Shaykh Sulayman al-Alwan الشيخ سليمان بن ناصر العلوان

This biography was dictated by the Shaykh himself to Abu Muhammad Yusuf al-Salih, at his request, on Saturday 27 Rabi' al-Akhir 1421 AH (29 July 2000). It was published as "Pages from the Life of Shaykh Sulayman ibn Nasir al-Alwan" on Sayd al-Fawa'id. Wherever it says "now" or "to this day", it means the time of dictation.

Name, Birth and Upbringing

He is Shaykh Sulayman ibn Nasir ibn 'Abd Allah al-Alwan.

He was born in the city of Buraydah and grew up there. He was born in the year 1389 AH.

He has three older brothers and five younger brothers.

He married in 1410 AH, and has three sons, the eldest of whom is 'Abd Allah, who is nine years old.

The Shaykh began seeking knowledge in 1404 AH, when he was about fifteen years old and in the third year of intermediate school. After graduating from intermediate school, he enrolled in a secondary institute for no more than fifteen days. After that, he decided to leave formal schooling and devote himself entirely to seeking Islamic knowledge, learning from the scholars, and reading books, for he was strongly inclined toward memorising and reading in various sciences. From the beginning of his studies he has devoted himself to knowledge, spending most of his day memorising, revising, and reading books.

His Method in Seeking Knowledge

The Shaykh began first by memorising the Qur'an, which he completed in 1407 AH. He memorised Kitab al-Tawhid by Shaykh al-Islam Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab, al-'Aqidah al-Wasitiyyah and al-Fatwa al-Hamawiyyah by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, and al-Bayquniyyah. These were what he memorised at the start of his studies. At that time he was reading the books of Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn al-Qayyim, the Sirah of Ibn Hisham, al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah of Ibn Kathir, the works of Ibn Rajab, and the works of the imams of the Najdi da'wah. He would go regularly to a number of shaykhs, memorising texts (mutun) with them according to their specialisations. The lessons were daily except Friday, and he would go to four shaykhs a day: after Fajr, after Zuhr, after Maghrib, and after 'Isha'.

He was extremely keen to memorise the scholarly texts in every discipline, and he would not memorise a text until he had read its explanation and understood its meaning. In fiqh he was keen to know the other schools, to the point that he began memorising the four schools, in addition to the independent rulings (ijtihadat) and preferred positions (ikhtiyarat) of Imam Ibn Hazm, Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, and his student Ibn al-Qayyim.

I asked the Shaykh: How many hours a day do you spend reading these days?

He answered: I read more than fifteen hours a day, divided between memorising, revising, and reading.

Then I asked him: In addition to your reading in books of creed, hadith, fiqh, and grammar, did you read books of thought to learn about the state of the world, the tragedies of the Muslims, and the intellectual corruption and military plots being schemed against them?

He answered: I used to read these books at the start of my studies. Among the first I read were Waqi'una al-Mu'asir by Muhammad Qutb and al-Mukhattatat al-Isti'mariyyah li-Mukafahat al-Islam by Muhammad al-Sawwaf. These days I read a great deal in such books; up to the time of writing these lines I have read more than two hundred books. I have also read the most important books on the foundations of the Rafidah, the Zaydiyyah, the Mu'tazilah, and other misguided sects.

I asked the Shaykh: You have not mentioned anything of the books of literature and the works of the men of letters. Does that mean you do not read them?

He answered: That does not mean I have not read these books. I have read all the works of al-Jahiz, al-Kamil of al-Mubarrad, the works of Ibn Qutaybah, Khizanat al-Adab, the commentaries on the Seven Mu'allaqat, and a number of the famous diwans of literature. I have looked into many books by later authors: I read the works of Mustafa al-Rafi'i, some of the works of 'Abbas al-'Aqqad, al-Nazarat by al-Manfaluti in its three volumes, the works of Mahmud Muhammad Shakir and Sayyid Qutb, and others of the great writers of this era.

I asked the Shaykh about his way of recording the benefits he comes across while reading.

He answered: During my studies I used to set aside special sheets for every book I read, in which I summarised the most important issues, benefits, difficulties and so on in the book. These days I do not do that; rather, I summarise the benefits in the book on its first page: I write the heading of the issue with the page number beside it, so that I can return to it when needed.

His Teachers and What He Read with Them

The Shaykh read with some of the scholars in al-Qasim, among them:

1. The jurist Shaykh Salih ibn Ibrahim al-Bulayhi. He memorised with him Kitab al-Tawhid and 'Umdat al-Ahkam, and read with him al-Salsabil (the first volume) and Bulugh al-Maram (up to the Book of Marriage).
2. The hadith scholar Shaykh 'Abd Allah al-Duwaysh. He memorised with him all of Kitab al-Tawhid, al-'Aqidah al-Wasitiyyah, al-Fatwa al-Hamawiyyah, and al-Ajurrumiyyah.
3. Shaykh 'Abd Allah ibn Muhammad al-Husayn Aba al-Khayl. He memorised with him Nukhbat al-Fikar, al-Bayquniyyah, al-Fatwa al-Hamawiyyah, al-Rahbiyyah, and Bulugh al-Maram, and read with him the commentary on al-Tahawiyyah, Jami' al-Usul of Ibn al-Athir, Sahih al-Bukhari, Sunan Abi Dawud, and others.
4. Shaykh Muhammad ibn Sulayman al-'Ulayt. He memorised with him al-Usul al-Thalathah, part of Zad al-Mustaqni', Sullam al-Wusul of Hafiz al-Hakami, and Fadl al-Islam of Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab, and read with him Jami' al-'Ulum wa al-Hikam of Ibn Rajab, Zad al-Ma'ad of Ibn al-Qayyim, and others.
5. Shaykh Muhammad ibn Fahd al-Rushudi. He memorised with him al-Waraqat of al-Juwayni, Bulugh al-Maram of Ibn Hajar, al-Muntaqa min Akhbar al-Mustafa of Majd al-Din Abu al-Barakat Ibn Taymiyyah, Masa'il al-Jahiliyyah of Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab, al-Kalim al-Tayyib of Ibn Taymiyyah, al-Fawa'id al-Jaliyyah fi al-Mabahith al-Fardiyyah of Shaykh Ibn Baz, and much else.
6. Shaykh Ahmad ibn Nasir al-Alwan. He memorised with him al-Ajurrumiyyah and most of the Alfiyyah of Ibn Malik. He also memorised Mulhat al-I'rab in grammar.
7. At the start of his studies the Shaykh also read with a number of students of knowledge in Buraydah, and memorised with them both parts of Adab al-Mashy ila al-Salah, Kashf al-Shubuhat, and al-Usul al-Thalathah.

His Travels and Ijazat

The Shaykh travelled to Madinah in 1413 AH.

There he met Shaykh Hammad al-Ansari at his home, as a visit. A discussion of some hadith issues took place between them, and [Shaykh Hammad] offered him an ijazah. He gave him ijazah in the six mother books, the Musnad of Imam Ahmad, the Muwatta' of Malik, the Sahihs of Ibn Khuzaymah and Ibn Hibban, and the Musannafs of 'Abd al-Razzaq and Ibn Abi Shaybah. He also gave him ijazah in the tafsirs of Ibn Jarir and Ibn Kathir, and in grammar in the Alfiyyah of Ibn Malik, as well as in some works of fiqh and others. He heard from the Shaykh the hadith narrated in an unbroken chain of "firsts" (al-musalsal bi al-awwaliyyah): "The merciful are shown mercy by the Most Merciful…", the first hadith he heard with a chain going back to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. That was on 18/8/1413 AH.

The Shaykh travelled to Makkah many times for 'umrah and to read with its scholars.

There he read with Shaykh Muhammad al-Ansari in usul al-fiqh.

He read there with Shaykh Ibn Salih al-Mali in Awjaz al-Masalik and in Ibn 'Aqil's commentary on the Alfiyyah of Ibn Malik.

He met there Shaykh 'Abd al-Wakil ibn 'Abd al-Haqq al-Hashimi and asked him for an ijazah. [Shaykh 'Abd al-Wakil] heard some surahs of the Qur'an from him and gave him ijazah in the narration of Hafs from 'Asim. He asked to hear some of what he had memorised, especially something of Sahih al-Bukhari, and gave him ijazah in the six mother books, the Muwatta', the tafsirs of Ibn Jarir and Ibn Kathir, and others. That was also in 1413 AH.

A great number of the people of knowledge have given the Shaykh ijazah. Some of them corresponded with him for that without having seen him, such as Shaykh Salih ibn Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Idris, who gave him ijazah in the Qur'an, the six mother books, and others.

I asked the Shaykh about the meaning of the ijazah given to him by the scholars of Makkah and Madinah in certain books, including the six mother books, and what is intended by it.

He answered: The ijazah is among the things sought by the righteous predecessors (salaf), and narrating by it and acting on what is narrated by it is well known among the imams of hadith. Seeking ijazah to revive the traditions of the isnad is an established path among the meticulous scholars. It is of types:

1. The shaykh hands the student his narrations and what he has heard, with the chains from his shaykhs, and gives him ijazah to narrate that from him.
2. The student hears from his shaykh hadiths that he narrates with chains going back to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
3. The shaykh writes in his own hand what he has heard, for someone present or absent, joined with the ijazah, such as "I give you ijazah in these things I have heard."

There are other types of ijazah besides these. I have been able to obtain ijazah in all three types. We ask Allah for sincerity in word and deed.

How He Memorised Chains of Narration

I asked the Shaykh about his method of memorising chains of narration (asanid).

He answered that he used to memorise a hadith with all its routes. When he wanted to memorise a hadith from Sahih al-Bukhari, such as the hadith of 'Umar, "Actions are only by intentions," he would gather its routes from every place it occurs in the Sahih, memorise them, then move to Sahih Muslim, look at where the routes meet, and add them to al-Bukhari's chains.

If he saw the hadith in Sahih Muslim narrated by a route other than al-Bukhari's route, he would memorise it.

If the hadith is in the four [Sunan], he would memorise the chain from where their routes meet, and if the chains differed he would memorise them all.

If the text in one of them had an addition not found in another, such as an addition narrated in Sunan Abi Dawud that the other three do not narrate, he would memorise the route of that addition. He did likewise with the other hadiths that have chains.

His Books and Treatises

Among the Shaykh's books and treatises are:

1. Tanbih al-Akhyar 'ala 'Adam Fana' al-Nar (Alerting the Best that the Fire Does Not Perish)
2. Al-Amali al-Makkiyyah 'ala al-Manzumah al-Bayquniyyah (The Makkan Dictations on the Bayquni Poem)
3. Al-Tibyan fi Sharh Nawaqid al-Islam (The Clarification in Explaining the Nullifiers of Islam)
4. Sharh Bulugh al-Maram (Explanation of Bulugh al-Maram), printed by computer
5. Tanbih al-Ummah 'ala Wujub al-Akhdh bi al-Kitab wa al-Sunnah (Alerting the Ummah to the Obligation of Taking the Book and the Sunnah)
6. Al-Tawkid fi Wujub al-I'tina' bi al-Tawhid (The Emphasis on the Obligation of Attending to Tawhid)
7. Al-Kashshaf 'an Dalalat Hasan al-Saqqaf (The Exposer of the Errors of Hasan al-Saqqaf)
8. Ithaf Ahl al-Fadl wa al-Insaf bi Naqd Kitab Ibn al-Jawzi Daf' Shubah al-Tashbih wa Ta'liqat al-Saqqaf (The Gift to the People of Virtue and Fairness in Refuting Ibn al-Jawzi's Book Daf' Shubah al-Tashbih and al-Saqqaf's Notes), of which two volumes have now been printed
9. Al-Qawl al-Mubin fi Ithbat al-Surah li-Rabb al-'Alamin (The Clear Statement in Affirming the Image for the Lord of the Worlds)
10. Muhimmat al-Masa'il fi al-Mash 'ala al-Khuffayn (Important Issues in Wiping over the Leather Socks)
11. Al-Ijabah al-Mukhtasarah fi al-Tanbih 'ala Hifz al-Mutun al-Mukhtasarah (The Brief Answer in Urging the Memorisation of the Concise Texts)
12. Al-Istinfar li al-Dhabb 'an al-Sahabah al-Akhyar (The Call to Defend the Best Companions)
13. Al-Qawl al-Rashid fi Haqiqat al-Tawhid (The Sound Statement on the Reality of Tawhid)
14. Al-I'lam bi Wujub al-Tathabbut fi Riwayat al-Hadith (The Notice on the Obligation of Verification in Narrating Hadith)
15. Ahkam Qiyam al-Layl (Rulings of the Night Prayer)
16. Ala Inna Nasr Allah Qarib (Indeed, the Help of Allah Is Near)
17. Majmu'at Rasa'il wa Fatawa (A Collection of Treatises and Fatawa)

The Shaykh also has some books that have not yet been printed, such as Fath al-Ilah Sharh Adab al-Mashy ila al-Salah (two volumes in manuscript), al-Durar Hashiyat Nukhbat al-Fikar (manuscript), an explanation of Kitab al-Tawhid, an explanation of al-Usul al-Thalathah, an explanation of al-Rahbiyyah on inheritance, critical remarks on Zad al-Mustaqni', the ruling on the funeral prayer for an absent deceased, the ruling on celebrating festivals, and others.

His Teaching

The Shaykh began teaching and benefiting [others] in his home in 1410 AH, and in 1411 AH he moved to teaching in the mosque. The lessons ran throughout the week after the Fajr, Zuhr and Maghrib prayers, except Friday.

Among the books he explained:

• Hadith: Sahih al-Bukhari, the Jami' of Abu 'Isa al-Tirmidhi, Sunan Abi Dawud, the Muwatta' of Malik, Bulugh al-Maram, 'Umdat al-Ahkam, al-Arba'in al-Nawawiyyah, and others.
• Hadith terminology: al-Muqizah of al-Dhahabi, Mukhtasar 'Ulum al-Hadith of al-Hafiz Ibn Kathir, and al-Sakhawi's commentary on the Alfiyyah of al-'Iraqi.
• Hidden defects ('ilal): the printed part of al-'Ilal of 'Ali ibn al-Madini, al-Tamyiz of Muslim, and Ibn Rajab's commentary on 'Ilal al-Tirmidhi.
• Creed: commentary on al-Tadmuriyyah, al-Fatwa al-Hamawiyyah, al-'Aqidah al-Wasitiyyah, Kitab al-Tawhid of Shaykh al-Islam Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab, al-Shari'ah of al-Ajurri, al-Sunnah of 'Abd Allah son of Imam Ahmad, al-Sunnah of Ibn Nasr, al-Ibanah of Ibn Battah, al-Sawa'iq of Ibn al-Qayyim, the Nuniyyah of Ibn al-Qayyim, and others.
• Fiqh: commentary on Zad al-Mustaqni', the Matn of Abu Shuja' in Shafi'i fiqh, al-Rawdah al-Nadiyyah of Siddiq Hasan Khan, Ibn Qasim's Hashiyat al-Rawd al-Murbi', 'Umdat al-Fiqh of Ibn Qudamah, al-Rahbiyyah on inheritance, al-Waraqat in usul al-fiqh, Maraqi al-Su'ud, and others.
• Grammar: commentary on al-Ajurrumiyyah, al-Mulhah, and the Alfiyyah of Ibn Malik.
• Tafsir: commentary on the Tafsir of Ibn Kathir, Tafsir al-Jalalayn, and the Tafsir of al-Baghawi.

Then in 1417 AH the Shaykh was stopped from teaching in the mosque for unknown reasons, and he remains stopped to this day.

There were attempts and efforts to restore his lessons, but nothing came of them. Shaykh 'Abd al-'Aziz ibn Baz, may Allah have mercy on him, wrote to a number of officials asking them to restore the Shaykh's lessons and allow people to benefit from him, but this was of no avail and was met with refusal. Before that, Shaykh Ibn Baz, may Allah have mercy on him, had urged Shaykh Sulayman to be patient and to keep to lessons and teaching, and praised his works, in a letter he addressed to him. Its text:

The Letter of Shaykh 'Abd al-'Aziz ibn Baz

From 'Abd al-'Aziz ibn 'Abd Allah ibn Baz to the honoured son, his eminence Shaykh Sulayman ibn Nasir al-Alwan — may Allah grant him success in what pleases Him and increase him in knowledge and faith. Amin.

Peace be upon you, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. To proceed:

I have looked at some of your works and read some of what you wrote in refutation of Ibn al-Jawzi and al-Saqqaf, and I was greatly pleased by that. I praised Allah, glorified is He, for the understanding of the religion He has granted you, and for holding fast to the Salafi creed, teaching it to the students, and refuting those who oppose it. May Allah reward you with good, multiply your reward, and increase you in knowledge and guidance, and may He make us, you, and all our brothers among His righteous servants and His successful party; He is the One in charge of that and able to do it. We advise you to have taqwa of Allah, glorified is He, and to exert your utmost in teaching people the knowledge of the Shari'ah and urging them to act upon it; to give attention to the matters of the correct creed and to explain them to the students and others in your private and public lessons; and to encourage people, students and others, to read the Noble Qur'an much, to reflect on its meanings and act upon it, and to give attention to the established Sunnah of the Messenger ﷺ and benefit from it, for it is the second revelation, which explains the Book of Allah and clarifies what may be hidden of its meanings. May Allah direct your steps, increase you in beneficial knowledge and righteous action, keep us and you firm upon guidance, and make us and you among His successful party, His God-fearing allies, and those who call to Him upon clear insight; He is Generous, Noble. And peace be upon you, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.

Mufti of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,
and Head of the Council of Senior Scholars and the Administration of Scholarly Research and Ifta'

No.: 840/kh. Date: 11/5/1417 AH

Objections to Some of His Positions

Like other scholars, the Shaykh met with opposition to some of his fatawa, and was accused of taking positions on certain issues contrary to consensus (ijma'). Because of this he met with harshness and severity from his peers and others. This made him all the more eager to clarify his positions and support them with what had become clear to him of the evidences of the Book and the Sunnah, especially against the claim that he contradicted consensus. He would often establish that some issues contain no consensus as was claimed, by quoting statements of the imams that contradict the claim of consensus.

So I asked the Shaykh about what was raised about him at the start of his teaching: that he held anomalous positions in which he contradicted consensus.

He answered: The most important of these issues that were raised, and the claims of contradicting consensus, were: the position that "person" (shakhs) is an attribute of Allah; the position that it is permissible for one in a state of major impurity (junub) to recite the Qur'an; the position that wine and human blood are pure; the position that it is permissible to exit ihram by stoning Jamrat al-'Aqabah; and the position that a sacrifice (dam) is not obligatory on one who leaves an obligatory act or commits a prohibited act in hajj or 'umrah, other than where a text has come; and other issues, in none of which is consensus established. Here is the explanation:

First: the position that "person" is an attribute of Allah. Disputing this is among the oddities of knowledge and the strangest of issues, and stranger still is the claim of consensus, when they are unable to attribute that [denial] to any recognised scholar. The hadiths are clear in affirming this attribute for Allah the Exalted, and none of Ahl al-Sunnah differs on it. Al-Mughirah ibn Shu'bah [narrated] that the Prophet ﷺ said: "No person is more jealous than Allah" — the hadith, narrated by Ahmad and by Muslim in his Sahih. Al-Bukhari said in his Sahih: "Chapter: The statement of the Prophet ﷺ, 'No person is more jealous than Allah.'" And 'Ubayd Allah ibn 'Umar [narrated] from 'Abd al-Malik: "No person is more jealous than Allah."

Al-Qawariri said: "There is no hadith harder on the Jahmiyyah than this hadith…"

In the hadith of Laqit ibn 'Amir, the Prophet ﷺ said: "You will look at Him and He will look at you." Laqit said: "How, when we fill the earth and He is a single person (shakhs), looking at us and we at Him?" … the hadith.

Ibn Khuzaymah and 'Abd Allah son of Imam Ahmad narrated it. Ibn Mandah declared it authentic and said: "None denies this hadith except a denier, an ignorant one, or one who opposes the Book and the Sunnah." Ibn al-Qayyim also declared it authentic. It is clear in affirming the attribute of "person" for Allah the Exalted. I explained this at greater length in my book Ithaf Ahl al-Fadl wa al-Insaf bi Naqd Kitab Ibn al-Jawzi Daf' Shubah al-Tashbih wa Ta'liqat al-Saqqaf, and in my other book al-Qawl al-Mubin fi Ithbat al-Surah li-Rabb al-'Alamin.

Second: the position that human blood and wine are pure. I held this because no evidence has been established that they are impure, and the default with waters is purity until evidence is established to the contrary.

As for the impurity of wine, some brothers thought there was consensus on it, but that is not so. Ibn Sirin and al-Layth ibn Sa'd held that it is pure, and many of the later scholars chose this. It is the correct view, because it is the default, and it is not permissible to turn away from that without evidence.

Third: the position that it is permissible for the junub to recite the Qur'an. The most that can be said of this issue is that the majority hold that the junub is prevented from reciting the Qur'an, and that is not consensus, by agreement. Knowledge is not confined to the opinions of the four imams, nor to the seven jurists [of Madinah] or others.

Ibn 'Abbas held that it is permissible for the junub to recite the Qur'an; al-Bukhari narrated it without a full chain (mu'allaq). It is the position of Sa'id ibn al-Musayyib, which 'Abd al-Razzaq narrated from him in his Musannaf with an authentic chain, and the position of Sa'id ibn Jubayr. Dawud, al-Tabari, Ibn Hazm and Ibn al-Mundhir preferred it, it was narrated from Malik, and it is apparent from al-Bukhari's chapter heading in his Sahih. I wrote a treatise on that, printed in Majallat al-Hikmah, issue five.

Fourth: the position that a sacrifice is not obligatory on one who leaves an obligatory act or commits a prohibited act. There is no consensus on the position that a sacrifice is obligatory. The default is that one is free of liability, and the wealth of the Muslims is inviolable just as their blood is inviolable, so nothing of it becomes obligatory except by evidence. This is the position of Ibn Hazm, and al-Shawkani and others supported it.

The evidence has shown that a sacrifice, or what substitutes for it, is obligatory in five places and no others:

1. The ransom (fidyah) for shaving the head, which is by choice [among its options].
2. The sacrifice for being prevented (ihsar) by an enemy or illness.
3. The ransom for intercourse before the first release [from ihram]. This position is established from Ibn 'Abbas, Ibn 'Umar and 'Abd Allah ibn 'Amr, and consensus on it was reported by Ibn al-Mundhir, Ibn 'Abd al-Barr, al-Qurtubi, Ibn Qudamah, al-Nawawi and others.
4. The recompense for a muhrim killing land game.
5. The sacrifice for tamattu' and qiran.

These are the places where a sacrifice is obligatory, and I do not hold it in others. I have a lengthy treatise on that in which I discussed this issue at length and brought more than ten evidences for it.

Fifth: the position that it is permissible to exit ihram by stoning Jamrat al-'Aqabah. This is the position of the senior people of knowledge, and one of the two positions narrated from 'Umar ibn al-Khattab. The claim of consensus that the release is by two of three [acts] is a mistake, by agreement.

Malik, Abu Thawr and 'Ata' said: when he has stoned Jamrat al-'Aqabah, everything becomes permissible for him except women. Imam Ibn Khuzaymah said: this is correct. Ibn Qudamah preferred it in al-Mughni.

In any case, I do not know of any issue in which I stand alone apart from the Ummah, or in which I have contradicted an authentic consensus. Rather, I search for the truth and the evidence, and when an authentic evidence appears to me, I have no choice but to hold it, even if only a small number of the people of knowledge held it. A nation and a people who do not go to the evidence, and prefer ease and blind following out of fear of the common people and the masses, or out of discomfort at standing apart from the majority, are truly deprived. The default for the scholar is to say the truth he knows and that his ijtihad has led him to.

After all this, I admit my shortcoming. However much I exert my effort and ijtihad, I am liable to err. I return to the truth in everything whose evidence reaches me, and I seek Allah's forgiveness and repent to Him for whatever I have erred in. My aim in holding these positions, and others I have not mentioned, is to protect the truth and to know what is correct. And knowledge is with Allah.

His Imprisonment

I asked the Shaykh about what we had heard, that he was imprisoned: what were the reasons, and how long did he remain in prison?

He answered: I was imprisoned because of a treatise I wrote on the innovation of the celebrations held for the graduation of those who have memorised the Noble Qur'an. My view at the time was that this practice was not known in the time of the Prophet ﷺ or the time of his Companions, nor did any of the imams of the Successors or the four imams do it, even though its cause existed and what called for it was present in their time, and there was nothing preventing them from doing it. The Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever introduces into this affair of ours what is not of it, it is rejected" — agreed upon, from the hadith of 'A'ishah. Among the principles of the people of knowledge and the established positions of the scholars of usul is that whatever act of worship the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and his Companions left, when what called for doing it was present and any preventing factor was absent, is an innovation. This was merely an ijtihad that I held at the time, and others held it too. It is not a matter deserving of exaggeration and inflation, and of carrying it to the rulers in order to harm students of knowledge and mujtahids. The people of knowledge have always differed over what is greater than that, without some of them transgressing against others. But it is a matter that has passed, and I do not like to revisit its memories, its circumstances, and what happened at that time. I have absolved whoever caused it, and Allah is the One asked to pardon everyone and to unite their hearts.

Some brothers were with the Shaykh in this matter and were arrested as well. They were held in prison in Riyadh for eighteen days, at the end of the month of Dhu al-Hijjah 1407 AH.

Shaykh Sulayman ibn Nasir al-Alwan dictated this biography to his brother for the sake of Allah, Abu Muhammad, at his request and insistence, on Saturday 27/4/1421 AH.

A Testimony

The compiler, Abu Muhammad, mentioned in his introduction: "I had asked his eminence Shaykh Hamud al-'Uqla in 1416 AH about Shaykh Sulayman, and he said to me: 'I have met many who memorise, but I have not seen anyone who combines memorisation and understanding except Shaykh Sulayman. I do not know anyone in the Kingdom who rivals him in that.'"