Shaykh 'Abdur-Razzaq 'Afifi (may Allaah have mercy on him) was one of the most senior scholars of this era.  Shaykh 'Abdur-Razzaq was born in Egypt in 1905 C.E. and received his primary, secondary, and collegiate education at al-Azhar University in Cairo.  After graduation, he was appointed as a professor at an institute affiliated with al-Azhar University and taught there for many years before moving with his family to Saudi Arabia in 1949 C.E.  While there, he was appointed to the Council of Senior Scholars (Majlis Kibar al-'Ulama - هيئة كبار العلماء) and served as deputy chairman of the Permanent Committee for Research and Fataawa (al-Lajnah ad-Daa'imah lil-Buhooth al-'Ilmiyyah wal-Iftaa - اللجنة الدائمة للبحوث العلمية والإفتاء).  Shaykh Abdur-Razzaq died in Riyadh on September 1, 1994 C.E. (Rabi' al-Awwal 26, 1415 A.H.).

Majdy Wardah writes on his flyers that he is the "Student of 'Abdur-Razzaq 'Afifi, Shaykh Ibn Baaz, and Shaykh al-Albani" (see example 1 and example 2).  This is done as a way to gain the trust of Muslims and to link himself to the senior scholars of this ummah (nation). Due to Majdy Wardah's previous deceptions about having a Ph.D. and working with World Muslim Congress, we contacted Shaykh 'Abdur-Razzaq 'Afifi's son, Mahmood 'Afifi.  As Shaykh Abdur-Razzaq's inheritor and only living son, Mahmood 'Afifi knows all of his father's students well.  During the years when Majdy Wardah was residing in Saudi Arabia (primarily Mecca and Jeddah), Shaykh 'Abdur-Razzaq 'Afifi was giving almost all of his classes at his home in Riyadh. The reason the Shaykh held the classes at his own home was due to his advanced age.   As such, Mahmood 'Afifi would personally see which students would come to learn from his father.  Mahmood 'Afifi stated unconditionally that Majdy Wardah is not a student of his father, Shaykh 'Abdur-Razzaq 'Afifi.  Mahmood 'Afifi also stated that he believes Majdy Wardah should remove the phrase "Student of 'Abdur-Razzaq 'Afifi" because he was never the shaykh's student.

Mahmood 'Afifi allowed us to record a phone interview with him concerning Majdy Wardah's claim of being a student of his father.  Below is the audio of the call, the transcript of the recording in Arabic, and the English translation.  We recommend that those seeking to verify this matter contact Mahmood 'Afifi directly either through his website (http://www.afifyy.com/), by email ( This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ), or by phone (+20-12-221-1100).

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Interviewer: With us on the phone is Shaykh Mahmood ‘Afifi, one of the sons of Shaykh ‘Abdur-Razzaq ‘Afifi, whom Majdy Wardah has been claiming that he used to be one of his prominent students.

Shaykh Mahmood, do you agree to record this conversation?

Mahmood ‘Afifi: Yes go ahead. I have no objection.

Interviewer: Shaykh Mahmood, what do you know about Majdy? What is your opinion of him and his financial dealings?

Mahmood ‘Afifi: I know that Majdy Mohsin Wardah was in Mecca.  When my father (Shaykh 'Abdur-Razzaq 'Afifi) would go to Hajj, Majdy would meet him like any other Muslim youth would meet him. And when Majdy was working or cooperating with the Muslim World League, he would come to Riyadh with some mashayakh (pl. shaykh) and visit my father and other mashayakh. What I know regarding these meetings with my father is that they were visits.

Interviewer: Based on that, do you then consider Majdy a student of your father (may Allaah have mercy on him)?

Mahmood ‘Afifi: Majdy Wardah is not a student of my father; rather, he was one of the common students who used to visit my father.   Those who studied under my father are well-known, and I saw them with my own eyes.  However, I never saw Majdy sitting to study with my father or reviewing (a book) with him.

Interviewer: But Majdy has been posting on his flyers that he is a “Student of ‘Abdur-Razzaq ‘Afifi.”  Based on what you have said in addition to the fact that you are the son and inheritor of your father, do you permit Majdy to spread this claim or use your father’s name on his flyers?

Mahmood ‘Afifi:   He is not considered a student of my father at all because not just anyone that sat with a shaykh or saw him is considered his student. This view is wrong. If he (Majdy Wardah) holds that view, it would be a wrong understanding.  Would seeing, meeting, or attending a lesson make someone a shaykh’s student? This is a wrong understanding.  We do not accept him saying that he is a student of my father because he never studied under my father.

Interviewer: There is a copy of a tazkiyyah (letter of recommendation) that Majdy has been claiming was written by your father.  The letter states that Majdy has the sharee’ah knowledge and right ‘aqeedah (creed), which qualifies him for dawah in the United States.  Would you like to comment about this letter?

Mahmood ‘Afifi: I am not aware of any tazkiyyah written by my father concerning Majdy Wardah, and I never heard about such a letter before except from you at this time.  Even if my father (Shaykh ‘Abdur-Razzaq ‘Afifi) wrote a tazkiyyah, it does not mean that the letter applies forever.  He might have written a tazkiyyah based on a recommendation from other scholars whom Majdy was with while visiting my father.  I say the word “might”, but I do not believe he (Shaykh ‘Abdur-Razzaq) wrote any recommendation since I never heard about it except from you now.

Interviewer: In total, we never heard about this letter except from two people who said that he (Majdy Wardah) showed them a photocopy and never let them keep it.  He would show it and then put it back in his pocket.  That happened twice.

Mahmood ‘Afifi: Because he never studied under my father, we would never accept that this letter be published.  This would also be due to his known issues of taking loans that he never pays back, which is inappropriate behavior. Therefore, it is not right for that tazkiyyah to be published.  I believe that my father never gave him any tazkiyyah, and even if my father gave him a tazkiyyah at that time, it might have been based on the recommendation of other scholars.

Interviewer: Then based on Majdy’s financial extravagance and misconduct as well as the loans he takes, do you agree with reporting Majdy to the authorities in this country?

Mahmood ‘Afifi: By Allaah, you demand repayment first.  If he does not repay, then you inform the authorities.

Interviewer: Do you have any message that we - the Muslims of North America - may carry to Majdy Wardah on your behalf about his relationship with Shaykh 'Abdur-Razzaq ‘Afifi (may Allaah have mercy on him)?

Mahmood ‘Afifi: It is that he met with my father and visited him several times like many other people would do; however, he never studied under my father.  Those who studied under my father are many and well-known and amongst them are Shaykh ‘Abdur-Rahman as-Sudais, Hamad ash-Shetwy, Muhammad al-Khedairy, Shaykh Saleh Abdul-Aziz Aal ash-Shaykh (Saudi Minister of Islamic Affairs).  My father’s most committed student was Dr. Hamad Ibrahim ash-Shetwy.

Interviewer: Knowing the years Majdy spent in Saudi Arabia and more specifically in Mecca while your father was in Riyadh,  we would like to get your comment about the years Majdy spent in Saudi, were they sufficient  to qualify him to be a student of Shaykh ‘Abdur-Razzaq ‘Afifi (may Allaah have mercy on him)?

Mahmood ‘Afifi: By Allaah, he never studied under my father.  My father was in Riyadh, and whenever he went to Mecca, he used to be very busy with the pilgrims and their questions, and with the Permanent Committee for Fatawa (al-Lajnah ad-Da’imah - اللجنة الدائمة).  He used to work constantly and become exhausted, and had no time for any student.  I was in Riyadh next to my father and never saw Majdy sitting as a student; he was, rather a guest who came back and forth to visit.  Those who studied under my father are well-known, and I have already mentioned some of them earlier.  ‘Abdur-Rahman as-Sudais, the Imam of al-Haram, studied under my father first, before moving to Mecca. However, those who continued studying were those that stayed in Riyadh, and the most committed student was Hamad Ibrahim ash-Shetwy.

Interviewer: Do you believe that Majdy exaggerates the nature of his ties with the Shaykh (‘Abdur-Razzaq ‘Afifi) and that his interactions were nothing more than visits or short meetings?

Mahmood ‘Afifi: The relationship never reached the level of being a student. I see that the correct thing is that Majdy removes the phrase "Student of 'Abdur-Razzaq 'Afifi," because he was never his student.

Interviewer: May Allaah reward you.

Mahmood ‘Afifi: May Allaah bless you.

Arabic Transcript

المُـقـدِّم: معنا على الهاتف الشيخ محمود عفيفي أحد أبناء الشيخ عبد الرزاق عفيفي رحمه الله الذي يدعي مجدي وردة أنه  من أبرز تلاميذه.

شيخ محمود هل توافقون على التسجيل الصوتي؟

محمود عفيفي: نعم تفضل ما عندي مانع.

المُـقـدِّم: شيخ محمود، ما مدى معرفتكم بمجدي و رأيكم به و بتعاملاته المالية؟

محمود عفيفي: مجدي محسن وردة أعرف انه في مكة المكرمة، و أن والدي حينما يذهب الى الحج يقابله كما يقابله كثير من الشباب المسلمين، و إذا جاء الى الرياض حينما كان يعمل في مكة المكرمة في رابطة العالم الاسلامي أو يتعاون مع رابطة العالم الاسلامي، كان يحضر الى الرياض مع بعض المشايخ و يزور الوالد و يزور المشايخ و هذا الذي أعرفه فقط أن مقابلته لوالدي هي زيارة.

المُـقـدِّم: إذا، السؤال هنا، بناء على ذلك هل يعد مجدي  تلميذا لوالدكم رحمه الله؟

محمود عفيفي: مجدي وردة لا يعد تلميذا لوالدي لأنه كان سائر طلبة العلم الذين يزورون الوالد اما الطلبة  الذين درسوا على والدي فمعروفين و رأيتهم بعيني أما مجدي فلم أره بعيني قط جلس للدراسة على والدي أو للقراءة عليه.

المُـقـدِّم: لكن مجدي يكتب على إعلانات دروسه انه تلميذ عبد الرزاق عفيفي، و بناءعلى ماقلت أو ما تفضلتم به  و أنتم أبناء وورثة الشيخ هل تسمحون لمجدي بنشر هذا الادعاء و استخدام اسم والدكم في اعلاناته؟

محمود عفيفي: لا يعتبر تلميذا لوالدي ألبته، لأنه ليس كل من قام مع شيخ أو جلس معه يعتبر تلميذا له أو رآه، هذا وجهة نظر خاطئة و إذا كان يعتبرُ ذلك فهذه وجهة نظر خاطئة. فإذا كل من رأى شيخا أو جلس معه أو حضر مجلسه صار تلميذه؟ هذه نظرة خاطئة و لا نقبل أن يقول أنه تلميذ لوالدي لأنه لم يدرس البته على والدي.

المُـقـدِّم: هناك صورة لخطاب تزكية يدعي  مجدي  أنه كتب من والدكم له  أن مجدي لديه من العلم الشرعي و العقيدة الصحيحة ما يؤهله للدعوة في الولايات المتحدة. ما تعليقكم حول هذا الخطاب؟

محمود عفيفي: لا أعلم من والدي أي تزكية لمجدي وردة بالدعوة و لم أسمع عنها إلا هذه المرة منكم و إذا كان قد كتب تزكية فليست تزكية تمشي أن تكون على الاستمرار، لأنه ربما كتب تزكية لتزكية بعض الناس له، لتزكية بعض المشايخ الذي كان مجدي وردة يحضر معهم لوالدي ، و أقول ربما و لكن لا اعتقد انه قد كتب التزكية لأني لم أسمع عنها إلا الآن منكم.

المُـقـدِّم: عموما لم نسمع نحن عنها أيضا الا من طريق شخصين على الأكثر، و كانت صورة و لم يسمح لأحد  أن يبقيها معه فهو يريها و يرجعها إلى جيبه، هذا ما حدث مرتين مع شخصين.

محمود عفيفي: من أجل أنه لم يدرس على والدي فالتزكية حتى لو كان والدي قد زكاه فالتزكية لا نقبل أن تنشر تزكية لأنه لم يدرس  على والدي ألبته و لم يكن تلميذا لوالدي ، و أيضا لأشياء مأخوذه عليه من سلفة أموال و عدم سدادها من أشخاص فهذا السلوك غير لائق فلا يصح أن تنشر هذه لأنه لم أسمع عنها الا هذه المرة و لا اعتقد أنّ والدي قد زكاه، و إذا كان قد زكاه، فلربما قد زكاه في وقتها لتزكية بعض المشايخ له .

المُـقـدِّم: إذا بناء على تجاوزات مجدي المالية و سوء تصرفاته و سلوكه المالي و القروض التي يأخذها، هل تؤيدون أن يبلغ أمر مجدي للسلطات هنا في هذه البلاد؟

محمود عفيفي: و الله انتم تطالبوه الأول فإذا لم يسدد فتبلغوا السلطات.

المُـقـدِّم: هل هناك رسالة ترغبون نحن المسلمون في امريكا الشمالية أن نوصلها لمجدي وردة نيابة عنكم حول موضوع علاقته بالشيخ عبد الرزاق عفيفي رحمه الله؟

محمود عفيفي: هو كان يرى الوالد و كنت أراه و هو يرى الوالد و يزوره كزيارة كثير من الناس لوالدي، لكن لم يدرس عليه البته، لم يجلس للدراسة عليه. الذين جلسوا للدراسة عليه كثيرين منهم الشيخ عبد الرحمن السديس و منهم الشيخ حمد الشتوي  منهم محمد الخضيري و منهم الشيخ صالح عبدالعزيز آل الشيخ  الوزير، و هؤلاء الذين جلسوا للقراءة على والدي و أكثر من جلس للقراءة على والدي الدكتور حمد ابراهيم الشتوي.

المُـقـدِّم: نحن استقرأنا السنوات التي كان مجدي وردة في السعودية و تفضلت أنت بذكر المنحى الجعرافي كون مجدي وردة كان في مكة المكرمة و والدكم كان في الرياض، لكن أيضا نريد تعليقك حول السنوات التي قضاها  مجدي في السعودية هل هي كافية أن تؤهله أن يكون تلميذا للشيخ عبد الرزاق عفيفي رحمه الله؟

محمود عفيفي: و الله لم يجلس للقراءة على والدي و كان في مكة و كان والدي بالرياض و حينما يكون والدي في مكة يكون مشغولا بفتاوى الحج  و بأسئلة الحجيج  و بفتاوى اللجنة الدائمة  يكون عمله متواصل و يرهق فلا يجلس احد من طلبة العلم اثناء موسم الحج ، ليس عنده وقت لجلوس طلبة العلم للقراءة عليه، فكيف يكون جلس، هو يراه في مكة. و في الرياض أنا موجود معه بالرياض فأرى مجدي يزورنا في المنزل و لم اره قط يجلس للدراسة عليه ، أما الذين جلسوا للدراسة عليه ذكرت أسماءهم. عبدالرحمن السديس إمام الحرم قبل ان يسافر الى مكة فهو درس في الاول قبل أن يسافر. الذين استمروا بالدراسة الموجودين بالرياض و أكثرهم جلوسا للدراسة حمد ابراهيم الشتوي.

المُـقـدِّم: إذا ترون أن مجدي يبالغ بوصف علاقته بالشيخ، مجرد أنها كانت زيارات او لقاءت عابرة لا ترتقي لمستوى أن يكون تلميذا؟

محمود عفيفي: لا ترتقي ابدا ان يكون تلميذا و أرى أن يحذف كلمة "تلميذ عبدالرزاق عفيفي" لأنه ليس من تلاميذه ألبته.

المُـقـدِّم: جزاكم الله خيرا

محمود عفيفي: الله يبارك فيك