Muhammad Ibn Abdul-Wahhaab

Muhammad Ibn Abdul-Wahhaab (the leader of the modern religious renaissance reform in the Arabian Peninsula)[1]

His Birth and Lineage

Muhammad Ibn Abdul-Wahhab was born in 1115 H. in the city of 'Uyainah from (Najd) of Saudi Arabia. He belonged to a scholarly family; his father Abdul-Wahhab bin Sulaiman, characterized by his scholarship and righteousness, inherited an exalted status from his ancestor Sulaiman bin Ali, the chief of the scholars and well versed in teaching, writing and giving verdict.

Education

Sheikh Muhammad acquired his primary education from his father. He memorized the Qur'an at the age of ten. He read the books on Tafseer (exegesis), Hadith and Fiqh. He was greatly interested in studying the works of early scholars, particularly those of Sheikh-ul-Islam Ibn Taimiyah and his noble disciple Ibn Qaiyim. He went through all those books and well grasped the contents .

On the age of maturity, he set out to Hajj, at Makkah he derived benefits from the scholars there, then proceeded to Al-Madinah; he took also the journey to Iraq and Basrah and got himself benefited there.

Condition of Najd

In those days, Najd was indulged in polytheistic deeds and un-Islamic practices. The graves, trees, stones, caves , evil spirits and insane persons were regarded as deities. The soothsayers and magicians were having their influence over the society .

None could dare challenge the commoners’ practice. Same condition was prevailing in many places around the Arabia: Makkah, Al-Madinah and Yemen. Polytheism, erection of structures on the graves, seeking refuge and assistance of the dead, saints and jinn were the common religious features .

The Allegation That the Horn of Satan Rises from Najd wherein Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahhaab:

Al-Bukhari records that Ibn Umar said that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “O Allah, bless us in our Shaam and in our Yemen.” They [the people] said, “And in our Najd?” He again said, “O Allah, bless us in our Shaam and in our Yemen.” They [the people] again said, “And in our Najd?” He replied, “There will be the shakings, trials and in it the horn of Satan rises.”[2]

to refute this claim according to the other narration[3] of this Hadith and also according the linguistic meaning of the word "Najd" which the allegation built upon, we could say that the Hadith did not make a condition that whoever and whatever comes from this region should be satanic or astray[4] this is firstly and secondly it did not determined precisely which Najd meant exactly (the other narrations mentioned only the Eastern Direction region from Madeenah)

Mission of Da'wah

The Sheikh mission was to invite people to the Tawheed (Monotheism) and guided them to the Qur'an and Sunnah. He urged upon Ulama to strictly follow the Qur'an and Sunnah and derive the issues directly from them. He forcibly contradicted the blind following of any scholar of the Ummah in preference to the Qur'an and Hadith.

A number of scholars from Makkah, Al-Madinah and Yemen accepted his invitation, and supported him. But apart from them, there were also such ignorant and selfish scholars who criticized him and kept themselves aloof as they were being affected by his Da’wah in terms of their worldly gains. Even then he took journey to different places (Zabir, Ahsa, Huraimala, he reached Uyainah) to convey his message to the people given to error.

Arrival at Uyainah

That was the period when the ruler of Uyainah was Uthman bin Hamd Ibn Ma'mar. He welcomed Sheikh gladly, and assured him every help in his mission of Islamic Da'wah. He gained the popularity far and wide. People started resorting to him in large numbers. With the help of Amir Uthman bin Ma'mar, most of the defilements and pollutions of polytheistic rituals were extirpated by Sheikh .

Exit from Uyainah and Entrance to Dar'iyah

When the ruler of Al-Ahsa and its surroundings, Sulaiman Ibn Urai'ar knew about the popularity of Sheikh, he became afraid of the growing strength of the Sheikh and resolved to crush him at the very outset, lest he should overthrow him from his power .

So he threatened Amir Uthman and asked him to kill the Sheikh . Amir Uthman was not in a position to withstand Sulaiman, so he made the Sheikh acquainted with the whole situation and submitted him to migrate to any other place. And Sheikh migrated from Uyainah to Dar'iyah .

The people of Dar'iyah knew the Sheikh very well and they were also aware of his mission .

When the ruler of Dar'iyah Muhammad bin Saud knew about the arrival of the Sheikh, he was much pleased and visited him at his place. He exchanged his views with Sheikh and was rejoiced to know that his mission aimed to revive Qur'an and Sunnah and the Islamic teachings in its original form. Ibn Saud, being convinced by the Sheikh, and gave Sheikh his pledge to propagate the teachings of Islam, mobilize Muslims for Jihad, emphasize adherence to the Sunnah of Allah's Messenger (May the peace and blessing of Allah be upon him), enjoin the good deeds and forbid the evils.

Dar'iyah, the Centre of Da'wah

At this time Sheikh started to educate the masses (People of Dar'iyah and its surroundings) by delivering lectures on different branches of knowledge namely, Tawheed, exposition of Qur'an and Sunnah, knowledge of Fiqh and language…etc. Thus Dar'iyah turned into a centre of learning and Da'wah .

The concourse of people and far-reaching effect of his mission made him far-famed which rendered his enemies into jealous. They started false propaganda against the Sheikh and even blamed him of blasphemy, and branded him a Zindiq and sorcerer. Sheikh Muhammad did not care for these blames and continued his mission with full enthusiasm. He even debated his opponents in the best manner and in a polite way. This attitude proved very effective and rendered his opponents to be his supporters .

Delegates from every corner of the Arab Peninsula visited Dar'iyah to pledge their support to Sheikh and to take lesson of true monotheism of Islam. Then they would return back to their areas to teach their people and educate them.

Correspondence with Rulers

Sheikh drew the attention of the rulers and the scholars of each region towards the polytheism and heresy in which the people were indulged, and invited them for their eradication. For the purpose , he stepped into correspondence. He wrote letters to the rulers, elites and scholars of Najd, Riyadh , Kharj, towns of the southern region, Qaseem, Hayel, Washm, Sudair etc. He also wrote to the outstanding Ulama of Ahsa, Makkah and Al-Madinah. Outside the Arab Peninsula, he made correspondence to the learned figures of Syria, Iraq, India, and Yemen as well. A large number of scholars and other people throughout India, Indonesia, Afghanistan, Africa, Morocco, Egypt, Syria, Iraq, etc. got influenced and attracted towards his Da'wah.

Death

Sheikh dedicated his whole life for this Da'wah and Jihad. He breathed his last on the last day of the month of Dhul-Q'adah in 1206 H. (1792 A.C . )

Some of his works

Despite the fact that Sheikh Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahhab was a reformer and a man of Da 'wah, he still engaged in writing also. His some famous works are as follows :

Bibliography

- An Explanation of Muhammad Ibn Abd Al-Wahhab's Kitab Al-Tawhid (English Edition)– January 1, 2003, by Abd Al-Rahman Al-Sadi  (Author), Abu Khaliyl (Translator)
- Al-A’laam by Az-Zarkaly (Arabic) Dar Al’lm lilmalaeen (15th edition) May 2002
    الكتاب: الأعلام - المؤلف: خير الدين بن محمود بن محمد بن علي بن فارس، الزركلي الدمشقي (المتوفى: 1396هـ,(الناشر: دار العلم للملايين - الطبعة: الخامسة عشر - أيار / مايو 2002 م[
- Sharh Sahih Al-Bukhari by Ibn Battal, Maktabah Ar-Rasheed (2nd edtion)2003
    الكتاب: شرح صحيح البخارى لابن بطال - (المتوفى: 449هـ) - تحقيق: أبو تميم ياسر بن إبراهيم - دار النشر: مكتبة الرشد - السعودية، الرياض - الطبعة: الثانية، 1423هـ - 2003م
- Al-Istethkaar by Ibn Abdul Barr, Dar Al-Kutub Al’lmeiah, Beirut (1st edition) 2000
    الكتاب: الاستذكار - المؤلف: أبو عمر يوسف بن عبد الله بن محمد بن عبد البر بن عاصم النمري القرطبي (المتوفى: 463هـ -  (تحقيق: سالم محمد عطا، محمد علي معوض - الناشر: دار الكتب العلمية – بيروت - الطبعة: الأولى، 1421 - 2000