Biography of Ibn Abdul Wahhaab

SHAYKH MUHAMMAD IBN ABDUL-WAHHAAB (RA)

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

All praise is to Allah, Lord of the worlds. Peace and blessings of Allah be upon his slave and Messenger and the best of Creation, our leader and guide, Muhammad Bin Abdullah, and upon his family, Companions and followers.

A great man, an outstanding reformer and a zealous preacher who appeared in the Arabian peninsula in the twelfth century A.H - Imam Sheikh Muhammad Bin Abdul Wahhab Bin Sulaiman Bin Ali Al-Tamimi Al-Hanbali Al-Najdi. He is wellknown to the people, particularly to the scholars, leaders, elders and high officials within and without the Peninsula. Many authors have written about him. And many others have mentioned him privately in their writings. Even the orientalists have dealt with him. Many others appraised and praised him in their writings about the reformers and history.

The unprejudiced described the Sheikh as a great reformer and reviver of Islam, and admitted that he had been on the Path and Light shone by his Lord. It is difficult to mention all the writers, but a few of them deserve reference. Among them was the great author, Abu Bakr Sheikh Husain Bin Gannam Al-Ahsae. He wrote well about the Sheikh and his mission and benefited many. In his book he has elaborately explained the life and campaigns of the Sheikh as well as his preaching and deduction from the Qur'an.

Another author was Sheikh Imam Uthman Bin Bishr who in his work, The Banner of Glory, wrote about the Sheikh's life, preaching, campaigns and jihad.

Among other authors from outside the Peninsula was Dr. Ahmad Amin who appraised him in his book entitled 'The Great Leaders of Islamic Reformation'. Another great scholar was Masood Alam Nadvi who wrote a book about him under the title 'The Persecuted Reformer', one of the well-written biographies of the Imam. The great scholar Muhammad Bin Ismael San'ani was a contemporary of the Imam, and he had preached Islam in his own capacity. When he heard about the Imam's activities, he thanked Allah with delight. Similarly, Allama Sheikh Muhammad Bin Ali Showkani, the author of Nailul A utar, had written about the Imam. He also lamented his demise in a grand elegy. And there are many others who had written about the Imam, and they are well-known to the readers and scholars.

Muhammad Bin Abdul Wahhab was born in 1115 A.H though some are of the opinion that it was in 1111 A.H, which is not popular.

He was educated by his father at Oyayna, his homeland. It was a village located at Yamama in Najd, northwest of the city of Riyadh.

He lived there a pious life. He learnt to read the Qur'an very early. He exerted himself in his studies and advanced learning at the hands of his father, Sheikh Abdul Wahhab Bin Sulaiman, who was a great jurisprudent and the Judge of Oyayna.

Having attained puberty, the Sheikh went to the Sacred Mosque at Makkah to perform Hajj as well as to learn from the learned personalities of Makkah. From Makkah he went to Madinah.

During his stay there, he met two great scholars of Madinah. One of them was Sheikh Abdullah Bin Ibrahim Bin Sayf Al-Najdi, the father of Sheikh Ibrahim Bin

Abdullah who authored 'An Appreciation of the Law of Inheritance'. The other was Sheikh Muhammad Hayat Al-Sindi. The, Imam might have learnt from other scholars as well.

Then he travelled to Iraq to seek after knowledge. He reached Basara, met with the scholars therein and learnt from them.

It was in Iraq that he started his mission. There he called the people to Tawhid (Oneness of Allah) and the Sunnah of the Prophet [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam]. He announced that it was the duty of every Muslim to follow his or her religion (Islam) strictly in accordance with the Qur'an and Sunnah. He also engaged some scholars in discussions and debates. Thus he became famous among his teachers. He had a debate with one of the outstanding scholars, Sheikh Muhammad Al-Majmuei.

However, some characterless scholars rebelled against him. He and his teacher even received some harms and persecutions from them. Therefore, he left Basara. Although his intention was to go to Syriya, he gave up the idea due to paucity of money and travelled to Azzubair. He then headed towards Al-Ahsa. There he met some scholars and engaged them in discussions on the fundamentals of Islam.

Then he moved to Huraymela. It was in the fifth decade of the twelfth century A.H. While his father was the Judge of Oyayna, a dispute arose between the prince of Oyayna and his father. He therefore left Oyayna for Huraymela in 1139 A.H. That was why the Sheikh moved to Huraymela. His arrival there was in 1140 or so.

There he continued his activities in the fields of learning, teaching and preaching until his father died in 1153. There he had to face much suffering at the hands of the wicked. Some of them even attempted on his life. It is said that some persons climbed up the wall of his house, but ran away when some others knew about it.

In the circumstances, the Sheikh had to leave Huraymela. Why those mean people were hostile to him was that he enjoined the good and forbade the evil. He also persuaded the rulers to punish the criminals severely. Among them were those people known as "Abeed". They were used to stealing, plundering and violation of others' rights. As soon as they knew that the Sheikh was against their actions and interests, they tried to assassinate him. But Allah saved his life.

Then he moved to Oyayna which was then governed by Prince Uthman Bin Muhammad Bin Muammar. The Prince welcomed the Sheikh with hospitality. He persuaded him to start calling the people to Islam and promised him all support and help. He showed him kindness, goodwill and sympathy. Thus the Sheikh continued his activities in teaching and guiding the people, and calling them to the Path of Allah. He guided the people to piety, righteousness and love in the cause of Allah.

Gradually, Sheikh Muhammad Bin Abdul Wahhab became famous in and around Oyayna. People came to Oyayna to meet him from the neighbouring areas and villages. One day the Sheikh told the Prince: 'let us demolish the dome at the grave of Zaid Bin Al-Khattab [radhiallaahu anhu]. It is erected on deviation. Allah would not accept it. And the Prophet [sallallaahu alayhi wasallam], had forbidden building domes or mosques on the graves. Moreover, this dome has enthralled the people and replaced their creed with polytheism. So it must be demolished.' The Prince acceded to his suggestion. Then the Sheikh remarked that he was afraid that the people of Al-Jubaila