Rasail wa Fatawa Abd al-Rahman ibn Hasan ibn Muhammad Abd al-Wahhab

Rasail wa Fatawa Abd al-Rahman ibn Hasan ibn Muhammad Abd al-Wahhab (Letters and Legal Rulings of Abd al-Rahman ibn Hasan) is a compilation of theological treatises, pastoral letters, and legal responsa (fatawa) authored by the Hanbali scholar and judge Abd al-Rahman ibn Hasan Al al-Shaykh (1193–1285 AH / 1779–1868 CE) Rasail wa Fatawa Abd al-R…+1. The collection covers core tenets of Islamic monotheism (tawhid), definitions of faith (iman), refutations of theological adversaries and innovators, and guidance on statecraft and religious observance Majmuat al-Rasail wal-Mas…+1.

Background and Compilation

Abd al-Rahman ibn Hasan was the grandson of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab (d. 1206 AH) Majallat al-Buhuth al-Isl…. Throughout his life in Dir'iyyah, Egypt, and Riyadh, he produced numerous epistles and answers to theological inquiries Majallat al-Buhuth al-Isl…+1. His letters and fatwas were later gathered and printed as part of the multi-volume compendium Majmu'at al-Rasail wa al-Masail al-Najdiyyah (Compendium of Najdi Treatises and Rulings), published under the patronage of King Abd al-Aziz Al Saud at Matba'at al-Manar in Egypt under the supervision of Muhammad Rashid Rida (first edition in 1346 AH / 1928 CE) Majmuat al-Rasail wal-Mas…+1.

Contents and Key Themes

The compiled works comprise theological dissertations, official correspondence, and legal answers addressing various contemporary religious and political matters Majmuat al-Rasail wal-Mas…+1:

• Theology and Faith: The collection includes Kitab al-Iman wa al-Radd 'ala Ahl al-Bida' (The Book of Faith and Refutation of the People of Innovation), which elucidates the distinction and overlap between islam (outward acts) and iman (inward beliefs) based on the Hadith of Gabriel, as well as the conditions of monotheism and the Nullifiers of Islam Majmuat al-Rasail wal-Mas…+1.
• Political Counsel and Governance: A notable portion consists of letters addressed to the Saudi ruler Imam Faysal ibn Turki Majmuat al-Rasail wa al-M…+1. In these letters, the author offers counsel grounded in the hadith الدين النصيحة ("Religion is sincere counsel"), emphasizing that the welfare of the populace depends on righteous leadership, enjoining good, forbidding evil, and dispatching religious teachers across urban and nomadic regions Majmuat al-Rasail wa al-M…+1. He reflects on the tribulations faced by Najd during the campaigns of Ibrahim Pasha and the strife involving Khalid and the military, viewing these trials as divine tests Majmuat al-Rasail wa al-M…. He also urges the ruler to inspect the creed of subjects in outlying regions such as al-Ahsa and al-Qatif Rasail wa Fatawa Abd al-R…. Imam Faysal's written responses endorsing the advice and instructing his deputies to act upon it are preserved alongside the letters Majmuat al-Rasail wal-Mas….
• Polemics and Refutations: The collection incorporates dedicated refutational treatises, including Bayan al-Mahajjah fi al-Radd 'ala al-Lajjah and Bayan Kalimat al-Tawhid wa al-Radd 'ala al-Kashmiri Abd al-Mahmud Majmuat al-Rasail wal-Mas…+1.
• Responsa to Scholars: The compilation records letters sent to local scholars and students—such as Muhammad ibn Umar ibn Salim—clarifying positions on declaring individuals innovators (tabdi'), sinners (tafsiq), or apostates (takfir), and establishing textual proofs from the Quran and Sunnah against objections raised against the Najdi reform movement Majmuat al-Rasail wal-Mas….