Principles of jurisprudence and Ibn Taymiyyah

Saleh Abdul Aziz Al Mansour Introduction All praise be to Allah, we praise Him, seek His help, ask for His forgiveness, and repent to Him. We seek refuge in Allah from the evil of ourselves and the wickedness of our deeds. Whom Allah guides, there is no misleader for him, and whom He misleads, there is no guide for him. I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah alone, with no partner, He is the Guide to the straight path. He has guided some people to serve Him and blessed them with His delightful proximity, so they endured hardships and difficulties for His sake, and they became as the poet said: My desire has stopped where you are, so I have no delay from you nor advance. Let me not blame my love for your remembrance, for it is sweet. Let blame come to me, and I will accept it. And I bear witness that our master, our prophet, our beloved Muhammad, Allah’s servant, his close friend, his chosen one among His creation, and His messenger, who brought people out of darkness into light. May Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, his family, his companions, and those who follow his guidance and call to his message until the Day of Judgment. Many blessings and peace be upon him. As for what follows: Indeed, Allah has prepared men for this religion whom He has chosen for it. They strive in Allah’s cause with true striving, unshaken by blame or reproach. Among these is Sheikh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, who was an example of a working scholar, a persevering, patient, gentle, merciful, and noble character, embodying the noble manners of Prophethood. That beacon, which Allah made a guidance for the travelers and a lamp for the worlds. The life of this Sheikh is full of great events, filled with jihad with the tongue, the sword, and great sacrifices of knowledge and precious time, with steadfast determination, resilience, and patience, without fatigue or boredom. Indeed, Sheikh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah has rightfully earned the place he deserves. In our time, many fair-minded scholars revived his memory, translated his life, and presented his true essence to people, pure from any flaw, highlighting his books and opinions.