A Concise Legacy

Al-Imaam Ash-Shaykh Muhammad Bin Saalih Al-Uthaymeen (rahimahullah)
Source: Al-Istiqaamah Magazine , Issue No.5 - Ramadân 1417H / January 1997

Indeed all praise is for Allaah. We praise Him, we seek His help and we seek forgiveness from Him. And we seek refuge in Allaah from the evils within our own souls and our evil actions. Whomsoever Allaah guide, then none can misguide him; and whomsoever Allaah leaves to stray, then none can guide him aright. Indeed it is Allaah who sent His Messenger Muhammad sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam with the Guidance and the Religion of Truth, and he conveyed this Message, fulfilled his trust, fought Jihaad as it should be fought, and he did not die except that he left his Ummah (nation) upon a clear path, its night is like its day, and no one deviates from it except that he is destroyed. And may Allaah extol and send blessings of peace upon His Messenger Muhammad, and upon his Family, his Companions, and those who follow them in goodness. Then to proceed:

So on this night, Sunday the 27th of Rabee'ul-Awwal 1417H - which corresponds to the 10th of August 1996CE - I am pleased to have this opportunity to say a few words to you. I hope that Allaah would bless them and that He would also bless our brothers in England; who have traveled from various places in order to here these few words on the telephone, for which they will receive - with the help of Allaah - that promise which has been mentioned by the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam when he said: "Whosoever treads a path to seek knowledge, then Allaah would make easy for him a path to Paradise."1 So I ask from my brothers to accept these wasaayah (legacies and sincere advices) which I hope would be of benefit to them:

THE FIRST LEGACY

So I advise you to have the taqwaa of Allaah - the Mighty and Majestic - both in private and public. Andtaqwaa means that a person should stand firm upon the obedience of Allaah, doing what Allaah ordered him to do, and abandoning what He prohibited him from, starting with establishing the Salaah (Prayer) in their fixed and stated times, and in congregation, for those who are obliged to do so. Along with the five daily Prayers, you should also pray the rawaatib (stressed and recommended Prayers) which are connected to the five daily Prayers - and they are four rak'ahs before the Dhuhr Prayer and two after it. Two rak'ahs after the MaghribPrayer. Two rak'ahs after the 'Ishaa Prayer. And two rak'ahs before the Fajr Prayer. The Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: "There is no Muslim who Prays twelve optional rak'ahs from the non-obligatory Prayer every day, except that Allaah will build for him a house in Paradise."2 Likewise, you should pay the Zakaah; which is an obligatory amount taken from your wealth and given to the poor and the needy. Allaah - the Most High - said to his Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam:

"Take charity from their wealth in order to purify them and to sanctify them by it." [Soorah a-Tawbah 9:103].
The Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said to Mu'aadh ibn Jabal, when he was sending him to Yemen: "And inform them that Allaah has obligated upon them to give charity from their wealth, to be taken from the rich and given to the poor."3

Likewise, one should fast in the month of Ramadaan, because Allaah has prescribed it for this Ummah, and one should make the Hajj (Pilgramage) and the 'Umrah (Lesser Pilgramage) for whosoever has the ability to do so. These are the pillars of Islaam, after the first pillar which is the Shahaadatain (the two testimonies); to testify that none has the right to be worshipped except Allaah, and to testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah.

THE SECOND LEGACY

I advise my brothers that they should unify their ranks, and that they should be like a single body seeking to establish the Religion of Allaah, as Allaah - the Most High - said:

"Allaah has prescribed for you the same Religion which He prescribed to Noah, and that which We revealed to the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, and that which We prescribed to Ibraaheem, Moses and Jesus 'alayhimus-salaam, saying: That you should establish the Religion by doing that which you were commanded with, and that you should not make any divisions in it." [Soorah ash-Shooraa 42:13].

Thus it becomes very clear that what is required from us - as it was required from the Prophets who were foremost in resolve - is to establish the Religion and not to make any divisions therein. So our Lord - the Mighty and Majestic - ordered us to establish the Religion and not to make any divisions in it. O my brothers! Unite your ranks, and do not differ, since Allaah - the Most High - said:

"And do not dispute with each other, unless you loose courage and your power departs, but be patient. For indeed Allaah is with those who are patient." [Soorah al-Anfaal 8:46].

Do not label each other as being deviant, nor label each other as being sinners. If you see in any of your brothers that which is objectionable, then go to them and debate with them about this, until your word is unified, and thus cause the Ummah to remain united. None of you should try to slander his brother, since this will cause a great deal of enmity and hatred. Likewise, none of you should declare his Muslim brother to be a disbeliever, innovator or a sinner - since this is not from the nature of a Muslim.

THE THIRD LEGACY

I also advise you - O brothers - to do those actions which will be the cause of love and affection to develop between you. Many people do not truly understand the Religion of Islaam. Indeed many people think that the Religion of Islaam includes certain bad traits - even though Islaam in reality objects to them - because some Muslims portray a false image of Islaam. Rather, the Religion of Islaam is a Religion of truthfulness, righteousness and justice. It is a Religion which calls for reconciling people. It is also a Religion which wages war against all bad actions and characteristics; such as lying, cheating, deception and transgressing upon others. Allaah - the Most High - said:

"Indeed Allaah enjoins upon you justice, kindness and the giving of good to relatives and near ones, and He prohibits you from all shameful and evil deeds, oppression and transgression. He admonishes you, in order that you may take heed and be reminded. And fulfil the Covenant of Allaah when you have made it, and do not break your oaths after you have confirmed them, and indeed you have appointed Allaah as your Guarantor. Indeed Allaah knows all what you do." [Soorah an-Nahl 16:90-91].

O my brothers, da'wah (calling to Islaam) is to be done by your actions, as you are commanded to do it with your speech However, da'wah through actions will be more effective than da'wah which is merely done with speech. So I say again, that those who practice Islaam in a wrong manner, they will create a false understanding of Islaam in people's view. Allaah - the Most High - has said about those who invite to what is correct, but do not practice themselves:

"O you who believe! Why do you say that which you do not do. It is most hateful to Allaah that you say that which you do not do." [Soorah as-Saff 61:2-3].

THE FOURTH LEGACY

I advise you all to safeguard your time and to occupy yourselves in that which is beneficial. You should know that time is more precious than wealth, as Allaah - the Most Blessed, the Most High - said:

"Until when death comes to him, he says: O my Lord! Give me respite so that I may then do righteous actions."[Soorah al-Baqarah 2:333].

Time is such that when it departs it does not return, whereas wealth, when it departs, then it is possible to replace it. So time is of the utmost importance. This is why I advise you to safeguard your time, and to occupy yourselves in that which benefits. Keep away from qeela wa qaal (gossiping) - that so and so said such and such about this and that person - because the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam said in an authentic narration: "Indeed Allaah hates qeela wa qaal (gossip mongering), asking too many questions, and wasting one's wealth."4 Unfortunately, many of the youths - after returning to the correct path, and uniting their hearts and unifying their word - have become disunited and fragmented into many factions, and this is due to the whisperings of Shaytaan amongst them and the disuniting of their word. So I advise the brothers to utilise your time in beneficial matters, and to keep away from qeela wa qaal. Indeed, time is like a sword; either you strike it, or it will strike you!

THE FIFTH LEGACY

Call to Allaah with mildness, forbearance, and intending to rectify matters - not with harshness, nor intending to cause divisions. This is because Allaah - the Most Perfect - said to His Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam:
"Call mankind to the way prescribed by your Lord, with wisdom, and admonish them with the examples and warnings that Allaah has provided in His Book, and argue with them in a way that is better." [Soorah an-Nahl 16:125].

"By the mercy of Allaah you behaved with gentleness towards them. Had you been severe or harsh-hearted they would have left you and departed. So pass over their faults, and ask Allaah to forgive them, and consult them in the affairs." [Soorah Aali-'Imraan 3:159].

Thus, it is obligatory for the Believer to follow the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam in this, and to be mild and forebearing in calling to Allaah - the Most Blessed, the Most High - since it is authentically established from the Prophet sallallaahu 'alayhi wa aalihi wa sallam that he said: "Indeed Allaah is gentle and loves gentleness, and He gives due to gentleness that which He does not give due to harshness."5

THE SIXTH LEGACY

Striving hard in acquiring knowledge, since that is the reason why you have left your cities and homes, and have left your family and friends. So it is upon you all to strive hard in gaining knowledge, and to study deeply - not merely to take an exam, rather it is for the knowledge itself. So strive hard in seeking knowledge. Finally, I ask Allaah that He enables us to utilise our time in a beneficial way, according to what Allaah - the Most Blessed, the Most High - has made us responsible for.

1. Related by Muslim (no.1888), Abu Hurayrah radiallaahu 'anhu.
2. Related by Muslim (no.728), from Ummu Habeebah radiallaahu 'anhaa.
3. Related by al-Bukhaaree (no.7372) and Muslim (no.19).
4. Related by Muslim (no.1715), from Abu Hurayrah radiallaahu 'anhu.
5. Saheeh: Related by Ibn Maajah (no.3688), from Abu Hurayrah. It was authenticated by al-Albaanee inSaheehul-Jaami' (no.1771).