A recorded exchange with Shaykh Ṣāliḥ al-Fawzān on the ruling concerning the removal of the Sharīʿah
Shaykh al-Fawzān is asked about Gulf rulers who do not rule by what Allah revealed. He answers: whoever permanently removes the Sharīʿah and takes positive law as its replacement is a kāfir, but whoever rules by some positive laws in some matters, we do not know their situations. Referenced on pages 5 and 186.
Transcript
The Arabic below is the verbatim record of the scholar's words; the English is a translation provided for the reader's benefit.
سُئل الشيخ صالح الفوزان حفظه الله عن فهم بعض الناس لكلامه في مسألة الحاكمية:
Shaykh Ṣāliḥ al-Fawzān (may Allah preserve him) was asked about the way some people have understood his words on the question of al-Ḥākimiyyah:
أقول يا شيخ أحسن الله إليك … بعض الناس فهم من كتابكم كتاب التوحيد الذي هو من تأليفكم حول قضية الحاكمية، الحكم بغير ما أنزل الله، بأنكم تكفّرون الحاكم الذي لا يحكم بما أنزل الله بعينه، وينزلون هذا الكلام على حكام الخليج!
I say, O Shaykh — may Allah reward you well — some people have understood from your book, Kitāb al-Tawḥīd, which you authored, concerning the question of al-Ḥākimiyyah, judging by other than what Allah has revealed, that you declare takfīr upon a particular ruler who does not judge by what Allah has revealed, and they apply these words to the rulers of the Gulf!
هيه هيه … أهل الهوى!! أهل الهوى!! الكلام واضح … ما فيه عليه إشكال … الكلام واضح! وفيه تفصيل مذكور! وأقول بعد ذلك: أنّ الذي يزيح الشريعة نهائياً ويجعل مكانها القانون؛ هذا دليل على أنه يرى أن القانون أحسن من الشريعة، ومن رأى هذا الرأي فهو كافر!! … ما فيه شك! … لكن هم يأخذون حسب فهمهم الذي يصلح لهم! ويتركون بقية الكلام! وإلاّ لو قرءوا الكلام من أوّله، لاتّضح!!
Hah, hah … the people of desire!! The people of desire!! The words are clear … there is no difficulty in them … the words are clear! And the detail is stated in them! And I say after that: the one who removes the Sharīʿah entirely and puts positive law in its place — this is an indication that he considers positive law better than the Sharīʿah, and whoever holds that view is a disbeliever!! … there is no doubt about it! … But they take according to their own understanding, whatever suits them! And they leave the rest of the words! Otherwise, had they read the words from the beginning, it would have been clear!!
وكلام الشيخ محمد بن إبراهيم هو كذلك؟!
And the words of Shaykh Muḥammad ibn Ibrāhīm are likewise?!
هو كذلك! نعم! هو: من زاح الشريعة وجعل مكانها القانون فهذا دليل على أنه يرى أن القانون أحسن من الشريعة! ومن كان يرى أنّ القانون هو أحسن من الشريعة فهو كافر!
They are likewise! Yes! It is: whoever removes the Sharīʿah and puts positive law in its place, this is an indication that he considers positive law better than the Sharīʿah! And whoever holds that positive law is better than the Sharīʿah is a disbeliever!
حكام الخليج يا شيخ؟!
The rulers of the Gulf, O Shaykh?!
ما نقدر عاد … ما ندري عنهم ولا وِش يسوّون ولا وِش أحوالهم! الكلام، كلامٌ عام! أمّا الأشخاص المعيّنين فيحتاجون إلى أن نرى …
We cannot [say that] now … we do not know about them, nor what they do, nor what their circumstances are! The words are general words! As for particular individuals, they require that we examine …
فيه فرق يا شيخنا بين التعيين وبين الحكم العام؟!
Is there a difference, O our Shaykh, between designating a particular individual and the general ruling?!
… نعم!
… Yes!
وإنّما أنتم عرّفتم الحكم العام — الله يحفظكم —؟!
And you only defined the general ruling — may Allah preserve you —?!
الحكم العام! … ما فيه شك! نحن قلنا: حكّام الخليج؟!!
The general ruling! … there is no doubt about it! Did we say: the rulers of the Gulf?!!
لا! ما ذكرتم ذلك … هذا من الهوى …
No! You did not mention that … this is from [their] desire …
إي … هوى! … ثم لو كفّروا حكام الخليج، فماذا يسوّون؟؟!! … هذا إصلاح؟! تكفير حكّام الخليج … هل هو من الإصلاح؟! هذا ما هو بإصلاح!! … هذا من إثارة الفتنة!!
Yes … desire! … Then if they were to declare takfīr upon the rulers of the Gulf, what would they achieve??!! … Is this reform?! Declaring takfīr upon the rulers of the Gulf … is this from reform?! This is not reform!! … This is stirring up fitnah!!
انتهى.
End of the transcript.
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