Wahhabism: Its Foundations and Dangers
05 Jan, 2009
- Introduction
What is Wahhabism? This is a fundamental question that arises in
the minds of those who are not fully acquainted with the nuances of
this cult within the cult of Islam. Wahhabism is Islam personified
in today’s age. Wahhabism is reiterates the same philosophy which
the Prophet of Islam had brought about to the 1400 years ago. The
philosophy of the Superiority of the Arabs. Before we proceed
further, let us understand what Wahhabism is not about. Wahhabism is
not about religion, its not about spirituality or God, it is about
the superiority of the Arabs over all other nations. I have tried to
bring forth the character and the personality of the Prophet of this
sub-cult and his mentor Abdullah Ibn Sa’ud. It is extremely
important that we know, who the founding fathers of this cult were,
in order to understand the cult itself. It is simply because, it is
important to go through the mind of the leader before examining the
cult. Just like no study of Islam is complete without studying
Prophet Muhammad, the study of Wahhabism is incomplete without
studying its founding father.
Conditions in Arabia at the advent of Wahhabism
Wahhabism has its origins in the Arabian Desert, which, from time immemorial, has been the haunt of highwaymen and nomads, who tolerated no rule or social organization other than their own ancestral systems. Even the so-called brotherhood of Islam could only temporarily combine them into unstable groups to unite for a raid or plunder. The Bedouins continued their blood feuds, and their history remained practically the same continuing story of tribal jealousy and, consequent as before, the advent of Muhammad and the subsequent spread of his Cult. As it was the duty of the Caliph to safeguard the passage to the cities of Mecca and Medina, the Western Coast routes were more or less under his control. The Ottomans, as holders of the Caliphate on no other right than being the most powerful Muhammadan ruler, essentially maintained their authority for the protection of the holy cities and the pilgrimage routes. In every other aspect, Arabia remained practically independent of the Turkish Government. The Sharifs of Mecca, who possessed a nominal ecclesiastic sovereignty, were as powerless politically as the Turkish Government, and were unable to control the tribes.
The inhabitants of the towns or Oasis mostly belonged to the most conservative and rigid of the four orthodox Sunni Schools of Islam, that of Ibn Hanbal, while the East-Arabia sheltered some Shafi'ites, the coast of Kuwait some Malakites, and some coasts of the East even some Shiites, who were the remnant of the Qarmatian sects. Economically, the entire country was destitute. Not even a slowly increasing population could thrive on its soil, and a constant efflux into Mesopotamia and Syria just served to keep the remainder practically on the borderline of starvation.
The economic as well as social conditions in Arabia had remained practically unchanged since the time of Muhammad.
Understanding Ibn Abdul Wahab
In Arabia, any historian has the rare opportunity to study the original social conditions petrified in their natural surroundings, as time seems to have slumbered into the desert. Modern Arab history is simply a mirage reflected from its past. In the last century or so, Arab nationalism has found expression in the revived Islamic doctrines of Ibn Taymmiyaa, from which Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab (1703–91) drew his inspiration.
Ibn Abdul Wahhab was born at Uyanina, a small town in Najd. His father’s name, incidentally was a Hamabalite Ulema and far from being in accord with the teachings of his son, gave the appellation to the movement called Wahhabism. Wahhabi is more or less a nickname in Arabia; the Arabs like to call themselves Muwahhidun or monotheists; they believe that they practice monotheism in the purest form.
Muhammad went through the usual curriculum of Islamic studies. He probably developed his enthusiasm for the teachings of Ibn Taymiya at Medina, where he lived for some time. After the death of his father in 1740, he started to preach his doctrines publicly. He railed against the system of offering homage to human beings and to their graves. He reproached mysticism for its indifference to the law of the Prophet. The veneration of saints in any form was an abomination for him. He did not recognize the consent of human authority in any form.
He preached for the return to the two sources of Islam: “the Quran and the primitive Sunnah”. He said, “Ye have the book (Quran) and sunnah, study the word of God and act according to it even if the majority disagrees with you.” He proscribed all speculative explanations in exegesis and jurisprudence and adhered, like the Zahirites, to the literal sense of the Quran and the Hadith. He rejected all innovations by which Islam had tried to adapt itself to the changing conditions, and waged an implacable war against the laxities, introduced by the mundane spirit, at the cost of primitive austerity.
The teachings of Ibn Abul Wahhab roused anxiety even amongst the Hanbalites of Arabia. The pious conservative probably sympathized with the tendency of his doctrines, but his insistence on the practice of the puritan tenets frightened those, who indulged in daily transgressions.
In 1744, owing to the persecution of the ulemas, he was forced to seek refuge in Darriya, in the house of the Amir Muhammad Ibn Sa’ud. From this time, the theological controversy entered on to the political sphere. Ibn Sa’ud agreed to become his patron and concluded a pact with him. The religious propagandist had now gained the support of an executive authority (asab us-seyf) behind him. Those, who believed on their account, were invited to defend the faith; those, who hesitated, were brought over by the prospect of booty; those, who resisted, were forced by intimidation. The blood-feuds of the Bedouins were forbidden or restrained, and their restless energy was directed against the Kafirs; at least, those, whom Ibn Sa’ud and the Wahhabis regarded as such.
This new movement proceeded on parallel lines to its predecessor’s of the 7th century. No other line of advantage was possible. In accordance with the Wahhabi doctrine, which solely followed the actions of the Prophet of Islam, the state extracted one-fifth of the booty, and also collected the Zakat from the believers. It converted the inhabitants of the rebellious province of Kasim into tenants on the principle of kharadj.
The Arabia of the 7th century was, thus, revived again. The state
was based on the army, and this had to be kept busy to secure
maintenance. The nomads of Arabia, always eager to join promising
movements, got interested in Wahhabism, and the prospect of booty
soon attracted the Bedouins of Central and East Arabia to the camp
of Sa’ud. Towards the end of the 18th century, Sa’ud and his
Wahhabis became the greatest power in the peninsula. They started
harassing the pilgrims to Mecca, and robbing them of Sultan's
presents, in the same way that the Prophet of Islam had in his early
days of Prophethood. Then they attacked the Shia communities at
Nadjaf and Karbala, just like Muhammad used to attack the Jewish
communities. History repeated itself even into the minutest details.
The iconoclastic zeal of the Wahhabis destroyed the mausoleums and
cupolas erected over the graves, and removed the heavily embroidered
silk carpets of the Kaaba. In Medina, Muhammad’s tomb was robbed of
its treasures hoarded through the centuries. The ulema, cowed by the
Tafkir, were powerless against these vandalisms. The Wahhabis
continued to rob the pilgrims, forcing the Hajj to be suspended
altogether.
Decline and rise of Wahhabism
Encouraged by the uncharted success, hordes of Arabs pressed northwards into Syria and Mesopotamia. The Ottomans were powerless against Sa’ud, they were forced to entrust the pacification of the Arabia to the Pasha of Egypt, Muhammad Ali. It was not an easy task. Desert warfare had proved difficult even for the the best organized armies. The campaign of the Egyptians resulted in severe reverses, until they took recourse of more glittering weapons than swords. Money was set rolling among the Bedouins, who, as in the time of the Prophet Muhammad, had greater faith in gold than in sacred doctrines. The capital of Abdullah Sa’ud at Darriya was stormed in 1818; the Amir and some leaders of the Wahhabis were taken prisoners and sent to Constantinople, where they were executed.
This was a hard blow to Wahhabism. The family of Sa’ud first retired to Riyadh, then to Kuwait on the Persian gulf, as they could not withstand the rivalry of their former foes, the Ibn Rasheed of Mount Shammar.
The extension of the political influence of Germany over Turkey, which found its economic expression in the building of the Baghdad railway stretching out its feelers towards the Persian gulf, created a new situation. The British Government was looking for new allies in Arabia against the Turko-Germanic alliance. In the 6th century, the situation had been exactly similar. The Byzantines stationed the Ghasanides in Syria as buffers against the Laskmides of Hira who were feudatories of the Sassanians. These two Arab dynasties remained in a continual conflict; they won and lost battles exactly as what was going to happen again. In a similar vein, fights had been going on between the Rasheedis and the Sa’uds. In the beginning, the Rasheedis had gained an important advantage. But later on, the Sa’uds invented a very efficient stratagem. He established several camps at important spots, where he assembled his Bedouins and drilled them in the rigid doctrine of wahhabism, and also taught them the art of agriculture. He formed a brotherhood of reliable and trustworthy elements to serve as a nucleus for the fresh organization. The Turks, weakened by their defeat in the Balkan war, were obliged to maintain a passive attitude in Arabia. Long before the marcia su Roma, the Wahhabi fiasco was created. They had their national pride, their rigid national creed devoid of all influences of foreign origin, and a national esprit se corps, which acknowledged implicit obedience to one idea, to one master. They even had their own distinct uniform—a counterpart to the black-shirts of Mussolini: a white garment and a white turban.
The brotherhood of the Wahhabis, know as the Ukhuwwat, was a military organization ready to strike at any moment. Characteristically like the first communities of Islam, the Ukhuwwat does not recognize tribal organization. It is an organization of the Arabs, irrespective of tribal adherence, guided by the ideals of Islam.
The shrewdness of Sa’ud, just like that of Prophet Muhammad,
helped realize his coveted fruits. In 1921, he defeated his old
rival Ibn Rasheed, and massacred his family. In 1924, he
victoriously entered Taif and Mecca from where Hussain Ibn Ali the
sheriff and Caliph had fled. The kingdom of Hijaz ceased to exist. A
new sultanate, that of Sa’ud, an independent Arabic state, stepped
on t the stage of history, known as Saudi Arabia today.
After effects and conclusion
The stringency of Wahhabism—in matters religion, national outlook and attitude towards foreign politics—found many adherents abroad. In India and Pakistan, the Salafiya (conservatives) and the Ahle Hadith (traditionalists) were more or less inspired by the Wahhabite tendencies. It helped them keep the Muslims away from secular education.
Wahhabism is a militant state. It could not remain satisfied with its achievements. In order to enlarge the status that it enjoyed in the Muslim world, it had to expand its economic boundaries. We see this influence today, as Wahhabi Saudi Arabia exports its citizens, sets up Islamic chairs in Western universities, sets up Madarssas in South and Southeast Asia. These are all ways and means to expand it. With the advent of the age of petroleum, the militant tendency of Islam, which today manifests through Wahhabism, has got the most important tool to spread itself all over the world. If the world does not recognize the threat that this menacing ideology presents to humankind, we might yet face another World War.
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Ibrahim Lone is Kashmir-born ex-Muslim. He can be contacted at Ibrahim6661@gmail.com
Name: henri
Date: Monday January 05, 2009
Time: 00:54:34 -0500
Comment
esprit se corps, I think you mean esprit de corps whih is a french expression! Here from Paris...
Name: Ilham Abdullah, exmuslim
Date: Monday January 05, 2009
Time: 03:00:35 -0500
Comment
A well researched and interesting history of Wahhabism Ibrahim. The article makes the point that militant Islam is the Islam taught by Mohammed. How sick and depraved! More reason to believe Islam cannot be reformed and should be discredited and abandoned.
Name: Wahabism = Primitivism
Date: Monday January 05, 2009
Time: 04:43:35 -0500
Comment
Without their Oil Saudi Arabia would be even worser off than Somalia or Afghanistan. All the Wahabi Scribes are nothing more than sharlatans and lazy skunks. They are inventing a tradition which never existed before; who can ever know how to understand the quran? Here we can see one of the biggest problems of Islam: That all the interpretation is man-made no matter of the true origin of the quran. And the realitiy provides more than enough evidence that Islam is wrong. All islamic societies are behind and many of them rely only on oil.
Name: Puneet Madaan
Date: Monday January 05, 2009
Time: 04:50:01 -0500
Comment
ever heard of hitlers youth ? Ibn Abdul Wahab was aurangzeb's youth.... indoctrinated with aurangzebs genocidal philosophy... look for hayan al sindi, the figure that indoctrinated Ibn Abdul Wahab in Medina Mosque with genocidal ideology that Aurangzeb repersented... Hayan al sindi was born in home of a Imam of sindh, that look after genocidal work that had fallen over native Hindu/Buddhist population of sindh. it was Hayan that brought the chapters of genocide from Aurangzeb's sindh... and it was Ibn Abdul Wahab who rebinded the genocidal work into a Islamic tradition ( and i am not in denial, that Mohammed was some good figure... i am just saying that Ibn Abdul Wahab extended mohammed genocidal ideology with changing world... making the version upgraded with new times...)
Name: good one,these r best words that come to mind for me
Date: Monday January 05, 2009
Time: 06:00:03 -0500
Comment
good one,these r best words that come to mind for me.NEW KALIMA : there is no pig-dog hybrid than jehova/jesus/allah and muhamed is his piss-poo-poo-pimp.piss-poo-poo be on jehova/allah and the pimp muhamed.
Name: Wahabism = Stupidity
Date: Monday January 05, 2009
Time: 06:13:33 -0500
Comment
There is nothing more stupid than to take everything literally. And to memorise everything. Printing was forbidden for more than 200 hundred years in the arabic world by the califate and the arabs are still suffering from it. Only because it is written in the quran that humans have to write with a pen which was taken literally. The arabic language is not capable for science, education and literature. There are still so many illiterates and there is no meaningful arabic book market at all. Here we have clear evidence that islam is not only bad for iranians, indians and other oppressed people, but for the arabs as well.
Name: judeo-christianity/islam is the bane of mankind,we want frrdom of religion and freedom from religion
Date: Monday January 05, 2009
Time: 06:17:56 -0500
Comment
judeo-christianity/islam is the bane of mankind,we want frrdom of religion and freedom from religion. we must save mankind,else nuke world war 3 is coming very early.
Name: amaar khan
Date: Monday January 05, 2009
Time: 07:32:54 -0500
Comment
great article ibrahim.... i was also thinking to write at this topic but you did that 100 times better then me. wahabees are real muslims and real terrorists...
Name: Ibn Kammuna/ Short continuation of this fine article
Date: Monday January 05, 2009
Time: 10:08:30 -0500
Comment
Thanks Mr. Lone for this fine work. Just a continuation: When Al Sa'ud took over, Alhussein Bin Ali moved to lead where he can. With the help of the british, he went north to Aqaba in Jordan. Things did not go perfect for him, but his line continured in the current royal family in Jordan. The British also established emirates/kindom for his family in Syria and Iraq. Those kingdoms were done when political coups shattered them toward the middle of the last century.
Name: Az
Date: Monday January 05, 2009
Time: 13:05:40 -0500
Comment
Christians revere and worship saints, some worship Virgin Mary and Jesus. Did Jesus say to do any of these? NO! As much as i disagree with most of Wahhabism at least they worship God and no one else. Its so ironic Muslims are closer to the teachings of Jesus than even Christians are!
Name: Wahabism = Brainlessness
Date: Monday January 05, 2009
Time: 13:43:14 -0500
Comment
Wahabis are against reading anything else than the quran and related books, against watching TV, Barbie Dolls, female driving, Mickey Mouse, Music, April Jokes, Birthdays and I am sure if we wait for tomorrow they will have some more items. And Az is a Wahabi too. They pretend to worship nothing but god. But aren´t they worshipping the Kaaba with its so-called holy stone as well? Why isn´t this idolatry too? At least it is very, very stupid!
Name: Cato
Date: Monday January 05, 2009
Time: 14:39:30 -0500
Comment
AZ what a crock of shit , i'd rather worship LaoZi Buddha, Socrate, Mary or a cow than the evil islamic god. And for your informations, catholics (i assume you are talking about them) do not "worship" Mary
Name: About Az
Date: Monday January 05, 2009
Time: 16:26:43 -0500
Comment
He believes that christians worship Mary because it is written in the quran! There is also written that Jews regard Esra as god and worship him. Thats untrue too and never had been true! Wahabis are so stupid because they don´t know anything outside the quran!! And they believe that all other people are only sitting there and worshipping Stones or Idols. Hey, Az! Have you ever read anything not influenced by your stupid Wahabi-nonsense??? That all people will go to hell except you? What do you think would the devil teach you? Something different than the quran and your Wahabi-Idiots???
Name: Cato
Date: Monday January 05, 2009
Time: 17:20:23 -0500
Comment
yeah they quran says that Christians made Mary equal to God , putting her in the trinity; but this is completely false , no christian sect or heresy etc has ever put Mary in the trinity. Mohammad just wanted to discredit jews and christians by saying they were polytheists. And anyway polytheism (or any other religion) is still better than islam
Name: Az again
Date: Monday January 05, 2009
Time: 18:50:37 -0500
Comment
I am not a Wahhabi, i am not even Muslim. Christianity is 95% paganism. Islam is pure monotheism. Catholic nuns are the most sadistical hypocrites on Earth. Jews dont believe Ezra is the son of God. Hope that cleared things up.
Name: Az hole
Date: Monday January 05, 2009
Time: 21:36:29 -0500
Comment
Az is a confused fool living like a toad at the bottom of the well. He can see a little bit of the sky but doesn't know the rest of the world. All the info he got is garbage thrown down the well. And that's all he deserved.
Name: Caton
Date: Monday January 05, 2009
Time: 22:51:06 -0500
Comment
"Christianity is 95% paganism. Islam is pure monotheism." Nope sorry AZ islam is 100% paganism : hajj , 5 prayers , the moon god , Mohamad's pagan superstitions, the jinns etc However, it's the fact that the quran is filled with hatred that makes it an evil religion
Name: duh_swami
Date: Monday January 05, 2009
Time: 22:55:48 -0500
Comment
AZ..."i disagree with most of Wahhabism at least they worship God and no one else"....AZ is confusing God with Allah.
Name: to ibrahim lone
Date: Tuesday January 06, 2009
Time: 01:29:30 -0500
Comment
well I read in your site that all religions are manmade and false.I disagree with you.I request you to read autobiography of yogi by paramhansa yogananda.All religions are manmade except hinduism.If you say hinduism is too manmade then say who created it.there are many miracles in this autobiography but we dont claim only we can do miracles any one who masters kriya yoga can perform such miracles.Please know truth about hinduism before claiming it false
Name: wahabism= arab barbarism
Date: Tuesday January 06, 2009
Time: 02:47:19 -0500
Comment
wahabism= arab barbarism.
Name: Islamic Monotheism is like a Fetish
Date: Tuesday January 06, 2009
Time: 03:14:20 -0500
Comment
Muslims are so proud of being maybe more monotheistic than others because they believe that their Allah is so primitive and jealous that he is always looking who worships somebody else to punish him. This suggests that Allah is like Satan and it is true. According to the quran husbands are ordered to beat their wifes while all muslims are ordered not to become friends of non-muslims what is nothing but religious apartheid.
Name: Re Caton
Date: Tuesday January 06, 2009
Time: 04:09:14 -0500
Comment
Caton, what is pagan about praying 5 times a day? What is pagan about the Hajj? Christmas is pagan as well as the gluttony that comes with it and mass wasteful spending. Jesus must be embarrased with this crap festival THAT WAS HIJACKED BY THE CHURCH TO REPLACE SUN WORSHIP ON 25 DECEMBER
Name: vbv
Date: Tuesday January 06, 2009
Time: 04:26:34 -0500
Comment
To Mr.Lone: You have written a well-researched article for which I extend my hearty congatulation. Wahabism is ultra-orthodox islam in its pristine form as preached by its founder Muhamad,accoording to you. And I agree with you : we can see it in Saudi Arabia and closer home in Swat valley in Pakistan where the Taliban have closed down all educational institutions imparting modern ecucation,burnt down girls' schools threatiening to kill the girls found outside their homes, issued many fatwas that would have made Ibn Abdullah Wahhab very proud for making the poor pashtun people literally arab arse-lickers. This is the true islam of Muhamad the barbarian and Charlatan par excellence,the sole'prophet' of his cult and his fake deity Allah!
Name: RE:Re Caton: Ibrahim
Date: Tuesday January 06, 2009
Time: 06:33:39 -0500
Comment
All the rituals associated with Haj are pagan in ofcourse a modified form. All the Islamic festivals are again pagan in originin. Tawaf is the biggest symbol of the pagan origin of Hajj. Anybody who is familiar with Islamic History will know these basics. What do you think throwing pebbles at the the rocks is? Is it not a form of paganism, the great devotion that Muslims have for the Kaaba, is not something that people are not familiar with. Anyway I personally dont have any problems with Paganism or any other religion as long as it is not a political ideology in the guise of religion.
Name: RE:to ibrahim lone : Ibrahim
Date: Tuesday January 06, 2009
Time: 06:37:16 -0500
Comment
Dear friend, you are free to disagree with anything that I write and say, and just for clarity's sake this site does not belong to me. If at all, it belongs to MA, who has spent almost years now working on this website without receiving any monetary benifits. Believe me it is a very difficult task, hell, I could not work without money for even a month.
Name: Wahhabism and Terrorism
Date: Tuesday January 06, 2009
Time: 12:33:06 -0500
Comment
Wahhabis are hating Shiites and regard them as even worse infidels than any non muslims. Terrorist attacks of Wahhabis against Shiites have a long tradition from 18th century until today in Iraq. Wahhabis are extremely dangerous because they are ultimately brainless and rely only on the Quran and the Sunnah which must be taken literally and become enforced by any means including violence.
Name: NADEEMASLAM36
Date: Wednesday January 07, 2009
Time: 06:35:46 -0500
Comment
ISLAM IS QURAN N SUNNAH no sects so please close ur web site u FOOLS
Name: To NADEEMASLAM36
Date: Wednesday January 07, 2009
Time: 11:56:33 -0500
Comment
You are an amusing person, keep on reading the articles of Islam Watch, one day your mind will be illuminated and liberated.
Name: seeker
Date: Thursday January 08, 2009
Time: 02:12:25 -0500
Comment
I have read the book Autobiography of a Yogi.It is an amazing book.I was so hooked that I visited the cave of the Mahavatar Babaji, the deathless saint believed to be 2000 years old near Ranikhet.I found many westerners on the way to the cave in the mountains.Later on, my agnostic views got the better of me and thankfully I did not join that cult called YSS or SRF(Self Realisation Fellowship) as it is better known in America.
Name: RE;NADEEMASLAM36
Date: Thursday January 08, 2009
Time: 05:07:11 -0500
Comment
We believe you Nadeem. Islam is composed of Quran and Sunnah. Both trash, both stupid, both contradictory, both voilent, both gramtically incorrect, both...........
Name: Flex
Date: Friday January 09, 2009
Time: 04:24:56 -0500
Comment
The lack of education is what keeps Islam alive, an educated mind can not believe that the Koran is the word of any God. It' takes brainwashing and ignorance. No wonder they have to start young. I just wonder how much human potential has been wasted by children memorizing and reciting the Koran instead of learning how to think.
Name: NADEEMASLAM36
Date: Friday January 09, 2009
Time: 05:12:12 -0500
Comment
ru u ppl of this SITE R ANGELS I WANT TO KNOW PLEASE?
Name: seeker
Date: Friday January 09, 2009
Time: 10:24:14 -0500
Comment
No, we are no angels. We are common folk. We are deeply concerned about the violence Islam preaches.There have been 12558 deadly terror attacks since 9/11.Please check it out at religion of peace.com.
Name: ahlan
Date: Friday January 09, 2009
Time: 17:49:55 -0500
Comment
Name: ahlan
Date: Friday January 09, 2009
Time: 17:51:57 -0500
Comment
to all those who have commented below - WAHABISM DOES NOT mean ISLAM! It's just ONE sect followed by a certain group of people. get a grip guys before you all start falling off your horses to defame someone else's faith.
Name: To NADEEMASLAM36
Date: Saturday January 10, 2009
Time: 05:51:50 -0500
Comment
It is good that you keep on visiting Islam Watch.
Name: Wahhabism is doomed!
Date: Sunday January 11, 2009
Time: 13:32:41 -0500
Comment
By destroying it´s own heritage the Wahhabi Islamists are destroying their own roots, their own history and their own cultural heritage Islam will become totally naked before it will collapse and disappear forever. It is clear what I am talking about. About the fact that Wahhabis even destroy buildings and monuments from the early Islam, such as the house of Khadija, his first wife, as well as many holy places devoted to ancient prophets. Even Mosques from the very earliest day of islam were destroyed because they did not fit into the architectural requirements claimed by wahhabi scribes. Music is widely forbidden as well as western movies, dancing, painting and sculpture, performances and almost everything. Under Wahhabi Laws, there are so many limitiations for arts, that Islam cannot create any identity any more. They are so poor and don´t realise this any more.
Name: RE:ahlan
Date: Tuesday January 13, 2009
Time: 23:22:07 -0500
Comment
Dear Ahlan, can you please tell us if the Wahabi practices are Islamic or unislamic.