The Response to the Accusation of Takfir Directed at the Najdi Dawah

Question:
We conclude with a request from the branch manager of the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Dr. Muhammad al-Amin al-Khatiri, who says: "Muhammad. Shaykh Muhammad. Dr. Muhammad, please go ahead, Doctor. Muhammad al-Hakami. Peace be upon you, and Allah's mercy and blessings. May Allah welcome you, Honorable Shaykh Salih, and may He reward us for you. We thank our successful Islamic university, and we thank its director and the department of graduate affairs for arranging such beneficial gatherings. May Allah reward them with good and multiply their reward. Honorable Shaykh, on the occasion of what was mentioned earlier regarding the beginning of the call to tawhid (the oneness of Allah) and the Sunnah, and that it causes people to be repelled, there is a question that comes to us, teachers, and this is a very good and blessed opportunity. We would like your sons to hear your guidance on another wing. It is rumored and mentioned, and although it has been answered, in such a blessed gathering, reminding people of it is good. That is, that the call of Shaykh Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab (may Allah have mercy on him) came with declaring Muslims disbelievers and declaring communities disbelievers, and that takfir (declaring someone a disbeliever) originates from it. So, may Allah preserve you, if you would please delight our ears with words about this claim that is attached to this dawah (calling others to Islam), by which Allah has brought great benefit, and may Allah reward you with good."

Answer:
May Allah bless you. And I referred to this. Or a light reference to the one who says that the Shaykh came with a new madhhab (school of jurisprudence). I said: I challenge him to clarify to us what this new madhhab is by which the Shaykh deviated from the path of the people of knowledge and the Salaf (the earliest generations). Clarify this to us. As for the Shaykh being said about him what is said, this is not strange. It was said of the Prophets (peace be upon them) that they were described as mad, described as sorcerers, described as liars, and described with many descriptions. The Imams were described with some of that, and among them is Shaykh Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab. So there is no strangeness in this at all, and it does not harm the Shaykh; rather, Allah raises him by it. Allah raises him by it. And this one who says that he declares Muslims disbelievers, he, he, he, he. We say: these are the books of the Shaykh, they exist, and praise be to Allah. Bring us a text from his books that he declares Muslims disbelievers. He only declares disbeliever the one whom Allah and His Messenger declared disbeliever, and upon whom the Muslims agreed to declare disbeliever.
As for him taking it upon himself to issue a ruling on a matter and declaring someone a disbeliever in it without being preceded by that from the people of knowledge, and without evidence from the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger, this is a false accusation that is not to be heeded and is not to be taken into account. Bring us from the words of the Shaykh what proves what you say. His books are available now.
And you do not listen to what is said about a certain scholar without referring to his own words and his own writings. Also, look at the effects of the Shaykh's dawah. Look at its effects, praise be to Allah. The Shaykh's dawah has now shaded this land for a long period, and it is living in its abundant shade, and it has extended to the cities and to the countries, praise be to Allah. If it had been a failed dawah, or a dawah other than the guidance of the Book and the Sunnah, it would not have succeeded like the other dawahs that were not established on a foundation. How many are the callers and how many are the dawah groups, but where are the effects? One man, these are the effects of his dawah. Where are the effects of the dawah of these people? And what is the reason for this? The reason is the foundation upon which the dawah is established.