Try Qaf

Abd al-Aziz al-Salman

Died
1422 AH
Born in
-

Abd al-Aziz al-Salman (1337 or 1339–1422 AH / 1918 or 1921–2001 CE) was a Saudi Hanbali jurist, teacher at Ma'had Imam al-Da'wah in Riyadh, and author of widely circulated religious and homiletic texts .

Lineage, Early Life, and Education

His full name is Abd al-Aziz ibn Muhammad ibn Abd al-Muhsin al-Salman (also recorded as Abd al-Aziz ibn Muhammad ibn Abd al-Rahman ibn Abd al-Muhsin al-Salman), from the al-As'adi branch of Utaybah linked to Unaizah and al-Zulfi . He was born in either 1337 AH or 1339 AH, according to a handwritten note reported by his son Abd al-Hamid . His father died while he was young, and his mother oversaw his upbringing .

Al-Salman studied at the Quran school of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Aziz al-Damigh, where he memorized the Quran over three years . He subsequently attended the school of Salih ibn Nasir ibn Salih, learning reading, writing, calligraphy, and arithmetic . In his early youth, he engaged in commercial trade and operated a shop; however, following the economic depression during World War II in the Arabian Peninsula, he left trade to devote himself entirely to religious learning . Among his prominent teachers was Abd al-Rahman ibn Nasir al-Sa'di .

Teaching and Career

Al-Salman worked as an instructor at Ma'had Imam al-Da'wah in Riyadh . He received students at his residence and old mosque in the al-Dirah quarter on al-Suwaylim Street in Riyadh, where he distributed books and encouraged students to consult classical works, including those of Ibn Taymiyya, Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya, and Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab . Among his students was Abd al-Muhsin ibn Muhammad al-Ajmi .

Scholarly Output and Standing

Al-Salman composed multiple works in jurisprudence, theology, and homiletics . The first work he composed was al-As'ila wa-al-Ajwiba al-Usuliyya 'ala al-'Aqida al-Wasitiyya in 1382 AH . His six-volume homiletic and legal compendium, Mawarid al-Zam'an li-Durus al-Zaman, achieved wide circulation and was regularly read by mosque imams to congregations following afternoon prayers and prior to evening prayers, especially during Ramadan . His books were translated into Urdu and distributed widely .

Throughout his career, al-Salman refused all commercial offers from publishing houses to sell his books, permitting them to be printed only as non-profit charitable endowments (waqf) . He was noted for avoiding public prominence and flattery . The historian Kamil Muhammad Uwaydah referred to him as "the shaykh of teachers" and "the polymath of the twentieth century" in a manuscript monograph, and contemporary scholars such as Abd al-Rahman al-Rahmah praised his devotion to teaching and publication .

Later Life and Death

His last written compilation was Miftah al-Afkar lil-Ta'ahhub li-Dar al-Qarar . In his final period, he suffered from knee problems that required the use of crutches for mobility, though he remained otherwise independent inside his home . Al-Salman died in 1422 AH (2001 CE) .

Answer updated

List of Works

  • al-Asila wal-Ajwiba al-Fiqhiyya

    al-Asila wal-Ajwiba al-Fiqhiyya is a multi-volume textbook on Islamic jurisprudence arranged in a pedagogical question-and-answer format. It presents traditional legal rulings supported by textual evidence and didactic poetry to aid review and memorization, spanning standard legal topics across at least seven volumes.

  • Mukhtasar al-Asila wal-Ajwiba al-Usuliyya ala al-Aqida al-Wasitiyya

    Mukhtasar al-Asila wal-Ajwiba al-Usuliyya ala al-Aqida al-Wasitiyya is a pedagogical catechism on Islamic creed. Comprising 249 numbered questions and answers, it condenses a larger commentary on Ibn Taymiyya's al-Aqida al-Wasitiyya, exploring fundamental theological definitions, divine names and attributes, and core tenets of faith.

  • Majmuat al-Qasaid al-Zuhdiyat

    Majmuat al-Qasaid al-Zuhdiyat is a two-volume poetic anthology gathering classical and later Islamic poetry focused on asceticism, admonition, and spiritual reflection. It compiles rhymed verse and didactic odes intended to encourage devotion, provide moral exhortation, and remind readers of the Hereafter.

  • Miftah al-Afkar lil-Taahhub li-Dar al-Qarar

    Miftah al-Afkar lil-Taahhub li-Dar al-Qarar is a multi-volume Arabic compendium of sermons, admonitions, legal rulings, principles, and moral guidance. Drawing on scriptural and scholarly sources, it is designed as a practical resource for preachers and religious guides, featuring thematic reflections on mortality, ethics, and spiritual awareness.

  • Mahasin al-Din al-Islami

    Mahasin al-Din al-Islami is a treatise outlining the virtues, wisdoms, and moral excellence of Islamic teachings. Originally compiled as a chapter within a larger work, it highlights the merits of Islam across theology, acts of worship, and ethical legislation.