Lesson 1 on the explanation of Usool us-Sittah (The Six Principles) is now available. You can listen to or download it here:

Lesson 1.mp3

Notes:

Explanation of the book will be based primarily on the explanations of both Shaykh Zayd bin Hadi bin Madkhali (D. 1436 AH) and Shaykh Muhammad Amaan al-Jaami (D. 1416 AH), may Allaah have mercy upon them both.

Short biography of Shaykh Muhammad bin Abdul-Wahhab (rahimahullaah):

• Born in 12th century Hijrah, beginning of 18th century, in a place called ‘Uyaynah in central region of Arabia (Najd).
• He grew up learning the Qur’aan before the age of ten.
• Stayed in Madinah, studied from Shuyookh there. Went to Basrah and Hijaz where he met many scholars.
• Teachers include Shaykh Muhammad Hayat as-Sindee (rahimahullaah) of India. Obtained Ijazahs in relation to books of Hadith from some of his teachers. This is all before the age of thirty.
• Shaykh was forced to flee as his da’wah wasn’t received well since he was calling to Tawheed and warning against Shirk which was rampant at that time.
• In one of the places he fled to, Dir’iyyah, he met the Ameer, Muhammad ibn Sa’ud, and they made an alliance together. Through this alliance they purified the land from Shirk.
• People spread rumours and lies against them (Shaykh and the Ameer) like saying they made Takfir of the Muslims, declaring average Muslims to be disbelievers, fighting against them, when they did nothing of the sort. They simply called to Allah, to the worship of Allaah alone.
• Many scholars at the time became jealous of the Shaykh and they had ta’assub (partisanship) to their creed. They complained and incited the rulers of Hijaz and likewise the Ottamans against them, and then they were attacked first, and in defence they sought to defend themselves. All of this clear in the letters of Shaykhul-Islam Muhammad bin Abdul-Wahhab (rahimahullaah).
• He died in the year 1206 Hijrah, end of 18th century.
• He left behind some extremely important works such as;
  – Kitab at-Tawheed (The Book of Tawheed)
  – Kashf ush-Shubuhaat (The Removal of the Doubts)
  – Thalaatul-Usool (The Three Foundational Principles)
  – Nawaaqid al-Islaam (The Nullifiers of Islaam)
  – Qawaa’id ul-‘Arba’a (The Four Rules) and
  – Usool us-Sittah (The Six Principles).

Introduction

In the Name of Allāh, the Most-Merciful, the Ever-Merciful. From the most amazing of affairs and the greatest of signs which indicate the power of [Allāh] the King (al-Malik), the Overcomer (al-Ghallāb), are six foundations that Allāh the Exalted has explained with a most clear explanation for the [understanding of] common people, above and beyond what the presumptious may think. Then after this, many of the shrewd people of the world and the intelligent ones among the offspring of Ādam, excepting a very few, erred with respect to them.

The First Principle

Making the religion sincerely and purely for Allāh the Exalted alone, without any partners, and the explanation of its opposite which is associating partners with Allāh. And that the majority of the Qur’ān is in explanation of this foundation, from a variety of angles, with such words that even the dumbest of the common-folk can understand. Then, when there occurred to the majority of the [Muslim] nation what occurred, Shaytān presented sincere worship [of Allāh alone] with the appearance of belittlement of the Righteous people and falling short in fulfilling their rights. And he presented associating partners [with Allāh] to them with the appearance of love of the Righteous and their followers.

Listen to the audio for an explanation of the First Principle.