al-Amn fi Hayat al-Nas wa Ahammiyatuhu fi al-Islam
- Author died
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- Editions
- The book is published on the website of the Saudi Ministry of Awqaf without publication details
al-Amn fi Hayat al-Nas wa Ahammiyatuhu fi al-Islam (Security in the Lives of People and Its Importance in Islam) is a treatise by the Saudi scholar and official Abd Allah ibn Abd al-Muhsin al-Turki examining the religious, social, and political dimensions of security in Islamic thought and governance.
Composition and Publication
The work was published in Riyadh in 1417 AH (ca. 1996–1997 CE) by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Da'wah and Guidance of Saudi Arabia, while al-Turki was serving as its minister. In the introduction, the author argues that security is an indispensable prerequisite for all individual and collective human endeavors and civilizational flourishing. He presents the treatise as both a theoretical exploration grounded in the Quran and the Sunnah and a study of practical implementation, referencing historical precedent and contemporary governance in Saudi Arabia.
Structure and Contents
The book consists of an introduction, five principal sections (mabahith), and a conclusion:
- Section One: Security in the Book and the Sunnah (al-Amn fi al-Kitab wa al-Sunnah): This section surveys the Quranic usage of the root a-m-n and its derived terms, defining security as psychological safety, inner peace, and the absence of threat to human life and vital interests.
- Section Two: The Concept of Security in the Muslim Society (Mafhum al-Amn fi al-Mujtama al-Muslim): It discusses human sociability, the necessity of governing authority to resolve conflicting interests, and the reliance of Muslim societies on revealed religious principles rather than custom alone to preserve communal order. It also highlights the responsibility of rulers to guarantee physical and material safety for all subjects within their jurisdiction.
- Section Three: The Implementation of Sharia and Comprehensive Security (Tatbiq al-Shariah wa al-Amn al-Shamil): This part defines the Muslim society and the situation of Muslim minorities living in non-Muslim countries. It outlines how Islamic jurisprudence safeguards the essential necessities (daruriyyat)—religion, life, intellect, lineage, honor, and property—and elaborates on social security (al-amn al-ijtima'i), which requires communal solidarity and mutual cooperation.
- Section Four: The Security of Non-Muslims in the Islamic State (Amn Ghayr al-Muslim fi al-Dawlah al-Islamiyyah): The author analyzes the legal protections afforded to non-Muslim residents regarding their lives, honor, and wealth, emphasizing that these rights are religious duties commanded by Islamic texts rather than concessions born of political expediency or international treaties.
- Section Five: Security in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (al-Amn fi al-Mamlakah al-Arabiyyah al-Saudiyyah): This section presents the Saudi state as a practical case study, arguing that its stability derives from the enforcement of Islamic law, the adherence to monotheism (tawhid), the opposition to materialistic and atheist ideologies such as communism, the curbing of tribal and racial chauvinism, and its support for Muslim causes abroad.
In the conclusion, the author summarizes the essential foundations for achieving security across Muslim societies, reiterating that upholding Islamic law is the paramount guarantee of justice between rulers and subjects and the primary deterrent against terrorism, disorder, and societal decay.
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