Important Points

In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate

May Allah bless our master, Muhammad, and his family and Companions and grant them peace.

So speaks the poor slave in need of the mercy of his Lord, ‘Uthman ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Uthman ibn Salih, known as Ibn Fudi. May Allah cover him with His mercy – Amen!

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, and may the best of blessings and most complete peace be upon our master Muhammad and all his family and Companions. May Allah be pleased with the Followers, the practicing ‘ulama’ and the four Imams of ijtihad and those who follow them until the Day of Requital.

To proceed, these are important points which must be acknowledged by the people of the Sudan and all those brothers who live in all the regions and lands of the earth similar to the Sudan.

Point 1: Clarification of the fact that the deen is based on making things clear. Anyone who follows his own opinion does not follow the Prophet who brought the Shari’a.

Point 2: Clarification of the fact that the Muslims are not permitted to remain leaderless without giving allegiance to an amir.

Point 3: Clarification of the judgment regarding emigration from the Land of disbelief to the Land of Islam, from the Land of innovation to the Land of the Sunna, and from the Land of rebellion to the Land of obedience.

Point 4: Clarification of the judgment regarding befriending unbelievers.

Point 5: Clarification of the judgment regarding the property of Muslims who live voluntarily in the land of unbelievers.

Point 6: Clarification of the judgment regarding the property of unbelievers at a time when they are being consorted with and have security from bloodshed.

Point 7: Clarification of the judgment regarding jihad against unbelievers and the difference between jihad against them and jihad against apostates.

Point 8: Clarification of the judgment regarding attacking brigands (muharibun) and those Muslims who live with them voluntarily, and the difference between fighting them and fighting rebels.

Point 9: Clarification of the judgment regarding repelling an enemy who suddenly attack a city.

Point 10: On buying slaves brought from lands in which Islam has spread.

Point 11: Clarification of the definition of the halal and the haram and the doubtful regarding booty.


Point 12: Clarification of the judgment on dealing with the property of wrongdoers.


Point 13: Clarification of the judgment regarding frequenting worldly people, tyrants and others in order to bring benefit to the Muslims and avert harm from them.

Here ends the book, al-Masa’il al-Muhimma, completed between Dhuhr and ‘Asr, this Thursday, 20^th Rajab, 1217 AH by the praise of Allah and His good help. O Allah, give us success in doing what You have made obligatory and avoiding what You have made forbidden and following the sunna of your Prophet Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Amen, O Lord of the Worlds.

Kitab al-Masa’il al-Muhimma (Book of Important Points)
By Shaykh ‘Uthman dan Fodio