Did “Wahabis” rebel against the ‘Uthmani Khilafah

Let us examine this allegation, by going over the different stages of Shaikh Muhammad bin AbdilWahhaab’s life in Dawah.

First Stage: The beginnings of his call:
After seeking knowledge in different parts of the Arabian peninsula, Imam Muhammad bin AbdulWahhaab RA moved to Bassrah where he began his call. This call did not appeal to the people of Bassrah, so they forced him out of it.

Later, he returned to his own town Huraimilah where he tried again, but with no success. He was forced out of it as well.

It was not until he moved to Dir’iyyah that he found acceptance for his message. Prince Muhammad bin Saud of Dir’iyyah embraced him, and promised him full support to deliver his message.

Up to this point, nobody can say that the Imam was rebelling against the ‘Uthmanis. He was simply roaming around spreading his message until he found acceptance in Dir’iyyah.

to be continued Inshallah …

Second Stage: Struggle between Dir’iyyah and neighboring towns:

Neighbors of Dir’iyyah felt threatened by the new call, just as the enemies of truth always do.

They responded by organizing an aggressive campaign against the people of Dir’iyyah. This campaign included declaring a war against the residents of Dir’iyyah and the new message.

Since these towns felt independent from the ‘Uthmani rule, they did not take permission from the ‘Uthmani Khilafah or its representatives in Hijaz prior to waging this campaign.

It turn, the ‘Uthmani Khilafah was not interested in what was happening in the fruitless deserts of Najd.

Price Mohammad bin Saud retaliated by fighting his neighbors in self defense, and Allah SWT chose for him to be successful. This resulted in a wider spread of the message of the Imam, and increased influence of Prince Saud.

Here also, no one could argue that Imam rebelled against the Khilafah. These were wars between tribes, not involving the Khilafah in any way.

to be continued Inshallah …

More on the unimportance of Najd to the ‘Uthmanis:

The desserts of Najd, the place of birth of the Da’wah, were they under the control of the ‘Uthmani Khilafah?

Let us see what history tells us.

The ‘Uthmanis did not appoint a governor on this province. In fact neither did the Umawees, Abbasees, Ayoobis or Mamaleek, prior to the ‘Uthmani rule. Historians failed to find a name of a single governor appointed to this region, or any of its sections.

Najd was ruled by tribal leaders who were independent of the Khilafah.

Furthermore, there are no records of ‘Uthmani army patrols regularly covering this area. The expedition of Sultan Sulaiman to Najd in 1550 AD, ended with the death of most of its soldiers from thirst.

‘Uthmani officials did not record Najd as one of the Arab provinces under their control. According to a letter written by Yameen Ali Afandi, in 1609 AD, the ‘Uthmani empire consisted of 32 states, 14 were Arab states. Najd was neither listed as one of the states, nor was it included as part of any other state.

Many factors aided in the ‘Uthmani lack of interest in Najd:

1) Its large size.

2) Lack of resources.

3) The firm tribal and clannish nature of the people of Najd.

Wallahu A’lam.

to be continued Inshallah …

Reference: Allegations of the Enemies of the Da’wah of Muhammad bin AbdulWahhaab, by AbdilAziz bin AbdilLateef.

Third Stage: Struggle against the Ashraaf of Hijaaz (I):

“Ashraaf” are descendents of the of the Prophet ASWS. Specifically, through al-Hussain bin Ali RAA.

During the time of the Imam, Ashraaf were ruling the western part of the Arabian Peninsula, known as Hijaaz. Meccan and Madinah are located in Hijaaz province.

Ashraaf were ruling Hijaaz in the name of the ‘Uthmani Khlaifa.

Sufi and Shirki practices were to the benefit of the Ashraf. Such practices generated significant income to them, and maintained them a high status in the Peninsula.

The fast spread of the Da’wah for Tawheed was a threat to the Ashraaf. They had to do something about it. They organized several expeditions to fight the Da’wah in Najd.

The followers of the Imam acted only in self defense, to protect themselves and the Da’wah. And to repel the Ashraaf who were the protectors of Shirk and Tasawwuf.

Again, this can not be described as rebellion against the ‘Uthmani Khilafah.

Nevertheless, this did not stop the Imam from attempting to develop good relations with the rulers of Hijaaz, as a way of enjoining good and prohibiting evil.

He sent a delegation to Hijaaz lead by Shaikh AbdulAzeez AlHussaiyin with lots of gifts and a letter to Sahreef Ahmad bin Sa’eed. Here are a few excerpts:

“May Allah continue bestowing his bounties on you, Shareef Ahmad, son of Shareef Sa’eed. May Allah grant you might in this world and the hearafter. And may He use you to bring victory to the religeon of your ancestor (the Prophet ASWS).

When your letter reached your servant (meaning himself), the servant contemplated on the good words included in it. He then raised his hands in Du’a, that Allah aids the Shareef, because his intention was to support the Shari’ah and its followers, and to present animosity to those who rebelled. This is what leaders should do.”

Then he said …

“Allah SWT took the covenant from Prophets that if they met Muhammad ASWS that they were to follow his message. So how about us, his the nation. We have to believe in him, and bring victory to his message …

Those most deserving of such effort are the family of the Prophet, out of whom he was sent. Allah SWT gave the family of the Prophet a higher status than the rest of humanity.

The Shareef should know that his slaves (meaning himself) are from among his servants.

May you be in Allah SWT’s protection and caretaking.”

We see from this letter that the Imam put himself in the position of the servants of the Shareef. So how can anyone claim that he was rebelling against him.

to be continued Inshallah …

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Forth Stage: Struggle against the Ashraaf of Hijaaz (II):

Ashraaf of Hijaaz felt threatened by the new Da’wah for Tawheed. They benefited greatly from the Sufi and Shirki practices at the holy sites.

In retaliation, the Ashraaf did the following:

1) They prevented the people of Da’wah from performing Hajj.

2) Shareef Ghalib organized a major expedition to fight the Imam and his followers in Najd. The expedition failed to meet its goal.

3) Sending correspondences to the Khilafah in Istanbul portraying the “Wahabis” as brutal killers, who were forcing the people to follow their way. The Turkish historian Sulaiman al-‘Uzzi said: The letters which reached Constantinople from Ashareef Mas’ood bin Sa’eed of Maccah, reflect that a heritic, not a Muslim, by the name of Muhammad bin AbdulWahhaab had appeared to the east, and forced the people of that region to follow his wrong Ijtihaad.

to be continued Inshallah …

Discussion continues here;
http://www.ahlalhdeeth.cc/vbe/showthread.php?t=243