But if they will not comply, then they are to be prevented from giving lectures, seminars, khuṭbahs, public lessons, and from making cassettes – in order to protect the society from their errors. May Allāh guide them both, and direct them to right conduct.

<<<In the name of Allāh, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Daarul-Iftaa

General Secretariat for the Committee of Major Scholars

No. 951/2

Dated: 3/4/1414 H

Addenda: 18 + a copy of a book

Secret

From: ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz Ibn ʿAbdullāh Ibn Bāz

To the respected royal highness, the distinguished prince: Nāyif ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz – the Minister of the Interior – may Allāh grant him success in attaining what is correct.

Salāmun ʿAlaykum wa raḥmatullāhi wa barakātuhu.

To Proceed

Then I refer to the letter of your noble highness, numbered (M.B. 4/192/M.S.) – dated 21-22/3/1414 H. containing the directions from the servant of the two noble Harams – may Allāh preserve him – that the transgressions of Safar ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Ḥawālī and Salmān ibn Fahd al-Awdah – that occurred in some lectures and lessons are to be presented before the Sitting of the Committee of Major Scholars in its forty-first session – held in at-Tāif, beginning on the 18/3/1414H amongst its agenda.

So I inform your highness that the Sitting of the Committee of Major Scholars saw the aforementioned letter of your highness, along with its addenda: abridgment of some gatherings and lessons given by the two aforementioned [i.e. Safar and Salmān], beginning from the start of Muḥarram 1414H, and a copy of the book of Safar al-Ḥawālī “Wa’du Kissinger”; and it discussed the topic from all its angles. It also examined some of the cassettes of the two of them.

So after studying and discussing this, the Committee held – by total agreement – that: “The two aforementioned are to be faced with their errors that were presented before the Committee – along with other errors forwarded by the Government, and in which two of the people of knowledge are to participate – to be chosen by his excellency the Minister for Islamic Affairs, Awqāf, daʿwah and Irshād.

So if the two of them excuse themselves from their transgressions and agree to comply with not returning to any of them, nor to the like of them, then all praise is for Allāh, and that is sufficient.But if they will not comply, then they are to be prevented from giving lectures, seminars, khuṭbahs, public lessons, and from making cassettes- in order to protect the society from their errors: may Allāh guide them both, and direct them both to right conduct.”

So if the two of them excuse themselves from their transgressions and agree to comply with not returning to any of them, nor to the like of them, then all praise is for Allāh, and that is sufficient.But if they will not comply, then they are to be prevented from giving lectures, seminars, khuṭbahs, public lessons, and from making cassettes- in order to protect the society from their errors: may Allāh guide them both, and direct them both to right conduct.”

So the Committee has requested that I inform your highness about this view – and along with it I return to your excellence your aforementioned letter, along with its addenda.

And I ask Allāh that He guides and grants the servant of the two noble Harams and your excellency to that which He loves and is pleased with, and that He helps all upon what is good. Indeed, He is the One who hears and is near.

wa—al-salāmu ʿalaykum wa raḥmatullāhi wa barakātuhu..

General Mufti of the Kingdom of Saudi al-ʿArabīa and the head of the Committee of Major Scholars and the General Secretariat for the scholarly research and rulings.

SEAL >>> end.

The Suroorees claim that Shaykh Ibn Bāz was a supporter of the activities and efforts of Safar al-Ḥawālī and Salmān al-Awdah…. They bring in support of their arguments old sayings of the scholars like Ibn Bāz and al-Albānī before the deviation of Safar and Salmān became apparent… This would be fine had not Ibn Bāz and al-Albānī not realized the errors of Safar and Salmān and spoken out against them. In short, when Safar and Salmān were talking from the way of the Salaf, the Scholars praised them but when they went against the way of the Salaf then the Scholars refuted them….

And when I mentioned in a previous mail that it was Ibn Bāz (and the major scholars) who gave the fatwá́ for them being detained from giving daʿwah, circles etc., I received emails from many supporters of Safar and Salmān denying this fatwá́ and even putting on the net conflicting fatāwá from the major scholars… So before I continue, I want the brothers and sisters to realise that the scholars are researchers always searching for the truth and when the truth becomes apparent to them, they correct their previous positions – as was the way of the Imāms of the Salaf…

So here we have the first of a series of decisive proofs against the Suroorees and their lies upon the Scholars of the Sunnah – The noble scholar and mufti Ibn Bāz position was and is clear.

And as we know and keep being told by the Surooree brothers (Jimas, IANA, Muntadah etc) that Salmān and Safar have been repeatedly offered to be released under the condition that they conform and they both continually refuse. These Suroorees even distributed a letter from ‘Behind the Bars’ by Salmān al-Awdah where he refuses to change his erroneous and misguided position. So Shaykh Ibn Bāz’s fatwá stands.

So we advise that the conferences, gatherings and sittings of the Suroorees such as Jimas, IANA, Muntadah be avoided as they are not from the people of Sunnah but rather they are people of desires.

Since the death of the noble Shaykh Ibn Bāz (rahimuhullāh), many have claimed to love him and support him and his manhaj… But as it is said: “Everyone claims to be a lover of Laylah, but Laylah devotes herself to none.”

And if they are truly claiming that they will take the fatāwá of Ibn Bāz upon Safar and Salmān, then take this one…

Wassallām ʿalaykum