What is Wahabism?

Printer-friendly versionSend to friendPDF versionBy: Ibrahim Lone Introduction What is Wahabism? 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. Wahabism is Islam personified in today's age. Wahabism reiterates the same philosophy, which the Prophet of Islam had brought about 1400 years ago - the philosophy of the Superiority of the Arabs. Before we proceed farther, let us understand what Wahabism is not about. Wahabism is not about religion, it's 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. 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 its Prophet. Like wise, the study of Wahabism is incomplete without studying its founding father. A historical background of the conditions in Arabia at the advent of Wahabism Wahabism has its origins in the deserts of Arabia 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 everlasting 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 had no other wish  than that being the most powerful Muhammadan rulers, though it was essential to maintain their authority of the protection of the Holy cities and the pilgrimage routes. But in every other aspect Arabia remained practically independent of the Turkish Government. The Sherifs of Mecca who possessed nominal eccleststic 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 Shafiates, the coast of Quweit some Malakites, and some coasts of the East even some Shiites who were the remnants of the Carmanthian 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. As the economic conditions remained stationary, the social conditions had also 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 Muhhamad bin Abdul Wahab (1703-1791) drew his inspiration. Ibn Abdul Wahab was born at Uyanina, a small town in Najid. His father's name, who incidentally was a Hamabalite Ulema, although far from being in accord with the teachings of his son, gave the appellation to the movement called Wahabism. Wahabi is more or less a nickname in Arabia; the Arabs like to call themselves Muwahhidun or monotheists, as they believe that they practice monotheism in the purest form. Muhammad went through the usual curriculum of Islamic studies from which 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 his Prophet. The veneration of saints was an abomination for him any form. He did not recognize the consent of human authority in any form and preached 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 of 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, and from this time the theological controversy entered on to a political phase. 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, and 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 Wahabis regarded as such. This new movement proceeded on parallel lines to its predecessor's in the 6^th century. No other line of advantage was possible. The state, in accordance with the Wahabi doctrine, which solely followed the actions of the Prophet of Islam, 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 7^th century revived again. The state was based on the army, and this has to be kept busy to secure maintenance. The nomads of Arabia always eager to join promising movements, got interested in Wahabism, and prospects of booty soon attracted the Beouins of Central and East Arabia to the camp of Sa'ud. Towards the end of the 18^th century Sa'ud and his Wahhabis became the greatest power in the peninsula. They started harassing the pilgrims of Mecca, and robbing the presents of the Sultans, in the same way that the Prophet of Islam had in his early days of Prophet hood. 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 Wahabis destroyed the mausoleums and cupolas erected over the graves, and removed the heavily embroidered silk carpets of Kaaba. In Medina the Muhammad's tomb was robbed f its treasures hoarded through the centuries. The ulemas cowed by the Tafkir were powerless against these vandalisms. The Wahabis continued to rob the pilgrims and ultimately the Hajj was brought to suspension altogether. Decline and rise of Wahabism Encouraged by the uncharted success, hordes of Arabs pressed northwards into Syria and Mesopotamia. The Ottomans were powerless against Sa'ud, and were forced to entrust the pacification of the Arabia to the Pasha of Egypt, Muhammad Ali. It was not an easy task. Desert warfare has proved difficult even for the best organized armies. The campaign of the Egyptians resulted in severe recourses until they had to take recourse to more glittering weapons than swords. Money was set rolling amidst 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, and the Amir and some leaders of the Wahabis were taken as prisoners and sent to Constinopole where they were executed. This was a hard blow to Wahabism. 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 Sa'ud invented a most efficient stratagem. He established several camps at important spots where he assembled his Bedouins and drilled them in the rigid doctrine of wahabism, and also taught them the art of agriculture. He formed a brotherhood of reliable and trustworthy elements to serve as a nucleus for fresh organizations. 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 Wahabi 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 and 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 Wahabbis, know as the Ukhuwwat was a military organization ready to strike at any moment. Characteristically enough, 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 his prophet's, realized its 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 onto the stage of history; we know this Sultanate as Saudi Arabia today. After effects and conclusion The intransigency in maters religion, its national outlook and its attitude towards foreign politics found many adherents abroad. In India and Pakistan the Salafiya (conservatives) and the Ahle Hadith (traditionalists) are more or less inspired by the Wahabite tendencies. Simply because it helps them to keep the Muslims away from a secular education. Wahabism 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 Wahabi Saudi Arabia exports its citizens, sets up Islamic chairs in Western universities, sets up Maddarssas in South and South East Asia. These are all ways and means to expand it. With the advent of the age of petroleum the militant tendency of the Islam which today manifests itself through the Wahabis has got the most important tool to spread itself in today's world. If the world does not recognize the threat that this menacing ideology presents to the existence of Human kind, we might yet face another World War.