After Prophet’s death, Islam was a majority religion by 18th century, this Era had Islam surrounded with corrupt practices like new innovations, Practices of Biddah, polytheism (shirk) was in large, invoking dead saints and prophets had become an ancestral tradition, During this period, i.e., 1115 A.H. In a small village called Uyaiyna, in Najd the central Arabia, in the family of Tameem, there was this birth of a smart, outspoken, religious scholar who changed the revolution of this corruption that happened in Islam.
Born into a family of religious prestige of scholars and jurists, this perhaps laid down an amicable foundation for Ibn Abdul Wahab, for his future advances in learning and dedication in faith. According to a few sources of literature we also learn that unlike other children Ibn Abdul Wahab wasn’t interested spending time in playing, He memorized Qur’an at the early age of 10 years. At the age of 12 his father found him qualified for the position of Imam and appointed him as an Imam. His father also got him married and gave him the permission to perform Hajj.
During his trip to Hajj he went to Madinah and stayed for 2 months, he had great interest in the study of Qur’anic Tafseer and Tauheed (Monotheism) , Because of his keen interest he was drawn towards the teachings of the two great scholars of Islam, Ibn Taimiyah and Ibn Al-Qayyim. He started writing books having being inspired by these two great scholars.
The study of Tauheed and Quranic Tafseer made him realize that the practices that were going on in the Muslim world were not according to the Qur’an and Sunnah. However he was too young to openly react to these practices and term them unislamic. He chose to increase his knowledge first and set out on travel, to attain knowledge.
Whilst travelling he got to study the different areas, the different practices and how people were blindly cocooned in following customs over Islam and had strayed away from the path of Muhammad’s teachings.
He set out to Hijaz for his studies, where he witnessed an academic environment unlike the one in Uyaiyna where only the study of Hanbali fiqh was available, there were scholars from different fiqh schools from across the world in Hijaz. Ibn Abdul Wahab studied under many scholars in Madinah, but he was close to two scholars, Abdullah Ibn Ibraheem Ibn Saif and Muhammad Hayaat Al-Sindhi, Infact Al-Sindhi had the greatest impact on Ibn Abdul Wahab, Both the scholars not only taught him but also set him on his path as a reformer.
His first scholar Abdullah was from Hanbali school of Fiqh, he had a fair idea of the practices of the people of najd, and often had it discussed with ibn Abdul Wahab, It was one day when Abdullah asked Ibn Abdul Wahab if he wanted to see the weapons he possessed for the people of Najd? Ibn Wahab replied in the affirmative and Abdullah took ibn Wahab to a house which had lots of books stored, and he said “These are the weapons” The people had strayed from Tauheed and they needed these weapons to get them back on the path of Tauheed.
A message comes out clear here: The strongest tool against the evil practices is true knowledge.
Ibn Abdul Wahab spent sometime with his second scholar Al-Sindhi who was a great scholar of Hadith in Hijaz, Al-Sindhi opposed innovations, polytheistic practices and called on Ijtehaad. Once Ibn Wahab saw people supplicating and seeking refuge at the tomb of Prophet (pbuh) he asked Al-Sindhi as to what they were doing, Al-Sindhi replied: “[Moses added:] "Verily, these people will be destroyed for that which they are engaged in (idols-worship). And all that they are doing is in vain." –Surat Ar’af: 139
After having studies in Hijaz, he returned to Uyainah, he was in his mid-twenties when he was still not in a position to influence people and eradicate evil practices. He stayed in Uyainah for a year and set out to Damascus, the center for Hanbali fiqh and on the way reached Basra, the Shiite home. He saw different practices happening in Basra, he was exposed to more polytheistic practices, Infact during his stay in Basra he wrote his book “Kitab Al-Tauheed” He had a teacher by name Al-Majmoo’ee who supported him, and the arguments with the deviant sects got heated at times.
Many of the people in Basra did not like Ibn Wahab, but then he always said, All forms of worship should be directed to Allah Alone. He stayed in Basra for a long time and did not fear anyone except that he believed in the fear of Allah. This gave him the confidence to speak out and repel the doubts of the questioners. He returned to Najd after a long 25 years having travelled vastly across the Arabian Peninsula in search of knowledge.
He reached a place Huraimila in Najd where he started Public Dawah, He began to give out lectures in Mosque on Quran, Hadith and Fiqh, From the beginning he started objecting the innovative and polytheistic practices and people attended his lectures in large numbers. He revised his book “Kitab Al-Tauheed” here, With the death of his father, Ibn Abdul Wahab became a well known scholar at the age of 38.
There was a time when people of Uyayinah sought blessings from trees and bushes in the area. And there was a grave in their area, the grave of Zaid ibn-Al-Khattab who died fighting Musailamah, People went there to seek blessings and slaughterd animals there, within a short period of time Ibn Wahab removed these polytheistic practices. Initially the Ameer Muammar supported him but when warned by the neighboring Ameer Ibn Wahab was expelled out of Uyayinah.
Upon his expulsion from Uyiyanah he was invited by Muhammad bin Saud to settle in Diriyah, Both Saud and Ibn Wahab came into an agreement to get the Arabs back to the principles of Islam. When Saud declared: "This oasis is yours, do not fear your enemies. By the name of God, if all Nejd was summoned to throw you out, we will never agree to expel you." -Madawi al-Rasheed, A History of Saudi Arabia: 16 then Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahab replied to him:"You are the settlement's chief and wise man. I want you to grant me an oath that you will perform jihad (Struggle to spread Islam) against the unbelievers. In return you will be imam, leader of the Muslim community and I will be leader in religious matters.” -Madawi al-Rasheed, A History of Saudi Arabia: 16
This agreement was confirmed by a mutual oath, Ibn Wahab agreed to handle the religious matters and Saud agreed to handle the political and military matters, this agreement has remained intact for the last 300 years and on.
Ibn Saud conquered Najd, and began the Salafi influence, eradicating the Shiite practices and propagating the practices of Ibn Abul Wahab this led them establish their first Saudi state. Thus, bringing a revolution in getting back the true principles of Islam, The principles and doctorines that our Prophet (pbuh) taught us, his companions practised and preached the Ummah of the Last Messenger of Allah, Lets together salute this legendary scholar Shaykh Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahhab for his timeless efforts in reviving back the sahih teachings of Islam in the Holy Lands of Makkah and Madinah, Allahu Alhamdulilah.
May Allah swt grant him the highest ranks in Paradise, Aameen. May Allah swt prevent Ummatul-Muslimeen from deviating from the true practices of Islam, May Allah swt unite the Ummah on Tawheed, help us all in shedding our differences and get back together as we all together share the Shahadah, May Allah swt prevent people from being judgemental about others, passing judgements about scholars without having knowledge about anything! May Allah swt grant the polytheists the realisation of their sins and make them firm on Tawheed, Aameen summa Aameen Birehmatika Ya'arhamar-rahimeen...
JazakaAllahu Khayrahn!
