Introduction to Shaykh Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab and His Call

Question:
The listener, Mahmoud Abdul Qadir Ridalwa, is a Senegalese resident in Gambia. He says: I hope you will tell us about Shaykh Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab, his call, his biography, and his most prominent works. May Allah reward you with good.

Answer:
Shaykh Muhammad (may Allah have mercy on him) was a great imam and a renowned scholar. Allah granted him understanding of the religion and insight into the sciences of the Shari'ah, particularly the correct creed—the creed of the people of the Sunnah and the community. This was in the middle of the twelfth century. He studied under the scholars of his country and traveled to Makkah and al-Madinah, where he learned from some of their scholars.
Then he returned to his homeland, al-Dar'iyyah, and saw that the people were ... attached to the dead, graves, trees, and stones. So Allah opened his heart and granted him strength and patience. He called to Allah and guided the people to the oneness of Allah. He taught them that attaching oneself to graves, trees, and stones, and seeking aid from them, is major shirk (associating partners with Allah). He was patient in this, and many of the people of his time opposed him, but Allah supported him against them. A large number of scholars and people of insight, including his relatives and others, followed him. Thus, his call became a great victory for the Muslims and a mercy from Allah for His servants in this Arabian Peninsula. His call began in al-Harimayn.
Then he moved to al-'Uyaynah, which consists of villages ... that are close together. He also stayed for a period with its ruler, Uthman ibn Ma'mar, calling to Allah, teaching the people the Shari'ah of Allah, and warning them against shirk (associating partners with Allah) and worshipping other than Him. The dome of Zayd ibn al-Khattab in al-Jubaylah was revered and invoked other than Allah. He was invoked other than Allah and worshipped because he was killed on the Day of Yamamah in the battle against Musaylimah. The people began to revere his grave and invoke him other than Allah, and a structure was built over it. So Allah aided the Shaykh, and he went with a group from al-'Uyaynah and demolished that dome. He explained to the people that this is not permissible, that building over graves is not permissible, and that invoking the dead and seeking aid from them is not permissible. He continued in calling to Allah, guiding the people to the oneness of Allah, to what Allah has prescribed of commands, and to abandoning what Allah has forbidden of sins, such as zina (unlawful sexual intercourse), theft, riba (usury or interest), and drinking intoxicants, among other things.
A large number of scholars followed him in this, including his sons, his relatives, and others. So, by the praise of Allah, he was a blessing from Allah. Allah opened hearts through him and opened lands through him, until the people entered the religion of Allah in groups after the call became clear to them. The House of Saud rose up and supported him, led by Imam Muhammad ibn Saud, the prince of his time. He was in al-'Uyaynah at first, but then some issues arose between him and Uthman ibn Ma'mar, so he left al-'Uyaynah for al-Dar'iyyah. Prince Muhammad ibn Saud, the ruler of al-Dar'iyyah, met him and pledged allegiance to him for support and jihad. Prince Muhammad kept his word, and they cooperated in the call. The market of jihad in the path of Allah was established, until Allah made the truth manifest and supported the truth. The people entered the religion of Allah in groups, and the call spread throughout this Peninsula.
Then Allah opened Makkah and al-Madinah for the House of Saud, and they established the correct creed there. They demolished the structures over the graves, such as domes and others, in Makkah and al-Madinah, and they clarified the reality of tawhid (the oneness of Allah) to the people. The conquest of Makkah and al-Madinah by the House of Saud occurred after the death of the Shaykh (may Allah have mercy on him) in the eighteenth year of the Hijrah, after the twelfth century ... the year 1218 AH. The Shaykh (may Allah have mercy on him) passed away in the year 1206 AH.
The point is that the call of Shaykh Muhammad was a Salafi call, a correct call. He was a verified imam, and Allah opened this door for him. He called to Allah and guided to Allah, and he was patient against harm and the opposition of those who opposed him, whether relatives or others, until Allah supported him against them and made the truth manifest through his hands, then through the hands of his sons after him, and through the hands of the princes of the House of Saud. May Allah reward them all with good, have mercy on them with a vast mercy, and multiply their reward.
This call has continued, by the praise of Allah, through the hands of the descendants of the Shaykh, the House of Saud, and the scholars—scholars of the Shari'ah and scholars of creed from the scholars of the Peninsula—who call to Allah and teach the people the religion of Allah.
And thus it spread outside the Peninsula to the Levant, Iraq, Egypt, India, and other places. The scholars carried it to these lands, and Allah benefited with it whom He willed of the servants. This was by the success of Allah and the mercy of Allah for those who carried it and for those to whom it was carried.
He (may Allah have mercy on him) was patient against harm, and so were his followers. They were patient a great deal and were harmed a great deal, and some of his followers were killed. But they did not delay in the jihad against the enemies of Allah, nor did they delay in the call. So they were patient and fought in jihad until Allah opened for them the lands of the Peninsula ... all of Najd. And thus Allah opened for them the Hejaz, the two Holy Mosques, and the rest of the lands of the Hejaz. All of this was from the favor of Allah upon them, from the favor of Allah upon them because they supported His religion, guided the servants to what is obligatory upon them, and were patient against harm. So Allah opened for them, and Allah benefited with their call. This call also spread in Yemen, and many in Yemen benefited from it.
He has many treatises that were collected in the collection of treatises and fatwas known as al-Sunnah, which is printed and distributed among the people. He has the book al-Tawhid, a great book which he composed at the beginning of the call, and it spread. He has the Three Fundamental Principles, and the Four Bases, a small but very beneficial book. He also has Kashf al-Shubuhat (Clarification of Doubts), in which he clarified the invalidity of the doubts clung to by the enemies of Allah from the worshippers of idols. He has a book on prayer, zakah, and fasting, called Adab al-Mashy ila al-Salah (The Etiquette of Walking to Prayer). He has many treatises (may Allah have mercy on him) that were printed in the collection I mentioned.

The presenter : Which is al-Durar?

The Shaykh : Al-Sunnah, yes.

The presenter : May Allah bless you. Is this book available everywhere, Your Eminence?

The Shaykh : Yes, it is printed ... the government distributes it, the Department of Ifta used to distribute it, and the Ministry of Islamic Affairs also distributes it.

The presenter : Is it available on a commercial scale?

The Shaykh : Yes, it is available. It has been distributed for a long time both domestically and abroad. Yes.

The presenter : May Allah bless you. Can anyone who wants to buy it obtain it, Your Eminence?

The Shaykh : The Shaykh's sons ... his sons sell it, and the Department of Ifta distributes it. Now, the distribution has moved to the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, which is headed by His Excellency the Minister, Dr. Abdullah ibn Abdulmuhsin al-Turki ... Yes.

The presenter : May Allah reward you with good, and may He do you good.