Advice to Students of Knowledge Returning to Their Countries – Shaykh Ṣāliḥ ibn Fawzān al-Fawzān

Questioner: We are scholarship students and we bear witness to Allah that we love you for Allah’s sake, And we seek from you that you make Du’ā for this blessed university, headed by it’s director and employees.

For indeed they have not fallen short with us, scholarship students, indeed they have increased us in beneficial knowledge and equipped us with that which is derived from the Quran and Sunnah.

This is my request from your eminence and my question is…

How do you direct us scholarship students, if we were to return to our countries knowing that there are within them sects and groups that are unsound [i.e in ‘Aqīdah and Manhaj]?

Shaykh Ṣāliḥ ibn Fawzān al-Fawzān:

We remind you with the statement of Allah the most high

{And it is not for the believers to go forth [to battle] all at once.}

Quran 9:122

Meaning students of knowledge.

They could not all come to the Prophet ﷺ and they do not come after him from the scholars, and it’s not possible that they all come.

But,

{For there should separate from every division of them a group [remaining] to obtain understanding in the religion and warn [i.e., advise] their people when they return to them that they might be cautious.}

Quran 9:122

For what you’ve all learned at this university, and from other than it, from the truth then indeed do not restrict [it’s benefit] to yourselves.

Rather convey others in your countries.

You’re all Du’āt to Allah. You’re all ambassadors of the Da’wah to Allah Mighty and the Majestic.

And if these individuals arriving to seek knowledge were to establish, after they have learned and returned to their countries… and if they were to establish what Allah has commanded them to do, from conveying this knowledge to the people of their countries and those around them then goodness spreads and proliferates, efforts are combined, Muslims cooperate with one another then good will be achieved and falsehood is put out.

And there is no doubt that your arrival to this country and other than it from the Muslim countries to seek knowledge is a great obligation, but do not restrict [this knowledge] to yourself.

Rather if you return to your countries then illuminate them with Da’wah to Allah, teaching Tawhīd and the correct ‘Aqīdah, forbidding innovation and newly invented matters until Allah benefits by way of you and that he spreads good by your hands.

So you will all become the means in which your countries are saved and the means in which all those whom Allah wishes guidance for are saved and the means are easy to spread this Dawah and all praise is due to Allah.

Translated by Abu Kawthar ʿAbd ar-Razzāq