بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Clarification Concerning Translating The Works Of Shaykh Saalih Al Fawzan
By the permission of Allah, we were able to visit our father and teacher Shaykh Saalih Al Fawzan, may Allah preserve him, today in his office at Dar al-Iftaa and put forward a couple of questions. From those questions asked was one concerning translating the works of the Shaykh. It is not hidden from any of his students here in Riyadh or elsewhere, that the Shaykh does not permit translating his works (books, treatises, lessons, etc) nor transcribing them, except with his permission and a thorough checking under his authority. And I testify that I’ve heard this a number of times from him throughout my years of sitting with him, may Allah preserve the Shaykh.
So, we asked the Shaykh for some clarification concerning this as some fatwas are specifically directed/connected to affairs of other countries, so do those fall under the prohibition he has regarding his works? The Shaykh answered: “It is true that I do not allow any of my works to be translated except with my permission. This is regarding the works that have been published (i.e. the Shaykh’s written work in book form or what is similar), anything other than that does not require permission.”
By the will of Allah, the Shaykh made the issue clear for those who wish to translate his works without his permission. As for those who wish to gain permission to translate some of his published work and spread them, the situation is easy, all praise is to Allah, he has to simply put it together and officially present it to the Shaykh to gain his permission.
Abdul-Hameed Aboo Zaynab
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
8th of Ramadan 1440 After Hijrah.