What is the Intent of Allāh’s Statement, {It is only those who have knowledge among His slaves that fear Allāh} [Fāṭir (35): 28]? Sh. Ibn al-ʿUthaymīn رحمه الله

March 28, 2025 Salafi Knowledge Fatawa, Khashyah, Knowledge, Majmu al-Fatawa, Seeking knowledge, Surah Fatir, Tafsir, Uthaymeen, Uthaymin, Virtues of the Scholars, Virtues Seeking Knowledge

Sh. Ibn al-ʿUthaymīn رحمه الله replied:

“This verse contains a great sentence which is: restriction of reverential fear (خَشْيَة) of Allāh سبحانه وتعالى to the scholars.

Reverential fear is: fear coupled with veneration of the feared, i.e., it is fear that comes as a result of the greatness of the one feared. Allāh is the most deserving of being feared with reverence, and He is the most deserving of being venerated, and He is the most deserving of being feared. However, none has reverential fear of Him except one who is knowledgeable of the greatness, ultimate pride, ability, and honourable might that He possesses.

The scholars intended here (in this verse) are those knowledgeable of Allāh, His Names, His Attributes, and His signs. The intent is not the scholars of manufacturing and technology etc, for indeed those are scholars of the dunyá who know the apparent worldly life, and that is because reverential fear only comes from knowing the condition of the one feared, and it is known that knowledge of these crafts is not connected to the greatness of Allāh عز وجل for it is purely material, in contrast to knowledge of Allāh and His greatness, and so the people who are knowledgeable of this, they are the people who have reverential fear of Him.”

Source: Majmūʿ al-Fatāwá (26: 26).

I ask Allāh, the Almighty and Majestic, to grant us all reverential fear of Him.

Is it Better to Pray Night Prayer or Seek Knowledge?

March 7, 2025 Salafi Knowledge Abu Hurayrah, Fatawa, Fatwa, Imam Ahmad, Knowledge, Majmu al-Fatawa, Night Prayer, Prioritising good deeds, Purpose of seeking knowledge, Seeking knowledge, Talabul-Ilm, Uthaymeen, Uthaymin, When to Pray Witr, Which is Better - Night Prayer or Seeking Knowledge, Witr

Is it Better to Pray Night Prayer or Seek Knowledge?

Sh. al-ʿUthaymīn رَحِمَهُ اللهُ said, “Seeking knowledge is better than night prayer because seeking knowledge, as Imām Aḥmad said, nothing equals it for the one who corrects his intention, in that he intends through it to lift ignorance from himself and from others. Thus, if a person stays awake in the first part of the night to seek knowledge seeking the Face of Allāh, whether he be studying or teaching people, then indeed it is better than night prayer. If it is possible for him to combine both matters then that is better.

However, if the two matters clash with each other, seeking knowledge of the Sharīʿah is better and more deserving. This is why the Prophet ﷺ commanded Abū Hurayrah that he pray Witr before sleeping. The scholars say the reason for that is because Abū Hurayrah would memorise the aḥādīth of the Prophet ﷺ in the first part of the night and sleep in the latter part of the night, so the Prophet ﷺ directed him to pray Witr before he sleeps.”

Majmūʿ al-Fatāwá (14: 113, no. 751).

al-Muntaqim is Not a Name of Allāh

November 15, 2024 Salafi Knowledge 'Aqidah of the Salaf, 99 Names of Allah, al-Muntaqim, allah, Aqidah, Asmaa' wa Sifaat, Fatwa, Hadith, Ibn Taymiyyah, islam, Majmu al-Fatawa, Names and Attributes of Allah, Names of Allah, Principles Regarding Allah's Names and Attributes, Qur'an, religion, The Inflictor of Retribution, The One Who Avenges, Uthaymin

Some believe that al-Muntaqim (The One Who Avenges, The Inflictor of Retribution) is one of Allāh’s Names. This is incorrect:

Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728), may Allāh have mercy upon him, said, “And the name al-Muntaqim is not from the beautiful names of Allāh established from the Prophet ﷺ. It only occurs in the Qurʾān in a restricted sense, such as His, the Most High’s statement, {We shall surely inflict retribution on the guilty} [al-Sajdah (32): 22], and His statement, {Allāh is indeed Exalted in Might and Owner of Retribution} [Ibrāhīm (14): 47]. The ḥadīth regarding the number of beautiful names, which contains the mention of al-Muntaqim, is not, according to the people of insight into ḥadīth, from the speech of the Prophet ﷺ.

See: Majmūʿ al-Fatāwá (8: 96).

Shaykh Ibn al-ʿUthaymīn (d. 1420), may Allāh have mercy upon him, said, “As for al-Muntaqim, it is not from the names of Allāh because Allāh the Exalted did not mention this description for Himself except in a restricted sense, and every description which comes in a restricted sense, is not from Allāh’s names, because Allāh’s names are absolutely perfect without the need for qualification. Allāh, the One far removed from every imperfection, and Exalted be He, only mentioned al-Muntaqim as a counter to crime, so He said, {We shall surely inflict retribution on the guilty} [al-Sajdah (32): 22], therefore, al-Muntaqim is not from the names of Allāh.”

See: Majmūʿ al-Fatāwá (1: 162, no. 72).