Ibn Taymiyyah the Salafee

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Shaykh Muhammad Amaan al-Jaamee said:

Moreover, this treatise that we are dealing with, was explained by an Azharee Salafee scholar, a scholar who graduated from al-Azhar [University] having specialised in philosophy and rationale, and he was hostile towards Shaykh al-Islaam [Ibn Taymiyyah] as ‘Umar [ibn al-Khattaab] رضي الله عنه was hostile to Islaam in the beginning.

Shaykh Muhammad Khaleel Harraas – who explained this treatise – was hostile towards Ibn Taymiyyah for what he heard that he was vehemently opposed to philosophy [الفلسفة] and logic [المنطق], and Muhammad Khaleel Harraas was an expert in philosophy [الفلسفة] and logic [المنطق]. Because of that – as some of the people had suggested – he wanted to write a doctoral thesis in refutation of Shaykh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah who opposed philosophy [الفلسفة], logic [المنطق] and speculative theology [علم الكلام].

And Shaykh Muhammad Khaleel Harraas said – [note] he was our teacher, and narrated this story to us himself in person – he said he gathered whatever he was able to lay his hands on of the books of Shaykh al-Islaam in Cairo, so he could study them, and Thereafter refute Shaykh al-Islaam.

So he spent about 3 months studying these books, and Shaykh Muhammad Khaleel Harraas – who explained [the treatise of] al-Waasitiyyah – he said that after he studied what he was able to of the books of Shaykh al-Islaam during this period, it became apparent to him that he had not [correctly] understood Islaam until after he had studied these books [of Ibn Taymiyyah].

That long life (b.1916 – d.1975), having studied a lot – starting from primary level, then middle school, then high school, and then university – until he reached the level of writing a doctoral thesis (1952) – [only then] it became apparent to him that he had not understood Islaam with the correct understanding before studying these books [of Ibn Taymiyyah].

Like this Allaah, guided a man who wanted to wage war against Shaykh al-Islaam [with the pen], and [instead] he [ended up] writing his doctoral thesis with the title “Ibn Taymiyyah the Salafee”. This is the title of his thesis after Allaah blessed him with guidance; this is Muhammad Khaleel Harraas who explained [this treatise of] al-‘Aqeedah al-Waasitiyyah.


Translation originally published on 12 September, 2022.

Graduate of the Islaamic University of Madeenah, having completed the Arabic Language programme at the Institute of Arabic Language before progressing to the Faculty of Sharee'ah, from which he graduated in 2004. He currently resides in Birmingham, UK.