Sharh-ul-Usool-ith-Thalaathah : Lesson 02 : Part A
Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzan | Dawud Burbank [Audio|English]

[Souncloud Audio Link] 

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Imaam Muhammad ibn ‘Abdil-Wahhaab (rahimahullaah) said:

That it is obligatory upon us to learn four matters

الأُوْلَى: العِلْمُ

The first is knowledge⁴

Shaykh Fawzan Explanation:

[4]:

His saying, “knowledge”: what is meant by knowledge here, is al-‘ilm ash-shar‘ee the legislated (islaamic) knowledge, because that is what it is obligatory to learn, and these matters are obligatory to learn upon every Muslim, male or female, free or slave, rich or poor, a king or a pauper, every Muslim, it is obligatory upon him that he should learn these four matters.

And this is what the scholars call al-waajib al-‘aynee, and it is what is obligatory upon every individual from the Muslims. So the five obligatory prayers which are upon the men and the  women, and the congregational prayer in the mosques, which is upon the men, this is obligatory upon every individual from the Muslims, that he learns about them. Therefore he said, “it is obligatory upon us”, and he did not say, “it is obligatory upon some of us”, rather he said, “it is obligatory upon us”, meaning upon us the Muslims. So it is from the knowledge which it is obligatory to learn upon all individuals, because knowledge is of two categories:

The first of them: that which it is obligatory upon all individuals to learn, such that there is no excuse for anyone to be ignorant of it, and it is that which is such that the religion cannot be correctly established except with it, such as the five pillars of Islaam which are the Two Testifications, and the establishment of the Prayer, and the giving of the Zakaat, and the fast of Ramadaan, and Hajj to the sacred House of Allaah. It is not permissible for the Muslim to be ignorant of that, rather he must learn it.

Since learning the meaning of the Two Testifications, is to learn the ‘aqeedah (creed and belief), so the Muslim learns the creed and belief in order to act upon it, and he learns whatever opposes it in order to keep away from it – this is what is contained in the Two Testifications.

Likewise he learns the pillars of the Prayer, and the conditions of the Prayer, and the obligations of the Prayer, and the sunnahs of the Prayer; he must learn these matters in detail. It is not just the case that he can pray when he does not know the rulings of the prayer. How can a person do an action when he does not have knowledge of the action which he is performing? How can he perform the Prayer when is ignorant of its rulings? So it is essential that he learns the rulings of the Prayer, and those things which nullify the Prayer, he must learn this.

Likewise he should learn the rulings of the Zakaat, and he should learn the rulings of the Fasting, and he should learn the rulings of the Hajj, so when he wants to perform Hajj, it becomes obligatory upon him to learn the rulings of the Hajj and the rulings of the ‘Umrah in order to perform these acts of worship in the prescribed and legislated manner.

And this category, no-one is excused for being ignorant of it, and it is what is called al-waajib al-‘aynee that which is obligatory upon every individual Muslim.

The second category from the categories of knowledge, is that which is additional to that, from the legislated rulings which the Ummah (Islaamic Nation) together has need of, and it may be the case that not every individual has a need of it, such as the rulings of trading, and the rulings of dealing and transactions, and the rulings of religious endowments, and laws of inheritance and bequests and the rulings of marriages, and the rulings relating to crimes. These are essential for the Ummah. However it is not obligatory upon every individual from the Ummah that he has to learn it. Rather, if these things are learnt by sufficient number of scholars, such that what is required is attained, then that will suffice so that they can fulfill the need of the Muslims for legal judgments and for religious verdicts and for teaching and other than this. This is called waajib al-kifaayah (the communal obligation), such that if a sufficient number of people carry it out, then sin falls away from the rest, and if all of them leave it, then they will all be sinful.

So the Ummah must have people who learn this category since they are in need of it. However, it is not said to every individual, “it is obligatory upon you to acquire knowledge of these matters”, because this may not  be possible for every individual. Rather this is specific to the people of ability and the people of capability from the Ummah. And if this is learnt by some of the Ummah, then the obligation has been established, contrary to the first category, for there, every individual is accountable for it himself, because it is not possible for him to perform these actions except with knowledge. And therefore the Shaikh said, “it is obligatory upon us”, and he did not say, “it is obligatory upon the Muslims”, or, “it is obligatory upon some of the Muslims”. Rather he said, “it is obligatory upon us”, meaning upon everyone from us as an individual obligation.

And we should know, before entering into the matters, that what is meant by knowledge, which it is obligatory upon the Ummah – whether it be that which is obligatory upon every individual, or whether it be that which is obligatory upon some, then it is al-‘ilm ash-shar‘ee the legislated (islaamic) knowledge, that which the Messenger sallallaahu‘alaihiwasallam came with.

As for worldly knowledge, such as the knowledge of industries, and professions, and arithmetic, and mathematics, and engineering, then this knowledge is permissible – it is permissible to learn it and it can be obligatory if the Ummah has need of it, then it will be obligatory on those who are capable. However, it is not the knowledge which is intended in the Qur’aan and the Sunnah, that which Allaah the Most High has praised and commended its people, and that which the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said about it:

العلماء ورثة الأنبياء

“The ‘ulemaa, (the scholars, or the people of knowledge) are the inheritors of the Prophets.”[1] 

What is meant is al-‘ilm ash-shar‘ee the legislated (islaamic) knowledge.

As for worldly knowledge, then whoever is ignorant of it, then there is no sin upon him, and whoever learns it, then it is permissible for him, and if he utilises it to benefit the Ummah, then he is rewarded for it. And if a person died, and he was ignorant of this knowledge, then he would not be taken to account for it on the Day of Resurrection.

However, whoever died and he was ignorant of al-‘ilm ash-shar‘ee the legislated (islaamic) knowledge, particularly essential knowledge, then he will be asked about it on the Day of Resurrection, “Why didn’t you learn? Why didn’t you ask?”. The one who says when he is placed in his grave, “My Lord is Allaah, and Islaam is my religion, and my Prophet is Muhammad sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam”, this person will be saved.  It will be said to him, “Where did you acquire this from?”. So he will say, “I read the Book of Allaah and I learnt it”.

As for the person who turns away from that, then when he is questioned in his grave, then he will say, “Haa, haa, I don’t know, I heard the people saying something so I said it”. Then this person, his grave will be made to blaze with fire upon him – and Allaah’s refuge is sought – and it will be crushed upon him, to such an extent that his ribs will cross over, and he will come to be in a pit from the pits of the hell-fire, because he did not have knowledge and he did not read. So it will be said to him:

لا دريت ولا تليت )  أو لا تلوت )

“You did not know and you did not read (or you did not follow)”.[2]

 So he did not learn and he did not follow the example of the people of knowledge, rather he was wasted and lost in his life, so this is the person who ends up in wretchedness, and Allaah’s refuge is sought.

So his saying, “Knowledge”, this is the legislated knowledge that is required from us as a body and as individuals, and it is knowledge and awareness of Allaah through His Names and His Attributes, and knowledge of His right upon us, which is to worship Him alone ascribing no partner to Him, so the first thing that is obligatory upon the servant is knowledge and awareness of his Lord the Mighty and Majestic, and how to worship Him.

Footnotes:

[1] This is reported by al-Bukhaaree in disconnected form in the Book of Knowledge, Chapter, “Knowledge comes before speech and action”, it follows on from hadeeth 67; and is reported by Aboo Daawood, and ibn Maajah and at-Tirmidhee from a hadeeth of Aboo Ad-Dardaa radiyallaahu‘anhu. [Al-Albaanee declared the hadeeth of Aboo Daawood saheeh].

[2] Reported by Al-Bukhaaree in abridged form as a hadeeth of Anas 1338, and also reported by Muslim in abridged form also as a hadeeth of Anas 2870, and reported by Aboo Daawood as a hadeeth of al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib in a long hadeeth 4753. [Al-Albaanee declared the hadeeth of Aboo Daawood saheeh].

MCQ (Multiple Choice Questions) for this Audio: (Source)

The Shaykh Saalih al Fawzaan hafidhahullaah mentions in his explanation that:

Q1). The ‘ilm (knowledge) mentioned by the Imaam here:

a) Refers to knowledge of politics
b) Refers to knowledge of Allaah’s Sharee’ah [23]
c) Is not obligatory for the women to gain
d) Is obligatory for the poor people as well as the rich people to gain

Answers: b) d)

Q2). Knowledge which is al waajib ul ‘aynee is:

a) Obligatory upon every single Muslim to gain [24]
b) Includes knowledge of how to pray the five daily prayers [25]
c) Includes knowledge of detailed inheritance issues
d) Is only obligatory for some of the Muslims to gain

Answers: a) b)

Q3). When Shaykh al Fawzaan divides knowledge into two categories, he mentions about the first category that:

a) it is obligatory upon every single person
b) a person’s religion cannot be upright and correct without this knowledge
c) this includes knowledge of the five pillars of Islaam
d) a person is not excused for remaining ignorant about this type of knowledge

Answers: a) b) c) d)

Q4). The five pillars of Islaam:

a) Include the two testimonies of faith, establishment of the prayer and giving the zakaat
b) Include changing the religion of Islaam to make it more relevant to the time we live in
c) Include the fasting in Ramadaan and the hajj (pilgrimage) to the House of Allaah
d) Are obligatory for every Muslim to learn about

Answers: a) c) d)

Q5). with regards to learning about the pillars of Islaam:

a) That a person should learn the correct Islaamic ‘aqeedah as well as those things which oppose it
b) That a person must learn about the pillars, obligations, conditions and recommended actions of the salaat (prayer) [26]
c) That this is necessary in order to be able to put these pillars into practice correctly
d) That a person need only learn about the first four pillars and not about the fifth

Answer: a) b) c)

Q6). when Shaykh al Fawzaan divides knowledge into two categories, he mentions about the second category that:

a) everyone in the Muslim nation needs to gain this second type of knowledge [27]
b) this includes knowledge of laws relating to inheritance, marriage and trade
c) it is called “waajib ul kifaayah” (communal obligation)
d) if no one gains this type of knowledge then all the community is sinful

Answers: b) c) and d)

Q7). the people who gain this second category of knowledge are:

a) Every single Muslim
b) Every male Muslim
c) Some of the Muslim children
d) Some of the Muslims, those with the ability to do so

Answers: d)

Q8). when the Imaam rahimahullaah said that it is obligatory upon “us” to learn the knowledge that he is about to discuss, to whom is he addressing this?

a) His fellow scholars
b) His fellow Arabs
c) His fellow Muslims
d) His fellow Muslim males

Answer: c)

Q9). the “worldly” knowledge such as knowledge of engineering and manufacturing:

a) Is something mubaah (permissible)
b) Is obligatory upon every Muslim to have
c) Is obligatory upon those who have the ability to gain it in all circumstances and all times
d) Is obligatory upon those who have the ability to gain it if the Muslim nation has need of this knowledge [28]

Answers: a) d)

Q10) with regards to gaining “worldly” knowledge such as knowledge of engineering and manufacturing:

a) The person who does not gain this knowledge has committed no sin
b) That the person who gains this knowledge and benefits the Muslim nation through this knowledge is rewarded for doing so
c) That the person who dies without gaining this knowledge will be taken to account for this in the Hereafter
d) That this takes precedence over gaining knowledge of a person’s religion

answers: a) b)

Q11). a person who dies and:

a) Has not gained the knowledge of Islaam that is necessary for him to know will be questioned about this on the Day of Resurrection
b) Has not learned about the affairs of engineering, medicine and other worldly knowledge will be questioned about this on the Day of Resurrection
c) Can answer the questioning in the Grave correctly will be one of those who are saved
d) Answers the questioning in the grave correctly will attribute this to reading the Book of Allaah and studying it

Answers: a) c) d)

Q12). the person who turned away from reading the Book of Allaah and studying it will:

a) be unable to answer the questions in the Grave
b) say when in his Grave that he merely said in his worldly life what he heard the other people saying
c) be punished in the Grave [29]
d) be given the Book to read after he has died

Answers: a) b) c)

Q13). when Imaam ibn ‘Abdil Wahhaab says al ‘ilm he is referring to ;

a) knowledge of Allaah and His Attributes
b) knowledge of Allaah’s right upon us
c) our worshipping Allaah alone and not associating any partner with Him in this [30]
d) worldly knowledge

Answers: a) b) c)

Footnotes for MCQ:

[23] Shaykh al Fawzaan comments in his explanation of al Usool uth Thalaathah:

And we should know also before entering into the matters (about to be discussed) that what is meant by al ‘ilm (knowledge) which is obligatory upon the nation – whether it be (knowledge) obligatory upon every individual or (knowledge) which is a communal obligation – is al ‘ilm ush shar’ee (the legislated knowledge) with which the Messenger sall Allaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam came.

[24] Shaykh Saalih ibn ‘Abdil ‘Azeez aale Shaykh hafidhahullaah mentions in his explanation of Thalaathat ul Usool:

And this (refers) to ma’rifah (knowledge and awareness) of the Three Fundamental Principles:

The servant’s ma’rifah of his Lord
And the servant’s ma’rifah of his religion
And the servant’s ma’rifah of his Prophet

This is obligatory. So taqleed (blind following) does not bring benefit in the like of this (type of) knowledge; it is obligatory that the servant gains it with its proofs.

And the people of knowledge have a well known saying:

Taqleed (blind following) does not bring benefit in issues of creed and belief.

[25] Shaykh al Fawzaan comments in his explanation of al Usool uth Thalaathah:

So the five obligatory prayers which are upon the men and the women, and the congregational prayer in the mosques which are upon the men; this is obligatory upon every individual from the Muslims that he learn about them. Therefore he (the author) said:” it is obligatory upon us”, and he did not say ‘it is obligatory upon some of us’. He said it is “obligatory upon us”, meaning upon us, the Muslims.

[26] Shaykh al Fawzaan comments in his explanation of al Usool uth Thalaathah:

He must learn these matters in detail; it is not merely the case that he prays and he does not know the rulings of the prayer. How can a person do an action and he does not have knowledge of the action that he is performing?… So it is essential that he learns the rulings of the prayer and those things which nullify the prayer; he must learn this.

[27] Shaykh al Fawzaan comments in his explanation of al Usool uth Thalaathah:

It is that knowledge from the legislated rulings which is additional to that (knowledge from the first category) which the nation together has need of; and it may be the case that not every individual has a need of it. (This includes) the rulings of trading, and the rulings of dealings and transactions, and the rulings of religious endowments, and the laws of inheritance and bequests and the rulings of marriages and the rulings relating to crimes. These are essential for the nation.

However it is not obligatory upon every individual from the nation that he learn them. Rather if these things are learned by sufficient scholars such that what is required is attained then that will suffice.

[28] Shaykh al Fawzaan comments in his explanation of al Usool uth Thalaathah:

And this (worldly) knowledge may be something obligatory if the (Muslim) nation has need of it. Then it will be obligatory upon those who are capable.

However it (the worldly knowledge) is not the ‘ilm (knowledge) which is intended in the Qur’aan and the Sunnah, that which Allaah, the Most High, has praised and whose people He has praised and that about which the Prophet sall Allaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said:

“The people of ‘ilm (the scholars) are the inheritors of the Prophets”

Reported by al Bukhaaree in ta’leeq (disconnected form) in the Book of Knowledge, Chapter: Knowledge comes before speech and action.

What is meant here is: al ‘ilm ush shar’ee (the legislated knowledge).

[29] Shaykh al Fawzaan comments in his explanation of al Usool uth Thalaathah:

He will say: “Haah, haah. I don’t know; I heard the people saying something so I said it.”

For this person, his grave will be made to blaze with fire upon him – and Allaah’s refuge is sought – and it will constrict upon him to the extent that his ribs interlock and he will come to be in a pit from the pits of the Hellfire.

[30] Shaykh al Fawzaan comments in his explanation of al Usool uth Thalaathah:

So the first thing which is obligatory upon the servant is knowledge and awareness of his Lord – the Mighty and Majestic – and he should worship Him.

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Sharh-ul-Usool-ith-Thalaathah. Explanation of the Three Fundamental Principles of Imaam Muhammad ibn ‘Abdil-Wahhaab by Shaykh Saalih ibn Fowzaan al-Fowzaan hafizahullaah. Translated by  Daawood  Burbank, rahimahullaah

Posted with kind permission from Dawud Burbank rahimahullaah

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Listen to the Full Audio Series:
Sharh Usool-ith-Thalaathah – Shaykh Fawzan | Dawud Burbank

Book Study Resources – Three Fundamental Principles

Related Links:

• https://abdurrahman.org/knowledge
• https://abdurrahman.org/belief/aqeedah

Sharh-ul-Usool-ith-Thalaathah : Lesson 01 : Part A
Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzan | Dawud Burbank [Audio|English]

[Souncloud Audio Link] 

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The Introduction to the Explanation (Sharh-ul-Usool-ith-Thalaathah)

In the Name of Allaah the Extremely Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy.

All Praise is for Allaah the Lord of the whole of creation and may Allaah extol and grant peace and security to our prophet Muhammad and to his true followers and to his companions, all of them.

And to Proceed:

So before us is this treatise – the treatise “The Three Fundamental Principles” – and it is a tremendous treatise which is brief, supported by evidences from the Book of Allaah and the sunnah of his Messenger sallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam.

And this small treatise is about a tremendous fundamental matter from the fundamentals of Islaam and it is al-‘aqeedah – creed and belief. And the scholars give importance to these brief works, authoring them and exerting themselves to shorten them and refine them, then they would encourage their students to memorize them so that they should remain fundamental assets for them and a store of provision for them which they can derive benefit from, and bring benefit to others by means of them.

And beginning with these shorter works is the foundation for the students of knowledge, so the student of knowledge should begin by learning little by little, taking from the initial points of knowledge and its fundamentals and then proceed in stages through it.

So these brief works are the path leading on to the longer works. So it is not possible for the longer works to be understood except after the brief works have been understood and then the person has proceeded on from them in stages. And therefore they said about the meaning of His saying, He the Most High:

وَلَٰكِن كُونُوا رَبَّانِيِّينَ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تُعَلِّمُونَ الْكِتَابَ وَبِمَا كُنتُمْ تَدْرُسُونَ

But rather be rabbaaniyyoon (wise scholars who cultivate the people) by your teaching them the Book and your studying it [3:79]

The word rabbaaniyoon – they are those who begin with the small matters of knowledge before the greater ones. They cultivate themselves and their students beginning with the smaller matters and moving on to the larger matters, and this is something natural, because all things begin from their roots and their foundations and then they grow bigger and larger after that.

As for the person who pounces upon knowledge from its top, then this person will just tire himself out and will not attain anything. Whereas the one who begins with the fundamentals and proceeds in stages, this is the person, who by the permission of Allaah will be proceeding in the correct way and with sound direction.

He, the Most High, said:

يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الْأَهِلَّةِ ۖ قُلْ هِيَ مَوَاقِيتُ لِلنَّاسِ وَالْحَجِّ ۗ وَلَيْسَ الْبِرُّ بِأَن تَأْتُوا الْبُيُوتَ مِن ظُهُورِهَا وَلَٰكِنَّ الْبِرَّ مَنِ اتَّقَىٰ ۗ وَأْتُوا الْبُيُوتَ مِنْ أَبْوَابِهَا

They ask you about the crescent moons. Say: they are signs to mark periods of time for mankind and for the hajj. And righteousness in not that you enter the houses from their backs, but rather righteousness is the quality of the person who has taqwaa (who fears and is dutiful to Allaah). And enter houses through their proper doors. [2:189]

Those people asked a question about the crescent moons: why does the crescent moon begin as something small and then grow larger until it becomes full, then it grows smaller until it is again a crescent? So Allaah rebukes them, and directed them towards asking about that which will benefit them, and that they should come to the houses of knowledge from their correct doors.

As for asking about the crescent moon and it conditions and its smallness and its largeness, then this has no benefit in it for them, rather benefit is that they ask about what they are in need of and that is awareness of the benefits of the crescent moon, and therefore He said:

قُلْ هِيَ مَوَاقِيتُ لِلنَّاسِ

Say: they are signs to mark periods of time for mankind [2:189]

So He explained their benefits and that is that Allaah makes them signs marking periods of time for mankind by means of which they can become aware of acts of worship and dealings and time spans and other than that.

So He directed them to the benefits of the crescent moons and He did not respond to their question about the reality of the crescent moons, because there was no benefit for them in that, and so that He should direct them towards what is befitting for them to ask about and it is the doors to knowledge, not the back-doors of knowledge and the superfluous unnecessary matters which they have no need of. And if they do have some need of them, then it is only a slight need.

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Sharh-ul-Usool-ith-Thalaathah. Explanation of the Three Fundamental Principles of Imaam Muhammad ibn ‘Abdil-Wahhaab by Shaykh Saalih ibn Fowzaan al-Fowzaan hafizahullaah. Translated by  Daawood  Burbank, rahimahullaah

Posted with kind permission from Dawud Burbank rahimahullaah

Listen to the Full Audio Series:
Sharh Usool-ith-Thalaathah – Shaykh Fawzan | Dawud Burbank

Book Study Resources – Three Fundamental Principles

Related Links:

• https://abdurrahman.org/knowledge
• https://abdurrahman.org/islamic-book-study