Shaykh-ul-Islaam Ibn Baaz [d.1420H]

His Name and Lineage:
He is the imaam, the righteous, the pious, and the ascetic, one amongst the foremost group with Islaamic knowledge, a reference point for the Muslims in all directions of the globe for legal verdicts and knowledge, a remnant of the pious predecessors in treading upon truth and upright guidance, and in following the venerable Sunnah: ‘Abd-ul-‘Azeez bin ‘Abd-illaah bin ‘Abd-ir-Rahmaan bin Mohammad bin ‘Abd-illaah Aal Baaz. And Aal Baaz – is a family whose roots are ingrained in knowledge, trading, agriculture, known for honour and ethics. Shaykh Sulaymaan bin Hamdaan – rahimahullaah – in his book about the biographies of the Hanaabilah, said, “Their roots are from the city of the Prophet ﷺ; one of their forefathers migrated from there to Ad-Dir’iyyah, then they migrated from there to the surroundings of Banu Tameem.

His Birth:
He was born in Riyaad, the capital of Najd on the 12th in the month of Dhi-l-Hijjah of the year 1330H. He grew up in it as a teenager and a man, and he never left it except intending hajj or ‘umrah.

His Upbringing:
The noble Shaykh ‘Abd-ul-‘Azeez was brought up in a beautiful environment with an atmosphere of knowledge, guidance and righteousness, farfetched from the manifestations of the world and its charms, and its counterfeit cultures, as Riyaad in that period was a place of knowledge and guidance; in it were major scholars and imaams of religion from the imaams of this blessed call that stood upon the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of the Messenger – ﷺ – and by it is meant the call of the imaam, the reviver, Mohammad bin ‘Abd-il-Wahhaab – rahimahullaah – and its environment was dominated by peace, security and tranquillity when the King, ‘Abd-ul-‘Azeez – rahimahullaah – retrieved Riyaad and established in it the law of justice built upon the tolerant Islaamic Law after it had been in chaos and clashes between its rulers and those ruled, without an end.

So his nobleness – haifdhahullaah – was brought up in such a knowledge-filled environment. And there is no doubt that the Noble Qur’aan was and still is - and all praise is Allaah’s – that light which illuminates his life, and it is the reason for victory and success. So with the Noble Qur’aan, the Shaykh began – as is the habit of the scholars of old – rahimahumullaah – as they take the Noble Qur’aan first amongst the sources of knowledge – so they memorise it and reflect upon it with deepest reflection, they understand its rules and its exegesis, and from there they move forward towards rest of the Islaamic sciences. So the Shaykh memorised the Noble Qur’aan by-heart before he entered puberty, so he understood it and memorised it with a complete memorisation, and he mastered its chapters and verses with utmost perfection. And after his memorising the Book of Allaah, his nobleness began to seek knowledge upon the hands of the scholars with complete earnestness and great patience.

The issue of his upbringing is worth acknowledgment and mentioning, that his mother – rahimahallaah – had a significant impact and a prominent role in directing him towards Islaamic knowledge, his seeking and perseverance upon it. She used to urge him and increase his encouragement, exhorting him to continue to seek knowledge, following him upon that earnestly and diligently, as that was mentioned by his nobleness in his beneficial lecture – ‘My Journey with the Book’ – and it is a pleasurable journey mentioned by the Shaykh toward the end of the lecture, particularly in the section concerning questions about some aspects of his life – it is a lecture to be listened to without a due.

The noble Shaykh, ‘Abd-ul-‘Azeez – rahimahullaah – was sighted in beginning of his life, and Allaah willed in His great wisdom that his sight should become weak in the year 1346H following his sickness that affected his eyes, then all of his sight left him in the year 1350H, and his age was close to twenty years. But that did not dispirit him from seeking knowledge, or decrease his courage and determination; rather he continued seeking knowledge very seriously with that, serving under the elite from the pious scholars and righteous jurists. So he benefitted great benefits from them at the beginning of knowledge seeking; they influenced him - with an upright opinion, beneficial knowledge, diligence upon lofty matters, good upbringing, noble manners and good nurturing were from the greatest effects upon him and the biggest advantage in his continuation.

Upon such righteous upbringing that was submerged by passionate religious emotion intertwined with affirming good belief, safety of instinct, good manners and far from ill beliefs and inferior manners. And from what is incumbent to know is that the noble Shaykh ‘Abd-ul-‘Azeez – rahimahullaah – benefitted many benefits from losing his sight - four such matters will be counted by the way of example and not limitation :

First: Good reward and great return from Allaah the Almighty and the Exalted. Imaam Al Bukhaaree reported in his ‘Saheeh’ in the hadeeth qudsee, narrated Anas bin Maalik – radi-Allaahu-‘anh - : I heard Allaah’s Messenger ﷺ saying: “Allaah said, ‘If I deprive my salve of his two beloved things (i.e., his eyes) and he remains patient, I will let him enter Paradise in compensation for them’.” [Al Bukhaaree: 5653]

Second: Power of memory and excessive intelligence: so the Shaykh – rahimahullaah – is the memoriser of the age in the science of hadeeth. If you asked him about a hadeeth from the six books or besides them like the “Musnad’ of imaam Ahmad and other books, the matter you would find with him mostly was his recounting the hadeeth, text-wise and chain-wise, and who spoke about it (discourse of authenticity), its men and its explanation.

Third: Unawareness of the pleasures of life, trials of the world and its adornments. So the Shaykh – may Allaah aid him – was ascetic with great asceticism in that, and pious from it, and the direction of his heart was towards the hereafter, towards humbleness and humility in front of Allaah the Almighty and the Exalted.

Fourth: He benefitted from inferiority complex of eyes, as he urged upon his self and shattered it with seriousness and perseverance until he became from the major scholars, referring to them with vast knowledge, comprehensive understanding and the strength of deduction. And Allaah exchanged the light of his eyes for the light in his heart, and love of knowledge, following the Sunnah and treading the destination and intelligence in heart.

His Youth:
From the reports about his childhood is that his father passed away and he was so young from where he did not remember his father. As for his mother, she passed away when he was 25 years old. And from what he remembered is that in his youth he was weak of stature and he could not walk until after the age of three, that was mentioned by his son Ahmad. And the noble Shaykh was famous for fearfulness and competing towards good deeds and his perseverance upon obedience since childhood.

And Shaykh Sa’d bin ‘Abd-il-Muhsin Al Baaz mentioned – and he was close to the noble Shaykh and he was 10 years older than him – he mentioned that the noble Shaykh, since his childhood was a fearful and competitive in performing good deeds, and his permanent place used to be the masjid and he was thirteen years of age.

And the noble Shaykh – rahimahullaah – used to mention incidents that he used to remember as a youth without forgetting, with his teacher, Shaykh Saalih bin ‘Abd-il-‘Azeez Aal Ash-Shaykh, the judge of Riyaad in that time.

His nobleness said, “I was young when Shaykh Saalih – rahimahullaah – saw me to be first in the row and he became sad and said: ‘some people procrastinate, sitting, eating and drinking until they miss salaah’. And as if by that he – rahimahullaah – meant to point at me, so I was mortified at what had happened because of me and grieved a lot. And I have not forgotten that situation until now”. Shaykh Saalih – rahimahullaah – did not say that except because what he used to notice and feel the early genius in the noble Shaykh.

And from the well known reports about the noble Shaykh in his youth is his being famous for his kindness and generosity.

And Shaykh Sa’d bin ‘Abd-il-Muhsin Al Baaz – rahimahullaah – mention that the noble Shaykh ‘Abd-ul-‘Azeez; when he was a student under the scholars, if he was greeted upon by anyone, he would invite them for lunch or dinner, and used to serve whatever was available without undermining it and Allaah use to increase it in bounty.

And from the reports about his youth is that he used to write, read and make noted on his books before he lost his sight.

And it was once said to the noble Shaykh: “It is said that you do not know how to write”.

So his nobleness replied: “this is not true; I used to read and write before my sight went, and I have notes on some of my books that I used to read upon the mashaayikh like ‘Al Aajroomiyyah’ in grammar and other than that”.

And when the noble Shaykh had to dictate for writing or making notes, and if there was some doubt about whatever word might be, he used to say, “Write like this” and he used to point to his palm; as if writing with his finger to show me the way of writing the correct way.

And it was once said to his nobleness: “Is it true that you wish to see a camel in the way Allaah has created it?”

So this time his nobleness replied: “this is not true, as I can imagine it; because my sight did not leave me except by the age of nineteen”.

His Offspring:
The Shaykh – rahimahullaah – has four sons, and likewise six daughters, in total ten.

His Appearance:
The noble Shaykh used to take care of his appearance without squandering or extravagance. He used to take care of his bodily cleanliness, trimming his moustache and adorning himself with perfume a lot, rather he put it every day and he used to serve wood incense in his gathering more than once, if not, then he served it once at least.

And he used to wear his bisht (cloak) for his salaah, his visits and when going to work.

And his garments used to be higher than his ankles by four fingers length, as he used to see the falling of the clothes; trousers or cloak, below the ankles to be a disliked forbiddance, whether it was done out of pride or not. He used to say: “isbaal (leaving the garment fall below the ankle) is haraam (forbidden), and if it is done out of pride (showing off) then its forbiddance is more serious”.

So one day his nobleness wore a new cloak and it was opposed to what his nobleness was upon where it was falling below the ankles and his nobleness did not know this. So a person said to him: “O noble Shaykh! Your cloak, it is falling below your ankles, and I do not know if you have changed your opinion of its obligation [to be above the ankle]?” So it was not from the noble Shaykh except that he took it off and threw it and said: “Take it to the one who will shorten it [i.e. tailor]”. And this happened in a time when his nobleness was in Makkah at the end of ramadaan, so he arrived in Riyaad without a cloak on him.

He used to frequently dye his beard with henna, and used to hold the opinion of changing whiting hair, with the forbiddance of changing it with black [dye]. And he – rahimahullaah – had very few hair on his cheeks but as for his chin, it had long hair intertwined with each other. It was said to him once: “what if you untangle it with a comb?” He said: “I am afraid some hair might fall off.” And he was of the opinion of forbiddance of a shaving the beard or shorting it. Likewise for what grows on the cheeks. As for the growth under the chin and on the neck, he did not see anything wrong in that.

His Teachers and Studies:
He – rahimahullaah – began his studies while he was child with memorisation of the Noble Qur’aan before reaching puberty. Then he – rahimahullaah – began seeking religious and language sciences under many of scholars of Riyaad. From the most prominent of them are:

1- Shaykh Mohammad bin ‘Abd-il-lateef bin ‘Abd-ir-Rahmaan bin Husayn bin Shaykh Mohammad bin ‘Abd-il-Wahhaab – rahimahumullaah.
2- Shaykh Saalih bin ‘Abd-il-‘Azeez bin ‘Abd-ir-Rahmaan bin Husayn bin Shaykh Mohammad bin ‘Abd-il-Wahhaab, judge of Riyaad.
3- Shaykh Sa’d bin Hamad bin ‘Ateeq, judge of Riyaad.
4- Shaykh Hamad bin Faaris, minister of treasury in Riyaad.
5- Shaykh Sa’d bin Waqqaas Al Bukhaaree, from the scholars of Makkah. He learnt the science of tajweed from him in the year 1355H.
6- The noble Shaykh Mohammad bin Ibraaheem bin ‘Abd-il-Lateef Aal-ush-Shaykh. He attended his lessons for about ten years taking all Islaamic sciences from him, beginning from the year 1357H to the year 1357H when he was chosen for judgeship before his nobleness.

His Professional Life:
1- Judiciary in Al Kharj region for a long time continuously for fourteen years and some months which was between the year 1357H until 1371H. And the appointment took place in Jumaadee Al Aakhirah of the year 1357H and lasted until the end of the year 1371H.
2- Teaching at the Educational institute in Riyaad in the year 1372H and the Sharee’ah College in Riyaad after its inception in the year 1373H in the sciences of fiqh (jurisprudence), tawheed and hadeeth 0Prophetic Tradition). And this continued for nine years ending in the year 1380H.
3- Appointment as deputy to the director of the Islaamic University in Al Madeenah in the year 1381H staying upon this post until the year 1390H.
4- Appointment as the director of the Islaamic University in the year 1390H after passing away of Shaykh Mohammad bin Ibraheem Aal-ush-Shaykh – rahimahullaah – in Ramadaan of the year 1389H. This post lasted until the year 1395H.
5- In 14/10/1395H, a royal decree was issued appointing him the Director General post of the General Presidency of Scholarly Research and Verdicts, and as minister of the Islaamic Call and Religious Propagation.

He – rahimahullaah – besides these posts took part in many other scientific and Islaamic committees from which are:
1- Membership in the Permanent Committee of Major Scholars in the Kingdom.
2- Presidency of the Permanent Committee of Scholarly Research and Verdicts.
3- Membership of the Constituent Council of the Muslim World League.
4- Presidency of World Supreme Council for Mosques.
5- Presidency of the Islaamic Jurisprudence Society in Makkah, subsidiary of the Muslim World League.
6- Membership of the Supreme Council of the Islaamic University in Al Madeenah.
7- Membership of the Supreme Committee of Islaamic Propagation in the Kingdom.

His Students:
And when he – rahimahullaah – gained distinction given his high rank in knowledge, guidance and piety, a great number of students took knowledge at his hands, and they are too many to be counted. Here will be mentioned some of the most prominent and well known amongst them in order of their sitting with him – rahimahullaah - for studies in Al Delam; a town 100 kilometres from the capital Riyaad, then those in Riyaad itself, then in Al Madeenah:

In Al Delam:
1- His Excellency, Shaykh Raashid bin Saalih bin Khunayn; Advisor at The Royal Court and one of the members of The Council of Senior Scholars in the Kingdom.
2- His Excellency, Shaykh ‘Abd-Allaah bin Sulaymaan Al Mas’ary; President of The Court of Injustices.
3- His Excellency, the teacher ‘Abd-ul-‘Azeez bin ‘Abd-illaah As-Saalim; General Secretary of The Council of Ministers.
4- Shaykh ‘Abd-ul-‘Azeez Aal Sulaymaan.
5- The Virtuous Shaykh, Mohammad bin Sulaymaan Aal Sulaymaan; judge of Dammaam High Court.
6- Shaykh ‘Abd-Allaah bin Hasan bin Qa’ood; member of The Council of Senior Scholars and The Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Legal Verdicts.
7- Shaykh Mohammad bin Zayd Aal Sulaymaan; President of The Sharee’ah Courts in Dammaam and a member of The Council of Senior Scholars.
8- Shaykh ‘Abd-ur-Rahmaan bin Sahmaan; a scribe of the Shaykh.
9- Shaykh ‘Abd-ur-Rahmaan bin Naasir Al Barraak; one of the senior scholars and a professor at Al Imaam Mohammad bin Sa’ood Islaamic University in Riyaad.
10- Shaykh ‘Alee bin ‘Abd-illaah bin Hawaas – rahimahullaah – from the scholars of Al Qaseem and author of famous
refutations.
11- Shaykh ‘Abd-ur-Rahmaan bin ‘Abd-il-‘Azeez bin Jalaal; President of The Council of Enjoining the Good and Forbidding the Vice in Al Delam.

In Riyaad:
1- Shaykh Zayd bin ‘Abd-il-‘Azeez bin Fayyaad.
2- Shaykh Hamood bin ‘Abd-illaah Al ‘Uqlaa Ash-Shu’aybee.
3- Shaykh ‘Abd-ul-‘Azeez bin Mohammad Aal ‘Abd-ul-Mun’im.
4- Shaykh ‘Abd-Allaah bin ‘Abd-ir-Rahmaan bin Ghudayyaan.
5- Shaykh Mohammad bin ‘Abd-ir-Rahmaan bin Dakheel.
6- Shaykh Ibraaheem bin Mohammad bin Ibraaheem Aal-ush-Shaykh.
7- Shaykh Mohammad bin Saalih Al ‘Uthaymeen.
8- Shaykh Hamood bin ‘Abd-il-‘Azeez As-Subayl.
9- Shaykh ‘Atiyah bin Mohammad bin Saalim.
10- Shaykh Saalih bin ‘Abd-ir-Rahmaan Al Atrum.
11- Shaykh Hasan bin ‘Abd-il-Lateef bin Maane’.
12- Shaykh ‘Alee bin Mohammad Zaamil.
13- Shaykh ‘Abd-us-Samad bin Mohammad Al Kaatib.
14- Shaykh ‘Alee Al Hamad As-Saalihee.
15- Shaykh Saalih bin Mohammad Al-Luhaydaan.
16- Shaykh Saalih bin ‘Abd-il-‘Azeez Al Mansoor.
17- Shaykh ‘Alee bin Sulaymaan Al Mahnaa.
18- Mohammad bin ‘Abd-il-Kareem Aal Sulaymaan.
19- Shaykh ‘Abd-ul-Muhsin bin Hamad Al ‘Abbaad.
20- Shaykh Mohammad Amaan bin ‘Alee Al Jaamee.
21- Shaykh Saalih bin Fawzaan Aal Fawzaan.
22- Shaykh Saalih bin Ghaanim As-Sadlaan.
23- Shaykh ‘Abd-ur-Rahmaan bin Mohammad Aal Sadhaan.
24- Shaykh ‘Abd-ul-‘Azeez bin ‘Abd-illaah Aal-ush-Shaykh.
25- Shaykh Mohammad bin ‘Abd-illaah Al ‘Ajlaan.
26- Shaykh ‘Abd-Allaah bin Sulaymaan bin Manee’.
27- Shaykh Mohammad bin Sa’d Husayn.

In Al Madeenah; Islaamic University:
1- Shaykh ‘Umar bin Mohammad bin Falaatah
2- Shaykh Sa’d bin ‘Abd-ir-Rahmaan Al Husayn.
3- Shaykh ‘Alee bin Mohammad bin Naasir Al Faqeehee.
4- Shaykh Rabee’ bin Haadee Al Madkhalee.
5- Shaykh Saalih bin Sa’d As-Suhaymee.
6- Shaykh ‘Ubayd bin ‘Abd-illaah Al Jaabiree.
7- Shaykh Bakr bin ‘Abd-illaah Aboo Zayd.
8- Shaykh ‘Alee bin Mohammad bin Sinaan.
9- Shaykh ‘Abd-ul-‘Azeez bin Mohammad bin Ibraheem Aal ‘Abd-ul-Lateef.

In Riyaad from1395H:
1- Shaykh Fahd bin Humayn.
2- Shaykh ‘Abd-Allaah bin ‘Abd-ir-Rahmaan Al Jibreen.
3- Shaykh ‘Abd-ul-‘Azeez bin ‘Abd-illaah Ar-Raajihee.
4- Shaykh Mohammad bin Sa’d Ash-Shuway’ir.
5- Shaykh ‘Abd-Allaah bin ‘Abd-il-‘Azeez Al Khudayr.
6- Shaykh ‘Abd-ul-‘Azeez bin Mohammad As-Sadhaan.
7- Shaykh Mohammad bin Ismaa’eel Al Ansaaree.
8- Shaykh Abd-ul’Azeez Al ‘Aqeel.
9- Shaykh Ahmad Az-Zahraanee.

His Authorship:
The Shaykh – rahimahullaah – has many titles to his name, which are valuable in its subject, clear in its expressions and discreet in its approach. They number over a hundred but here will be mentioned a few of his well known books:
1- ‘Imaam Mohammad bin ‘Abd-il-Wahhaab: His Life and Call’
2- ‘Explanation of the Meaning of Laa Ilaaha Ill-Allaah’
3- ‘The Correct Creed and What Opposes It’
4- ‘Calling Towards Allaah’
5- ‘Obligation of acting Upon the Sunnah and Disbelief of the One Who Rejects it’.
6- ‘Calling Towards Allaah the Sublime and Its Manners’.
7- ‘Fataawa Regarding Issues Related to Women’.
8- ‘Textual and Perceptual Proofs for Ascension Towards the planets, Revolving of the Sun and the Stationary Earth’.
9- ‘Rites of Hajj and ‘Umrah’
10- ‘Critique of Current Arab Nationalism in the Light of Islaam’.
11- ‘Obligation Enjoining the Good and Forbidding the Evil.”
12- ‘Explanation of the Three Principles’.
13- ‘Clarifying the Truth about Jinn Entering the Human and Refuting One Who Rejects It’.
14- ‘Warning From Innovations’.
15- ‘The Correct Reply Regarding the Rulings of Night Prayer and Taraweeh’.
16- ‘Beneficial Reply about the Ruling of Photography’.
17- ‘Essential Lessons for Muslim Masses’.
18- ‘Treatise: Ruling on Smoking’.
19- ‘Treatise: Growing the Beard’.
20- ‘Treatise: Ruling on Sorcery and Fortune-telling’.
21- ‘Merit of Jihaad and Mujaahideen’.
22- ‘Way of the Prophet’s Prayer ﷺ.
23- ‘In the Shade of Islaamic Law’.
24- ‘Foundations of Belief’.
25- ‘A Student of Knowledge’s Responsibility’.

The Shaykh – rahimahullaah – has a compiled compendium of his legal verdicts, books, explanations, letters, lectures and articles in 30 Volumes.