Refuting the Criticism of the Call of Imam Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab and His Books
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Question:
We seek your permission to present many questions that are troubling the hearts of those present, and they are in need of your guidance. May Allah reward your efforts. The first question says: Honorable Shaykh, in recent times, there has been much criticism and mockery of the call of the renewer, Shaykh Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab (may Allah have mercy on him). The books of the Salafi call, such as *Al-Durar al-Saniyyah* and others, have not been spared either. It has even been said that these books are the cause of calamities and trials, and that they are behind the bombings and the declaring of people as disbelievers. We ask you, Honorable Shaykh, for clarification and a response. May Allah grant you success.
Answer:
Yes, I told you that trials and tests will continue until the Hour occurs. Allah the Exalted says:[Al-Furqan 25:31] The Prophet has enemies, so what about others? What about those other than the Prophets (peace and blessings be upon them)? Shaykh al-Islam Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab (may Allah have mercy on him) did not come to please people, but he came to please Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). Sahih Ibn Hibban 5:6 The Shaykh did not come to please people; he came to please his Lord. He is a caller and a reformer. Allah benefited people through his call, and generations of Muslims grew up upon it, lived by it, and died upon it.
A state and successive states were established upon it. It is a righteous call because it is a call that aims for the call of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). He is a renewer and a reformer. We do not find it strange that the hypocrites, disbelievers, and atheists speak about the Shaykh's call. They spoke about the call of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and they spoke about the call of all the Messengers. They accused them of seeking leadership, seeking arrogance on earth, being sorcerers, and being as Allah mentioned in the Qur'an. So we do not find it strange that they have heirs now, that these criminals have heirs now, who choke on the call of good and disparage the call of good because they want to make room for evil. But this call and these beneficial books stood in their throats; they stood in their throats like a stone of 'adhr (a choking stone), so they do not want them.
The previous disbelieving nations took an omen from the Prophets. They took an omen from the Prophets and said, "We were not afflicted with evil except because of the Prophets." Yes, they took an omen from Musa (peace be upon him), they took an omen from their Prophets, they took an omen from Salih (peace be upon him). "We took an omen from you." Allah the Exalted mentioned regarding Thamud that they took an omen from Salih (peace be upon him). Likewise, the companions of Ya-Sin took an omen from the Messengers:[Ya-Sin 36:18]. "We took an omen from you" does not mean "We were not afflicted with evil except because of you." It is the same thing they say: "We were not afflicted with evil except because of the call and because of the books of tawhid (the oneness of Allah) and creed." They say it is the cause of evil. They take an omen. This is taking an omen from Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).
They took an omen from Muhammad, the choice of creation (peace and blessings be upon him). Allah the Exalted mentioned:[An-Nisa 4:78]. The Messenger said, "This is from you." It is your fault. "We were not afflicted with a bad thing except because of your fault." Sahih Muslim 172 It is not strange. It is not strange at all that the disbelievers, hypocrites, and atheists disparage Shaykh Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab and disparage the books of the people of the Sunnah and the community. They have predecessors among the criminals: [Al-Furqan 25:31] They will not harm except themselves, and praise be to Allah. The truth remains despite their noses. The Shaykh's call is clear, praise be to Allah. There is no ambiguity in it; it is clear. There is no extremism in it; rather, he forbids extremism.
Does not the book *Al-Tawhid* say, "Chapter on what has come regarding the fact that extremism toward the righteous turns their graves into idols worshipped besides Allah"? He (may Allah have mercy on him) established a chapter forbidding extremism toward the righteous, and the story of the people of Nuh came when they were extreme toward the righteous. So he forbids extremism, the extremism they call extremism. And he commands moderation and uprightness. Because he is a renewer who came to renew this religion, he is like the other renewers whom Allah sends at the head of every hundred years to renew the affairs of the religion of this Ummah, as came in the hadith. Do you think that the people of evil will praise the Shaykh or speak well of him or his books? We never expect this from them. We expect nothing from them but disparagement. And if my disparagement comes from one who is deficient, it is a testimony for me that I am excellent. This indicates the excellence of the Shaykh (may Allah have mercy on him), where these criminals were angered and their chests were distressed. This is a sign of his excellence (may Allah have mercy on him). Yes.
We seek your permission to present many questions that are troubling the hearts of those present, and they are in need of your guidance. May Allah reward your efforts. The first question says: Honorable Shaykh, in recent times, there has been much criticism and mockery of the call of the renewer, Shaykh Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab (may Allah have mercy on him). The books of the Salafi call, such as *Al-Durar al-Saniyyah* and others, have not been spared either. It has even been said that these books are the cause of calamities and trials, and that they are behind the bombings and the declaring of people as disbelievers. We ask you, Honorable Shaykh, for clarification and a response. May Allah grant you success.
Answer:
Yes, I told you that trials and tests will continue until the Hour occurs. Allah the Exalted says:
And thus have We made for every prophet an enemy from among the criminals
وَكَذَٰلِكَ جَعَلْنَا لِكُلِّ نَبِيٍّ عَدُوًّا مِّنَ الْمُجْرِمِينَAnd whoever seeks the pleasure of people through the displeasure of Allah, Allah is displeased with him and He makes people displeased with him.
ومن التمس رضا الناس بسخط الله سخط الله عليه وأسخط عليه الناسA state and successive states were established upon it. It is a righteous call because it is a call that aims for the call of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). He is a renewer and a reformer. We do not find it strange that the hypocrites, disbelievers, and atheists speak about the Shaykh's call. They spoke about the call of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), and they spoke about the call of all the Messengers. They accused them of seeking leadership, seeking arrogance on earth, being sorcerers, and being as Allah mentioned in the Qur'an. So we do not find it strange that they have heirs now, that these criminals have heirs now, who choke on the call of good and disparage the call of good because they want to make room for evil. But this call and these beneficial books stood in their throats; they stood in their throats like a stone of 'adhr (a choking stone), so they do not want them.
The previous disbelieving nations took an omen from the Prophets. They took an omen from the Prophets and said, "We were not afflicted with evil except because of the Prophets." Yes, they took an omen from Musa (peace be upon him), they took an omen from their Prophets, they took an omen from Salih (peace be upon him). "We took an omen from you." Allah the Exalted mentioned regarding Thamud that they took an omen from Salih (peace be upon him). Likewise, the companions of Ya-Sin took an omen from the Messengers:
They said, "Indeed, we consider you a bad omen. If you do not desist, we will surely stone you, and there will surely touch you, from us, a painful punishment."
إِنَّا تَطَيَّرْنَا بِكُمْ لَئِن لَّمْ تَنتَهُوا لَنَرْجُمَنَّكُمْ وَلَيَمَسَّنَّكُم مِّنَّا عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌThey took an omen from Muhammad, the choice of creation (peace and blessings be upon him). Allah the Exalted mentioned:
But if good comes to them, they say, "This is from Allah "; and if evil befalls them, they say, "This is from you."
وَإِن تُصِبْهُمْ حَسَنَةٌ يَقُولُوا هَٰذِهِ مِنْ عِندِ اللَّهِ وَإِن تُصِبْهُمْ سَيِّئَةٌ يَقُولُوا هَٰذِهِ مِنْ عِندِكَHere is Malik, the keeper of the Hell
يا محمد. هذا ماAnd thus have We made for every prophet an enemy from among the criminals. But sufficient is your Lord as a guide and a helper.
وَكَذَٰلِكَ جَعَلْنَا لِكُلِّ نَبِيٍّ عَدُوًّا مِّنَ الْمُجْرِمِينَ وَكَفَىٰ بِرَبِّكَ هَادِيًا وَنَصِيرًاDoes not the book *Al-Tawhid* say, "Chapter on what has come regarding the fact that extremism toward the righteous turns their graves into idols worshipped besides Allah"? He (may Allah have mercy on him) established a chapter forbidding extremism toward the righteous, and the story of the people of Nuh came when they were extreme toward the righteous. So he forbids extremism, the extremism they call extremism. And he commands moderation and uprightness. Because he is a renewer who came to renew this religion, he is like the other renewers whom Allah sends at the head of every hundred years to renew the affairs of the religion of this Ummah, as came in the hadith. Do you think that the people of evil will praise the Shaykh or speak well of him or his books? We never expect this from them. We expect nothing from them but disparagement. And if my disparagement comes from one who is deficient, it is a testimony for me that I am excellent. This indicates the excellence of the Shaykh (may Allah have mercy on him), where these criminals were angered and their chests were distressed. This is a sign of his excellence (may Allah have mercy on him). Yes.
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، محاضرات في العقيدة والدعوة-01-أسباب نجاة الأمة|صالح الفوزان|العام|كبار العلماء — youtube.com (48:00)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.