Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahab as a Reformer and Serious Allegation against Him
by Hana Arisesa
This article describes myth about Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahab and his movement. Because his movement influence many people around the world till today and there are supporter and opponent to him, it is important to seek and investigate this issue.
Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahab born in ‘Uyaynah in the year 1703 CE (1206 H) (Oliver, 2002), He came from scholar family. His father and grandfather are famous scholar in that time. (Zarabozo, 2003). So, the situation and environment are suitable to Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahhab learning Islamic science which bring him to be notable scholar. After seeking Islamic knowledge, travelling to many countries for learning to others teachers as tradition in that time to be a scholar, He start to call people. He noted that in that time there was many polytheistic practices which not suitable as prophet teaching. He began to teach fundamental principles in Islam. He spread his message in his town then move to others town, looking for supports of the tribal leaders in his call. Some of them reject his movement and some of them accepted. When the finally he got support from Muhammad Ibn Saud, who one of the tribal leader at al-Diriyyah at that time and his movement accepted and attracted many people, his encountered supporters as well as opponent to his call. This the beginning of dispute between his movement and his opponent which arose some myth on his taught (Zarabozo, 2003). Here are some myth and the answer of the Shaykh about it.
1. The Allegation that ibn Abdul-Wahhab Claimed Prophethood.
This refutation has been answered by The Shaykh itself, he said that He believe that the Prophet Muhammad is (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is the seal of the prophets and the messengers. This allegation from his enemies come without prove. All historical tracking, there is not prove that the Shaykh declare that himself as Prophethood. He write many books which available until know, and all can learn what the Shaykh teaching is. So, this allegation is blatant lies in the name of the Shaikh. (Zarabozo, 2003)
2. The Shaikh movement is rebellion from Ottoman Empire.
Some people accuse that the movement is form of rebellion of the legal government at that time which is Ottoman Empire in order to nullify the legal standing of his movement. To answer this, we can track into history of the Arabian Peninsula at that time, in the 18th century. I found the map of the Ottoman Empire territory at that time a sin Figure 1 (Hanioglu, 2008).
It can be shown, that at that time the Ottoman Empire, de facto only rule province of Cidde, territory in west coast Saudi Arabia right now which consist Jeddah, Makkah and Medina. Meanwhile, Najd and others territory is under control by local rule. So, the claim of The Shaikh rebel to the Ottoman Empire is not correct view.
3. The Allegation that ibn Abdul-Wahab Belittled the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
This allegation arise because one of the Shaikh opponents, Ibn Suhaim made claim concerning about Shaikh on his letter, sent to surrounding areas. On those letter, He claim that Shaikh, does not respect to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and his position. The answer of this allegation, is come from the Shaikh himself, who wrote explicitly denied the early charges of ibn Suhaim against him. He stated that they are all pure fabrications—except for his opposition to the book Dalaail al Khairaat, which he explained that he opposed because the people considered its reading more virtuous than reading the Quran. (Zarabozo, 2003).
4. The claim that Wahhabis movement, which identically of the Shaikh movement that believe all those who don’t follow Wahhabis form of Islam are heathens. (Oliver, 2002)
The answer of this claim, it can be easily tracking and studying the Shaikh taught on his books and his followers. The true is the Wahhabis declare and believe that those Muslim who do not follow the understanding of Salaf, are not adhering to these and others clear texts, they do not fall under the verses that means “rightly guided”. The Wahhabis taught distinguish between those who fall into religious innovation and those who fall into disbelief.
5. The Allegation That the Horn of Satan Rises from ibn Abdul Wahab's Najd.
This myth come because there is an authentic hadeeth narrated by Bukhari that the prophet said about the Prophet information that someday will rise Horn of Satan in Najd area. For the Shaikh enemies, this hadeeth mean the Shaikh movement itself to deny it legally. To answers this claim, it can be tracked the explanation of companion who know better understanding about this hadeeth. He is Salaam, the son of the famous Companion Abdullah ibn Umar which pointed that the mean of Najd in that hadeeth is Iraq right now. This interpretation is supported by the fact in historical events related to Iraq. There are several occurred and appearance of the fitnah in Islamic history such as appearance of Khawarij Sect, The killing of Husain, the Jamal war, and etc.
These are some myths, allegation and claim which are intendant to the Shaikh movement. The almost of them are not correct to describe this movement. Some of them are blatantly lies in the name of Shaikh, and some of them are misunderstanding of what Shaikh taught.
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