Question Summary:
What is your opinion on Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhab?

Question Detail:

 
What is the view of the Darul Iftaa regarding Shaykh Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhab and his movement in light of the views of the 'Ulama of Deoband?
 
I understand there are many different views amongst the 'Ulama of Deoband so how can we reconcile these?
 

Answer :

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh
Introduction
Shaikh Muhammad b. ‘Abdul Wahhāb b. Sulaymān at-Tamīmī an-Najdī (1703 CE – 1792 CE/1115 H – 1206 H) was the head of a revivalist movement from Arabia. He was born and raised in the village of ‘Uyaynah in the Najd province of central Arabia. He visited Hijāz twice and studied under some of its scholars and also briefly visited Shām. He eventually returned to Najd and settled in Huraymalā, and, thereafter, moved back to his hometown of ‘Uyaynah, where he began his preaching in the year 1143 H. He claimed to call to pure Tawhīd and to oppose the rampant shirk amongst Muslims. The Amīr of Dir‘iyyah, Muhammad b. Sa‘ūd, supported him politically and militarily, and together they took control of a large part of Arabia. Shaikh Muhammad b. ‘Abdul Wahhāb died in Dir‘iyyah, and his descendants until today are known as “the household of the shaykh,” and they are held in high esteem by the family of Sa‘ūd. He authored a number of works, mostly short treatises, such as Kitāb at-Tawhīd and Kashf ash-Shubuhāt.[1]
Major Differences between Shaikh Muhammad b. ‘Abdul Wahhāb and the ‘Ulamā of Deoband
The movement spurred by Shaikh Muhammad b. ‘Abdul Wahhāb is known derogatively as the “Wahhābī movement.” According to our research, there are three major areas where the ‘Ulamā’ of Deoband depart from the ideology of Shaikh Muhammad b. ‘Abdul Wahhāb:
Firstly, in ‘Aqīdah, Shaikh Muhammad b. ‘Abdul Wahhāb denounced the Ahlul Kalām or the Mutakallimūn (dialectical theologians) in their entirety, despite conceding that their school was prevalent throughout the Muslim world[2], and in particular, he attacked the revered scholars of the Ash‘arīs[3]. On the other hand, the ‘Ulamā’ of Deoband are defenders and followers of the creed of the Ash‘arīs[4], as were the great scholars of the past, like Ibn ‘Asākir, al-Bayhaqī, Ibn Hajar al-‘Asqalānī, al-Qurtubī, Fakhr ad-Dīn ar-Rāzī an-Nawawī, al-Qastallānī and others.
Secondly, we see the seeds of allowing for unqualified ijtihād in the writings of Shaikh Muhammad b. ‘Abdul Wahhāb. He felt he, and others, were at liberty to access the texts of Qur’an and Sunnah themselves, and select the view of the imams which they feel most inclined to.[5] The position of the ‘Ulamā of Deoband is that a person who is not qualified for ijtihād must resort to the fuqahā’, and may not pick and choose based on his own preferences or views as their personal views have no consideration in Sharī‘ah.[6]
Thirdly, Shaikh Muhammad b. ‘Abdul Wahhāb showed extremism in certain issues. While we certainly agree with him that practices like slaughtering for other than Allah, taking a vow by other than Allah, or calling a dead person for aid are heinous acts, we do not accept his blanket ruling that these acts are always “major shirk” and Muslims who do so will automatically be labelled kāfirs and mushriks.[7] Shaikh Muhammad b. ‘Abdul Wahhāb even went as far as to say that Muslims who engage in these acts are worse than the idolaters of the time of the Rasūlullāh (sallAllāhu ‘alayhi wasallam)![8] ‘Ulamā’ from his time also identified and refuted this extremism in his ideology[9]. The ‘Ulamā of Deoband have also rejected this extremism and have demonstrated that the Muslims who indulge in these errant practices are not the same as the idolaters from the time of Rasūlullāh (sallAllāhu ‘alayhi wasallam)[10].
The Views of the ‘Ulamā of Deoband on Shaikh Muhammad b. ‘Abdul Wahhāb
Although there were a number of scholars who wrote about Shaikh Muhammad b. ‘Abdul Wahhāb and his movement,[11] we will focus here on the views of the ‘Ulamā’ of Deoband. Although the majority of the major ‘Ulama’ of Deoband held negative views about Shaikh Muhammad b. ‘Abdul Wahhāb, the reason for finding different views amongst them is that the information that reached them varied. It is quite common in Islamic intellectual history for ‘Ulamā to hold differing views about personalities based on the information that reached them. One may consult the works of Rijāl to see examples of this.
Mawlānā Rashīd Ahmad Gangohī
Mawlānā Rashīd Ahmad Gangohī writes, “People call Muhammad b. Abdul Wahhāb ‘Wahhābi’. He was a good person, and I have heard (sunā hey) that he follows the Hanbali School of thought and acts upon the Hadith. He used to prevent people from Shirk and innovation, but he was harsh in his attitude.”[12]
He also writes, “The followers of Muhammad b. Abdul Wahhāb are known as Wahhabis. They had good beliefs and their school of thought was Hanbali. They were very stringent in their attitude but he and his followers were good people. Yes, those who exceeded the limits were overcome by wretchedness. The belief of all is the same, and the difference they have in actions is like that of the Hanafi, Shafi’i, Maliki and Hanbali schools of thought.”[13] 
Muftī Mahmūd al-Hasan Gangohī states in his Fatāwā that, Mawlānā Rashīd Ahmad Gangohī was initially unaware of Muhammad b. Abdul Wahhāb’s ideology, because he was initially known in the Subcontinent as a reformer of Sunnah, and one who strived greatly in rejecting Bid‘ah and establishing the Sunnah. As such, Mawlānā Rashīd Ahmad also said that his opinion was based on what he had heard, for a Muslim should always hold good opinions about other Muslims until it is proven otherwise. Thereafter, Mawlānā Rashid Ahmad’s teacher sent him the copy of Radd al-Muhtar wherein ‘Allāma ibn ‘Abidīn clearly refuted Muhammad b. Abdul Wahhāb. ‘Allāma ibn Abidīn states,
“…as it has occurred in our times with the followers of (Muhammad b.) Abdul Wahhāb, who appeared from Najd and imposed their control over the two sacred Harams. They used to attribute themselves to the Hanbalī School but they believed that only they were Muslims and that whoever opposed their beliefs were polytheists. Thus they considered the killing of those who were from the Ahlus Sunnah and their scholars to be legitimate, until Allah Most High destroyed their might and power.” [14]
Mufti Mahmūd al-Hasan states that had Mawlāna Rashīd Ahmad Gangohī read what ‘Allāmah Ibn ‘Abidīn stated in his Radd al-Muhtār regarding Muhammad b. Abdul Wahhāb and his movement, he would surely not have stated what he had in his Fatāwā.
Moreover, the students of Mawlānā Rashīd Ahmad Gangohī clearly refuted the ideologies and actions of Muhammad b. Abdul Wahhāb and his movement. As will be mentioned, Mawlānā Khalil Ahmad Sahāranpūrī, a student of the Mawlānā Rashīd Ahmad Gangohī, stated in his book al-Muhannad ala al-Mufannad that he and his teachers hold the same view as ‘Allāmah ibn ‘Abidīn regarding Muhammad b. Abdul Wahhāb and his followers. This was agreed upon and signed by almost all of the major scholars of the Indian subcontinent, including Shaykh al-Hind Mawlānā Mahmūd Hasan Deobandī, Mawlānā ‘Azīzur Rahmān, Hakīmul Ummah Mawlānā Ashraf ‘Ali Thānawī, Mawlānā Habībur Rahmān Deobandī and many others.
Mawlāna Khaīl Ahmad Sahāranpūrī 
Mawlāna Khaīl Amad Sahāranpūrī sates:
“Their (Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhab and his adherents) ruling according to us is what the author of al-Durr al-Mukhtār said: ‘The Khawārij are a violent group that rebelled against ‘Ali due to an interpretation by which they believed that he was on falsehood and disbelief or disobedience making fighting him obligatory according to their interpretation. They legitimise our blood and our properties and take our women captives,’ until he said, ‘Their ruling is the ruling of rebels,’ and then he said, ‘We do not classify them as disbelievers because their actions are based on an interpretation although false.’ Al-Shāmī said in his commentary, ‘As has occurred in our time by the followers of ‘Abd al-Wahhab who came out from Najd and dominated the two Harams. He would claim to belong to the Madhhab of the Hanbalis but they believed that they are the only Muslims and those who disagreed with their belief are polytheists, and due to this, they legitimised the killing of the Ahlus Sunnah and ‘Ulamā until Allah broke their supremacy.’
“Then I (Mawlana Khalīl) say: Neither he nor any of his followers are from our Mashāyikh (mentors) in a chain from the chains of knowledge of jurisprudence, Hadith, Fiqh and Tasawwuf.”[15]
Mawlāna Anwar Shāh Kashmīrī  
Mawlāna Anwar Shāh Kashmīrī writes, “As for Muhammad b. ‘Abdul Wahhāb Najdī, indeed he was a dull minded person with little knowledge. He would be hasty in passing a ruling of disbelief on others. It is not appropriate that any one traverses this valley (passing a judgement of disbelief) except if he is diligent and has mastered the scenarios of disbelief and its causes.”[16] 
Mawlānā Husayn Ahmad Madanī
Mawlānā Hussayn Ahmad Madanī writes, “Muhammad b. Abdul Wahhāb appeared in Najd in the 13th century A.H. He harboured evil thoughts and held wrong beliefs, due to which he waged war on the Ahlus Sunnah Wa al-Jamā‘ah. He attempted to force his evil thoughts upon them and considered their properties as spoils of war and their killing as a source of blessing and mercy. He was harsh on the people of the Haramayn in particular and on the people of the Hijāz in general. He spoke ill of the pious people of the early generations. Because of the atrocities committed by him, countless people had to flee the holy cities of Makkah and Madīnah, and many of them were martyred by his troops. In short, he was a tyrant, rebel and blood spilling transgressor.”[17]
However, it is claimed that Mawlānā Husayn Ahmad Madanī retracted from his original view. This is based on a supposed statement made by Mawlānā Husain Ahmad Madanī produced in a newspaper named Zameendār in the year 1925/1343. [18] However, after comparing the date of his supposed retraction and other statements, it becomes evident that his final and only opinion was that mentioned in al-Shihāb al-Thāqib (the above mentioned quotation). Mawlānā Husayn Ahmad Madanī was asked if he had changed his opinion regarding Muhammad b. Abdul Wahhāb, and he replied,
“Al-Shihāb al-Thāqib was my first book written as a refutation on Ahmad Raza Khān. I only mentioned the Wahhābi sect by the way in order to show that our predecessors had a very moderate approach.”  
He further writes,
“I still hold on to the opinion expressed in this book and this is the opinion of my predecessors.”
This statement was dated at 1950/1370 which is much later than his supposed retraction. Therefore, it is clear that Mawlānā Husayn Ahmad Madanī is also of the view that Muhammad b. Abdul Wahhāb and his followers were not of sound ideology.[19] 
Mawlāna Manzūr N’umānī
Mawlāna Manzūr Nu‘mānī was of the opinion that Muhammad b. Abdul Wahhāb and his adherents were upon the truth and the allegations levelled against them were baseless. He writes, “After studying his life, I have realised that Muhammad b. Abdul Wahhāb encountered the same challenges that Shaykh Ismaīl Shahīd faced i.e. false accusations…His call to the oneness of Allah and efforts of reformation comprised of Jihād with the sword…”[20]
Mawlānā Ahmad Bijnorī
Mawlānā Ahmad Bijnorī writes after proving that there are many differences between the Salafīs and the scholars of Deoband, “The respected scholar Manzūr Nu‘mānī feels that the differences between the Salafī movement and the scholars of Deoband are only in a few issues. He also claims that Shaykh al-Islām Mawlānā Husain Ahmad Madanī had retracted from his original view regarding Muhammad b. Abdul Wahhāb whereas in reality he only lessened his harshness against him.” [21]
Muftī Mahmūd Gangohī
Muftī Mahmūd writes, “Muhammad b. Abdul Wahhāb al-Najdī was a follower of the Sunnah but was extreme in his beliefs, statements and actions. He was a person of very little knowledge and understanding…..”[22]
He also writes, “He claimed to follow the Sunnah hence, many people joined him. However, many of his views were contrary to the Sunnah…as his true colours began to show, many people left his group. It became apparent that his objective was to seize political power and his claim to follow the Sunnah was merely to attract a following.” [23]
Conclusion
The above quoted views of the senior ‘Ulamā of Deoband about Shaikh Muhammad b. ‘Abdul Wahhāb are clear.
 
 
And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best
Muntasir Zaman
Student Darul Iftaa
USA


Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.