Salih al-Fawzan
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Salih al-Fawzan (b. 1354 AH / 1935 CE; another report gives 1363 AH) is a Saudi jurist, university professor, and member of the Council of Senior Scholars and the Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta .
Lineage and Early Life
He is Salih ibn Fawzan ibn Abd Allah al-Fawzan, from the family of Al Fawzan from the town of al-Shamasiyyah south of al-Qasim, tracing their lineage to the Wada'in branch of the Dawasir tribe . He was born in al-Shamasiyyah in 1354 AH, though another biographical report dates his birth to 1363 AH . His father died while he was young, and he was raised by his family . He learned the Quran as well as the basics of reading and writing from the imam of the town's mosque, Hammud ibn Sulayman al-Tallal, who later served as a judge in Dariyyah .
Education and Teachers
Al-Fawzan entered the state primary school upon its establishment in al-Shamasiyyah in 1369 AH and completed his primary schooling at al-Madrasah al-Faysaliyyah in Buraydah in 1371 AH, after which he was briefly appointed as an elementary school teacher . When the Scientific Institute in Buraydah opened in 1373 AH, he enrolled there and graduated in 1377–1378 AH . He then pursued higher studies at the College of Sharia in Riyadh, earning his bachelor's degree in 1381 AH, followed by a master's degree and a doctorate in Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh) from the same institution . His master's thesis was al-Tahqiqat al-Mardiyyah fi al-Mabahith al-Fardiyyah on the law of inheritance, and his doctoral dissertation examined dietary regulations in Islamic law .
During his studies, al-Fawzan learned under several prominent scholars, including Abd al-Aziz ibn Baz, Abd Allah ibn Humayd—whose circles he attended at the Grand Mosque of Buraydah—Muhammad al-Amin al-Shanqiti, and Abd al-Razzaq Afifi . His teachers in Buraydah and Riyadh also included Salih ibn Abd al-Rahman al-Sukayti, Salih ibn Ibrahim al-Bulayhi, Muhammad ibn Subayyil, Abd Allah ibn Salih al-Khulayfi, Ibrahim ibn Ubayd al-Abd al-Muhsin, Hammud ibn Uqla, and Salih al-Ali al-Nasir, alongside visiting Azhari scholars who taught hadith, Quranic exegesis (tafsir), and Arabic language .
Career and Scholarly Activity
Following his graduation from the College of Sharia, al-Fawzan taught at the Scientific Institute in Riyadh, before moving to teach at the College of Sharia and later in the postgraduate department of the College of Usul al-Din . He subsequently transferred to the Higher Judicial Institute in Riyadh, where he served as director before returning to teaching there at the end of his administrative term .
On 15 Rajab 1412 AH, al-Fawzan was appointed a full-time member of the Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta . He also became a member of the Council of Senior Scholars and joined the Islamic Fiqh Academy in Mecca, an affiliate of the Muslim World League . In addition to these posts, he served on the supervisory committee for callers during the Hajj season, acted as an imam, preacher (khatib), and instructor at the Prince Mut'ib ibn Abd al-Aziz Mosque in the al-Malaz district of Riyadh, and participated regularly in the religious broadcasting program Nur ala al-Darb .
Al-Fawzan supervised numerous academic theses at the master's and doctoral levels, and taught students of knowledge in continuous educational circles, including scholars such as Abd Allah al-Qusayr . His scholarly contributions include specialized legal and creedal texts, such as his handbook on jurisprudence al-Mulakhkhas al-Fiqhi and his theological work al-Irshad ila Sahih al-I'tiqad .
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List of Works
Sharh al-Qawaid al-Arba is an Islamic theological commentary explicating the concise creedal treatise al-Qawaid al-Arba on the definitions of monotheism (tawhid) and polytheism (shirk).
al-Mulakhkhas al-Fiqhi is a contemporary handbook of Islamic jurisprudence that presents legal rulings supported by textual proofs from the Quran and the Sunnah.
Al-Tawhid is a treatise on Islamic creed and theology. Prepared in a simplified and structured format, it serves as an introductory educational manual expounding Islamic monotheism (tawhid), its obligations, and the beliefs and actions that contradict or diminish it.
I'anat al-Mustafid bi Sharh Kitab al-Tawhid is a commentary on Kitab al-Tawhid, the treatise on Islamic monotheism.
Sharh Masa'il al-Jahiliyyah is an Islamic theological commentary on the treatise Masa'il al-Jahiliyyah.
This work is a concise commentary on Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab's foundational treatise Kitab al-Tawhid. Composed in a modern textbook format to ensure clarity for beginners, it aims to aid the dissemination of Islamic knowledge and the rectification of religious creed.
This treatise on Islamic creed defines the concept of monotheism (tawhid) as conveyed by the prophetic messengers and provides a systematic refutation of twelve major theological doubts and misconceptions raised to justify polytheistic practices.
This legal treatise outlines Islamic jurisprudence rulings and ethical guidelines specific to women, articulating religious obligations and recommendations across their daily practices, personal lives, and social interactions.
This commentary examines the foundational creedal treatise Thalathat al-Usul by Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab. It explores the core principles of Islamic belief through scriptural proofs from the Quran and the Sunnah, providing an essential pedagogical guide to foundational doctrine.
This biographical and doctrinal treatise is devoted to the lives, scholarly contributions, and revivalist efforts of Ibn Taymiyyah and Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab, clarifying their roles in religious renewal (tajdid) and refuting misconceptions surrounding their teachings.
This concise doctrinal treatise examines the core declaration of faith in Islamic monotheism (kalimat al-tawhid). It details the theological significance, linguistic construction, conditions, legal implications, and social impact of the testimony of faith.
This Islamic theological commentary explains the creedal epistle composed by Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab, analyzing the foundational principles of Sunni creed and expounding on core tenets of belief such as divine unity, angels, scriptures, messengers, the Last Day, and divine decree.
This creedal treatise examines the theological doctrine of loving and supporting believers while disassociating from disbelief and its adherents. It explores the principles of loyalty and disavowal in Islam, identifying manifestations of prohibited allegiance alongside permissible worldly interactions.
This collection of legal rulings and religious responsa (fatwas) compiles scholarly opinions addressing diverse areas of Islamic thought and practice. It spans creed, ritual acts of worship, commercial transactions, societal matters, and contemporary issues.
This concise theological treatise serves as an accessible manual on Islamic monotheism (tawhid) and creed (aqidah). Designed for learning and teaching, it presents core beliefs while detailing and contrasting the doctrines, innovations, and forms of polytheism that oppose or undermine sound creed.
Muhimmat hawl al-Jihad (Essential Matters Concerning Jihad) is an Islamic legal treatise on the jurisprudence, conditions, and theological principles governing armed struggle in Islam.
al-Irshad ila Sahih al-I'tiqad wa-l-Radd 'ala Ahl al-Shirk wa-l-Ilhad (Guidance to the Sound Creed and Refutation of the People of Polytheism and Atheism) is a book on Islamic theology focusing on foundational Sunni creed (aqidah), monotheism (tawhid), and the refutation of polytheistic practices and ideological deviations.
Min A'lam al-Mujaddidin ("Prominent Figures Among the Renewers") is a biographical treatise that profiles prominent Islamic reform figures, focusing on their adherence to orthodox creed and their efforts in religious renewal.
al-Taliqat al-Mukhtasara ala Matn al-Aqida al-Tahawiya (Concise Notes on the Text of al-Aqida al-Tahawiya) is a contemporary commentary on the classical creedal treatise al-Aqida al-Tahawiya.