Muhammad bin Salih al-Uthaymeen (March 9, 1929 – January 10, 2001; Arabic: محمد بن صالح العثيمين), also known as Muhammad ibn al-Uthaymeen, was a prominent Islamic scholar from
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the A ...
.
Biography
Uthaymeen was born on March 9, 1929, in the City of
Unayzah, Qaseem Region of
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the A ...
. He is said to have memorized the
Quran
The Quran (, ; Standard Arabic: , Quranic Arabic: , , 'the recitation'), also romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a revelation from God. It is organized in 114 chapters (pl.: , s ...
at his early age and pursued an education in
Hadith
Ḥadīth ( or ; ar, حديث, , , , , , , literally "talk" or "discourse") or Athar ( ar, أثر, , literally "remnant"/"effect") refers to what the majority of Muslims believe to be a record of the words, actions, and the silent approva ...
,
Tafsir
Tafsir ( ar, تفسير, tafsīr ) refers to exegesis, usually of the Quran. An author of a ''tafsir'' is a ' ( ar, مُفسّر; plural: ar, مفسّرون, mufassirūn). A Quranic ''tafsir'' attempts to provide elucidation, explanation, in ...
,
theology
Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...
,
Arabic Language
Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C. E.Watson; Walte ...
and other Islamic studies, later graduating from the
College of Sharia in
Riyadh
Riyadh (, ar, الرياض, 'ar-Riyāḍ, lit.: 'The Gardens' Najdi pronunciation: ), formerly known as Hajr al-Yamamah, is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of the Riyadh Province and the centre of th ...
. He went on to become a member of the Saudi Commission of Senior Islamic Scholars, a professor at the College of Shari'a at
Imam Mohammad bin Saud Islamic University in
Qassim and a member of its Academic Council and treatises dealing with different aspects of the Islamic doctrine. His most important books are his 15-volume book on
fiqh
''Fiqh'' (; ar, فقه ) is Islamic jurisprudence. Muhammad-> Companions-> Followers-> Fiqh.
The commands and prohibitions chosen by God were revealed through the agency of the Prophet in both the Quran and the Sunnah (words, deeds, and ...
and 10-volume book on the
interpretation of the Holy Qur'an. He also used to teach at the
Holy mosque in
Mecca
Mecca (; officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, commonly shortened to Makkah ()) is a city and administrative center of the Mecca Province of Saudi Arabia, and the holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow ...
during
Ramadan.
Education
After completing his memorization of the Qur'an and foundational studies, he began his full-time religious studies under Sheikh
Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz al-Mutawwa' and Sheikh
Ali al-Salihi in
Unayzah. These were the two teachers that
sheikh 'Abd al-Rahman al-Sa'di had appointed to instruct beginning students. After one year of studying under those two teachers, al-Uthaymeen began studying under sheikh '
Abd al-Rahman al-Sa'di in 1945 and continued to be his student until al-Sa'di's death.
The year 1952, al-Salihi advised al-Uthaymeen to enroll in the newly opened ''Ma'had al-'Ilmi'' in
Riyadh
Riyadh (, ar, الرياض, 'ar-Riyāḍ, lit.: 'The Gardens' Najdi pronunciation: ), formerly known as Hajr al-Yamamah, is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of the Riyadh Province and the centre of th ...
, which he did after seeking permission from al-Sa'di.
While there, he studied under Sheikh Muhammad al-Ameen al-Shinqiti,
Sheikh 'Abd al-'Aziz bin Baz, and sheikh 'Abd al-Razzaq 'Afeefi, among others.
He studied there for two years before returning to Unayzah, where began teaching and continued his studies under al-Sa'di.
The Four Levels of Spiritual Response to a Calamity
Uthaymeen's theory on the four levels of spiritual response to a calamity is outlined below. This theory could be contrasted with
the Kübler-Ross model of the five stages of grief.
* Level One: Discontentment
* Level Two: Patience
* Level Three: Acceptance
* Level Four: Gratitude
Publications
* The Beautiful Names and Attributes of Allah: The Beautiful Names and Attributes of Allah
Death
The Shaykh died on Wednesday 15 Shawwaal 1421
A.H. / 10 January 2001
C.E. at the age of 71.
References
External links
*
*
Biodata at MuslimScholars.info
{{DEFAULTSORT:Uthaymeen, Muhammad Ibn Al
1929 births
2001 deaths
20th-century Saudi Arabian people
Saudi Arabian Sunni Muslim scholars of Islam
Saudi Arabian imams
20th-century imams
Critics of Shia Islam
Saudi Arabian Salafis
Salafi Quietists
People from Unaizah
Sunni fiqh scholars
Critics of atheism
Critics of Christianity