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Wahhabism (Arabic: Al-Wahhābīyya الوهابية, Wahabism) is a branch of Sunni Islam practised by those who follow the teachings of Muhammad ibn Abd-al-Wahhab, after whom the movement is named. Ibn Abdul Wahhab, who reintroduced Islamic law to the Arabian peninsula, was influenced by the writings of scholars such as Ibn Taymiyya. This theology is the dominant form found in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Qatar, as well as some pockets of Somalia, Algeria, Palestine and Mauritania.

The term "Wahhabi" (Wahhābīya) is considered derogatory and rarely used by the people it is used to describe, who preferred to be called "unitarians". ^{[1] [2]} Most use Wahhabism and Salafism interchangeably. ^[3] Others consider Wahhabism to be an ultra-conservative form of Salafism.^[4][5] Ingrid Mattson, a professor of Islamic Studies from Hartford Seminary, calls Wahhabism a reform movement, rather than a sect.^[6]

Beliefs

Wahhabi theology treats the Qur'an and Hadith as fundamental texts, interpreted upon the understanding of the first three generations of Islam and further explained by many various commentaries including that of Muhammad ibn Abd-al-Wahhab. His book Kitab al-Tawhid ("Book of Monotheism"), and the works of the earlier scholar Ibn Taymiyya are fundamental to Wahabism.

Ibn Abdul-Wahhab went so far as to declare jihad against all other Muslims who practiced so-called acts of polytheism. Ibn Abdul-Wahhab's views were opposed to those of the mainstream Muslim scholars of Mecca and Medina of that time. For example, he called intermediation of Muhammad an act of polytheism.

Wahhabis see their role as restoring Islam from what they perceive to be polytheism, innovation, superstition, deviance, heresy and idolatry. There are many practices that they believe are contrary to Islam, such as:

• Listening to music in praise of Muhammad
• Praying to God while visiting tombs (praying near Muhammad's tomb is also considered polytheism by the Wahhabis)
• Total following of any madhhabs (schools of thought) of Islamic jurisprudence in their legal expertise, "except for one who is under necessity and can not reach the Sunnah".^[7]
• Using non-literal explanations of God's attributes exclusively in preference to literal explanations.
• Celebrating the Mawlid (birthday of Muhammad)
• Supposed or actual innovations (bid'ah) in matters of religion (e.g. new supplementary methods of worship or laws not sanctioned by the Qur’an or Sunnah)

Wahhabism also denounces "the practice of unthinking adherence to the interpretations of scholars and the blind acceptance of practices that were passed on within the family or tribe. Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab believed in the responsibility of the individual Muslim to learn and obey the divine commands as they were revealed in the Quran and in the hadith."^[8]

Modern spread of Wahhabism

In 1924 the al-Saud dynasty, who were influenced by the teachings of Abdul Wahhab, conquered the Muslim holy cities of Mecca and Medina. This gave them control of the Hajj, the annual pilgrimage, and the opportunity to preach their version of Islam to the assembled pilgrims. However, Wahhabism was a minor current within Islam until the discovery of oil in Arabia, in 1932. Especially following the Arab Oil Embargo in the mid 1970s, vast oil revenues gave an immense impetus to the spread of conservative Islamic theology. Saudi laypeople, government officials and clerics have donated many tens of millions of US dollars to create religious schools, newspapers and outreach organizations.

Main article: Islamism#Saudi Arabian funding

Oman

This theology spread into Oman during the 18th century where it played a role in the internal disputes and succession struggles of the country. Ultimately however, its influence lessened over time despite early success. Its alliance with the House of Saud became strained after the September 11, 2001 attacks and suicide bombings in Riyadh in May, 2003.^[9][10]

Muslim Brotherhood

Some argue that Hassan al-Banna, the Egyptian founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, was influenced by the Wahhabis, although he was a traditional Sunni. The Muslim Brotherhood claimed to be purifying and restoring Islam, a theme which ran through Abdul Wahhab's preaching, but its goal was to unify Muslims of different madhhabs to restore the Caliphate or Islamic law in Egypt. When the Muslim Brotherhood was banned in various Middle Eastern countries, Saudi Arabia gave refuge to Brotherhood exiles. However Salafis in Saudi Arabia reject the Muslim Brotherhood and other ideas they believe contravene Salafist theology.^[11]

Jihadists

There are also those who argue that Saudi promotion of Wahhabism as part of a Sunni-Shi'a rivalry contributed to the development of the religious ideology of Al-Qaeda [Quist, B. Wayne and Drake, David F., "Winning the War on Terror: A Triumph of American Values," iUniverse, 2005]. Mattson points out that [many] Saudi scholars of Wahhabism have denounced terrorism.^[12]

See also

• Abd-al-Aziz ibn Abd-Allah ibn Baaz
• Al Thani
• House of Saud
• Hadith of Najd
• Hassan al Banna
• Jihad
• Muhammad ibn Abd al Wahhab
• St. John Philby
• Muhammad ibn al Uthaymeen
• Muhammad Naasiruddeen al-Albaanee
• Sayyid Qutb
• Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi

References

• David Holden & Richard Johns, The House of Saud, Pan, 1982, 0-330-26834-1
• Hamid Algar, Wahhabism : A Critical Essay, Islamic Publications International, ISBN 1-889999-13-X
• Natana J. Delong-Bas, Wahhabi Islam: From Revival and Reform to Global Jihad, Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-516991-3
• Madawi Al-Rasheed, A History of Saudi Arabia, Cambridge University Press, 2002, ISBN 0-521-64412-7
• Gerald De Gaury, Freya Stark, Arabia Phoenix, Kegan Paul International Limited, ISBN 0-7103-0677-6, ISBN-13, 9780710306777
• Haneef James Oliver, "The 'Wahhabi' Myth", T.R.O.I.D. Publications, February 2004, ISBN 0-9689058-5-4
• Quist, B. Wayne and Drake, David F., "Winning the War on Terror: A Triumph of American Values," iUniverse, 2005, ISBN 595357768

Notes

External links

• Does Saudi Arabia Preach Intolerance in the UK and US?
• Full Text of Kitab Al Tawhid by Ibn Abdul Wahhab
• A BBC Today programme, 08:10 on 18 November 2006 referred to the issue of Wahhabism in Bosnia, especially Sarajevo - see also Spero News on the issue.
• thewahhabimyth.com

Critical

• The 'Wahhabi' Nemesis: Exposing those responsible for causing terror
• Wahabi Way
• Definitive Wahhabi Profile
• Refutation of Wahabism

Abd-Allah Jahsh Abdullah Al-Qasemi Divisions of Islam Ikhwan Islamic Supreme Council of America Islamism Jamal al Barzinji Jamal Khashoggi Muhammad Abu Zahra Muhammad ibn Abd-al-Wahhab

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