Point 2: Muslims are not permitted to remain leaderless.

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

I say, and success is by Allah, that it is an obligation for every Muslim to give allegiance to the Amir of the believers, if he exists. Muhammad ibn ‘Abdu’l-Karim al-Maghili said in the Answers he gave to the questions of the Askia that it is not halal for a group of Muslims to remain leaderless. Allah said, “Hold fast to the rope of Allah, all together, and do not split up.”
In the Sahih of Muslim, Ibn ‘Umar said that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Whoever withholds obedience will have no excuse when he meets Allah on the Day of Rising. Whoever dies without having given allegiance dies the death of the Days of Ignorance.”

This is enough to provide clarification of the second point.

O Allah! Show us the true as true and make us follow it. Show us the false as false and make us avoid it.

Intro and Summary

Point 1: Deen is based on making things clear...

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.

I say, and success is by Allah, that it should be known that clear perception is an obligation for the Muslim. Ahmad az-Zarruq said in his ‘Amad al Murid as-Sadiq, after quoting the words of Allah, “Say: this is my way. I call to Allah from insight, I and whoever follows me”:

“It is clear that making things clear is one of the bases of the deen and that whoever acts from his own opinion is not following the one who brought the Shari’a. However, there are three types of people. People of knowledge who are excellent at finding out what is correct in questions which require proof, even if they are not mujtahids.

1. People of knowledge who are excellent at finding out what is correct in questions which require proof, even if they are not mujtahids.

2. Those who are between ordinary people and people of knowledge. It is only correct for them to follow someone who has a clear grasp of the matter in hand. Their limited knowledge of the Shari’a obliges them to follow that person’s example. However, they may not take anything from the one they are following if it is in contradiction to what they already know of the rules of the Shari’a. No one is permitted to follow someone else’s knowledge if it is contrary to the rules of the Shari’a. However you cannot decide this unless you really have clear knowledge of it.

3. Ordinary people. They should hold to what they have no doubt about. Otherwise they are making a mockery of their deen and playing with it. This must be clearly understood!

This is enough to provide clarification of the first point.

O Allah! Show us the true as true and make us follow it. Show us the false as false and make us avoid it.


Intro and Summary

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