Majmu Al Fatawa 20 421 [OFFICIAL]

In the vast ocean of Islamic scholarship, few works are as frequently cited—and as frequently debated—as Majmu’ al-Fatawa of the influential Hanbali theologian Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 1328 CE). Spanning over 30 volumes, this collection compiles his responses to legal and theological questions ranging from the mundane to the monumental.

By page 421, he is deep in a discussion about those who commit major sins ( kaba’ir ) and whether they remain within the fold of Islam. This was a critical issue inherited from the early Kharijites (who declared sinners unbelievers) and the Murji’ah (who deferred judgment to God alone). While the exact wording depends on the edition (the standard 1981 Riyadh edition is widely used), the passage on page 421 generally addresses a delicate point: the ruling on a Muslim who abandons obligatory prayers or swears an oath by other than Allah. Majmu Al Fatawa 20 421

For the serious student, the lesson of page 421 is clear: In the vast ocean of Islamic scholarship, few