Ibn Baz
- Died
- 1420 AH
- Born in
- Riyadh
Ibn Baz (1330–1420 AH / 1912–1999 CE) was a Saudi jurist, hadith scholar, and the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia who served as the head of the Council of Senior Scholars and the rector of the Islamic University of Madinah .
Name, Upbringing, and Education
His full name was Abu Abd Allah Abd al-Aziz ibn Abd Allah ibn Abd al-Rahman ibn Muhammad ibn Abd Allah Al Baz . He was born in Riyadh on 12 Dhu al-Hijjah 1330 AH (with another report giving 1329 AH) into a family of religious learning . He was raised in Riyadh and memorized the Quran before reaching puberty . He possessed normal eyesight in his early youth until he suffered an eye illness in 1346 AH at age sixteen; his vision progressively deteriorated until he lost his sight completely at the start of Muharram 1350 AH (at age twenty; another report mentions 1355 AH) .
He acquired religious and Arabic language sciences from the scholars of Riyadh . His primary teacher was Muhammad ibn Ibrahim Al al-Shaykh, whose study circles he attended for about ten years between 1347 and 1357 AH . Among his other prominent teachers were Muhammad ibn Abd al-Latif Al al-Shaykh, Salih ibn Abd al-Aziz Al al-Shaykh, Sa'd ibn Hamad ibn Atiq, and Hamad ibn Faris, in addition to studying Quranic recitation (tajwid) under Sa'd Waqqas al-Bukhari in Mecca in 1355 AH .
Career and Official Appointments
In 1357 AH, upon the recommendation of his teacher Muhammad ibn Ibrahim, he was appointed as a judge in the region of al-Kharj (headquartered in al-Dilam), a post he held for fourteen years until 1371 AH . During his tenure, he was the first to establish formal legal registers, case records, and deeds in the region . He left the judiciary in 1371 AH to teach jurisprudence, monotheism (tawhid), and hadith at the Riyadh Scientific Institute and the newly established College of Sharia in Riyadh until 1380 AH .
In 1381 AH, he was appointed vice-president of the Islamic University of Madinah under its rector Muhammad ibn Ibrahim, and subsequently became its president in 1390 AH following the latter's death, serving until 1395 AH . By royal decree on 14 Shawwal 1395 AH, he was appointed General President of the Departments of Scholarly Research, Ifta, Dawah, and Guidance with the ministerial rank . In 1414 AH (with variants giving 1413 AH or 1416 AH), he was appointed Grand Mufti of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, concurrently serving as the head of the Council of Senior Scholars and the Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta . He also presided over the Constituent Council of the Muslim World League, the Supreme Global Council for Mosques, and the Islamic Fiqh Academy in Mecca .
Scholarly Standing and Contributions
Ibn Baz followed the doctrinal methodology of early Sunni orthodoxy (Ahl al-Sunnah wa-l-Jama'ah) and the jurisprudential framework of the Hanbali school, while emphasizing adherence to authentic scriptural proofs across his legal verdicts . He placed substantial emphasis on the study of hadith, its evaluation, and chain-of-transmission analysis . His instructional outreach spanned public study circles, lectures, and published doctrinal manuals such as al-Aqida al-Sahiha wa ma yudaduha (The Correct Creed and What Opposes It) and al-Durus al-Muhimma li Aammat al-Umma (Important Lessons for the General Muslim Public) . His extensive responsa delivered through official fatwas, correspondence, and radio broadcasts were posthumously gathered in large multi-volume collections .
Death
Ibn Baz died at dawn on Thursday, 27 Muharram 1420 AH (13 May 1999 CE) in Ta'if after suffering from cancer of the digestive system . His funeral prayer was performed after Friday prayer the following day at the Grand Mosque in Mecca, where he was buried .
Answer updated
List of Works
al-Tahqiq wal-Idah li-Kathir min Masa'il al-Hajj wal-Umra wal-Ziyara ala Daw' al-Kitab was-Sunnah (Investigation and Clarification of Many Issues of Hajj, Umrah, and Visitation in Light of the Quran and Sunnah) is a concise legal handbook on the rites of pilgrimage and visitation. It provides a systematic outline of the rituals of Hajj, Umrah, and the visitation of the Prophet's Mosque deduced directly from the Quran and the Prophetic Sunnah.
Thalath Rasa'il fi al-Salat (Three Treatises on Prayer) is a collection of three short legal and instructional epistles on ritual prayer. The work addresses the step-by-step description of prayer according to prophetic practice, the obligation of performing prayer in congregation in the mosque, and the ruling on clasping the hands after rising from the bowing posture (ruku').
Tuhfat al-Ikhwan bi-Ajwiba Muhimma Tataallaq bi-Arkan al-Islam (The Gift to the Brothers: Important Answers Pertaining to the Pillars of Islam) is a legal and theological treatise in question-and-answer format. It gathers concise rulings to provide accessible guidance on the foundational tenets of Islamic belief and the primary pillars of ritual practice, including creed, prayer, almsgiving, fasting, and pilgrimage.
Fatawa Nur ala al-Darb is a multi-volume collection of legal and theological responsa compiled and organized from weekly episodes of the radio broadcast program Nur ala al-Darb (Light on the Path). The work provides answers to questions submitted by listeners concerning personal conduct, mutual dealings, and religious duties, arranged thematically according to traditional Islamic jurisprudential and doctrinal chapters.
al-Tabarruj wa Khatar Musharakat al-Mar'a lil-Rajul fi Maydan 'Amalihi (Unveiling and the Danger of Women Participating alongside Men in their Work Fields) is an Islamic legal treatise addressing modesty, the obligation of the veil (hijab), and the prohibition of gender mixing in the workplace. It examines the religious rulings regarding female public dress and evaluates the social and legal implications of women entering male fields of employment.
Kayfiyat Salat al-Nabi (The Manner of the Prophet's Prayer) is a concise instructional treatise on the performance of Islamic prayer according to the prophetic Sunnah. Composed as a practical guide for Muslim men and women, the work aims to help worshippers emulate the Prophet Muhammad's prayer by outlining ritual actions and supplications from preparation to conclusion, supported by scriptural evidence from the Quran and authentic hadith collections.
Hukm al-Islam fiman zaama anna al-Quran mutanaqid (The Ruling of Islam Concerning Whosoever Claims that the Quran Is Contradictory) is a theological and legal treatise addressing claims of internal contradictions and superstitions in the Quran, as well as derogatory statements regarding the Prophet Muhammad. Written in 1394 AH (1974 CE), the work sets out the legal ruling on such statements and systematically refutes allegations against Quranic harmony, prophetic revelation, miracles, and established legal rulings.
Manhaj Ahl al-Sunna wal-Jamaa fi al-Sam wa al-Taa (The Methodology of Ahl al-Sunna wal-Jama'a Concerning Hearing and Obeying) is a short treatise expounding the Sunni doctrine on obedience to Muslim rulers and the impermissibility of armed rebellion against them. Issued in connection with the Council of Senior Scholars' official resolution regarding the 1400 AH (1979 CE) Grand Mosque seizure in Mecca, it draws upon Quranic verses and canonical prophetic traditions to frame rebellion and renouncing allegiance as severe violations of Islamic law.
al-Tahdhir min al-Bida (Warning Against Innovations) is a treatise that compiles four short works addressing and refuting widely practiced religious innovations. The booklet evaluates the legal rulings on celebrating the Prophet's birthday, observing the Night of Isra and Mi'raj, and holding special rituals for the Night of Mid-Sha'ban, while also refuting a circulated false testament attributed to Sheikh Ahmad, a servant of the Prophet's chamber.
Wujub al-Amal bi Sunnat al-Rasul wa Kufr man Ankaroha (The Obligation to Act upon the Sunnah of the Messenger and the Disbelief of Whosoever Denies It) is a theological and legal treatise examining the authoritative status of the prophetic Sunnah as a foundational source of Islamic law. Comprising 29 pages and first published in 1400 AH / 1980 CE, the work refutes arguments that reject the Sunnah or advocate relying solely on the Quran, outlining the theological verdict regarding those who deny prophetic traditions.
Fatawa Ajila li-Mansubi al-Sihha (Urgent Legal Rulings for Healthcare Personnel) is a collection of Islamic legal rulings addressing legal and ethical questions encountered by hospital staff, medical professionals, and patients. The work is organized into two sequential parts containing numbered questions and answers that address practical hospital scenarios, acts of worship under medical constraints, workplace standards, and bioethical procedures.
Durus li al-Shaykh Abd al-Aziz ibn Baz (Lessons of Shaykh Abd al-Aziz ibn Baz) is a compiled collection of transcribed lectures, educational lessons, sermons, and scholarly discourses delivered across different settings. The compilation covers public question-and-answer sessions, commentaries on discourses by peers and students, and key subjects of Islamic theology and practice, including creed, monotheism, and the concept of faith.
Bayan al-Tawhid alladhi ba‘atha Allah bihi al-rusul jami‘an wa ba‘atha bihi khatamahum Muhammadan (Clarification of the Monotheism with Which Allah Sent All the Messengers and Sent Their Seal Muhammad) is a theological treatise addressing Islamic monotheism (tawhid) and polytheism (shirk). Bringing together three discourses, the work clarifies the foundational creed of monotheism, the shared mission of the messengers, and the definition of shirk while warning against practices that violate monotheistic devotion.
al-Aqida al-Sahiha wa ma yudaduha wa nawaqid al-Islam (The Correct Creed and What Contradicts It, and the Nullifiers of Islam) is a doctrinal treatise that systematically outlines the foundational tenets of Islamic faith according to the creed of the Sunni community (Ahl al-Sunnah wa-al-Jama'ah). Originating as a public lecture, it addresses the six pillars of faith, highlights widespread theological deviations and opposing practices, and details ten specific actions and beliefs that invalidate a person's Islam.
Majmu Fatawa wa Maqalat Mutanawwia (Collected Legal Rulings and Miscellaneous Articles) is a thirty-volume compilation of legal verdicts (fatwas), treatises, articles, and lectures, accompanied by subject indexes. Arranged according to the standard thematic structure of Islamic jurisprudence, the collection brings together dispersed writings issued across various periods into an authenticated reference, beginning with foundational Islamic creed followed by rulings on acts of worship and other legal chapters.
This legal treatise and fatwa addresses the prohibition of aircraft hijacking and the necessity of resolving security crises through Islamic law. Classified under rulings on jihad and Islamic governance (al-siyasa al-shar'iyya), the work examines the global offenses of airplane hijacking and transnational kidnapping, framing them as major crimes that terrorize innocent people. It establishes the obligation of seeking recourse in divine revelation for such disputes and outlines administrative and judicial procedures based on scriptural evidence rather than positive legal systems.
This theological treatise addresses Islamic rulings on supplication, seeking aid from created beings, and occult practices. Compiling three distinct treatises, the work clarifies foundational matters of creed (tawhid) and warns against theological innovations and superstitions. It specifically examines the rulings on seeking deliverance from the Prophet Muhammad, invoking jinn and devils or making vows to them, and worshiping through non-legislated, innovated, or polytheistic litanies.
This concise pedagogical treatise outlines the foundational beliefs, religious duties, moral conduct, and legal rulings incumbent upon individual Muslims. Designed as an accessible summary of essential religious knowledge for the general public, the text is structured into eighteen lessons covering fundamental theology, practical jurisprudence—including the conditions and pillars of prayer and ablution—prescribed Islamic ethics, warnings against major sins, and rites for the deceased.
This legal commentary explains Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab's introductory juristic manual on ritual purification and prayer, Shurut al-Salah wa Arkaniha wa Wajibatiha. Transcribed from a recorded lesson, the work expounds upon the nine conditions, fourteen pillars, and obligatory acts of prayer, as well as the rules and nullifiers of ablution (wudu'). It provides straightforward explanations of each juristic point supported by evidence from the Quran and Sunnah.
This legal treatise addresses the Islamic rulings on magic, divination, and lawful spiritual remedies. Written as an advisory counsel following the spread of practitioners who claimed medical knowledge while treating people through sorcery and soothsaying, the work outlines the permissibility of lawful medicine, establishes the religious prohibition and severe dangers of consulting diviners and practicing sorcery, and details prescribed preventive and curative treatments using Quranic passages and prophetic supplications.
This work of hadith commentary and scholarly annotations brings together oral marginalia, analytical deductions, and legal preferences delivered during public teaching circles on Sahih al-Bukhari, along with remarks on selected discussions from Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani's major commentary, Fath al-Bari.
This short treatise examines the nature, threats, and methods of modern intellectual and cultural campaigns targeting Muslim societies. Structured in a question-and-answer format, it addresses the definition of ideological invasion, its major forms, and the specific instruments utilized to propagate foreign ideas.
This legal treatise compiles responsa from individual rulings and the Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta, addressing practical questions on pilgrimage rites. Formatted in a question-and-answer arrangement, it focuses on recurring inquiries regarding Hajj, Umrah, and visitation.
This single-volume compilation gathers selected legal verdicts and religious guidance concerning both religious and worldly matters. Drawn verbatim from a 30-volume compendium, the material spans theological creed, acts of worship, interpersonal transactions, and Islamic ethics and manners.
This thematic compilation gathers legal rulings and treatises to provide essential guidance across fundamental areas of Islamic practice and belief. The collection centers on six primary topics: creed, prayer, obligatory charity, fasting, pilgrimage, and remembrances and supplications.
al-Dawa ila Allah wa Akhlaq al-Duat (Calling to Allah and the Ethics of the Callers) is a treatise addressing the legal obligation, virtues, methodology, scope, and ethical conduct required in Islamic proselytization (dawah).
Usul al-Iman (The Principles of Faith) is a theological treatise expounding the six foundational pillars of Islamic creed grounded in the Quran and the Prophetic Sunnah: belief in Allah, His angels, His revealed scriptures, His messengers, the Last Day, and the divine decree.
Nawaqid al-Islam (The Nullifiers of Islam) is a concise theological treatise outlining the primary actions, beliefs, and statements that invalidate a Muslim's faith and cause apostasy, focusing on ten specific nullifiers characterized as the most severe and widespread.
Sharh Kitab al-Tawhid min Sahih al-Bukhari (Commentary on the Book of Divine Unity from Sahih al-Bukhari) is a theological commentary on the final book of Sahih al-Bukhari, expounding Islamic monotheism according to the creed of Ahl al-Sunna wa-l-Jama'a through its compiled hadiths and chapter headings.
Majalis Ramadan (Ramadan Assemblies) is a compiled work offering thirty daily lessons on the virtues, rulings, and etiquettes of fasting and worship during the month of Ramadan, designed for concise daily reading at home or in mosques.
Fatawa Muhimma li Umum al-Umma (Important Fatwas for the General Muslim Community) is a compendium of Islamic legal rulings addressing everyday religious questions and doctrinal matters relevant to the general Muslim public. The collection provides legal and theological answers concerning daily religious obligations, contemporary practices, and transactions.
Masa'il al-Imam Ibn Baz (Legal and Doctrinal Inquiries of Imam Ibn Baz) is a compilation of theological, juridical, and hadith-related questions and answers. Following the classical genre of masa'il literature, the text records study session dialogues, inquiries, and review sessions on specific hadiths to preserve legal and doctrinal rulings for students of Islamic knowledge.
Wujub Tahkim Sharia Allah wa Nabdh ma Khalafahu (The Obligation of Judging by Allah's Law and Rejecting What Opposes It) is a treatise examining the religious obligation to implement and submit to Islamic law (Sharia). It serves as a concise counsel addressing the requirement of seeking legal judgment and arbitration through divine revelation rather than alternative authorities.
Fatawa Muhimma Tataallaq bil-Hajj wal-Umra (Important Fatwas Pertaining to Hajj and Umrah) is a legal treatise addressing questions concerning the rites and jurisprudence of the Islamic pilgrimage. Organized in a direct question-and-answer format, it serves as a concise manual covering the stages of pilgrimage from the initial assumption of ihram to the completion of the rites.
Hukm Shurb al-Dukhan wa Imamat man yatajahar bihi (The Ruling on Smoking Tobacco and Leading Prayer for One Who Openly Engages in It) is a concise legal treatise. Composed in response to inquiries regarding widespread practices, the work examines the Islamic legal prohibition of tobacco use and evaluates the validity of congregational prayers led by individuals who openly consume it.
Ahkam Salat al-Marid (Rulings on the Prayer of the Sick), also published under the title Ahkam Salat al-Marid wa-Taharatuhu, is a concise legal treatise on the rules of ritual purity and prayer for the sick. Published as an instructional leaflet by the General Presidency of Scholarly Research, Ifta, Da'wah, and Guidance in 1414 AH, it outlines the legal dispensations and obligations regarding ritual purification and obligatory prayers based on the principle of removing hardship.
Risalatan fi al-Salah (Two Treatises on Prayer) is a legal work that combines two independent treatises on Islamic prayer. The first treatise provides a step-by-step practical description of how to perform the ritual prayer, while the second establishes the strict individual obligation of performing the prayer in congregation.
Fatawa Nur ala al-Darb li-Ibn Baz - bi-inayat al-Tayyar wa al-Musa - Qism al-Aqida is a collection of theological rulings and answers delivered on the radio broadcast program Nur ala al-Darb. Arranged in a question-and-answer format and edited by Abdullah ibn Muhammad al-Tayyar and Muhammad ibn Musa al-Musa, this section gathers fatwas concerning Islamic creed grounded in scriptural proofs from the Quran and the Prophetic Sunnah.
al-Aqida al-Sahiha wa ma yudaduha (The Correct Creed and What Opposes It) is a concise theological treatise that outlines the foundational tenets of Islamic faith according to the early generations (Ahl al-Sunnah wa-l-Jama'ah). It systematically presents the core pillars of sound creed alongside the contradictory doctrines and practices that oppose them.
al-Fawaid al-Jaliya fi al-Mabahith al-Fardiya (The Evident Benefits Concerning Inquiries of Inheritance) is a concise treatise on the Islamic law of inheritance (ilm al-faraid) according to the Hanbali school. Designed as an accessible summary for students, it outlines the rules of succession, share calculations, and estate division while omitting extensive proofs to maintain brevity.
al-Imam Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab: Da'watuhu wa Siratuhu (Imam Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab: His Mission and Biography) is a treatise providing a historical and theological overview of the life, reformist movement, and legacy of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab (1115–1206 AH / 1703–1792 CE).
Sharh Thalathat al-Usul is a theological commentary on the creedal treatise Thalathat al-Usul (The Three Fundamentals) by Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab (1115–1206 AH / 1703–1792 CE).
Naqd al-Qawmiyya al-Arabiyya ala Daw al-Islam wal-Waqi (A Critique of Arab Nationalism in Light of Islam and Reality) is a theological treatise dedicated to refuting secular Arab nationalism from the perspective of Islamic scripture and historical analysis.
Al-Ifham fi Sharh Umdat al-Ahkam (Making Understood: A Commentary on the Pillar of Legal Rulings) is a legal hadith commentary explaining the foundational hadith compilation Umdat al-Ahkam by Abd al-Ghani al-Maqdisi (541–600 AH).
Tuhfat al-Akhyar bi-Bayan Jumla Nafi'a mimma Warada fi al-Kitab wa al-Sunna min al-Ad'iya wa al-Adhkar (The Gift of the Chosen: An Exposition of a Beneficial Selection of Supplications and Remembrances from the Book and Sunnah) is a concise treatise on daily Islamic supplications (du'a) and invocations (dhikr).
Risala fi Hukm al-Sihr wa al-Kahana ma Baad al-Fatawa al-Muhimma is a short doctrinal and legal treatise addressing Islamic legal rulings on sorcery, soothsaying, and related occult practices, alongside permissible methods of spiritual treatment.