It is He Who has sent His Messenger with the Gu i dance and the ReligionofTru t h, to make it prevail over allreligionseven thou g h the polytheists hate it. [ Soorah at-Tawbah (9):33]

11 which Allaah, the Most High, is not pleased with; the Messenger of Allaah (~) was sent with this Guidance and ReligionofTruth.

During his life-time,the people used to refer directly to him when in dispute, so he would judge between them and make plain the truth, regardless ofwhether the dispute occurred in connection to the Qu r 'aan or in matters of which their judgements had not yet been revealed; thereupon, verses would be revealed clarifying the issue.

How often do we read in the Qu r ' aan, if~~ "They ask you regarding... " this and that. Allaah, the Most High, would then reply to His Prophet with a clearanswer and order him to convey it to the people.

Allaah, the Most High, says,

They ask you as to what is lawful (food)for them. Say, 'Lawfu l u n to you are allthings good and pu r e (l!alaal); and what you have tau g ht y o u r trained hu n ting animals (to catch) in the proper manner directedto you by Allaah, eat what they catch for you bu t pronou n ce the name ofAllaah over it; and fearAllaah, forAllaah is indeed swift in taking accou n t'.7