Shaykh Hassan 'Abdul-Wahab Marzuq Al Banna in America from Dec. 12 -Jan 12 in various cities

[Maher.ibn.Ahmad.Attiyeh]

Bismillaah Al-Hamdulillaah wa salatu wa salaamu 'ala rasulullaah
Amma-ba'd

Shaykh Hassan 'Abdul-Wahab Marzuq Al Banna in America from Dec. 12 -Jan 12 in various cities

This is a brief biography of our brother for the pleasure of Allah and your grandfather in age, Sheikh Hassan Abdul Wahab Marzuq Al Banna and the various scholastic and academic stages which he has traversed by the permission of Allah.

He was born in Cairo (which is the capitol of Egypt) on the 22nd of October in the year 1925. He has four boys and girls and by the bounty of Allah, all of them are upon the authentic creed and minhaj of Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama'ah. They are all married and have children.

The objective of this biography is to highlight some of the various stages which the Sheikh has traversed during his time in giving da'wah to the religion of Allah. As well as highlight some of the scholars he has met and studied under from the virtuous and sincere scholars of Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama'ah. Those who, their mention should be valued and revered and should act as an incentive for the youth and the elders to hold tightly to their way and methodology. Those who Allah mentioned to His Messenger (Sallahu alaihi wa salam) in the Qur'an:

واصبر نفسك مع الذين يدعون ربهم بالغدوة و العشى يريدون وجهه ولا تعد عيناك عنهم تريد زينة الحياة الدنيا ولا تطع من أغفلنا قلبه عن ذكرنا واتبع هواه وكان أمره فرطا

And keep yourself patient with those who call on their Lord morning and afternoon seeking His Face; and let not your eyes overlook them, desiring the pomp and glitter of the life of this world, and obey not him whose heart We have made heedless of our remembrance and who follows his own lusts and whose deeds have been lost. (Al-Kahf, ayah 28)

The sheikh was raised in a Muslim household who observed closely the pillars of Islam. His father, who was the noble Sheikh Abdul Wahab Marzuq Al Banna (may Allah have mercy on him) was initially upon the aqeedah and minhaj of the Ash'Ariyah, then Allah guided him to the correct and unadulterated aqeedah and minhaj of the Salafus Salih (i.e. pious predecessors), and by the permission of Allah, this is what he died upon (may Allah have mercy on him). Then Allah favored my brother, the noble Sheikh Muhammad Abdul Wahab Al Banna with an opportunity to work at the Ministry of Endowments in Egypt and by the permission of Allah, he was able to establish a committee called Jama'ah tul Ansar As Sunnah Al Muhamadiyah. The president of this group was none other than the noble Sheikh Muhammad Hammad Al Faqee. At this time, this was the only group in the country of Egypt who were calling to the Aqeedah of Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama'ah. Hence, they used to call the people to Tawheed (i.e. Monotheism) with all of its aspects, and to purify their worship from all forms of shirk (i.e. Idolatry).

However, there were also various deviant groups in Egypt, at that time. At the forefront of them was the Ikhwanul Muslimeen. All of them opposed Jama'tul Ansar As Sunnah Al Muhamadiyah, in their holding fast to the minhaj of Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama'ah. The opposition to these noble brothers and in some instances it even reached the level of animosity and hatred, all because of the minhaj and aqeedah of Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama'ah. However, Allah gave my noble brother Muhammad Al Banna success and we aided these brothers, along with the help of another special and virtuous brother who was a colleague of his at his job, the noble Sheikh Muhammad Sadiq. Ironically, neither of these two knew about Salafiyah prior to this, but Sheikh Muhammad Sadiq had a very unyielding love for knowledge, he was also a very proficient poet.

They were both in search of a group who were upon the puristic teachings of the Minhaj and Aqeedah of Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama'ah. Subsequently, they visited a particular group of individuals who were apparently upon the Qur'an and the Sunnah of Muhammad. This group apparently professed to be upon the Qur'an and Sunnah. They also professed to wage war against the people of bid'ah, but in reality they were upon the methodology of the Ash'ariyah, who distort and pervert the attributes of Allah, calling to it and spreading it amongst the people. When my brother and his companion recognized this they came across a book, authored by Muhammad Ahmad Abdus Salaam Ash Shuqayri, who was from the scholars of Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama'ah, called Al Qawl Jalee Fee Tawasul Bin Nabi Wal Walee and the book Adab Qiratul Qur'an Ala Mayit. So they contacted the Sheikh, visited him and became very well acquainted with him. He introduced them to Jama'ahtul Ansar As Sunnah Al Muhamadiyah who had a small place adjacent to the villa of A'bideen. However, the people around them were not too fond of them or what they were propagating about Tawheed, mainly because the Haqq was in total opposition to their Aqeedah.

They were few in number, but when my brother and his companion went to visit these brothers they were pleased with what they saw, just as my brother and his companion were pleased with what they saw, heard and witnessed of the lectures being presented about Tawheed, which was given by Sheikh Abdul Aziz Ibn Rashid At Tamimi An Najd from the scholars of those who ascribe themselves to Salafiyah. He was living in Egypt at the time and has many well known compilations, as well his brother for the sake of Allah, Abdullah Ibn Yabis An Najdi from the Salafi scholars. So my brother and his companion met with Sheikh Muhammad Hammad Al Faqee. They were ecstatic to meet him and they found, by meeting him, what they were looking for, which was clarification of the correct religion and the most important affairs which was the Aqeedah and Minhaj of Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jama'ah.

They began to learn the books and references which the scholars refer to. One of the most influential scholars from whom they learned was Muhammad Munayir Ad Damashqi. The moment they began to learn the Aqeedah and Minhaj of Ahlus Sunnah, they increased in their diligence and desire to learn more. They attended all the lectures of Muhammad Haamad Al Faqee who frequently traveled to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and was beloved to His Eminence, the King Abdul Aziz ibn Sa'ud (Rahimahullah). The Sheikh had a well known reputation with the scholars there and a close connection with them. They used to make him responsible for reviewing certain books relating to Tawheed and Sunnah and publishing them by the way of his publishing company in the city of A'bideen in Cairo. He would review them, publish them, and send them back to Saudi Arabia. Soon after, my brother and his companion began to call to the religion of Allah all throughout Egypt. Traveling throughout the local cities giving da'wah to the religion of Allah and in the process of this, there love, brotherhood, and companionship increased, for the sake of Allah.

My brother also directed his attention towards our family, guiding, teaching and educating them. He began with my father (may Allah have mercy on him) advising him to hold tightly to the Aqeedah of Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama'ah. My father, who had obtained a bachelors degree from Al-Azhar University, did not know any Aqeedah except that of the Ash'ariyah, in spite of his knowledge of other aspects of the religion. He didn't initially agree with or accept the call to the Aqeedah of As-Sunnah from my brother so he took him to my grandfather who was from the major scholars in Al-Azhar, but he was also of the Ashari methodology. And all praise is for Allah, Allah guided my grandfather to the correct Tawheed and Minhaj and he began to weep because of what he had forfeited previously in his life and was so ignorant of for so many years. Then my brother directed his attention towards my mother (may Allah have mercy upon her) and my other siblings,calling them to Tawheed. Allah guided us all to this blessing and virtue. Therefore, the first teacher and guide to the Sunnah for me and my family was my brother.

I myself was immensely affected by the da'wah of Salafiyah and I began to read some of the books my brother introduced to me. Later on I met Sheik Muhammad Hammad Al Faqee and some of the other scholars involved in the da'wah in Egypt. I came to love them and frequented their lectures and admonitions. Allah guided my heart to become acquainted with various sciences and matters of the religion I would have never known about had it not been for the bounty of Allah. So my brother is my sheik and my teacher as he played a major role in my guidance and removing some of the many burdens and difficulties of my life and the lives of my family, due to our misguidance.

My mother would prepare food for us and I would carry it to the lecture halls and circles of knowledge, and sit far away from the crowd. When my brother and Muhammad Sadiq would finish with teaching, I would get lunch for them after Salatul Thuhr then the sheikh would read to us from the various sciences and the importance of these sciences was At Tawheed. Then he would read from the books of Seerah (i.e. biography of the Prophet Sallahu alaihi wa salam) then we would pray Asr and continue reading until Magrib. Anytime I had a question about a matter I would find the details of it with my brother and this increased my love for him and it also made me closer to him because he guided me away from the most corrupt and deviant Aqeedah which had affected so many of the youth during that time. Then after the death of Muhammad Hamid Al Faqee, Sheik Abdur Razaq Al Afifi took his place.

I used to travel to see him and at times travel with him and help prepare his lessons for him so when the students of Khundariyah he would be prepared. And from those who were with them was Sheikh Abdul Aziz Ibn Rashid An Najdi, from the scholars of Saudi Arabia who was living in Egypt at the time. I would attend his lessons while in Iskandariyah as well as visit him at his house on many occasions. When he traveled to Makkah I would travel and attend his lessons and admonitions. Then Allah would have it that Sheikh Abdur Razaq was one of my teachers in the University in Riyadh. And I would meet him when he came to visit his kids while I was teaching in the Islamic University in Madinah. And Sheikh Abdur Razaq would teach even in the presence of his Eminence the King Abdul Aziz ibn Sa'ud and my brother would also attend these lessons along with the other scholars. My brother was chosen to teach at the institute of knowledge in Saudi Arabia (which was the school of many like Sheikh Muhammad Aman Al Jami, Sheikh Muhammad Ibn Salih Al Uthaymeen and others). So he left Cairo with his family to be a teacher in Riyadh. Then his Eminence, the noble Sheikh Abdul Aziz Ibn Baz was appointed president of the Islamic University of Madinah and he learned about my brother in Riyadh, and they developed a companionship, love and a strong sense of brotherhood for one another. Then Sheikh Abdur Razaq and Sheikh Ibn Baz's relationship strengthened to the point that Sheikh Abdur Razaq was appointed Sheikh Ibn Baz's wakil in the department of Fatawah, Da'wah wal Irshaad. Allah gave him Tawfeeq and both the scholars and students of knowledge developed a great deal of reverence and respect for him due to his knowledge and virtue. I also met Sheikh Muhammad Al Madani Malukhiyah, who was also from the people of knowledge, Aqeedah and Minhaj. I also met Sheikh Abdur Rahman Al Wakil who preceded Sheikh Abdur Razaq after his demise; he traveled to Russia and was responsible for guiding many there to Islam and the correct Aqeedah and Minhaj. He was also responsible for writing many refutations on the Sufis. These are some of the most beneficial compilations which I have benefited from tremendously. I also had the opportunity to meet Sheikh Muhammad Khaleel Hurras, I attended many of his lessons and traveled with him on many occasions while he was calling to this da'wah. I would ask him about issues related to certain ahadeeth which were falsely interpreted by the Mu'tazilah.

Then Allah chose my brother to be a teacher at King Abdul Aziz University in Saudi Arabia, in the department for higher leaning, more specifically, the department of Aqeedah and the Minhaj. Then Muhammad Abdul Majeed assumed leadership of Jama'ah, and at this time, I would give da'wah in the local masajid, khutbahs and lectures about Tawheed. Then Allah willed that Sheikh Ibn Baz requested of me to teach at the Islamic University in Madinah. My brother, clarified to the Sheikh that my aqeedah was correct and that my minhaj was the minhaj of Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama'ah.

Source: http://www.salafitalk.net/st/viewmes...m=6&Topic=7307