The Life, Teachings and Influence of Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhaab

The Life, Teachings and Influence of Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhaab: This book is not one with a political agenda. It is meant neither to support nor to critique any contemporary regimes or policies. Indeed, the driving force behind this work is much greater and more important than that. It has to do with, first, the religion of Islam as preached by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) himself and, second, with the honor and rights of an individual Muslim, Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhaab.

التفاصيل

Table of Contents The Motivation Behind This Work ...................................................... 3 The Life of Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhaab .................................... 7 The Family of Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhaab ................................... 12 Travels to Attain Knowledge ................................................................. 16 Return to al-Uyainah and Travels to Basra and al-Ahsaa ...................... 20 Huraimila and the Beginning of the Call (Dawah) ................................ 26 Residence in al-Uyainah ........................................................................ 29 Migration to al-Diriyyah ........................................................................ 35 A New Stage in the Call (Dawah): Jihad ............................................... 41 External Enemies ................................................................................... 46 The Death of Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhaab ..................................... 54 The Personality of Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhaab ............................ 55 The Results of ibn Abdul-Wahhaab's Efforts ........................................ 59 The Salient and Revivalist Teachings of Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhaab ................................................................................... 65 The Religious Situation in Najd ............................................................ 70 Ibn Abdul-Wahhaab and Aqeedah(Beliefs and Faith) .......................... 79 Ibn Abdul-Wahhaab's Methodology ..................................................... 80 ibn Abdul-Wahhaab's Belief in Allah ................................................... 86 Tauheedof Ibaadah............................................................................... 89 Ibn Abdul-Wahhaab and the Question of Who is a Muslim .................. 97 Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhaab, Islamic Jurisprudence, Juristic Reasoning and Blind Following .............................................. 101 Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhaab and Dawah[Propagating the Faith], Ordering Good and Eradicating Evil ................................................... 111 The Importance of Ordering Good and Eradicating Evil ..................... 112 His Methodology of Dawah[Propagating the Faith] and of Ordering Good and Eradicating Evil ................................................................... 115 Issues of Priority .................................................................................. 125 Ibn Abdul-Wahhaab and the Qualities of the One Who Orders Good and Eradicates Evil .............................................................................. 127 The Comprehensiveness of ibn Abdul-Wahhaab's Approach to Ordering Good and Eradicating Evil ................................................... 134 Summary .............................................................................................. 140 The Legacy and Influence of Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhaab ... 141 The Writings of Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhaab .............................. 141 Works on Aqeedahor Islamic Beliefs ................................................. 143 Works on Fiqh or Islamic Jurisprudence ............................................. 148 Works Related to the Life of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) .......................................................................... 151 Works of Hadith .................................................................................. 152 Works Related to Tafseer(Quranic Exegesis) ..................................... 153 The Collected Writings of ibn Abdul-Wahhaab .................................. 154 His Students ......................................................................................... 154 Note on the Use of the Words “Wahhabis" and “Wahhabism" ........... 157 Ibn Abdul-Wahhaab's Influence Outside of Najd ............................... 161 Introductory Comments ....................................................................... 162 Yemen .................................................................................................. 169 Iraq ....................................................................................................... 170 Al-Shaam (“Greater Syria") ................................................................ 171 Egypt .................................................................................................... 172 North Africa ......................................................................................... 173 Sub-Saharan Africa .............................................................................. 176 The Indo-Pak Subcontinent ................................................................. 178 Indonesia .............................................................................................. 184 Thailand ............................................................................................... 186 Turkistan .............................................................................................. 186 Factors Contributing to the Great Influence of ibn Abdul-Wahhaab .... 187 Conclusions ......................................................................................... 190 Opponents and Criticisms of Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhaab .. 192 The Nature and Importance of Trials and Tribulations ....................... 192 A Note on Methodology ...................................................................... 193 The Motivation Behind the Opposition to Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhaab ................................................................................... 197 The Opponents and Critics .................................................................. 208 Works Refuting the Critics .................................................................. 219 An Overview of the Criticisms and Allegations Made Against ibn Abdul-Wahhaab, His Teachings and His Call ............................... 222 Blatant fabrications concerning the call of ibn Abdul-Wahhaab ......... 223 Misconceptions concerning his call ..................................................... 224 Objections to some of the issues related to the call ............................. 225 The Allegation that ibn Abdul-Wahhaab Claimed Prophethood ......... 226 The Allegation that ibn Abdul-Wahhaab Belittled the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) ........................................ 228 The Question of Declaring People Outside the Fold of Islam and Fighting Against Them ........................................................................ 231 The Claim that the “Wahhabis" Are from the Khawaarij .................... 236 The Allegation That the Horn of Satan Rises from ibn Abdul-Wahhaab's Najd ....................................................................... 238 The Allegation that ibn Abdul-Wahhaab Considered Some Things to be Disbelief (Kufr) Which Are Not Disbelief .................................. 240 The Allegation that ibn Abdul-Wahhaab revolted against the Ottoman Caliphate .............................................................................................. 247 The Issue of Tawassul(Seeking a Means of Nearness to Allah) and Seeking Relief from Other Than Allah ......................................... 249 The Question of Seeking the Prophet's Intercession ............................ 257 The Issues of Demolishing Tombs and Visiting the Graves ................ 261 Conclusions ......................................................................................... 263 Recent English Literature on Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhaab.... 268 General Studies on Islam ..................................................................... 268 Western Travelers ................................................................................ 272 De Corancez ........................................................................................ 274 Burckhardt ........................................................................................... 276 Two Recent Writings ........................................................................... 279 Algar .................................................................................................... 279 Schwartz .............................................................................................. 295 Attar, Abdul-Azeez ibn Baaz and al-Huqail ........................................ 306 Conclusion ........................................................................................... 307 Lessons for Today's World from the Life of Muhammad ibn Abdul- Wahhaab ............................................................................................. 309 The Importance of Starting with Correcting One's Beliefs (Aqeedah) in Theory and Practice ............................................................................. 311 Not to Despair No Matter How Great the Ignorance and Wrongdoing May Be ................................................................................................. 315 The Importance of “Education" For All .............................................. 322 Following the “Cause and Effect" in This World While Putting One's Complete Trust in Allah ...................................................................... 326 The Necessity of Having Support for the Call ..................................... 328 Having Full Certainty with Respect to the Absolute Importance of Following the Truth ......................................................................... 333 The Importance of Turning to Allah .................................................... 336 Refusal to Compromise the Fundamental Beliefs ............................... 338 Using All Available Permissible Means for the Sake of the Mission.... 339 The Caller Himself and Those With Him Must Apply the Principles of the Call ............................................................................................ 342 The Importance of Refuting the Doubts and Allegations Concerning the True Call ........................................................................................ 343 Realizing What Means the Enemies of the Truth May Resort to ........ 345 Importance of Being United with the Muslims Whenever Possible.... 347 Realizing that the Worker May Not See All of the Fruits of His Efforts in His Lifetime ..................................................................................... 349 Truth or Falsehood is Not To be Affirmed Simply Based on Numbers 350 The Importance of Understanding the Contemporary Reality ............. 354 Ascribing Partners to Allah (Shirk) is The Greatest Evil and All Means Must Be Taken to Avoid It .................................................................. 355 Table 1. Summary of al-Khamees' Study Concerning Forbidden Acts that are Means to Shirk ........................................................................ 365 Conclusions ......................................................................................... 367 The Importance and Necessity of Returning to the Pure and Original Teachings of Islam ............................................................................... 367 The Concept of Tajdeed(“Revivalism") ............................................ 368 Ibn Abdul-Wahhaab's Motivation ....................................................... 370 Final Words ......................................................................................... 373 Glossary ............................................................................................... 375 Bibliography ........................................................................................ 381 Works in English ................................................................................. 381 Works in Arabic ................................................................................... 383