Ibn Abdul Wahab (Muḥammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab ibn Sulayman al-Tamimi) is considered one of the origins of the modern day Salafi movement. Ibn Abdul Wahab’s books are still being referenced by them until today.
Ibn Abdul Wahab was influenced by Ibn Taymiyyah’s teachings. If it was not for Ibn Abdul Wahab, the works of Ibn Taymiyyah would not be highly referenced until today. However, some critics have said that one key distinction of Ibn Abdul Wahab’s view in contrast to Ibn Taymiyyah was that Ibn Tayimiyyah never made Takfir on those who did not accept his views. Here we analyze this conclusion made.
Note: Alhamdulillah, most of the Modern Day Salafi Najdi Da’wa groups today have are not having blanket Takfiri understandings. This is also true for modern day Saudi Arabia, since it’s inception by King Abdul Aziz Al-Saud, who had a moderate view.
Ibn Abdul Wahab (may) have also distanced himself from blanket Takfir of the entire Ummah as shown in the last letter in this article.
Ibn Abdul Wahab’s letter making Takfir and claiming none of his teachers understand ‘La-ila-ha-Ila-Allah‘
In the book “Al-Durar al-Saniyya fi al-Ajwiba al-Najdiyya” (الدرر السنية في الأجوبة النجدية), (Page 51, Volume 10), Ibn Abdul Wahab after is making Takfir of the people in Arabia, claims that only he knew the meaning of ‘La-ila-ha-Ila-Allah‘ and not even his teachers understood it properly. He further claims that any Ulema who claims to understand ‘La-ila-ha-Ila-Allah‘ is a liar!
On Page 50 to 51, Volume 10, it is mentioned:
Translation:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
From Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab to any Muslim who receives this letter: Peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you.
Allah says in the Quran: “Those who continue to argue about Allah after people have accepted His message – their arguments are worthless before their Lord. His anger is upon them, and they will face severe punishment.” [Ash-Shura: 16]
Let me explain why this verse matters. Allah sent Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) to show people the difference between truth and falsehood. The Prophet (ﷺ) explained everything people need to know about their religion so thoroughly that when he passed away, he left people on a path so clear that it was as bright as day.
Now, here’s the problem we face. There are evil people who, when they see someone teaching what Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) commanded about La-ila-ha-Ila-Allah, start arguing and misleading others. They see someone explaining what practices are forbidden, like believing that righteous people have divine powers. Then they respond with emotional arguments like: “Are you calling Muslims disbelievers? How dare you disrespect the dead? But this family is known for their hospitality! That family is known for such good qualities!”
What they’re really trying to do is prevent people from understanding the true meaning of La-ila-ha-Ila-Allah. They want to hide the truth about two serious matters. It is a form of disbelief to believe that righteous people can help or harm you. It is also a form of disbelief to pray to these righteous people. Both of these acts take a person outside of Islam. When people finally understand these truths, they ask these misleaders: “We were ignorant before – why didn’t you teach us this earlier?”
Let me be completely honest about myself – I swear by Allah, besides whom there is no deity. Even though I studied religious knowledge and people thought I was knowledgeable, I didn’t truly understand the meaning of La-ila-ha-Ila-Allah. I didn’t properly understand Islam until Allah blessed me with this understanding. The same is true for my teachers – none of them understood this fundamental concept either.
So if any scholar from al-Arid (Najd) claims they understood the meaning of La-ila-ha-Ila-Allah or the true meaning of Islam before this time, or claims their teachers understood it, they are lying. They are deceiving people and falsely praising themselves. As proof of this, consider Abdullah ibn Isa – the most respected scholar we know in all of Najd, including al-Arid. His own words will reach you, confirming what I’m saying.
Therefore, O servants of Allah, fear your Lord. Don’t be arrogant toward Allah and His Prophet (ﷺ). Instead, be thankful that Allah has blessed you by sending someone to teach you your Prophet’s true religion. Don’t be like those who, as Allah describes: “Exchanged Allah’s favor for disbelief and led their people to destruction – They will enter Hell, and what a terrible place to settle.” [Ibrahim: 28-29]
Ibn Saud’s Letter calling the people of Mecca to Islam before attacking them
The following is a preserved letter from Ibn Saud (influenced by Ibn Abdul Wahab) to the Amir of Mecca, where he called them towards Islam. This means that as per the understanding of Ibn Abdul Wahab, he made takfir on the people of Masjidil Haram.
Translation:
Here’s the rewritten version with preserved Arabic transliteration:
“In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. From Saud bin Abdul Aziz to all people of Mecca, scholars, Aghawat, and the Sultan’s judge. Assalamu ala man ittaba’a al-huda. You are neighbors of Allah’s House and residents of His sanctuary, secure in its security. We only call you to the religion of Allah and His Messenger. Say, ‘O People of the Book, come to a word that is equitable between us and you – that we will not worship except Allah and not associate anything with Him and not take one another as lords instead of Allah.’ But if they turn away, then say, ‘Bear witness that we are Muslims.’ You are under the protection of Allah and then the protection of the Muslim leader Saud bin Abdul Aziz and your Emir Abdul Mu’in bin Musa’id, so gather around him and obey him as long as he obeys Allah. Wassalam.”
Ibn Saud,
7 Muharram 1218 AH
Explanation
Here, he is clearly calling the Amir of Mecca to Islam (making Takfir of Muslims)
Also, the greeting “Assalamu ala man ittaba’a al-huda” (Peace be upon those who follow guidance) was used by Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in his letters to various rulers and leaders during his time as a distinctive way of addressing non-Muslim rulers.
Defense: Ibn Abdul Wahab’s Letter clarifying him not making mass Takfir.
Although Ibn Abdul Wahab did make Takfir on the inhabitants of Arabia, the following is a preserved letter from Ibn Abdul Wahab taken from the book Al-Durar Al-Saniyya. This letter clarifis his position on making mass Takfir.
This letter concludes that he did NOT make Takfir on the entire Muslim Ummah as some have suggested.
Translation
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. From Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab: To whoever receives this from among the Muslims, peace be upon you and Allah’s mercy and blessings. To proceed:
Regarding what has been said about me: that I declare everyone to be disbelievers – this is a slander from enemies. Similarly, their claim that I say whoever follows the religion of Allah and His Messenger while staying in their land is not sufficient until they come to me – this too is slander. The only intention is following the religion of Allah and His Messenger, in whatever land one may be.
However, I do declare as disbelievers those who acknowledge the religion of Allah and His Messenger, then show enmity towards it and prevent people from it. Likewise, those who worship idols after knowing that this is the way of polytheists, and who beautify it for people – these are the ones I declare as disbelievers. Every scholar on the face of the earth declares such people as disbelievers, except for a stubborn person or an ignorant one. And Allah knows best. Salam.
The Sheikh’s sons and Hamad bin Nasir, may Allah have mercy on them, were asked: Do you believe in the disbelief of all people on earth absolutely? Or not?
They answered: What we believe as our religion, and what we accept as a path for our brothers, is that whoever denies what is necessarily known from religion, and the proof has been established against them, they become disbelievers by that action, even if they claim Islam. This is a matter of consensus among scholars.
Also considered a disbeliever: whoever denies the obligation of prayer, and when called to it, refuses to perform it out of rejection – they are executed in our view as a disbeliever. This is the position of Imam Ahmad, Ishaq, and others from the predecessors and successors, and it is what the evidence from the Book and Sunnah indicates. There is another opinion on this matter: that they are executed as a legal punishment, which is the famous position in the schools of Imam Malik, Shafi’i, and Abu Hanifa.
We also declare as disbelievers: whoever denies the obligation of Zakat and refuses to pay it, and fights the leader over it. We also declare as disbelievers: whoever hates anything from the religion of the Messenger ﷺ and insults it.
Some scholars, may Allah have mercy on them, have mentioned that disbelief and apostasy come in many forms. Some of it is doubt, some is belief, and some is speech. Whoever associates partners with Allah, or denies His Lordship or Divinity, or establishes intermediaries between themselves and Allah whom they invoke, rely upon, and ask from – they have committed disbelief by consensus, because this is like the action of idol worshippers who say “We only worship them that they may bring us nearer to Allah in position” [Quran 39:3]. They mentioned many types of apostasy, each type causing a Muslim to become a disbeliever and making their blood and wealth permissible.
As for declaring all people on earth to be disbelievers, we seek refuge in Allah from this. Rather, we believe that the nation of Muhammad ﷺ will never unite upon misguidance; indeed, Allah has protected it from that through His Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. A group from it will continue to be upon truth, victorious, not harmed by those who oppose them nor those who forsake them, until the Hour is established, as mentioned in authentic hadiths from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. This is alongside his informing that his nation will take what the nations before them took, and will follow their ways, and walk their paths, as is established in the two Sahihs [Bukhari and Muslim], from the hadith of Abu Sa’eed, Abu Hurayrah, and others, from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
The Noble Book [Quran] has also indicated this, as Allah the Exalted said: “Like those before you who were stronger than you in power and more abundant in wealth and children. They enjoyed their portion; so you have enjoyed your portion as those before you enjoyed their portion, and you have engaged in idle talk as they engaged in idle talk. Their deeds have become worthless in this world and in the Hereafter, and they are the losers.” [Quran 9:69]
