Abdul Wahhab is a famous Arab theologian who is considered the founder of the Wahhabi movement. Together with his associate Muhammad ibn Saud, he played a key role in the creation of Saudi Arabia, as well as in the fact that Wahhabism has entrenched in this country.
Theologian Biography
The exact date of birth of Abdul Wahhab is unknown. Most sources indicate that this happened in 1703. He was born in the village of Uyyana on the territory of Nejd on the Arabian Peninsula. His ancestors were hereditary theologians who had long lived in these places and belonged to the Banu Tamim tribe.
For example, grandfather Abdul Wahhab was a mufti in Nejd, and his father was a judge during the reign of Emir Abdullah ibn Muhammad ibn Muammar. From childhood, he studied Muslim law and hadith studies in a city mosque. Several of his works on Hanbalite law have been preserved.
Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab himself, as his full name sounds, studied Islamic theology, based on the extremely popular Hanbalit madhhab at that time . When he turned 12, he married, which was the order of things for Muslims at that time.
Immediately after this, Abdul Wahhab went on a pilgrimage to the holy places. First of all, he visited Medina and Mecca. Over the course of his journey, he became acquainted with the works of famous and respected theologians - these were Ibn Taymiyah and Ahmad ibn Hanbal. Their views in many respects influenced the formation of his ideology in the future, and also played a large role in the development of the entire Wahhabi movement.
Education
In Medina, Muhammad Abdul Wahhab was educated by Abdullah ibn Sayfa, who, according to his own statement, formed some kind of ideological weapon to fight the beliefs that were common among the inhabitants of oases.
After graduating from Medina, he moved to Basra, where, according to most of his biographers, spent another five years. It was there that he began to preach on the need to purify Islam from innovation, to abandon idolatry. There, Muhammad Abdul Wahhab wrote his first book, which he called Kitab al-Tawhid. Most of the ideas that he expressed were very bold for that time, therefore, as a rule, they did not find support from the inhabitants of the oasis. There were many disagreements, because of which he was eventually expelled from the city. Therefore, he was forced to live in Al-Khas for some time. Then Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhab moved to Khuraymaly, where his father also moved. He enjoyed great authority among local residents.
In 1740, the father of the hero of our article passed away. Left without his support, he was forced to travel again. According to the historian of that period, Ibn Bishra at that time in the Huraimal lived the Abds, who were known among the surrounding tribes for their depraved behavior. After talking with them, Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhab decided to certainly convert them to true religion in order to save these lost souls. Dissatisfied with this, the Abds decided to kill him, then he was forced to quickly return to Uyaina.
Acquaintance with the Emir Ibn Muammar
Already in Uyain, Sheikh Muhammad Abdul Wahhab begins to communicate closely with the emir Muammar, and in the end, inclines him to his side, convincing him of the faithfulness of the teachings he disseminated.
Soon after, the mass destruction of local holy places begins, the mausoleum that was built for the local saint, a punishment for adultery is introduced. For this, the offender is stoned. These events are the last straw for the local ruler, who at that time was Suleiman al-Khumaydi. It was under his direct supervision that the oasis lived. Muammar hastily hides in another oasis.
Development of the Arabian Peninsula
Most historians are inclined to believe that Wahhab’s acquaintance with the local emir Ibn Saud was one of the key moments for the development of the entire Arabian Peninsula and the Salafi movement that flourished on it.
Muhammad ibn Saud at that time very recently became an emir, he came from the Anaza tribe. Ed Dirii, in which he ruled, at that time was a very poor town. Its inhabitants and the population of the surrounding area quickly began to support the doctrine of the purification of Islam. A certain role in this was played by the fact that they constantly watched the sheikhs and officials drowning in luxury.
Ediri Emirate
This was the beginning of the formation of the so-called Ed-Dirian emirate. Many locals liked the speeches made by the preacher. For example, it was a question of Puritanism, when only women were allowed to wear silk and gold items. The preacher also advocated the modest decoration of mosques, it was assumed that luxury should not distract believers from prayers, the principle of monotheism, as it was in ancient times under the Prophet Muhammad, who at one time became the core that united most of the Arab tribes around itself. As a result, this made it possible to make bold and successful raids on the lands of neighbors.
In 1744, an important alliance was concluded between al-Wahhab and ibn Saud. This date is considered to be the year of foundation of the first Saudi state. It was the Dyrian emirate with its capital in the city of the same name.
First raids
Wahhab begins to make the first raids with Muammar. Between emirs there is mutual suspicion, a very complex relationship. Ultimately, this leads to open conflict, Ibn Muammar is killed right during Friday prayers. After another ten years, Uyaina completely loses its independence.
By 1755, there was only one serious adversary in the whole of Central Najd - this was Emir Ibn Davvas. But he was forced to surrender the city and hide with most of the inhabitants.
In 1765, Ibn Saud dies. But the founder of Wahhabism dies in 1792 during the siege of Al-Hasa. By that time, supporters of the new religious movement were already invading East Arabia with might and main.
Emir's family
Abdul Wahhab Kitab al-Tawhid had six sons. At the same time, four of them received education, communicating directly with their father, but two did not live to adulthood, having died at a young age.
The alliance between the house of the Saudis and at-Tamimi as a result did not end after the death of the preacher himself. His descendants, who constituted a rich and privileged layer of the Arabian society, which was also called the “Sheikh's Family,” continue to participate in this confrontation for a long time.
Wahhab teachings
It is worth recognizing that the ideas that Wahhab formulated were not new to the Islamic world. Already at that time, some theologians were known who came forward with similar initiatives. The Hanbalite madhhab had a great influence on the hero of our article.
Among the main principles of his teaching, monotheism, the rejection of innovations, which you will not find in early Islam, and the war for the purification of religion, known as jihad, can be noted.
Contemporaries have repeatedly criticized Wahhab's views, as well as how he interpreted various Muslim and Islamic terms. Until now, they are sharply condemned in academic circles.
The main works of the preacher
The book "Tawheed" by Abdul Wahhab is his main and most important work. This religious treatise is written in Arabic. In our time in Russia, he is listed as extremist literature. Such a decision was made by the Savelovsky court of Moscow in 2004. Also on this list were almost all the works of Wahhab.
There are 67 chapters in this work, each of which briefly lists the main issues that will be discussed in the text. The Tawheed by Abdul Wahhab contains many quotes from the Qur'an, as well as the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad, the words and sayings of his associates, famous Muslim theologians, are given.
Some Islamic preachers even today believe that it is of great benefit, because the author manages to describe in detail all the details of monotheism.
In the chapters of his work, ibn Abdul Wahhab talks about how to atone for sins, about the meaning of tawhid, the strict need to fear shirk, about the sacrifices that are not brought to Allah, about the causes of people's unbelief, about the removal of superstition and witchcraft, window dressing, fortune telling by stars.
Another important work is called “Averting Doubts”. This is a religious treatise in which special attention is paid to the foundations of the Islamic religion, the faith of Muslims, while refuting the arguments of various polytheists and people whom he openly calls heretics.
Researchers, talking about this book by Abdul Wahhab, whose biography is the subject of our review, noted that he managed to consider about ten doubts of polytheists, refuting most of them with irrefutable evidence, having read which it becomes clear the easy meaning of everything said, moreover, the material is presented as easy as possible.
Most contemporaries also criticize this book; in Russia, it is listed as a prohibited material because of its extremist content. This is the fate of most of the books of Abdul Wahhab.
"Three fundamentals and their evidence"
Another important book in the work of Muhammad Abdul Wahhab - "The Three Foundations and Their Evidence." This is another popular religious treatise of the preacher, in which he considers not only the principles of monotheism, but also friendship and innocence. The foundations of Islam, according to Wahhab, is the knowledge of Allah, the Islamic religion with all the necessary evidence, as well as the knowledge of the prophet Muhammad.
The book is written in Arabic, it has undergone many reprints.
On the role of education
Wahhab paid a lot of attention in his writings to the role of upbringing in modern society. In particular, he wrote about this in his biography.
The Wahhab was convinced that the home environment has a strong influence on the formation of the personality of the future Muslim, his worldview as a whole. The environment in which his personality is formed depends on what kind of person he will grow up in the future. It is important what habits, characters and worldviews he has been observing since childhood. Therefore, the author has repeatedly emphasized the role in this mother for each person.
It was her preacher who called the main educator of the future generation. The woman, in his conviction, is obliged to set an example for children who see her in front of themselves from early morning to late evening. It is the mother who is obliged to lay the foundations of an Islamic worldview, as well as love for Allah, in the younger generation.
Wahhab claims that if a woman herself does not know all the basics of tawhid, then one cannot be sure that her children will know them. Therefore, if a woman neglects prayers and observance of various kinds of rituals, then this should cause concern among others. The preacher insisted that a woman should tell instructive stories to her games, rather than having fun with them, even if these games are considered educational and educational.
That is why all young sisters, even if they have not yet become mothers, should pay great attention to self-education, study Sharia and Islam, so that their own children, when they appear, do not look retarded.
If a woman already has a child, then she should critically look at their upbringing, determining for herself the main priorities. The Wahhab was sure that the worldview of future Muslims is much more important than the washed floor and clean windows, this can be neglected for the well-being of the younger generation. It turns out that a woman has a great responsibility, she has obligations to her husband, Allah, to her children and, finally, to herself.
Wahhab himself, talking about his childhood and youth, paid much attention to the situation in which they went. It was initially known about the family of the future sheikh that no other family in those places has given as many alims over the past few centuries as the ancestors of Wahhab. Therefore, there were always so many students in the house who strove to adopt the best that they could teach them here. They talked especially much about the grandfather of the hero of our article, who was very versed in all kinds of Islamic sciences, was one of the most respected elders in all of Nejd. Pilgrims came to him on camels for many hundreds of kilometers to get good advice, to solve an important issue in their life. He conquered all with his wisdom and authority.
In addition, he himself wrote works and writings on religious subjects, so that the Wahhab grew up on good soil. His grandfather could advise many, not only in the field of Islam, but also in many other sciences. He was engaged in a lot of upbringing of his son, in whom Abdul-Wahhab and his brother named Ibrahim were born. They immediately showed interest in Islamic sciences and education, having achieved serious success in this area. First of all, of course, Wahhab. Nevertheless, Ibrahim was limited to independent study and study of sciences, he taught and published fatwas a lot. But Wahhab became a judge of Uyain as a result, only the new emir named Muhammad ibn Hamad removed him from this post.
Among the sons of Wahhab himself, Suleiman and Muhammad should be singled out. The first became a well-known and revered alim-fakih and, like his father, became a judge in the future, but only in Khuraymal. It is interesting that at first he himself was an opponent of the Salafi call, but then he radically changed his point of view under the influence of an authoritative father, who meant a lot to him, even when he finally left his home and began an independent life.