‫الأصوُل الِّس َّتة‬

The Six Fundamentals

By Muhammad Ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab
 ‫الأصوُل الِّس َّتة‬
The Six Fundamentals
By Muhammad Ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab

In this treatise, Shaykh al-Islam Muhammad Ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab

(rahimahullah) outlines six principles/foundations which clarify
the mistakes of many deviant groups. We ask Allah to make this
of benefit!

[1] - Sincerity to Allah

[2] - Unity upon the truth
[3] - Obedience to legitimate Muslim rulers
[4] - Knowing who the real scholars are
[5] - Recognizing the true Awliya of Allah
[6] - Everyone should refute doubts according to their ability

[note]: It is highly recommended that you learn this matn (text)

either from an in-person teacher or from an explanation (from a
trusted scholar). This PDF was made with the intention of
memorization, along with understanding what is being
memorized.

Channel: @AbuDhar1
Channel: @TAWHED24
 ‫بسم الّله الرحمن الرحيم‬
‫ ِس ّتُة‬: ‫ وَأْك َب ِر الآياِت الداَّلِة َع لى ُقْد َر ِة اْلَم ِلِك اْلَغ َّل اِب‬، ‫ِم ْن َأعَج ِب الُع جاِب‬
‫ ثَّم َبعَد‬،‫ُأصوٍل َبَّيَنها الّلُه تعالى َبيانًا َو اِض ًح ا ِللَع واِّم َفوَق ما َيُظُّن الظاُّنون‬
. ‫ َو ُع َقلاِء َبني آَدَم ؛ ِإلا َأَقَّل اْلَق ِليِل‬،‫َه ذا َغ ِلَط فيها َكثيٌر ِم ن َأذِكياِء اْلَع اَلِم‬

From the most unique and greatest signs which indicate the
Absolute Power of the All-Prevalent King, are six foundations
which Allah, the Almighty, has clearly explained for the common
person to understand. Even after this has been clarified, many
of the world’s intellectuals as well as the brilliants from the
children of Adam have erred in these matters; except for a few.

‫ َوَبياُن ِض ِّد ِه‬، ‫ إْخ لاُص الِّديِن لّلِه َتعالى َو حَد ُه لا َش ريَك َلُه‬: ‫الأْص ُل الأَّو ُل‬
‫ وَك ْو ُن َأْك َثِر اْلُقرآِن ِفي ِلَب ياِن َه ذا الَأصِل ِم ْن ُو جوٍه‬،‫اَّلذي ُه و الِّش رُك ِبالّله‬
‫ ثَّم َلَّم ا صاَر َع لى َأْك َثِر الُأَّم ِة َم ا صاَر ؛‬،‫َش َّتى ِبَك لاٍم َيْف َه ُم ُه َأْبَلُد الَع اَّم ِة‬
‫َأْظَه َر َلُه ُم الَّش ْي طاُن الإ ْخ لاَص في ُص وَر ِة َتَنُق ِص الَّص اِلحيَن والَّتْقصيِر‬
. ‫ َو أْظَه َر َلُه ُم الِّش ْر َك ِبالّلِه في ُص وَر ِة َم ِح َّبِة الَّص الحيَن َو اِّتباِع ِه ْم‬، ‫ُح قوِقِه ْم‬

The First Foundation: To be sincere in religion to Allah (the

Exalted) alone without partner, along with it’s opposite which is
associating partners with Allah (shirk). The majority of the
Qur’an clarifies this foundation from variety of different angles,
with words clear enough for even the most unintelligent
common person would understand. Then when this Ummah was
affected with that which has affected many other nations,
Shaytan potrayed sincerity as degrading the righteous and not
giving them their rights, and he portrayed shirk in Allah as loving
the righteous and following them.
‫ َو َنَه َع ن الَّتَف ُّر ِق فيِه ؛ َفَب َّيَن الّله‬،‫ َأَم َر الّلهُ ِبالاْج ِتماِع في الِّدين‬:‫الأْص ُل الَّثاني‬
‫ و نََهانا نأ ْ ن َكنو َك َّلاذَ ِني َ ت فَ ّرَ قَُوا و َخا تْلَفَُوا ق بَ لَْن‬،ُ ‫اُ ه َذا ب َيناًا شفايِ ًا ت فَ هْ مَ هُ ُ لاعْ َوّما‬
‫ َو َنهاُه ْم َع ن الَّتَف ُّر ِق‬،‫ َو َذَك َر َأّنُه َأَم َر الُمْس ِلميَن ِبالاْج ِتماِع في الِّدين‬،‫َفَه َلُكوا‬
‫ ُثَّم‬، ‫ َوَيِزيُد ُه ُو ُض وًح ا ما َوَر َد ْت ِبِه الُّس َّنُة ِم َن اْلَعَج ِب اْلُع جاِب في َذ ِلَك‬، ‫فيِه‬
، ‫صاَر الَأْم ُر إلى الاْفِتراِق في ُأصوِل الِّديِن َو ُفروِعِه ُه َو اِلعْلَم َو الِف ْقَة في الِّديِن‬
! ‫َو صار الاْج ِتماُع في الِّديِن ؛ لا َيقوُلُه ِإلا ِزْنديٌق َأْو َم ْج نوٌن‬

The Second Foundation: Allah has commanded that there be

unity in the religion, and He forbade that there be division
therein. Allah explained this in a way that even the common
people would clearly understand; forbidding us to be like those
who were divided & in disagreement before us, and as a result
were destroyed.

Additionally, Allah mentioned that He commanded the Muslims

with unity in their religion and forbade division - this is clarified
even more so by the outstanding narrations in the Sunnah.
(Unfortunately), as the situation was reversed so much, that
division and disagreement in the fundamental & subsidiary
matters of the religion are seen as knowledge and understanding
in the religion, and no one brought up this obligation except that
he was seen as a zindiq (heretic) or majnun (insane).
‫ َو َلْو‬- ‫ َأَّن ِم ْن َتماِم الاْج ِتماِع الَّس ْم َع َو الَّطاَع َة َلمْن َتَأَّم َر َع َلْي نا‬: ‫الأْص ُل الَّثالُث‬
‫؛ َفَب َّيَن الّله ُ َه ذا َبياًنا شاِفًي ا كاِفًي ا ِبُو ُج وٍه ِم ْن َأْنواِع اْلَبَي اِن‬- ‫كاَن َع ْب ًدا َح َب ِش ًّيا‬
‫ َفَك ْيَف‬، ‫ ُثَّم صاَر َه ذا الَأْص ُل لاُيْع َر ُف ِع ْنَد َأْك َثِر َمْن َيَّد ِع ي اْلِع ْلَم‬،‫َش ْر ًع ا َو َقدًر ا‬
!‫اْلَعَم ُل ِبِه ؟‬
The Third Foundation: That the obligation of unity is fulfilled
with hearing & obeying the leader that has been appointed for
us, even if he was a Abyssinian slave. Allah explained this clearly
and adequately in many ways, both in terms of Shar’ (Islamic
laws in the Qur’an & Sunnah) and by way of divine decree
(qadr). As time went on, this foundation became unknown to
many of those who claim to have knowledge. So, how should it
be acted upon?

[note]: The appointed leader has to be Muslim, it cannot be an

apostate

‫ َوَبياُن َمْن َتَش َّبَه ِبِه ْم‬، ‫ َو الِف ْق ِه َو اْلُفَقهاِء‬، ‫ َبياُن اْلِع ْلِم َو اْلُع َلماِء‬: ‫الأْص ُل الَّر ابُع‬
‫ َو َقْد َبَّيَن الّله ُ َتعالى َه ذا الَأْص َل في َأَّو ِل ُس وَر ِة اْلَب َق َر ِة ِم ْن َقْو ِلِه‬، ‫َو لْي َس ِم ْنُه ْم‬
‫ ﴿ َيٰـَب ِنٓى ِإْس َٰٓرِء يَل ٱْذ ُكُر و۟ا ِنْع َم ِتَى ٱَّلِتٓى َأْنَعْم ُت َع َلْي ُكْم َو َأْو ُفو۟ا ِبَع ْه ِد ٓى‬:‫َتعالى‬
‫َٰٓرِء‬ ‫ِلِه‬ ‫ِف ِد‬
‫ ﴿ َيٰـَب ِنٓى ِإْس يَل ٱْذ ُكُر و۟ا ِنْع َم ِتَى‬: ‫ ِإلى َقْو‬،﴾ ‫ُأو ِبَع ْه ُكْم َو ِإَّيٰـَى َفٱْر َه ُبوِن‬
﴾ ‫ٱَّلِتٓى َأْنَعْم ُت َع َلْي ُكْم َو َأِّنى َفَّض ْلُتُكْم َع َلى ٱْلَعٰـَلِم يَن‬
The Fourth Foundation: The clarification of what knowledge is
and who the scholars are, to know what fiqh is and who the
fuqaha are, and a clarification about those who pretend to be
scholars, but aren’t. Allah (ta’ala) has explained this foundation
in the beginning of Surah al-Baqarah in His words: “O children of
Israel! Remember My favors upon you. Fulfill your covenant and
I will fulfill Mine, and stand in awe of Me [alone].” up until His
words: “O Children of Israel, remember My favor that I have
bestowed upon you and that I preferred you over the worlds
[i.e., peoples].” (al-Baqarah (2): 40-74) [continued]
‫َوَيزيُد ُه ُو ُض وًح ا ما َص َّر ّحْت ِبِه الُس َّنُة في َه ذا اْلَك لاِم اْلكثيِر اْلَب َّيِن اْلواِض ِح‬
‫ َو صاَر اْلِع ْلِم واْلِف ْق ُه ُه َو اْلِبَد ُع‬، ‫ ُثَّم صاَر َه ذا َأْغ َرَب الَأْش ياِء‬، ‫لْلعامِّي اْلَب ليِد‬
‫ َو صاَر اْلِع ْلُم اَّلِذ ي َفَر ُض‬، ‫ َو ِخ ياُر ما ِع ْنَد ُه ْم َلْب ُس اْلَح ِّق ِباْلباِط ِل‬، ‫والَّض لالاُت‬
‫ َو صاَر َمْن‬, ‫الّله ُ َتعالى َع لى الَخ ْلِق ِو َم َد َح ُه لا َيَتَف ِّو ُه ِبِه ِإلا ِزْنِد يٌق َأْو َم ْج نوٌن‬
. ‫َأْنَك َر ُه َو عاَد اُه َو َص َّنَف في الَّتْح ذيِر ِم ْنُه والَّنْه ِي َعْنُه ؛ ُه َو اْلَفقيَه اْلعاِلَم‬

And this foundation is clarified even more by the narrations in

the Sunnah, so the most unintelligent commoner would
understand it. Then, after awhile, this became a very strange
thing (knowing this foundation), Islamic knowledge and fiqh
(jurisprudence) were seen as innovations and misguidance. The
best of what they had was truth mixed with falsehood, no one
spoke about the knowledge which Allah praised and made
obligatory on His creation - except he who was seen as a zindiq
or insane. Furthermore, those who criticized, hated, and wrote
warnings against this knowledge were seen as a faqih (jurist) and
an ‘Alim (scholar).
‫ َو َتْفريُق ُه َبْي َنُه ْم َو بْي َن‬،‫ ِبياُن الّله ِ ُس ْب حاَنُه لَأْو ِلياِء الّله‬: ‫الأْص ُل اْلخاِم ُس‬
‫ آَيٌة في‬:‫ َو ْكفي في َه ذا‬،‫اْلُم َتَش ِّبِه يَن ِبِه ْم ِم ْن َأْع داِء الّله ِ اْلُم ناِفقيَن واْلُف َّج اِر‬
‫ ﴿ ُقْل ِإن ُكنُتْم ُتِح ُّبوَن ٱلَّلَه َفٱَّتِبُع وِنى‬:‫ُس وَر ِة آِل ِع ْم راَن ؛ َو ِه َي َقْو ُلُه َتَع الى‬
‫ ﴿ َيٰٓـَأُّيَه ا ٱَّلِذ يَن‬:‫ َو آَيٌة في سوَر ِة الماِئَد ِة؛ َو ِه َي َقْو ُلُه َتَع الى‬،﴾ ‫ُيْح ِبْب ُكُم ٱلَّلُه‬
﴾ ‫َءاَم ُنو۟ا َم ن َيْر َتَّد ِم نُكْم َع ن ِد يِنِه ۦ َفَس ْو َف َيْأِتى ٱلَّلُه ِبَق ْو ٍۢم ُيِح ُّبُه ْم َوُيِح ُّبوَنُه ٓۥ‬

The Fifth Foundation: Allah’s (subhanahu) clarification of who His

Awliya’ (friends) are, how He differentiates between them, and
the munafiqin (hypocrites), fujjar (sinners), and others from the
enemies of Allah attempt to resemble them. An Ayah in Surah Aal
‘Imran is sufficient to clarify this matter, and it His (ta’ala) saying:
“Say, [O Muhammad] ’If you [sincerely] love Allah, then follow
me; Allah will love you..’” (3:31), and another Ayah in Surah al-
Ma’idah, and that is His (ta’ala) statement: “O believers! Whoever
among you abandons their faith, Allah will replace them with
others who love Him and are loved by Him” (5:54).

‫ ﴿ َأَلآ ِإَّن َأْو ِلَي آَء ٱلَّلِه َلا َخ ْو ٌف َع َلْي ِه ْم َو َلا‬:‫َو آَيٌة في ُيوُنَس ؛ َو ِه َي َقْو ُلُه َتعالى‬
‫ُه ْم َيْح َز ُنوَن * ٱَّلِذ يَن َءاَم ُنو۟ا َو َك اُنو۟ا َيَّتُقوَن ﴾ ُثَّم صاَر الَأْم ُر ِع ْنَد َأْك َثِر َمْن‬
:‫ وَأَّنُه ِم ْن ُه داِة الَخ ْلِق َوُح َّفاِظ الَّش ْرِع ِإلى‬، ‫َيَّدعي اْلِع ْلَم‬

And, another Ayah in Surah Yunus, and it is the saying of Allah

(ta’ala): “There will certainly be no fear for the close servants of
Allah, nor will they grieve.” (10:62). Then the situation changed,
so much so that many claimed to have knowledge, that they
were guides for the creation, and protectors of the Shar’ - (they
claimed) that:

[continued]
 ‫ َوَمْن َتِبَع ُه ْم ِفِلْي َس ِم ْنُه ْم ! َو لا‬، ‫َأَّن الَأْو ِلياَء لا ُبَّد ِفيِه ْم ِم ْن َتْر ِك اِّتباِع الُّرُس ِل‬
‫ َفَمْن جاَه َد َفَلْي َس ِم ْنُه ْم ! َو لا ُبَّد ِم ْن َتْر ِك الِإ يماِن‬، ‫ُبَّد ِم ْن َتْر ِك اْلِج هاِد‬
‫ َفَمْن َتَع َّه َد ِبالإ يماِن َو الَّتْق وى َفَلْي َس ِم ْنُه ْم ! يا رَّبنا! َنْس َأُلَك اْلَع ْف َو‬،‫والَّتْق َو ى‬
‫واْلعاِفَي َة ؛ ِإَّنَك َس ميُع الُّدعاِء‬
(...) that it was necessary for the Awliya to leave following the
Messengers, and whoever follows the messengers isn’t from
them! And that it is necessary to leave Jihad, and whoever
makes Jihad isn’t from them (the Awliya)! And that it is
necessary to leave Iman & taqwa, and whoever adheres to Iman
& taqwa is not from them! Our Lord! We ask you for forgiveness
and wellness, indeed You hear all Du’a!

،‫ رُّد الُّش ْب َه ِة اَّلِتي َو َض َع ها الَّش ْي طاُن في َتْر ِك اْلُق ْر آِن َو الُّس َّنِة‬: ‫الأْص ُل الَّس اِد ُس‬
‫ َأَّن اْلُق ْر آَن والُّس َّنَة لا َيْع ِرُفُه ما‬: ‫َو اَّتباِع الآراِء َو الَأْه واِء الُم َتَف ِّرَقِة الُم خَتِلَف ِة؛ َو ِه َي‬
‫ َأْو صاًفا َلَع َّلها لا ُتوَج ُد‬- ‫ َو ُه َو اْلَمْو ُص وف ِبَك ذا َو َكذا‬، ‫ِإلا اْلُم ْج َتِه ُد الُم ْط ِلُق‬
‫ َفِإْن َلْم َيُكوِن الِإ ْنساُن َك َذ ِلَك ؛ َفْلُيْع ِرُض َعْنُه ما‬،- ! ‫َتاَّم ًة في َأبي َبْك ٍر َو ُع َم َر‬
‫ ِإّما‬: ‫ َوَمْن َطَلَب اْلُه َدى ِم ْنُه ما؛ َفُه َو‬،- ! ‫َفْر ًض ا حتًم ا ـ لا َش َّك َو لا ِإْش كاَل ِفيِه‬
!‫ لَأْج ِل ُص ُع وَبِة َفْه ِم ِه ما‬- ‫ َو ِإَّم ا َم ْج نوٌن‬، ‫ِزْنديٌق‬
The Sixth Foundation: A refutation of the doubt fabricated by
Shaytan in order to encourage leaving the Qur’an and Sunnah,
justifying following differing opinions and desires. And the doubt
is: that only a mujtahid mutlaq (an extremely knowledge jurist in
all sciences) has the ability to understand the Qur’an & Sunnah,
and to whom they give attributes that Abu Bakr and Umar may
have not completed had! And so, if a person doesn’t have these
qualities (i.e. isn’t a mujtahid), then he should turn away from
them (Qur’an & Sunnah) by certain obligation, with no doubt or
difficulty. And whoever sought guidance from them, then he is a
zindiq or insane due to the difficultly in understanding them.
 - ‫ َخ ْلًقا َو َأْم ًر ا‬،‫ َش ْر ًع ا َو َقَد ًر ا‬- ‫َفُس ْب حاَن الّله ِ َو ِبَح ْم ِدِه! َكم َبَّيَن الّله ُ ُس ْب حاَنُه‬
‫في َر ِّد َه ِذِه الّش ْب َه ِة الَم ْلُع وَنِة ِم ْن ُو جوٍه َش َّتى َبَلَغ ْت ِإلى َح َّد الَّض ُر وِرَّياِت‬
SubhanAllah wa bihamdi! How much has Allah explained, both
،‫اْلَع اَّم ِة‬
legislatively (in the shar’), by the Qadr (divine decree), and both
in the Creation and in His command - in refuting this cursed
doubt, from a variety of different angles that have become
general necessities (in knowledge).

‫ ﴿ ِإَّنا َج َع ْلَنا ِفٓى َأْع َنٰـِق ِه ْم َأْغَلٰـًۭل ا َفِه َى ِإَلى ٱْل َأْذ َقاِن‬: ‫َو َلِكَّن َأْك َثَر الَّناِس لا َيعَلُم وَن‬
‫َفُه م ُّم ْق َمُح وَن * َوَج َع ْلَنا ِم ۢن َبْي ِن َأْيِد يِه ْم َس ًّۭد ا َو ِم ْن َخ ْلِف ِه ْم َس ًّۭد ا َفَأْغ َش ْي َنٰـُه ْم‬
‫َفُه ْم َلا ُيْب ِص ُر وَن * َو َس َو آٌء َع َلْي ِه ْم َءَأنَذ ْر َتُه ْم َأْم َلْم ُتنِذ ْر ُه ْم َلا ُيْؤ ِم ُنوَن * ِإَّنَم ا ُتنِذ ُر‬
﴾ ‫َم ِن ٱَّتَب َع ٱلِّذ ْك َر َو َخ ِش َى ٱلَّر ْح َمٰـَن ِبٱْلَغ ْي ِب ۖ َفَب ِّش ْر ُه ِبَم ْغ ِف َر ٍۢة َو َأْج ٍۢر َكِريٍم‬

But most of mankind do not know: “[It is as if] We have put

shackles around their necks up to their chins, so their heads are
forced up, and have placed a barrier before them and a barrier
behind them and covered them [all] up, so they fail to see [the
truth]. It is the same whether you warn them or not—they will
never believe. You can only warn those who follow the Reminder
and are in awe of the Most Compassionate without seeing Him.
So give them good news of forgiveness and an honorable
reward.” (36:8-11)

‫ َو َع لى‬، ‫ َو َص َّلى الّلهُ َع لى َس ِّيِد نا ُمَح َّم ٍد‬، ‫آِخ ُر ُه َو اْلَح ْم ُد لّلهِ رِّب اْلعاَلميَن‬
.‫آِلِه َو َص ْح ِبِه َو َس َّلَم َتْس ليًم ا َكثيًر ا ِإلى َيْو م الَّدين‬
With that, we conclude it (the treatise), and all praise is for Allah
the Lord of all existence, and may abundant peace and blessings
be on our master Muhammad, his family, and companions until
the day of judgement
Channel: @AbuDhar1
Channel: @TAWHED24