His Birth and lineage:
He is the companion of nobility, the
Shaykh, the muhaqqiq (researching scholar), the faqeeh (jurist), the mufassir
(Qur’aan commentator), Mohammad bin Saalih bin Mohammad bin Sulaymaan bin
‘Abd-ir-Rahmaan Aal ‘Uthaymeen from Al Wahbah from Banu Tameem. He was born on
the night of 27th in the bountiful month of Ramadaan of the year 1347H in
‘Unayzah, one of the cities of Al Qaseem Region in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
His Studies:
His father – rahimahullaah – enrolled him to
learn Qur’aan with his maternal grandfather, the teacher, ‘Abd-ur-Rahmaan Bin
Sulaymaan Ad-Daamigh – rahimahullaah, then he learnt writing, and something of
mathematics, and texts of literature and mannerism in the school of the ustaadh,
‘Abd-ul-‘Azeez bin Saalih Ad-Daamigh – hafidhahullaah – and that was before he
got enrolled in the school of the ustaadh, ‘Alee bin ‘Abd-illaah Ash-Shahaytaan
– rahimahullaah – where he memorized the Noble Qur’aan, by-hearting it after
reaching fourteen years in age.
And by the directions of his father –
rahimahullaah – he began seeking religious knowledge. And the noble Shaykh, the
great scholar, ‘Abd-ur-Rahmaan bin Naasir As-Sa’dee – rahimahullaah – who used
to teach religious and Arabic studies in the Jaame’ Masjid of ‘Unayzah, had
appointed two from his senior students for teaching the beginner level students.
So he joined the teaching circle of Shaykh Mohammad bin ‘Abd-il-‘Azeez Al
Mutawwa’ – rahimahullaah - until he took the knowledge of at-tawheed, fiqh
(jurisprudence) and an-nahoo (grammar).
Then he sat in the study circle
of his Shaykh, the great scholar, ‘Abd-ur-Rahmaan bin Naasir As-Sa’dee –
rahimahullaah, so he studied with him tafseer (Exegesis of Qur’aan), hadeeth
(Prophetic Tradition), seerah (biography of the prophet), tawheed, fiqh
(jurisprudence), usool (science of principles), faraa’id, nahoo (grammar) and he
memorized abridged texts in these sciences.
And in enumeration, the noble
Shaykh, the great school, ‘Abd-ur-Rahmaan bin Naasir As-Sa’dee – rahimahullaah –
is his first teacher, as he took knowledge from him - with regards to learning
and methodology - most compared to those besides him. And he was influenced by
his methodology and inherent derivation, and his way of teaching and his
following of the proofs.
And when the Shaykh, ‘Abd-ur-Rahmaan bin ‘Alee
bin ‘Awdaan – rahimahullaah – was judge in ‘Unayzah, he read upon him the
science of al faraa’id, as well as he read upon the Shaykh, ‘Abd-ur-Razzaaq Al
‘Afeefee – rahimahullaah – in an-nahoo (grammar) and al-balaaghah (eloquence),
while his presence as a teacher in that city.
And when The Educational
Institute was opened in Riyaad, some of his brothers referred him to join it, so
he asked permission from his teacher, the great scholar, ‘Abd-ur-Rahmaan bin
Naasir As-Sa’dee – rahimahullaah – so he allowed him and he joined the institute
in the year 1372-1373H.
And he benefitted – during these two years while
attending The Riyaad Educational Institute – from the scholars that were
teaching in it then; from them were: the great scholar, al-mufassir (Qur’aan
commentator), Shaykh Mohammad Al Ameen Ash-Shinqeetee, and Shaykh; al faqeeh
(jusrist) ‘Abd-ur-Razzaaq bin Naasir bin Rasheed, and Shaykh-ul-muhaddith
(scholar of Prophetic Tradition), ‘Abd-ur-Rahmaan Al Ifreeqee - rahimahumullaah.
And during that period he got introduced to the noble Shaykh, the great
scholar, ‘Abd-ul-‘Azeez bin ‘Abd-illaah bin Baaz – rahimahullaah – so he read
upon him in the masjid from ‘Saheeh Al Bukhaaree’ and from ‘The Letters of
Shaykh-ul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyah’, and he benefitted from him in the science of
hadeeth (Prophetic Tradition) and looked into the opinions of the fuqahaa’
(jurists) of different madhaahib (schools of jurisprudence) and comparison
between them. In enumerating, the noble Shaykh ‘Abd-ul-‘Azeez bin Baaz –
rahimahullaah - is his second teacher with regards to enumeration and influence.
Then he returned to ‘Unayzah in the year 1374H and began to study under his
teacher, the great scholar, ‘Abd-ur-Rahmaan bin Naasir As-Sa’dee, following his
lessons by enrolment in The College of Shari’ah (Islaamic Law) that became a
part of Al Imaam Mohammad bin Sa’ood Islaamic University, until he acquired the
Certificate in Higher Education.
His Teaching Career:
His teacher sensed in him prompt
ability to confront questions and swiftness in knowledge-based inherent
derivation, so he encouraged him to teach and yet he was only a student in his
study circle.
And when he graduated from The Educational Institute in
Riyaad he was appointed as a teacher in The Educational Institute in ‘Unayzah in
the year 1374H. And in the year 1376H his teacher; the great scholar,
‘Abd-ur-Rahmaan As-Sa’dee – rahimahullaah – passed away. So after him, he was
given the position as the imaam of the Jaame’ Masjid in ‘Unayzah, and as an
imaam for the two ‘eed festivals in it and to teach in The ‘Unayzah National
Library, which was a subsidiary to the university which was founded by his
teacher – rahimahullaah – in the year 1359H.
And when the students
increased and the library could no longer hold them; the noble Shaykh
–rahimahullaah – began teaching in the Jaame’ Masjid itself. And the students
gathered towards him and flocked around him from the Kingdom and besides it,
until they reached to a number in hundreds in some of the lessons. They studied
under serious training not just mere listening; he remained upon that, as an
imaam, a khateeb (orator) and a teacher until his death – rahimahullaah.
The Shaykh remained a teacher in The Educational Institute from the year 1374H
to the year 1398H when he shifted to teaching in The College of shari’ah
(Islaamic Law) and usool-ad-deen (Principles of Religion) in Al Qaseem, a
subsidiary to Al Imaam Mohammad bin Sa’ood Islaamic University, remaining a
teacher in it until his death – rahimahullaah.
And he used to teach in
Masjid Al Haraam and Masjid An-Nabawee in the seasons of hajj, ramadaan and
summer vacations since the year 1402H until his death – rahimahullaah.
The Shaykh – rahimahullaah – had unique educational method in his quality and
successfulness. So he used to debate his students and accept their questions,
and give lessons and seminars with high reassuring and confident spirit, he was
energetic in spreading knowledge and proximate to the people.
Efforts of His Knowledge:
His – rahimahullaah – great
efforts appeared through more than fifty years in giving and exertion in
spreading knowledge while teaching, orating, extending guidance, joining
seminars and calling towards Allaah - the Almighty and Exalted.
And he
was heedful in authoring and dispatching verdicts and answers that are
exceptional with an inherent discernment; scientific and rational. His books,
letters, seminars, verdicts, sermons, meetings and sayings have been issued in
tens of dozens, like the issuance of thousands of hours of his audios that are
recorded in seminars, sermons, meetings, radio broadcasts and his
knowledge-based lessons in exegesis of the Holy Qur’aan, his unique explanations
of the Noble Prophetic Tradition, and the biography of the Prophet, and texts
and poetry in the Islaamic and linguistic sciences.
And enforcing the
fundamentals, the rules and the guidelines that were decided by his nobleness –
rahimahullaah – for spreading his authorship, letters, lessons, seminars,
sermons, legal verdicts and meetings, is being carried out by ‘The Shaykh
Mohammad bin Saalih Al ‘Uthaymeen Charitable Foundation’ – with aid and guidance
of Allaah – being obliged and honoured for taking the responsibility of
releasing all of his knowledge-based efforts and its care.
And building
upon his – rahimahullaah – guidelines, his personal website has been established
on the World Wide Web, for the sake of spreading the desired benefit – with the
aid and guidance of Allaah – to present all efforts of his knowledge, from his
authorship and audio recordings.
Other Works and Efforts:
In addition to those fruitful
efforts in the area of teaching, authorship, post as an imaam, sermons, issuing
legal verdicts, calling towards Allaah – the Almighty and Exalted – the noble
Shaykh had many successful works, from them are what follows:
• Member of
the Committee of Major Scholars in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from the year
1407H until his death.
• Member of the Study Council in Al Imaam Mohammad bin
Sa’ood Islaamic University in the two academic years of 1398H-1400H.
• Member
of The Council at The College of Islaamic Law and Principles of the Religion in
the branch of Al Imaam Mohammad bin Sa’ood Islaamic University in Al Qaseem and
Director of ‘aqeedah (creed) department in it.
• And in the period of his
teaching in The Educational Institute he took part in the membership of the
Committee of Planning and Curriculum for The Educational Institute and authored
a number of books prescribed in it.
• Member in the Committee of Awareness in
the season of hajj from the year 1392H until his death – rahimahullaah – where
he used to give lessons and hold seminars in Makkah and The Sites, and give
legal verdicts in issues and rulings of shree’ah.
• He directed the
Charitable Society for Memorization of the Holy Qur’aan in ‘Unayzah from its
establishment in the year 1405H until his death.
• He attended many seminars
inside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia having various categories of people; likewise
he attended seminars through the way of telephone for the Islaamic societies and
centres in various directions of the globe.
• He is from the Major Scholars
of the Kingdom that answer questions of enquirers about the rules and
regulations of the religion and its principles of ‘aqeedah (creed) and sharee’ah
(Islaamic law). And that was through radio broadcast programmes from the Kingdom
of Saudi Arabia; the most famous amongst these programmes was the program ‘Noor
‘Alad-Darb’ (Light upon the Path).
• He assigned himself for answering the
questions of the common peoples through phone calls, letters and meetings.
•
He organised knowledge-based meetings; weekly, monthly and yearly.
• He took
part in many conferences that were held in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
• And
because of his care for the educational behaviour and the preaching aspect, he
attended to the students while directing and guiding them to a serious
educational behaviour of a student of knowledge and his achievements. He worked
to attract them and have patience in their education, and to tolerate their many
various questions and attend to their affairs.
• And the Shaykh –
rahimahullaah – has many deeds in the fields of goodness, and in the chapters of
righteousness and in the areas of charity towards people, eagerness to help in
their needs, writing documents and contracts between them and providing advice
to them with truth and sincerity.
His Status:
The noble Shaykh – rahimahullaah – is counted
amongst the steadfast and unswerving people of knowledge that are gifted by
Allaah – with his Grace and Generosity – with inherent discernment; great
inheritance in knowing the proof and following it; derivation of the rules and
benefits from the Book and the Sunnah. And he explored depths of the Arabic
Language with regards to its meanings, expression and eloquence.
And when
the characteristics of great scholars, and their praiseworthy manners and
combination upon knowledge and action appeared from him, people loved him with
great love, everyone appreciated him with full appreciation, and Allaah bestowed
upon him their acceptance and reassurance of his choices in the matters of
jurisprudence. And they accepted his lessons, legal verdicts and all sorts of
efforts in knowledge, drinking from his certain knowledge and benefiting from
his advices and sermons.
He was awarded the Malik Faysal – rahimahullaah
– International Award for serving Islaam, in the year 1414H. It came in the
merits that were chosen by the Choosing Committee to give him the award what
follows:
Firstly: His exercising with the manners of the noble scholars,
the most notable of which are piety, vastness of heart, speaking the truth,
actions for the benefit of the Muslims and advising their elites and their
masses.
Secondly: Benefiting many from his knowledge; with teaching,
passing verdicts and authorship.
Thirdly: His attending general
beneficial seminars in different regions of the Kingdom.
Fourthly: His
beneficial participation in many Islaamic conferences.
Fifthly: His
following of exceptional behavior in calling towards Allaah with wisdom and good
exampling, and his presenting living example of the methodology of the pious
predecessors, in intellect and action.
His Offspring:
He has five boys and three girls. His sons
are: ‘Abd-ullaah, ‘Abd-ur-Rahmaan, Ibraaheem, ‘Abd-ul-‘Azeez and ‘Abd-ur-Raheem.
His Death:
He passed away – rahimahullaah – in Jeddah city
just before maghrib on Wednesday, 15th of the month of Shawwaal of the year
1421H. He was prayed over in Masjid Al Haraam after salaat-ul-‘asr on Thursday.
Then he was followed by those thousands of worshipper and huge crowds, awing
spectators. He was buried in Makkat-al-Mukarramah.
And after
salaat-ul-jumu’ah on the following day, he was prayed over salaat-ul-ghaa’ib in
all of the cities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
May Allaah have mercy
upon our Shaykh, mercy deserved by the righteous. And may He grant him abode in
His expansive gardens, and bestow upon him His Forgiveness and His Pleasure and
reward him with good for what he gave forward for Islaam and the Muslims.
The Study Committee at The Shaykh Mohammad bin Saalih Al ‘Uthaymeen
Charitable Organisation.
[Taken and translated by Zubayr Abbasi from the
official website of the Shaykh, http://www.ibnothaimeen.com/all/Shaikh.shtml]
