13 June 2010

Shaykh Ibn 'Uthaymeen and the Speeding Ticket

..The shaykh (may Allaah have Mercy on him) would not be pleased when people gave him special privileges due to his status.

Once, he was late for a charity engagement in Buraydah, and his driver was driving fast on the highway to get him there on time. On the way, their car was stopped at a police checkpoint. When the officer saw the shaykh in the car, he told them to proceed.

As they moved on, the shaykh asked the driver why they were stopped. The driver explained that he had been driving over the speed limit.

"Go back to the checkpoint," he ordered. When they returned to the checkpoint, the shaykh asked the officer why he had stopped them.

"For speeding," the officer replied.

"So then why did you let us go?" the shaykh asked.

"You were likely in a hurry and had something important to attend to."

"No!" said the shaykh, "How much is a speeding ticket?"

"Shaykh, there is no need…"

"How much is a speeding ticket?" the shaykh insisted.

"Three hundred."

The shaykh then handed the officer 150 riyals, and ordered him to take another 150 from the driver, and said, "Because he broke the law and I did not advise him," and he insisted that the fine be paid!

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