therefore, it was obligatory for the callers to begin by purifying this Islam from what has entered into it. This is the first principle: (purification). As for the second principle: it is that this purification should be accompanied by educating the emerging Muslim youth on this purified Islam. If we study the reality of the Islamic groups that have existed for nearly a century, their ideas, and practices, we find that many of them have not benefited—or provided benefit—in any significant way, despite their clamor and noise that they want an Islamic government, which has led to the shedding of much innocent blood under this flimsy pretext without achieving anything from it. We continue to hear from them beliefs contrary to the book and the sunnah and actions that contradict the book and the sunnah, not to mention their repeated failed attempts that are contrary to the sharīʿah. In conclusion, I say: there is a saying by one of the callers—I wished his followers would adhere to it and realize it—which is: (Establish the state of Islam in your hearts, and it will be established for you on your land). Because if a Muslim corrects his creed based on the book and the sunnah, there is no doubt that his worship will be rectified, his morals will be improved, and his behavior will be corrected... etc. But this good word—unfortunately—was not acted upon by these people, so they continued to cry out demanding the establishment of the Muslim state... but to no avail. Indeed, the poet's saying applies to them—by Allāh: You hope for salvation without taking its paths; the ship does not sail on dry land. Perhaps what I have mentioned is convincing to every fair-minded person and is the end for every obstinate one. And Allāh is the one whose help is sought. Commendation by the esteemed scholar Shaykh ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz ibn Bāz ﵀. All praise is due to Allāh, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allāh, his family, his companions, and those who follow his guidance. As for what follows [this is a commentary by the esteemed scholar Shaykh ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Bāz on the previous statement by the scholar Muḥammad Nāṣir al-Dīn al-Albānī, may Allāh have mercy on them both.]. I have reviewed the beneficial response provided by the esteemed Shaykh Muḥammad Nāṣir al-Dīn al-Albānī, may Allāh grant him success, published in the newspaper "al-Muslimūn," in which he answered a question posed to him about: "Declaring as disbelievers those who rule by other than what Allāh has revealed without distinction." I found it to be a valuable statement in which he was correct and followed the path of the believers. May Allāh grant him success, as he clarified that it is not permissible for anyone to declare as disbelievers those who rule by other than what Allāh has revealed merely based on the action, without knowing that they have deemed it permissible in their hearts, and he cited what was reported about this from Ibn ʿAbbās (raḍiya Allāhu ʿanhumā) and others from the predecessors of the ummah