It was a shocking moment when eminent jurist and former Law Minister Ram Jethmalani branded Muhammad Bin Abdul Wahab an “evil man” during an international conference of jurists-2009 in New Delhi. He was delivering welcome speech. Saner elements of Indian society are stunned on his comment that, “It is this Wahabi version of terrorism, we have to fight. Unfortunately Wahabbism is fully supported by a state.” After this uncalled-for and baseless comment, Saudi Ambassador to New Delhi, Faisal-Al-Trad walked out of the conference. How Jethmalani has related great social reformer Abdul Wahab to terrorism may be known only to him. Let us see who Abdul Wahab was? Let us also realise that there is nothing as Wahabism.
Late 18th century and early 19th century were the period when religious, social and political decline of Muslims began. Their religious life became totally different from the teachings of Islam. They had forgotten tauheed (concept of one God), began sidelining teachings of the Qur’an and the Sunnah and indulged in shirk (polytheism) and bida’at (heretical innovations in Islam). It was in that scenario that the movement of Muhammad Bin Abdul Wahab began from Najd for reforming religious, social, political and even economic life of the Muslims. The movement had nothing new but teachings of Islam in pure way. Let me describe some background and emergence of Abdul Wahab.
The Desert of Arabia was lighted by Islam but a time came when Arabs themselves became somewhat indifferent. In 132 A.H. Abu Muslim Khurasani finally decided the fate of Arabs and Abbasid Sultanate was established. During the time of Motsam (218 A.H. to 227 A.H.) the Turks became powerful and many Turks came and went but inactive Arabia failed to play its distinct role. During these times universities were established in Baghdad and Cordova. Knowledge flowed down from the mosque of Azhar (Egypt), Zaitoona (Tunisia) and Qarawiyeen. Turks conquered Constantinople, Suleman the Great shattered the wall of Vienna (926-974, A.H.) and Mughals established their empire in India but Arabs remained in a sound sleep in desert. The Turks ruled over Hejaz for centuries and Arabs became only their subordinate. Slowly Arabs were slipping in Daure-Jahiliya (the Period of Ignorance)
When moral conditions of the Muslims declined so much that they began to bow before every stock and stone, then once again the soil of Arabia produced a reformer from the orchards of Najd. He was Sheikhul Islam Muhammad Bin Abdul Wahab who began reminding Muslims about lessons of tauheed. He was born in an intellectual family of Oyaina in 1115 A.H. When he was 20 years old, he went to Hejaz where he became student of famous aalim Abdullah Ibn Ibrahim bin Saif. One may understand the psyche of Abdullah Ibrahim by a statement of Abdul Wahab himself. He says, “One day I was sitting with him when he said to me, I will show you weapons for people of Najd. He took me to a room which was full of books and said these are the weapons I have collected for people of Najd.”
Through Abdullah Ibrahim he came in contact with Sheikh Muhammad Hayat Sindhi who was an eminent teacher of Hadith and Sunnah. He also went to Madina to acquire deeper knowledge of Hadith. It was during these days that for the first time he raised his voice against seeking help from anyone other than Allah. He was unable to tolerate bida’at going at the grave of Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless and greet him) himself. When he arrived in Basra, he started preaching to Muslims real teachings of Islam. He suffered all kinds of persecutions there. He invited people to believe in tauheed, tried to stop them from bowing before others except Allah and retracted them from seeking help from graves and saints. He initiated steps to wipe out bida’ats which were against Islamic teachings. His mission was opposed by those who had created false gods and had begun justifying their actions. With his Islamic mission in full speed he visited Oyaina. But he was forced to leave Oyaina and came in Dariya.
When Amir of Dariya, Muhammad bin Saud, got the news of his arrival, he along with his brothers came to meet Abdul Wahab. He assured him of his support. Amir Muhammad Bin Saud had earned good name even before the arrival of Abdul Wahab for his manners and administration. Abdul Wahab held a long meeting with Amir and gave discourse about his mission. Amir was much impressed and commented, “This is doubtless the religion of Allah and his Prophet. I will support you.” As the news spread, people in large numbers including some relatives of Chief of Oyaina, Usman Bin Muammar flocked Abdul Wahab to be shown path of the Qur’an and Sunnah. A time came when even Usman Bin Maummar came apologising and requested him to return to Oyaina but he declined.
Amir Muhammad Bin Saud died on the peak of the mission of Abdul Wahab. Abdul Aziz Bin Muhammad Bin Saud succeeded him in 1179 A.H. and ruled for a period of 39 years. His rule was under direct supervision of Abdul Wahab. After the martyrdom of Amir Abdul Aziz, his son Saud Bin Abdul Aziz was named Amir. The succession went on in Arabia but one thing remained and that was the true message of Islam. Due to the movement launched by Abdul Wahab, bida’at and shirk were completely wiped out from social, political and economic life.
The greatest mischief was done by vested groups to nickname mission of Abdul Wahab as “Wahabism”, to give the impression that it is a religion other than Islam. The British, Turks and Egyptians all were involved in this unholy task. Another conspiracy is to link all movements challenging the European powers with Wahabism. For example, the Sannoosi movement of West is quite different from the mission of Abdul Wahab at least in matters of fiqh but it has been called an offshoot of the mission of Abdul Wahab.
There is not much proof about the origin of the word “Wahabism” but the European contemporary of Abdul Wahab, Nie Buhr did not use the term Wahabism. It seems that the term became popular at the time of the Egyptian invasion of Hejaz because later writers have mentioned it.
Ram Jethmalani is a respected and learned man. I am unable to understand why he called a devout Muslim and social reformer an “evil man”? Sheikhul Islam Muhammad Bin Abdul Wahab was the greatest reformer the Arab world has ever produced after Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless and greet him). Moreover, Saudi Arabia is a friendly country and Jethmalani should have shown some courtesy in his comments. Everyone has a right to express his opinion but no one has the right to hurt the feelings of others.
So-called Wahabism or the mission of Abdul Wahab or for that matter Islam is not a problem. India’s civil society must instead undertake the more important and difficult task of serious critical engagement with the ideas and ideologies that engender violence and terrorism in the country.
[The writer is an Aligarh based social and political commentator.]