13. Heretical Sect: Wahābī/Deobandi

This a new sect that was born in 1209 AH, founded by a man named Muĥammad ibn Ábdu’l Wahhāb al-Najdī, who spread strife in the entire world, especially in the Two Sanctuaries [ĥaramayn]. His followers [Wahābīs] killed scholars and dug up the graves of Companions and martyrs. [It is said that] he named the mausoleum of RasūlAllāh ﷺ as ‘the big idol’ and committed many transgressions.

In the Şaĥīĥ ĥadīth, the Prophet ﷺ has foretold603 of strife that would rise from Najd604 and that a gang of devils [shayāţīn] would emerge from this place.

Indeed, a gang of this description appeared after 1200 years; Imām Ibn Áābidīn Shāmī605 has also described them as Khawārij.606 This son of Ábd al-Wahhāb607 wrote Kitāb al-Tawĥīd, which was translated by Ismāýīl Dihlawī as Taqwiyatu’l Īymān608 in Urdu, and was instrumental in spreading Wahabism in India.

One of the major beliefs of this sect is that anyone who does not accept their madh’hab is a kāfir609 and a mushrik [idolator]. And they wantonly accuse Muslims of having committed kufr or shirk and thus rule the entire world as having become kāfir.

On page 45 of Taqwiyatu’l Īymān, he [Ismāýīl] cited the ĥadīth: In the final age, Allāh táālā will send forth a gust of wind that will take away all the Muslims in this world.610 And he said:

It has come to pass just as the Prophet had foretold.

In other words, that pleasant gust of wind has already blown and there is no Muslim left on the face of the earth. Ismāýīl Dihlawī didn’t realise that by this logic, he would himself become a kāfir! One of the defining characterstics of this sect is an obvious lack of reverence and respect for Allāh táālā and His beloved slaves.

If there are multiple meanings of a word or phrase, they deliberately choose the meaning that is derogatory and that which appears to diminish the stature of the beloved slaves of Allah.

It is pertinent to cite a few examples from the books of the leaders of this sect so that our brothers among the laity are informed of the filth in their hearts and safeguard themselves from their web of deceit, and are not fooled by their long tunics [jubbah] and turbans.611 I urge my brothers in Islām to listen to this carefully, and to weigh it on the scales of faith – because nothing is more dear to a Muslim than his faith.

And respect and love of Allāh táālā and His Messenger ﷺ is faith itself. Thus, a man’s superiority is measured by the number of praiseworthy qualities he possesses, coupled with the strength of his faith. Without faith, however, these traits hold no true value.

Even if someone is a renowned scholar or celebrated for his asceticism, if his faith is invalid, he is neither deserving of respect nor worthy of being followed. One should not consider a person as his leader just because of his being a maulavi or a scholar; if he is disrespectful about Allāh and His Messenger ﷺ, he will become their enemy. Do you not see monks and ascetics among Jews, Christians and Hindus?

They have forsaken worldly pleasures – but will you [Muslims] consider them as your leaders and guides? Certainly not. Similarly, how can a heretic be your leader? Ismāýīl Dihlawī says in the book Iyđāĥ al-Ĥaqq, pp 35-36, Maţbá612 Fārūqī:

The transcendence of [Allāh] the Exalted from time, place, direction... or to prove that Allāh táālā can be seen without direction or boundaries... are in reality heretical beliefs; if anybody professes the aforementioned beliefs and considers them as part of religious beliefs... 613 He has clearly said that it is heresy and deviance to believe that Allāh táālā is transcendent from time, space and direction, and [heresy to believe] that He will be seen without modality – even though these are beliefs of Ahl al-Sunnah.

In this manner, this man has accused the leaders of Ahl al-Sunnah of heresy and deviance. The following ruling is found in Al-Baĥr ar-Rāyiq, Al-Durr al-Mukhtār and Fatāwā Hindiyyah:

Whoever attests space for Allāh táālā [i.e He exists in space] is a kāfir.614 In Taqwiyatu’l Īymān, p. 60 he cites a ĥadīth snippet: Do you not see, that if you were to pass by my grave, would you prostate towards it?615 Ismāýīl translated this from Arabic and added his interpretation marked by the letter fā [fā’idah] thus: meaning, one day, I will also die and become dust [i.e. decay]616 Even though, the Prophet has himself said: Indeed, Allāh has forbidden the earth to consume the bodies of Prophets.

The Prophets of Allāh are alive – they are given sustenance617 In the same Taqwiyatu’l Īymān on page 19: When Allāh is our Creator and He has created us – then it is also necessary for us to call upon him in all our affairs. Why should we bother with anyone else? Just as if someone has become the slave of a king – he [turns to] him in all his affairs.

The slave does not even turn towards another king – do not even mention a scavenger or a cobbler.618 In Şirāţ e Mustaqīm, on page 95 he writes:

It is better to think about sexual intercourse with one’s own wife, than tempting thoughts of fornication and expend one’s thoughts towards one’s shaykh or similar revered individuals – even if it is the esteemed Messenger, is worse many times over than being engrossed in thinking about one’s own cow or donkey.619

O Muslim! These are the abominable words of the leader of Wahābīs. About who? About the honourable Messenger of Allāh ﷺ, that’s who. Anyone with faith as little as a mustard seed will readily acknowledge that the above passage is indeed disrespectful and blasphemous.

On page 10 of Taqwiyatu’l Īymān: To increase or withhold sustenance, to give health and make one sick, to give honour or humiliation, to fulfill one’s needs, to ward off calamities, to aid in times of distress – all of these attributes belong to Allāh alone. These are not the attributes of any among the Prophets, or Awliyā’a or a ghoul or a fairy.

Whoever believes that they can dispense and seeks help from them or calls upon them in times of distress, such a person becomes a polytheist – regardless of whether he believes that they620 have such power to do those things by themselves [i.e. autonomous] or whether he believes that Allāh táālā has granted them such power – the person becomes a polytheist in any case.621

It is said in the Qur’ān:

And Allāh and His Messenger have made them rich by His Grace.622

The Qur’ān says that the Prophet made them rich, and [Ismāýīl] says: ‘Anyone who affirms such power of dispensation is an idolator.’ So according to him, what is the Qur’ān teaching here? In another verse, the Qur’ān says:

[O Ýīsā] You give sight to a blind and cure the person stricken with vitiligo with My permission.623

In another verse:

I cure the blind and the vitiligo-stricken and I give life to the dead by the Permission of Allāh.624 This is what the Qur’ān says, but the Wahābī says: ‘healing the sick is the attribute of Allāh alone – and one who affirms this for anyone else becomes a polytheist.’ Now that Allāh táālā has affirmed such an ability to Sayyidunā Ýīsā عليه السلام, what do the Wahābīs say about Him?

Strangely, the Wahābī clarifies that it is polytheism even if you believe that Allāh táālā has granted them such power!

It is not known what kind of Islām they profess.625 On page 11 of Taqwiyatu’l Īymān: to respect the woods around the city – that is to abstain from hunting in woods or cutting its trees or pull out the grass or graze the cattle – all these things are ordained by Allāh for His own worship... ...or respect the forest surrounding the places [of any prophet or ghost or fairy] or does similar things, then it is proven that polytheism has been committed by the person... irresepective of whether he thinks that these things deserve to be revered or that Allāh is Pleased if one respects this.

It is polytheism in every manner.626

It is said in various şaĥīĥ ĥadīth: “Ibrāhīm has made Makkah a sanctuary and I have made Madīnah a sanctuary. Let not the thorn of its trees be cut, nor its animals be hunted.”627 O Muslims! Look at this with justice and faith – how far [the accusation of polytheism of]

this peddlar of polytheism has reached! Look at how the blasphemer has ruled628 concerning the Prophet ﷺ! On page 8 of Taqwiyatu’l Īymān: Even kāfirs in the time of Messenger of Allāh did not believe that their idols were equal to Allāh; they too believed that [idols were] creation and slaves; nor did they profess that [such idols] had power against Allāh.

Rather, they would call upon them and make vows and were beholden to them, they would deem [such idols] as their advocates and intercessors – this was their disbelief and polytheism. Thus, if anyone does a similar thing, even if they believe they [intercessors] are the slaves and creation of Allāh – then he and Abū Jahl are equal in polytheism.

In other words, one who believes in the intercession of the Prophet ﷺ and asks him to intercede for us near Allāh táālā – such a person becomes a polytheist and he is equal in his idolatry to Abū Jahl!

Not only did this man deny intercession – he equated it with idolatry and rendered everyone from the Companions to their followers, the imāms of religion, Awliyā’a and righteous Muslims – all of them – into polytheists and equal to Abū Jahl [according to Ismāýīl Dihlawī].629 On page 58 of Taqwiyatu’l Īymān: If someone asks: “How many leaves are there in such and such tree” or “How many stars are there in the sky?” One should not say: “Allāh and His Messenger know.” Because only Allāh has the Knowledge of the unseen; what does the Messenger know?

Glory be to Allāh! He has reduced the knowledge of God to merely knowing the number of leaves in a tree!630 On page 7 of Taqwiyatu’l Īymān: Allāh Şāĥib631 has not given the power to dispense to anyone in the creation.

This is an open rejection of the miracles of Prophets and Awliyā’a. As for dispensation of affairs, Allāh táālā has said:

By [the Angels] who plan to dispense in affairs.632

[Ismāýīl’s] above statement is an explicit rejection of the clear Qur’ānic verse. On page 22 of Taqwiyatu’l Īymān: He, whose name is Muĥammad or Álī –has no power to choose in any affair.

Surprisingly, a Wahābī can exercise his choice in all the affairs of his household – but the Master of this world and the Hereafter has no power to choose in any matter whatsoever! Another famous belief of this sect is that Allāh táālā can utter a lie [or falsehood can occur in Divine Speech]. In fact one of their kingpins wrote in his fatwā: The occurrence of falsehood has thus been proven.

One who says that Allāh táālā has uttered a lie – calling such a person a profligate [tafsīq] or considering him deviant [tađlīl] should be avoided.633

Sub’ĥān-Allāh! He has accused Allāh táālā of having uttered a lie – but still none of this has any effect upon his Islām, his Sunni creed, or his righteousness!634 One does not know what [or who] they consider as God. Another belief of this sect is that: The Prophet ﷺ is not to be considered as the Seal of Prophets, in the meaning of ‘chronologically, the last prophet’. This is explicit kufr.

In Taĥdhīr al-Nās,635 on page 2: Laymen think that RasūlAllāh [SAW]636 being ‘Seal’ means that the age [of his advent] comes later than all other prophets and he is chronologically the last prophet; but people of understanding are aware that there is no superiority in chronologically being prior or later; then, how can this be valid as praise in this context: “Rather, he is the Messenger of Allāh and the Seal of Prophets”?637 Yes if one does not say this as an attribute of praise, and does not consider this place as a praiseworthy stand – then perhaps, ‘being last’ [khātamiyyat] can be considered valid as being last chronologically.

First of all, he says that the meaning of khātam al-nabiyyīn [the Seal of the Prophets] as ‘chronologically, the last of all Prophets’ is a notion of the laymen and that intellectuals are illuminated that there is no superiority in chronologically being last per se. Even though, our master has himself described the meaning of khātam al-nabiyyīn [the Seal of the Prophets] as chronologically ‘the last Prophet’.

The implication is clear – we seek Allāh’s refuge [máādhAllāh] – he has consigned the Prophet ﷺ amongst laymen and removed him from ‘the people of understanding’. And then dismissed ‘being chronologically last’ as a praiseworthy attribute – even though RasūlAllāh ﷺ has himself mentioned his being ‘chronologically last’ as an [exclusive] and praiseworthy attribute.

On page 4 of the same book he has written: Our Prophet is attributed with intrinsic prophethood [bi’dh dhāt] and other Prophets are have the extrinsic attribute of prophethood [bi’l árađ] On page 16: Rather, hypothetically, if we [consider] a prophet being present even in his own time; even then, his being a Seal [khātam] will remain undisputed.

On page 33: Rather, hypothetically, suppose a new prophet were to be born after the time of our Prophet ﷺ, even then, there will be no effect on the ‘finality’ of the prophethood of Muĥammad ﷺ; [comparatively] if there is [a prophet] among his contemporaries or in another earth; or if it is supposed even on this very earth, possibility of another prophet [to exist].

On page 34: If elders could not attain the understanding of something due to not paying attention, will it damage their reputation [as savants]? And if an uninformed child said something intelligent will he become great and glorious [only] because of this?

It is highly possible that an unskilled child may shoot an arrow that hits the target [by accident] Indeed, after truth has become manifest, if one does not accept this only because I have said it, and the other thing is said by the ancients – and keep harping about old sayings – apart from the fact that it is far removed from the law of the love of the Prophet ﷺ, it also furnishes proof about one’s understanding and intellect [or lack thereof].

The above statement is a clear admission on his part that the novel meaning that he has crafted cannot be found in the speech of any of the earlier scholars.

He termed the belief, as understood by everyone from the time of the Prophet until now, as a ‘notion of the laity’ and rejected it as ‘having no superiority in it.’ One should refer to the book Ĥusām al-Ĥaramayn in which scholars of both sanctuaries issued legal edicts [fatāwā] concerning the person who wrote the above.

Interestingly, the author has himself acknowledged on page 46 of the book that his Islām is only in name.638 The plaintiff’s witness in my favour is worth more than that of a million others639 We ask Allāh táālā to protect us from such nominal Muslims.

On page 5 he has said: Prophets are distinguished from their followers only because of knowledge – as for deeds – at times, apparently, followers may equal them or even surpass them.

Hear some more from this person: he claims that the prophethood of our Master is Preeternal [qadīm] and the prophethood of all others is an accident [ĥādith]. On page 7 he has written: Because the difference between pre-eternal prophethood [qidam e nubuwwat] and prophethood that is an accident [ĥudūth e nubuwwat] even though united in type – can only then be applicable.

Is anything else other than the Essence and Attributes of Allāh táālā pre-eternal in the belief of Muslims? Prophethood is an attribute – and it cannot exist without the existence of the being who can take that attribute. If the prophethood of our Master is pre-eternal and not an accident, then it implies that our Master is also not an accident [ĥādith]; which means he is pre-eternal [qadīm].

Apart from the Essence and Attributes [dhāt-şifāt] of Allāh, if one believes that anything else to be pre-eternal, he becomes a kāfir by the consensus of all Muslims. One of the characterstic traits of this sect [Wahābīs] is that they try to create all sorts of invalid explanations to deny the superiority of beloved slaves of Allāh and try to diminish their stature.

For example, the Wahābī has written in Barāhīn e Qāţiáh, on page 51: The Prophet ﷺ does not have the knowledge of what is behind a wall.640 He falsely attributed this to Shaykh Ábdu’l Ĥaqq Dihlawī, and wrote on the same page: The outcome: One should ponder, that by looking at the states of Satan and the Angel of Death, [and then] proving such encompassing knowledge of the earth641 for the Pride of the Creation,642 without any scriptural evidence,643 and by fallacious analogy – if this is not polytheism, then which part of faith is it?

This extensiveness of knowledge for Satan and the Angel of Death is proven by scriptural proof; where is such scriptural proof for the extensiveness of the knowledge of the Pride of the World, thereby refuting all scriptural proofs to establish one polytheistic belief?644 He proves the extent of knowledge for Satan, and says that it is proven by scriptural proof [naşş] – but then claims that the same [knowledge] if proven for the Prophet ﷺ is polytheism!

Obviously, he has accepted Satan as a partner with Allāh – and claimed that it is proven by Qur’ānic verse and ĥadīth! This slave of Satan – even if he didn’t consider him a rival god, fell so low as to consider him a partner with Allāh. Every Muslim should look at this through the eyes of faith and judge whether or not this person has said that the knowledge of Satan is more than the knowledge of our Prophet ﷺ?

Indeed, he has done so. Has he not implied that Satan is a partner with Allāh? Indeed he has done so.

And then he tried to prove this from scripture. All the three statements above are outright kufr – is there any Muslim who will still doubt in its being disbelief?

In Hifżu’l Īymān, on page 7, one645 wrote about the knowledge of RasūlAllāh ﷺ thus: If, the attribution of knowledge to his646 blessed person by Zayd647 is valid, then it is necessary to inquire – whether he refers to partial knowledge or complete knowledge?

If this refers to a part of such knowledge of unseen,648 then where is the exclusiveness of RasūlAllāh ﷺ in this?649 Such knowledge is [possessed by] every Zayd and Ámr;650 rather, children and madmen; rather, all animals and quadrupeds also possess [such knowledge]. O Muslims! Think about it. This person has explicitly insulted the Prophet ﷺ.

He has said that ‘Knowledge like that of the Prophet ﷺ is possessed by all and sundry – Zayd, Ámr – rather, every child and madman, and even animals and quadrupeds! Will a believer’s heart doubt that this man has become a kāfir? Certainly not!

Another trait of this sect is about things which are not prohibited by Allāh and even those things which are proven from the Qur’ān and the sunnah – they do not stop just at labelling them as forbidden, but instead go far as to even rule them as polytheism and heresy [shirk-bidáh].

For example things like: - Celebrating the birthday of the Prophet ﷺ - Standing up in respect at the mention of the Prophet’s ﷺbirth - Donating rewards of good deeds to the deceased - Visiting of graves - Visiting of the blessed mausoleum of the Prophet ﷺ - Commemoration of the anniversaries of pious Muslims - Prayers of Fātiĥah on the 3^rdor 40^th day of the dead man’s passing - To seek help [istimdād] from the souls of Prophets and saints - To seek help and to call upon Prophets and saints [as a form of intercession] in times of distress and affliction.

In Barāhīn e Qāţiáh on page 147, these filthy words are written describing the celebration of the birthday of the Prophet ﷺ. To repeat every day, the [mention] of birth, similar to Hindus who hold an enactment of Kanhaiya every year651 – or like the Rāfiđīs who enact the martyrdom of the Ahl al-Bayt every year.

We seek Allāh’s refuge – the birthday [of the Prophet] is similar to sāng [enactment of a hindu god’s birth] and this ugly act, worthy of condemnation, is forbidden and sin [ĥarām o fisq]. In fact, these people are worse than them – because they [Hindus and Rāfiđīs] do these things on specific days – these people have no restriction, whenever then want they will hold these innovative practices.

[Note: See Appendix I for a brief list of books652 that refute Deobandis and Wahabis]