‫ﺍﻟﻘﻮﺍﻋﺪ ﺍﻷﺭﺑﻊ‬

Al-Qawā’id Al-Arba’
“The Four Principles”

By

Shaykh Al-Islām Muhammad ibn ‘Abdul-Wahhāb

May Allāh show him mercy.

Al-Aqeedah
 The Four Principles

The Four Principles

Shaykh Al-Islam Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhāb – rahimahullāhu ta’ālā – said:

‫أسأل هللا اﻟكرمي رب اﻟعرش اﻟعظيم أن يتﻮالك يف اﻟﺪنيا واآلخرة وأن جيعلك مباركاً أينما كنت وأن جيعلك ممن إذا أﻋطى‬
. ‫شكر وإذا اﺑتلى صرب وإذا أذنب استغفر فإن هؤالء اﻟثالث ﻋنﻮان اﻟسعادة‬

I ask Allāh, the Most Generous, Lord of the Great Throne to befriend you in this world and
the hereafter, and to make you blessed wherever you may be. And (I ask) that He make you
from those who when they are given, are thankful; when they are tested, are patient; and
when they sin, seek forgiveness (from Allāh). For indeed these three characteristics are the
true signs of happiness.

‫اﻋلم أرشﺪك هللا ﻟطاﻋته أن احلنيفية ملة إﺑراهيم أن تعبﺪ هللا وحﺪه خملصاً ﻟه اﻟﺪين كما قال تعاىل‬

Know - may Allāh guide you to His obedience - that the hanifiyyah, the religion of Ibrāhīm
is that you worship Allāh alone, making the religion sincere for only Him, as He – the
Exalted – said:

ِ ‫اﻷنْس إَِّال ﻟِي عب ُﺪ‬

‫ون‬ ِ ِْ ‫وما خلَ ْﻘت‬
ُ ْ َ َ ْ ‫اْل َّن َو‬ ُ َ ََ
“And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.” (Adh-Dhāriyāt 51:56)

‫فإذا ﻋرفت أن هللا خلﻘك ﻟعبادته فاﻋلم أن اﻟعبادة ال تسمى ﻋبادة إال مﻊ اﻟتﻮحيﺪ كما أن اﻟصالة ال تسمى صالة إال مﻊ‬
‫اﻟطهارة فإذا دخل اﻟشرك يف اﻟعبادة فسﺪت كاحلﺪث إذا دخل يف اﻟطهارة فإذا ﻋرفت أن اﻟشرك إذا خاﻟط اﻟعبادة أفسﺪها‬
‫وأحبط اﻟعمل وصار صاحبه من اخلاﻟﺪين يف اﻟنار ﻋرفت أن أهم ما ﻋليك معرفة ذﻟك ﻟعل هللا أن خيلصك من هذه اﻟشبكة‬
‫وهي اﻟشرك ابهلل اﻟذي قال هللا تعاىل فيه‬

So when you have learned that Allāh created you in order to worship Him, then know that
worship is not called worship unless it is accompanied by Tawhīd, just as prayer is not
called prayer unless it is accompanied by (ritual) purity. So if shirk (associating partners with
Allāh in worship) enters into one’s worship, it ruins it, just like ritual impurity when it enters
into (ritual) purity. So when you have learned that shirk – when mixed into one’s worship –
spoils it, invalidates one’s actions, and makes the person who commits it into one who will

2
 The Four Principles

reside eternally in the Hellfire, you will know that the most important thing that is binding
upon you is to gain knowledge of that, so that perhaps Allāh may absolve you from this
trap, which is associating partners with Allāh (i.e., shirk) about which Allāh said:

ِ ِ‫اَّلل ال ي ْغ ِفر أَ ْن ي ْشرَك ﺑِِه وي ْغ ِفر ما دو َن ذَﻟ‬

ُ‫ك ﻟ َم ْن يَ َشاء‬
َ ُ َ ُ َ َ َ ُ ُ َ ََّ ‫إِ َّن‬
“Verily, Allāh does not forgive that partners are associated with Him in worship, but He
forgives what is less than that to whom He wills.” (An-Nisā 4:116)

: ‫وذﻟك مبعرفة أرﺑﻊ قﻮاﻋﺪ ذكرها هللا تعاىل يف كتاﺑه‬

This can be achieved by knowing Four Principles that Allāh has mentioned in His Book.

‫ أن تعلم أن اﻟكفار اﻟذين قاتلهم رسﻮل هللا صلى هللا ﻋليه وسلم مﻘرون أبن هللا تعاىل هﻮ اخلاﻟق املﺪﺑر وأن ذﻟك‬: ‫األوىل‬
‫مل يﺪخلهم يف اإلسالم واﻟﺪﻟيل قﻮﻟه تعاىل‬

The first: That you know that the disbelievers whom the Messenger of Allāh (sallallaahu
alayhi wa sallam) fought against agreed that Allāh was the Creator and the Arranger of the
affairs. But this (belief) did not cause them to enter into the fold of Islam. The proof for this
is His – the Exalted - saying:

‫ت ِم َن‬
َ ِ‫ِج اﻟْ َمي‬
ِ ِ ِ ْ ‫اﻟسمﻊ و ْاﻷَﺑصار ومن ُخيْرِج‬
ُ ‫احلَ َّي م َن اﻟْ َميت َوُخيْر‬ ُ ْ َ َ َ َ ْ َ َ ْ َّ ‫ك‬
ِ
ُ ‫ض أ ََّم ْن َيَْل‬ِ ‫اﻟس َم ِاء َو ْاﻷ َْر‬
َّ ‫قُ ْل َم ْن يَ ْرُزقُ ُك ْم ِم َن‬
َّ ‫احلَ ِي َوَم ْن يُ َﺪﺑُِر ْاﻷ َْمَر فَ َسيَ ُﻘﻮﻟُﻮ َن‬
‫اَّللُ فَ ُﻘ ْل أَفَال تَتَّ ُﻘﻮ َن‬ ْ

“Say: ‘Who provides for you from the heaven and the earth, or who owns the hearing
and the sight? And who brings out the living from the dead and brings out the dead
from the living? And who arranges the affairs?’ They will surely say: ‘Allāh!’ Say: ‘Will
you then not be dutiful to Him?’" (Yūnus 10:31)

‫ أهنم يﻘﻮﻟﻮن ما دﻋﻮانهم وتﻮجهنا إﻟيهم إال ﻟطلب اﻟﻘرﺑة واﻟشفاﻋة فﺪﻟيل اﻟﻘرﺑة قﻮﻟه تعاىل‬: ‫الثانية‬

The second: They (i.e., the disbelievers) said: We did not invoke them nor turn towards
them except to seek nearness (to Allāh) and (their) intercession. The proof for their seeking
nearness (to Allāh) is His – the Exalted – saying:

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 The Four Principles

‫اَّللَ ََْ ُك ُم ﺑَْي نَ ُه ْم ِيف َما ُه ْم فِ ِيه َخيْتَلِ ُفﻮ َن‬ ِ

َّ ‫اَّللِ ُزﻟْ َفى إِ َّن‬ َ ُ‫ين َّاَّتَ ُذوا ِم ْن ُدونِِه أ َْوﻟيَاءَ َما نَ ْعبُ ُﺪ ُه ْم إَِّال ﻟِيُ َﻘ ِرﺑ‬
َّ ‫ﻮان إِ َىل‬ ِ َّ
َ ‫َواﻟذ‬
‫َّار‬ ِ ِ َّ ‫إِ َّن‬
ٌ ‫ب َكف‬ ٌ ‫اَّللَ ال يَ ْهﺪي َم ْن ُه َﻮ َكاذ‬
“And those who take protectors besides Him (say): ‘We don’t worship them except to
bring us closer to Allāh.’ Verily Allāh will judge between them concerning that which
they differ in. Verily, Allāh does not guide he who is a liar and a disbeliever.” (Az-Zumar
39:3)

‫ودﻟيل اﻟشفاﻋة قﻮﻟه تعاىل‬

The proof for their seeking intercession is His – the Exalted - saying:

‫اَّلل‬ ِ ‫اَّللِ ما ال يضُّرهم وال ي ْن َفعهم وي ُﻘﻮﻟُﻮ َن هؤ‬

َّ ‫الء ُش َف َع ُاؤ َان ِﻋْن َﺪ‬ ِ ِ
َُ َ َ ْ ُ ُ َ َ ْ ُ ُ َ َ َّ ‫َويَ ْعبُ ُﺪو َن م ْن ُدون‬
“And they worship besides Allāh things that harm them not nor benefit them. And they
say: ‘These are our intercessors besides Allāh.’" (Yūnus 10:18)

‫ شفاﻋة منفية وشفاﻋة مثبتة فاﻟشفاﻋة املنفية ما كانت تطلب من غري هللا فيما ال يﻘﺪر ﻋليه إال هللا‬: ‫اﻟشفاﻋة شفاﻋتان‬
‫واﻟﺪﻟيل قﻮﻟه تعاىل‬

Intercession is of two types: An intercession that is negated and an intercession that is

affirmed. The negated intercession is that which is sought from someone other than Allāh
in matters that no one has the ability to carry out except Allāh. The proof for this is His – the
Exalted – saying:

‫اﻋةٌ َواﻟْ َكافُِرو َن ُه ُم‬ ِِ ِ ِ ِ ِ َّ

َ ‫ين َآمنُﻮا أَنْف ُﻘﻮا ممَّا َرَزقْ نَا ُك ْم م ْن قَ ْب ِل أَ ْن ََيِِْتَ يَ ْﻮٌم ال ﺑَْي ٌﻊ فيه َوال ُخلَّةٌ َوال َش َف‬
َ ‫ََي أَيُّ َها اﻟذ‬
‫اﻟظَّاﻟِ ُمﻮ َن‬

“O you who believe! Spend of that which We have provided for you, before a Day comes
when there will be no bargaining nor friendship nor intercession. And it is the
disbelievers who are the wrong-doers.” (Al-Baqarah 2:254)

‫واﻟشفاﻋة املثبتة هي اﻟيت تطلب من هللا واﻟشافﻊ مكرم ابﻟشفاﻋة واملشفﻮع ﻟه من رضي هللا قﻮﻟه وﻋمله ﺑعﺪ اإلذن كما قال‬
‫تعاىل‬

4
 The Four Principles

The affirmed intercession is that which is sought from Allāh. The intercessor is one who is
granted the honor of being able to intercede (by Allāh), while the one who is interceded for
is the one whom Allāh is pleased with his statements and actions. (All of these occur) after
Allāh’s permission is granted, as the Exalted said:

‫َم ْن َذا اﻟَّ ِذي يَ ْش َف ُﻊ ِﻋْن َﺪهُ إَِّال ِبِِ ْذنِِه‬

“Who is it that will intercede in His presence except with His permission.” (al-Baqarah
2:255)

‫ أن اﻟنيب صلى هللا ﻋليه وسلم ظهر ﻋلى أانس متفرقني يف ﻋبادهتم منهم من ﻋبﺪ املالئكة ومنهم يعبﺪ اﻷنبياء‬: ‫الثالثة‬
‫واﻟصاحلني ومنهم من يعبﺪ اﻷشجار واﻷحجار ومنهم من يعبﺪ اﻟشمس واﻟﻘمر وقاتلهم رسﻮل هللا صلى هللا ﻋليه وسلم ومل‬
‫يفرق ﺑينهم واﻟﺪﻟيل قﻮﻟه تعاىل‬

The third: That the Messenger of Allāh (sallAllāhu alayhi wa sallam) emerged among a people
that differed from one another in their worship. Among them were those who worshipped
the angels. And among them were those who worshipped the prophets and righteous
people. And among them were those who worshipped trees and stones. And among them
were those who worshipped the sun and the moon. However, the Messenger of Allāh
(sallAllāhu alayhi wa sallam) fought against (all of) them and did not differentiate between
any of them. The proof for this is His - the Exalted - statement:

ِ
ِ‫اﻟﺪين ُكلُّه ََِّّلل‬ ِ ِ
ُ ُ ‫ﻮه ْم َح ََّّت ال تَ ُكﻮ َن فْت نَةٌ َويَ ُكﻮ َن‬
ُ ُ‫َوقَاتل‬
“And fight against them until there is no more fitnah (shirk) and the religion is all purely
for Allāh alone.” (Al-Anfal 8:39)

‫ودﻟيل اﻟشمس واﻟﻘمر قﻮﻟه تعاىل‬

The proof of (them worshipping) the sun and the moon is His – the Exalted - saying:

‫اس ُج ُﺪوا ََِّّللِ اﻟَّ ِذي َخلَ َﻘ ُه َّن إِ ْن ُكْن تُ ْم‬ ِ ِ ‫وِمن آَيتِِه اﻟلَّيل واﻟنَّهار واﻟشَّمس واﻟْ َﻘمر ال تَسج ُﺪوا ﻟِلشَّم‬
ْ ‫س َوال ﻟ ْل َﻘ َم ِر َو‬ ْ ُ ْ َُ َ ُ ْ َ ُ َ َ ُ ْ َ ْ َ
‫إِ ََّيهُ تَ ْعبُ ُﺪو َن‬

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 The Four Principles

“And among His signs are the night and the day and the sun and the moon. Do not
prostrate to the sun or the moon, but rather prostrate to Allāh who created them, if it is
truly He whom you worship.” (Fussilat 41:37)

‫ودﻟيل املالئكة قﻮﻟه تعاىل‬

The proof of (them worshipping) the angels is His – the Exalted - saying:

ِ ِ
َ ِ‫َوال ََيْ ُمَرُك ْم أَ ْن تَتَّخ ُذوا اﻟْ َمالئ َكةَ َواﻟنَّبِي‬
ً‫ني أ َْرَاباب‬
“And nor did he order you to take the angels and prophets as lords (besides Allāh).” (Āli
’Īmran 3:80)

‫ودﻟيل اﻷنبياء قﻮﻟه تعاىل‬

The proof of (them worshipping) the prophets is His – the Exalted - saying:

َِّ ‫ون‬ ِ ‫ني ِمن د‬ ِ ِ ِ ‫اَّلل َي ِﻋيسى اﺑن مرَمي أَأَنْت قُ ْلت ﻟِلن‬
‫ك َما يَ ُكﻮ ُن‬َ َ‫اَّلل قَ َال ُسْب ََان‬ ُ ْ ِ َْ‫َّاس َّاَّت ُذ ِوِن َوأُم َي إِ ََل‬ َ َ َ ْ َ َ ْ َ َ َُّ ‫َوإِ ْذ قَ َال‬
ِ
‫ت‬ َ ‫ك إِن‬
َ ْ‫َّك أَن‬ َ ‫ت قُ ْلتُهُ فَ َﻘ ْﺪ َﻋل ْمتَهُ تَ ْعلَ ُم َما ِيف نَ ْف ِسي َوال أ َْﻋلَ ُم َما ِيف نَ ْف ِس‬ ِ
ُ ‫س ِِل ِبَ ٍّق إِ ْن ُكْن‬ َ ُ‫ِِل أَ ْن أَق‬
َ ‫ﻮل َما ﻟَْي‬
‫ﻮب‬ِ ‫َﻋ َّالم اﻟْغُي‬
ُ ُ
“And when Allāh will say: ‘O ‘Īsa, son of Maryam! Did you tell the people: Take me and
my mother as gods besides Allāh?’ He (i.e. ‘Īsa) will say: ‘Glory be to You, it is not for me
to say what I have no right to say. Had I said such a thing, You would have surely known
it. You know what is in my inner self yet I do not know what is in Your self. Verily, You
re the All-Knower of the Unseen.’" (Al-Māidah 5:116)

‫دﻟيل اﻟصاحلني قﻮﻟه تعاىل‬

The proof of (them worshipping) the righteous people is His – the Exalted - saying:

ِ ِِ ِ َّ ِ‫أُوﻟَئ‬
‫اب‬ ُ ‫ين يَ ْﺪﻋُﻮ َن يَْب تَ غُﻮ َن إِ َىل َرّب ُم اﻟْ َﻮسيلَةَ أَيُّ ُه ْم أَقْ َر‬
َ ‫ب َويَ ْر ُجﻮ َن َر ْْحَتَهُ َوَخيَافُﻮ َن َﻋ َذ‬ َ ‫ك اﻟذ‬ َ
“Those whom they invoke (besides Allāh), they themselves seek the means of access to
their Lord as to which of them will be the nearest (to Him). And they hope for His Mercy
and fear His Torment.” (Al-Isrā 17:57)

6
 The Four Principles

‫ودﻟيل اﻷشجار واﻷحجار قﻮﻟه تعاىل‬

The proof of (them worshipping) trees and stones is Allāh’s saying:

‫ُخَرى‬ ِ َّ ‫أَفَ َرأَيْتُ ُم‬

ْ ‫) َوَمنَا َة اﻟثَّاﻟثَةَ ْاﻷ‬19( ‫ت َواﻟْعَُّزى‬
َ ‫اﻟال‬
“Have you then considered Al-Lāt and Al-‘Uzzā, and Manāt, the third other?” (An-Najm
53:19-20)

‫وحﺪيث أيب واقﺪ اﻟليثي رضي هللا ﻋنه قال " خرجنا مﻊ اﻟنيب صلى هللا ﻋليه وسلم إِل حنني وحنن حﺪاثء ﻋهﺪ ﺑكفر‬
‫وﻟلمشركني سﺪرة يعكفﻮن ﻋنﺪها وينﻮطﻮن ّبا أسلَتهم يﻘال َلا ذات أنﻮاط فمرران ﺑسﺪرة فﻘلنا َي رسﻮل هللا اجعل ﻟنا‬
. ‫ذات أنﻮاط كما َلم ذات أنﻮاط احلﺪيث‬

And also the hadīth of Abu Wāqid al-Laythī (radiAllāhu ‘anhu) who said: “We went out with
the Prophet (sallAllāhu alayhi wa sallam) to (the battle of) Hunayn, and we had just
recently come out of kufr (disbelief). The mushrikūn (polytheists) used to have a lote-tree,
which they would organize by and hang their swords on (seeking blessings from it); it was
called Dhātu Anwāt. So we passed by a lote-tree and said: ‘O Messenger of Allāh! Make for
us a Dhātu Anwāt, just as they have a Dhātu Anwāt?’" until the end of the hadīth.

‫ أن مشركي زماننا أغلظ شركاً من اﻷوﻟني ﻷن اﻷوﻟني يشركﻮن يف اﻟرخاء وخيلصﻮن يف اﻟشﺪة ومشركﻮ زماننا شركهم‬: ‫الرابعة‬
‫دائماً يف اﻟرخاء واﻟشﺪة واﻟﺪﻟيل قﻮﻟه تعاىل‬

The fourth: That the polytheists in our era are more severe in their (committing of) shirk
than the first polytheists (during the Prophet’s time). This was since the first polytheists
used to associate partners with Allāh at times of ease and worship Him sincerely during
times of hardship. However, the polytheists in our era constantly commit shirk in times of
ease as well as in times of hardship. The proof for this is His – the Exalted - saying:

‫اه ْم إِ َىل اﻟَِْرب إِ َذا ُه ْم يُ ْش ِرُكﻮن‬ ِ ِ ِ َّ ‫ك دﻋﻮا‬ ِ ِ ِ ِ

ُ ََّ‫ين فَلَ َّما َن‬
َ ‫ني ﻟَهُ اﻟﺪ‬
َ ‫اَّللَ خمُْلص‬ ُ َ َ ‫فَإ َذا َركبُﻮا يف اﻟْ ُف ْل‬
“And when they embark on a ship, they invoke Allāh making their religion (worship)
purely for Him alone. But when He brings them safely to land, they commit shirk.” (Al-
’Ankabūt 29:65)

7
 The Four Principles

‫متت وصلى هللا ﻋلى حممﺪ وآﻟه وصَبه وسلم‬

This completes the treatise. May the peace and blessings of Allāh be on Muhammad, his
family and companions.