al-Ijaba al-Jaliyya ala al-Asila al-Kuwaytiyya
- Author died
- 1413 AH
- Editions
- Maktabat al-Ma‘ārif
al-Ijaba al-Jaliyya ala al-Asila al-Kuwaytiyya (The Clear Answer to the Kuwaiti Questions) is a theological treatise written by the Saudi Hanbali scholar Hammud ibn Abdullah al-Tuwayjiri (d. 1413 AH / 1992 CE) to address and refute various doctrinal propositions regarding intercession, grave visitation, and seeking aid from the deceased .
Background and Purpose
The treatise originated as a response to a query sent to al-Tuwayjiri by a resident of Kuwait named Abdullah ibn Ibrahim al-Ali . Al-Ali inquired about the creedal status of certain group leaders who professed adherence to the Quran and the Sunnah while promoting ideas concerning grave devotion and seeking aid from the deceased . The questions also asked about the status of individuals who affiliated with these leaders despite harboring private disagreements out of fear of causing disunity, as well as those who excused such positions as mere practical stances (mawaqif) that do not compromise creed (aqida) .
Content and Structure
The book systematically enumerates and refutes the contentious claims outlined in the questionnaire:
- Seeking forgiveness from the Prophet after his death: Al-Tuwayjiri argues that requesting the Prophet ﷺ to seek forgiveness on one's behalf was valid only during his earthly lifetime and constitutes an innovation (bid'a) after his death .
- Invoking and seeking aid from the Prophet and saints (istinjad): The author classifies seeking rescue or calling upon deceased figures during distress as major polytheism (shirk akbar), rejecting claims that such practices are legally benign .
- Supplication at the graves of the righteous: Al-Tuwayjiri refutes the claim that divine mercy descends specially upon the graves of righteous individuals in a manner requiring Muslims to pray near them, stating that visiting graves for blessing or supplication serves as a gateway to polytheism .
- The report of Sa'id ibn al-Musayyib: The book examines the narration claiming that Sa'id ibn al-Musayyib heard the call to prayer (adhan) emanating from the Prophet's grave during the Battle of al-Harrah, demonstrating its transmission weakness through narrators such as Abd al-Hamid ibn Sulayman al-Khuza'i and al-Waqidi .
- The sanctity of saints and grave visitors: Al-Tuwayjiri analyzes the cited narration regarding God defending His allies, maintaining that forbidding excess and preventing tombs from being taken as places of regular assembly (a'yad) does not constitute hostility toward righteous saints .
- Mediation through physical relics: The author responds to arguments utilizing the Quranic mention of the Ark (al-Tabut) of Moses and Aaron to justify contemporary intercession through remnants of the deceased .
Method and Sources
Al-Tuwayjiri constructs his arguments around Quranic verses on monotheism and prophetic traditions prohibiting the veneration of graves . He cites hadith collections including those of Ahmad ibn Hanbal, al-Bukhari, Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj, Abu Dawud, al-Tirmidhi, al-Nasa'i, Ibn Majah, Ibn Hibban, and al-Hakim al-Naysaburi, as well as Diya al-Din al-Maqdisi's al-Mukhtara . He also draws upon rulings and theological discussions by Ibn Taymiyya, notably from Qaidah Jalilah fi al-Tawassul wa-l-Wasilah .
Publication
The book was published in Riyadh by Maktabat al-Ma'arif in 1406 AH (1985–1986 CE) as a single volume of 45 pages . It is also recorded in bibliographic literature under the slight title variant al-Ijaba al-Jaliyya 'an al-As'ila al-Kuwaytiyya .
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