Wahabism, a despotic sect within Islam.

[galbeedi]

Before we discuss extensively these phenomenon of Wahabism, let us look at Iraq. Ali Binu Abidalib, (radiyalau Canhu) said, Irqa is the land of Fitna ( trial and tribulation). Iraq or even Sham is not the typical homogenies lands of Saudi Arabia , Libya, Somalia or the Gulf. Syria and Iraq were part of old civilizations and like Mosepatamia and Roman empires. In fact Iraq was the seat of the 5,000 year old Babylonian empire. If you heard about Nimrod , the king of Babylon, who built a rocket and planed to kill God.

 

 

 

Yes, they are a Muslim majority nations, but also the home of millions of people from different ethnic groups and religions. In Iraq, there are Arab Sunnis and Shias, Christians, Jews, Zarositens who worship the fire and other began rituals, Turkmen, Kurds, and Yazidis who are ethnic Kurds , but, worship the sun, and Assyrians. This nation is not your typical Muslim country, or even a country shared by Majority Muslims and minority Christians. If you went to Baghdad in early eighties, the down town Bazars and jewelry stores were dominated by Iraqi Christians and some Jews. It is not a new country or a country that could be gerrymandered by the colonials. It is one of the oldest civilizations on earth. In the Iraqi museums , you could find a five thousand years old artifacts and architecture. Just like Eupharete river crosses around Baghdad, movements, foreign armies and ideologies pass through Iraq.

 

 

 

Tariq Aziz, the former Deputy foreign minister of Iraq, told former secretary of state James Baker , " we are 5000 years old civilization, we will still be here when America is gone, we will over last your nation". Well, that was almost 25 years ago in 1990, and the American leadership is still debating what to do about Iraq. This is were most of troubles among early Muslims originate. The biggest Fitna of all time, which had put Ali Binu Abi Thalib, against Mucaawiye were originated here , and most of battles were fought in Baghdad and surrounding area. Many Saxabaas, and Prophets are buried in Irqa and Syria.

 

 

 

The people of Iraq are tough and resolute. Imagine , having six or seven car bombs in one single day in Baghdad, with over 200 people dead, repeating the same chaos day in and day out, with high number of causality for months and years, still the Iraqi people are sitting in cafés sipping tea and debating. Trail and tribulations are not new in Iraq and the wider world in general. A great scholar, after hearing disgruntled Muslims complaining about the conditions of the Muslim world and the future of Islam in the west , said " Folks, do not worry about the future of Islam, just worry about your own future and the responsibility that is upon you and your family. A young Somali from Calgary left his mother sister and other siblings and joined ISIS in Iraq. He is threatening the country that is hosting his own family. He doesn't know his primary responsibility.

 

 

 

On the issue of Iraq and tribulations , let us examine the worst calamity experienced by Iraqi people and the Muslims of that era. In the thirteen century the Tatar led army of Genghis khan invaded and captured Baghdad, the seat of the Islamic Caliphate and center of culture and knowledge. Baghdad was a flourishing city of trade , science and education. The Grand Library of Baghdad, were destroyed. The Mongol army destroyed countless precious historical documents and books on subjects ranging from medicine to astronomy. Survivors said that the waters of the Tigris river ran black with ink from the enormous quantities of books flung into the river and red from the blood of the scientists and philosophers and the people of the city. The Mongols were known to kill prisoners and people alike. Those who attempted to flee were intercepted and killed by the Mongol solders. Estimates of the massacre range from 200,000 to half million. After one generation in the land they invaded and conquered, those same Tatars became Muslims.

 

 

 

 

 

on the east of Iraq, you have Iran, the main Shia nation in the middle east. On the south west of Iraq , you have Saudi Arabia, the land of Makah and Medina, where the Islam's holy sites are located. Iraq today became the battle ground of two opposing ideologies, one Wahabi feudal monarchy , the other, despotic , theocratic and also revolutionary Shia. In the eyes of the super majority of the Muslims , they are both minority sects in the wider world of Islam.

 

 

Not only the Saudis are helping Iraqis fight against the Shia, they are also forming proxy armies against the theocratic government of Iran. Iran is not only theocratic , but also revolutionary, which intends to unseat the gulf monarchies who have large Shia minorities. Ayatollah Khomeini , in 1980, said " the Gulf Monarchies are un Islamic institutions that must be overthrown".

 

 

 

The Ottoman Caliphate put a lid on all these underlying ethnic groups during their reign. These sectarian divide in Iraq have long historical roots. on one side, a modern colonial aspect of the twentieth century, in another side a fourteen hundred years old split lingering today. Both Wahabis and Shias are small sects in the wider Muslim world. Shias are probably around 80 million world wide, while Wahabis are less than 10 million. Remember the whole gulf countries are not all Wahabis. They are a vocal minority with petro cash. It is a sect driven by Saudi state money. First In order to understand Wahabism , let us examine it's origins and how it became the ideology and state religion of Saudi Arabia.

 

 

 

Mohamed Abdel-Wahaab, the founder of Wahabism died more than two hundred years ago. A formal alliance was made between him and a Saudi warlord named Muhammed Ibn Saud, the predecessor of the modern day house of Saud. The early concept of Abdel-Wahab was the restoration of " Tawhiid", the monolithic warship of one Allah. Since the Hajj and other places of warship was populated by shrine worshippers , immigrants who decided to stay behind after Hajj, and homeless people, he made a pact with Saud. He gave him political obedience to his rule and told him " Oh Yaa Saud, if you support our movement, you will have power and glory, and you rule over the land and men".

 

 

 

Rather than educate the people about shrine warship, which can easily be achieved through educational, he unleashed his army to destroy mosques, shrines, old tombs, and other places he deemed idolatry to Islam. He crushed his opponents and made Ibn Saud the ruler of the land. Based on that tenet of fighting idol warship and shrine building, he was able to create a new creed of Islamic thought , while incorporating few harsh , puritanical and conservative interpretation of some Hadiths by Imam Ahmed and Ibn Taymiyah . He selectively ignored those Hadiths regarding social justice , mercy, and moderation. The Prophet (SCW), said : " Moderation is the best of affaires. He enforced his ideology with zeal and sword. If you want to live in Hijaaz, you must obey king Saud and his new Wahabi doctrine, or else was the ultimatum of Adbel-Wahab. That alliance continues for 150 years , when another Al-Saud with help of the British, proclaimed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1932. That alliance is intact even in 2014. Saudi ullema do not debate or interfere the rule of the Saudi monarchy . The separation of religious affairs and the political rule of the king is indisputable.

 

 

 

Calling themselves " The Salafu Saalih", those in the right path, they forged new interpretation of all hadiths and other traditions. In one Hadith , The Prophet (scw), said " The best of my ummah is my generation, and the next generation, and after the next generation". Using this narration, they said the way early Muslims understood Islam , and the way they interpreted, especially, those who lived the second century after the Prophet, had the correct foundations of the faith, and we must emulate their path". They refuse logic, reason, moderation, and mercy. In order to distinguish themselves from other Muslims, they formed certain litmus tests that one must obey before they even consider you a Muslim. Rather than focus, what unites the Ummah and their faith, they concentrated the lowest common dominator that divides people. Wearing shorter pants above the ankle for men, Niqaab( eye covering), for women and other small disagreements' among the Muslims.

 

 

 

 

 

. Because of it's oppressive and close minded nature, the colonial powers of twentieth century, namely the British preferred and aided Wahabism. If you examine early documents , the alliance between the British, the Saudi and other Arab monarchies against the Ottoman Khalifa was clear.

 

When Lawrence of Arabia started his campaign against the Ottoman Caliphate, he used Wahabi ideology to defeat the Turks. It was difficult for the people of Najaf( modern day Saudi) to fight against the Muslim ruler of the Ottomans. Lawrence of Aabia said, " I will pay him gold, who ever shoots an Ottoman Turk from the head". In order to facilitate for the Arab subjects of the caliph to fight their own kind, Arab nationalism was not enough. so , the Wahabis with king , started a campaign to put these Muslims out of the Islamic circle. Just like the wars of Nationalism and tribalism, in order to kill somebody , you must dehumanize before legitimizing their murder. In the religious wars within Muslims, also , one must put the other outside the circle of Islam and accuse them of apostasy in order to shed their blood.

 

 

 

The Wahabis, painted the Turks as illegitimate idol warshipers and corrupt foreigners who must be vanquished from Arabia. They made Fatwas proclaiming war to rid Arabia of Turks and their supporters. Eventually, the Wahabis, Arabists and the British, finished off the Islamic Caliphate after 1300 years. After the Ottomans were defeated by the British in 1920, after the first world war, the Arab monarchies were established in Saudi Arabia , Jordan, Iraq and Syria. One single family of the so called Hashemite's, who claimed to be the descendants of the Prophet (scw), were restored in Iraq and Syria. The remaining prince Abdalla, was carved a land from Palestrina called Transjordan, modern day Jordan. Yet with all the power and sovereign rule, the Wahabi doctrine could not succeed beyond Saudi Arabia. Even in Saudi Arabia, it wasn't dominant until 1970, when rich petro dollar culture made Wahabism a state sponsored religion of the country.

 

 

 

With petro dollar, Saudis tried hard to spread this doctrine of king Saud and Abdel-Wahab. Because of it's backward looking, oppressive and puritanical nature, it was rejected almost from the Muslim world. For the last thirty years , the only way it could spread was through war, instability and chaos. If you look back most of the places that this movement took hold were countries that experienced civil war and violence. Wahabi doctrine and culture is active in Somalia, Afganistan, Checheya , Iraq, Syria , Yeme and Saudi Arabia.

 

 

 

In the nineties , a Saudi Sheikh proclaimed that for the first time, a group of people who declared the ones of Allah, are present in Somalia ( Imika ayuunbaa Soomaaliya laga helay koox Ilaahay keli Yeelaysa). Somalia was a nation who became Muslim before Saudis of Medina, Irqais, Egyptians and Pakistanis. In order to find not only followers for their ideologies, but those who were willing to copy the Saudi way of life, they have thrown their petro dollars throughout the Muslim world. No civilized Turk, Indonisian, Egyptian or even Sudan's will accept the Saudi culture. They target the most venerable people who are seeking help and redemption in their misery. so , they directed their zeal toward the hyper and nomadic Somalis left to suffer inside a failed nation, decimated by tribalism and anarchy, who were seeking something valuable to hold, had met the Saudi trained and financed Wahabis. The result was constant religious war, sectarianism and Al-shabaab. In the next part we will concentrate on the first Wahabi students and teachers who were sent to Somalia, including " Gadh case "Aweys" , himself.

[Tallaabo]

I like many aspects of the Wahhabi doctrine especially their understanding of pure monotheism. Thanks to Saudi Arabia and their tireless missionary efforts, the Muslim world has a far greater interest in and more clearer understanding of Islam. Islamic literature is now found in almost every village and town in the world because of the Saudi press, Countless mosques have been built by Saudi money, Mecca and Medina are free of corrupted deviations from Islam and are a source of guidance for millions of Muslims worldwide because of Wahhabi puritanism, and yes most Somalis were idol worshippers( remember the annual "Awbarkhadle pilgrimage" practised in Hargeisa) before the Muslim Brotherhood movement and the Saudi trained puritans showed up. So your commentary about the Saudis needs to be unbiased and balanced because it seems you are basing your analysis on Western prejudices against Saudi Arabia.

[Khayr]

 

 

So your commentary about the Saudis needs to be unbiased and balanced because it seems you are basing your analysis on Western prejudices against Saudi Arabia.

 

I am confused as to which side you are on.

Is Flip Flopping a new age style?

 

Galbeedi, Did you just write 20pgs of your thoughts on here? Interesting read but I can't help wonder if you are joining the overall worldwide FAD of "Wahhabi bashing".

 

[DoctorKenney]

I read one of Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhab's books, "Kitab Al Tawheed" and I found it to be beneficial. This short book clearly outlines what is Tawheed and what is Shirk.

 

Before this book, there were many Muslims in the Indian subcontinent, in Arabia, and in the Horn of Africa who prayed to dead people, who made good-luck charms, amulets and talisman, actually believing that these inanimate objects will protect them from harm. This is clear Shirk and absolutely unacceptable. Only Allah can protect you from harm.

 

With all the legitimate criticism that's leveled against Abdul-Wahhab, I'll give him credit for one thing: For emphasizing the importance of Tawheed. If you pray then pray to Allah, if you seek help then seek help from Allah. If harm befalls you, then know that it only happened with Allah's permission. If something beneficial happened to you, then it happened through Allah's permission. Put your trust in Allah and not in these dead saints or these good-luck charms which will bring you no benefit.

 

My attitude with people like Abdul Wahhab is; take the good and leave the bad. So whatever beneficial knowledge he gives us, I'll take it. And whatever harmful teachings he promoted, then I will abstain from it.

 

Abdul Wahhab had made a lot of serious mistakes in the past, which we should discuss and learn to avoid. And I'm a huge critic of the Saudis and their practices. This isn't how Muslims should be behaving. Islam is a religion of mercy and justice.

[CidanSultan]

Normal people read things and then Base their judgements on what they have read. Galbeedi similar to his views on Somali affairs already has preconceived ideas and fails to judge things logically.

 

Forget the name wahab Ibm Abdul wahab didn't create a new religion he merely re-ignited the belief of Ibn Islam taymiya about going back to puretent Islam.

 

You hate so called wahabism you hate Islam because all it is going back to the pure form and pure monotheism.

 

Now galbeedi go and join a university and educate yourself you seem intellectually handicapped

[Khayr]

 

 

When Lawrence of Arabia started his campaign against the Ottoman Caliphate, he used Wahabi ideology to defeat the Turks. It was difficult for the people of Najaf( modern day Saudi) to fight against the Muslim ruler of the Ottomans. Lawrence of Aabia said, ” I will pay him gold, who ever shoots an Ottoman Turk from the head”. In order to facilitate for the Arab subjects of the caliph to fight their own kind, Arab nationalism was not enough. so , the Wahabis with king , started a campaign to put these Muslims out of the Islamic circle. Just like the wars of Nationalism and tribalism, in order to kill somebody , you must dehumanize before legitimizing their murder. In the religious wars within Muslims, also , one must put the other outside the circle of Islam and accuse them of apostasy in order to shed their blood.

 

The Wahabis, painted the Turks as illegitimate idol warshipers and corrupt foreigners who must be vanquished from Arabia. They made Fatwas proclaiming war to rid Arabia of Turks and their supporters. Eventually, the Wahabis, Arabists and the British, finished off the Islamic Caliphate after 1300 years. After the Ottomans were defeated by the British in 1920, after the first world war, the Arab monarchies were established in Saudi Arabia , Jordan, Iraq and Syria.

 

That issue needs to be focused on here because to this day Salafis focus on other muslims precisely because they deem them to have become mushriks.

 

[DoctorKenney]

<cite>

@Khayr

said:</cite>

That issue needs to be focused on here because to this day Salafis focus on other muslims precisely because they deem them to have become mushriks.

 

And this blatant takfiri ideology many Salafis have is very problematic. They're very judgmental and seek to categorize anyone who disagrees with them as Mushriks. I agree with you there.

[Johnny B]

<cite>

@galbeedi

said:</cite>

 

 

With petro dollar, Saudis tried hard to spread this doctrine of king Saud and Abdel-Wahab. Because of it's backward looking, oppressive and puritanical nature, it was rejected almost from the Muslim world. For the last thirty years ,

the only way it could spread was through war, instability and chaos. If you look back most of the places that this movement took hold were countries that experienced civil war and violence. Wahabi doctrine and culture is active in Somalia, Afganistan, Checheya , Iraq, Syria , Yeme and Saudi Arabia.

 

 

 

In the nineties , a Saudi Sheikh proclaimed that for the first time, a group of people who declared the ones of Allah, are present in Somalia ( Imika ayuunbaa Soomaaliya laga helay koox Ilaahay keli Yeelaysa). Somalia was a nation who became Muslim before Saudis of Medina, Irqais, Egyptians and Pakistanis. In order to find not only followers for their ideologies, but those who were willing to copy the Saudi way of life, they have thrown their petro dollars throughout the Muslim world. No civilized Turk, Indonisian, Egyptian or even Sudan's will accept the Saudi culture. They target the most venerable people who are seeking help and redemption in their misery. so ,

they directed their zeal toward the hyper and nomadic Somalis left to suffer inside a failed nation, decimated by tribalism and anarchy, who were seeking something valuable to hold, had met the Saudi trained and financed Wahabis. The result was constant religious war, sectarianism and Al-shabaab

.

 

 

 

Allow ma tidhi !

 

[galbeedi]

I think Tallaabo, Dr.K and Ciidan made an important point about " Tawhiid and Monotheism. Of course his movement reduced the Idol worship and praying of the dead, but also incorporated other measures that reduce the bounty of Islam to meaningless and small rituals.

 

You hear a lot about " Tawheedu Rubuubiya, and Ywaheedu uluuhiya". Who is worthy of worship and the oneness of Allah Subhana wataala.

 

These basic things are already covered on the pillars of Islam. There is no god worthy of worship but Allah and Mohamed is his messenger, is the first pillar of Islam. All you need is education.

 

As Dr. K said, relaying on Allah is a basic Islamic foundation, not something new.

[Khayr]

 

You hear a lot about ” Tawheedu Rubuubiya, and Ywaheedu uluuhiya”

 

It is precisely there Trinity like idea of tawheed that has made the rest of the ummah to become outside of Islam (Asharis being the largest in the ummah).

 

[Tallaabo]

<cite>

@Khayr

said:</cite>

I am confused as to which side you are on.

Is Flip Flopping a new age style?

 

Galbeedi, Did you just write 20pgs of your thoughts on here? Interesting read but I can't help wonder if you are joining the overall

worldwide FAD of "Wahhabi bashing".

I am on no one's side but just opposing half-baked truths.

[DoctorKenney]

<cite>

@galbeedi

said:</cite>

I think Tallaabo, Dr.K and Ciidan made an important point about " Tawhiid and Monotheism. Of course his movement reduced the Idol worship and praying of the dead,

but also incorporated other measures that reduce the bounty of Islam to meaningless and small rituals.

 

As Dr. K said, relaying on Allah is a basic Islamic foundation, not something new.

 

That's very true. Too many Muslims reduce Islam to mere rituals, and they forget that our prayer, our sacrifice, our fasting, and our living should be done only for Allah. And no one else.

 

As I've said before, Abdul-Wahhab brought some good teachings, but he also made mistakes. So my opinion on him is to take the good parts, and leave the bad parts.

[CidanSultan]

^^^^

 

Can you tell us what the bad parts of his teachings were?

[CidanSultan]

Abdul wahab and the fundamental he preached was linked to the teachings of islam Ibn taymiya arguably one of the greatest scholars in Islamic religious thought.

 

They did not preach anything new. They examined the hadith and the quran and the ethics and etiquette of the early Muslims and argued shia ideas, pagan ideas and all other non Islamic influences as un Islamic.

 

Suffis worship graves, which is xaram, they celebrate the prophets birthday which again is xaram because he was a man nonetheless and grave worshiping impedes being a Muslim via direct contact with the devine.

 

As more people and nations entered Islam they bought or continued with it some of their gibberish.

 

The movement of salafi Salah is as the name says a return to Islam and nothing but Islam.

 

 

[Khadafi]

Galbeedi, you nailed the truth. For every tree it has it's roots and before the root's it has it's seed.

 

I have made some posts regarding "wahabism" how it has influenced our society. Islaam is a religion of peace, a instution that unites us when we are divided. The Wadaad, in the meaning of the word, was before the advent of wahabism, the barrier between the spiritual and the material in the eyes of the Somalis.

 

The wadaad was the one who roamed free in the semi-deserts of Somalia, teaching the childreen the words of God, the qur'aan and he would rejoice with his fellow wadaads in the xerta,They read the quran and teach us morals and then in secluded areas dance in spiritual ectasy. Their aim was to find Allah and in their hearts.

 

That was harmonius way. A taboo, and a great one was the wadaad caught in clan-warfares and killings. Now it's the opposite. The clan warriors are those chained in the house and the claimers to wadaads are those who are killing in the name of God.

The known Somali Ulema, who spread islam were all sufis. The oromos in the deep heartland of of Ethiopia were made muslims by Shaykh Cabdirxmaan Saylaci. Then came Shaykh Uweys who spread islam to the southern frontiers.

 

Then came the 80-ties and the boom of oil in Saudi Arabia. A somali youngsters who had lived the harsh heartlands of Saudia Arabia would comeback to Somali and have audacity to say that his fellow somalis were not muslims, they were infact mushriks (like those of pre-islamic arabs) why? Becouse of a theoligical diffirence he was ready to say that who ever did not share his thoughts was a non-muslim.

 

The beginning and the saga of Takfirism begun.