The Original Najdi/ Wahhabi Movement Was More Extreme In Bloodshed & Takfir Than ISIS

by Abu Sulayman, Ummah.com
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. And may the peace and blessings be upon the Master of all Messengers – our Prophet Muhammad – and upon his family and companions and those who followed them in goodness until the day of judgement.

To proceed:

Al-Salamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullah,
I’ve read some threads on this forum and saw that there are people here who dislike the crimes of IS / ISIS against the Muslims and other innocent people, but at the same time they admire Muhammad bin ‘Abd al-Wahhab (d. 1206 AH) and the original Najdi movement. This shows that there is huge amount of lack of information regarding the original Najdi movement and the level of their fanaticism.
Know that IS/ISIS has not even committed 10% of that which the original Najdi/Wahhabi movement committed against the Muslims in the time of the first Saudi state.

The reason why it’s important to know about the history of the original Wahhabiyyah is because it’s necessary in order to understand the roots of fanaticism of an organization like ISIS and also in order not to be fooled by the deception, lies and propaganda of the Mashayikh of so called “Salafi” movement, who are exploiting the thirst of young people – especially those living in the West – to learn the religion. The reason why young people in the West are easily fooled by these so called “Salafis” is because of the ignorance regarding the [true] religion (i.e. Islam) that is unfortunately prevelant in the West.

In this thread I’ll insha`Allah try to lessen this lack of information concerning the original Najdi movement.

Before I begin I would like to make an important note: This thread is NOT for the sake of dicussion and argumentation, but rather in order to inform those brother and sisters who don’t know the reality of this movement and to warn them from being influenced by them or their descendants (i.e. the “Salafis”). I would also like to request that no one starts blindly defending Ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab and his original followers in time of the first Saudi state, because I’m quite sure that you haven’t read some of the Hardcore-Takfiri books of the original Najdis. All the informations that I will mention are from those books. If you want a proof for anything that I’ll mention, then please write a comment here and I’ll bring you the relevant qoutes in Arabic [from Najdi books] (and summarize its content).

These are the most important Najdi sources in order to know the reality of this movement:

Tarikh Najd by the Wahhabi historian Hussayn bin Ghannam (d. 1225 AH): It’s a history book and the author is a supporter and direct student of Muhammad bin ‘Abd al-Wahhab.
‘Unwan al-Majd fi Tarikh Najd by the Wahhabi historian ‘Uthman bin Bishr (d. 1288 AH): It’s also a history book and the author lived during the time of the first and the second Saudi state. Similar to the book of Ibn Ghannam it’s full of shocking passages where the author proudly reports how they attacked the cities of the Arabian peninsula and the surrounding areas and how “the Muslims” (while refering to themselves, i.e. the Najdis) killed the “Mushrikin” and “Murtadin” (while refering to the Muslims of the whole region!).
Mufid al-Mustafid fi Kufri Tarik al-Tawhid by Muhammad bin ‘Abd al-Wahhab (d. 1206 AH): He wrote this book after he had made Takfir upon a whole town in Najd (i.e. Huraymila`) and tried to justify it. The reason for his Takfir was first and foremost that the people of the city didn’t support his unjustified Takfir and call to bloodshed anymore.
Al-Rasa`il al-Shakhsiyyah: These are the personal letters that Ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab sent to the scholars, people of authority and other imporant people. In these letters you’ll see him making all kind of crazy statements like making Takfir upon the scholars of his time and claiming that he alone has understood Tawhid.
Al-Durar al-Saniyyah: A compilation of statements from Ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab and his [blind] followers (whom the “Salafis” refer to as “scholars of Najd”). It was meant as a defence of their creed.

So let’s now begin with the important part:

Who are the Wahhabiyyah and who is their leader?

The Wahhabiyyah are the followers of Muhammad bin ‘Abd al-Wahhab (d. 1206 AH).
He was the son of a Hanbali scholar and was born in al-‘Uyayynah, a village in Najd. He started to study Islam and to become a student of knowledge (Talib al-‘Ilm), but somehow he developed strange and extreme views.

He became obsessed with graves:
He regarded the wrong actions concerning the graves, which according to classical understanding are either forbidden (haram) or disliked (makruh), as Shirk akbar (polytheism). He did not stop here: He even regarded actions which are allowed according to all 4 accepted Madhahib of the Ahl al-Sunnah (like for example the seeking of intercession through the Prophet – sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam – (i.e. Tashaffu’)) as “Shirk akbar” and regarded it as a nullifier of one’s Islam.

When his father saw that his son had developed these strange views and had deviated from the way of the Ahl al-Sunnah, he disallowed him to spread his wrong views. He feared however that his son would be the cause of great tribulations after his demise and he was indeed right with this feeling.

When his father died, Ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab started to try to spread his new call.
Before I proceed I would like to show you what this person thought about himself, so that you do not have any doubts regarding his deviance from the way of the Ahl al-Sunnah and the Sawad al-A’dham of this Ummah.

Ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab: “No one knows Tawhid except me”

He said in one of his letters:

وأنا أخبركم عن نفسي والله الذي لا إله إلا هو لقد طلبت العلم واعتقد من عرفني أن لي معرفة وأنا ذلك الوقت لا أعرف معنى لا إله إلا الله، ولا أعرف دين الإسلام قبل هذا الخير الذي من الله به. وكذلك مشايخي ما منهم رجل عرف ذلك، فمن زعم من علماء العارض أنه عرف معنى لا إله إلا الله أو عرف معنى الإسلام قبل هذا الوقت أو زعم عن مشايخه أن أحداً عرف ذلك فقد كذب وافترى ولبس على الناس ومدح نفسه بما ليس فيه

And I inform you about myself – I swear by Allah whom there is none worthy to worship except Him – I have sought knowledge and those who knew me believed that I had knowledge while I did not know the meaning of La Ilaha illa Allah at that time and did not know the religion of Islam before this grace that Allah favored. As well as my teachers (Mashayikh) no one among them knew that. And if someone from the scholars of al-‘Aridh (the lands of Najd and surrounding areas) claims that he knew the meaning of La Ilaha illa Allah or knew the meaning of Islam before this time, or claims on behalf of his teachers that someone from them knew that, then he has lied and said falsehood and deceived the people and praised himself with something he does not possess.

Source: al-Rasa`il al-Shakhsiyyah and al-Durar al-Saniyyah 10/51

Just look at the arrogance and narcissm of this person and how he claims that he alone knows Tawhid while accusing the scholars (!) of the whole region of not knowing it. And where did this “knowledge” come from if no one teached it him?

And you’ll be surprised how many times he makes such crazy statements in his letters and how he sometimes lies (like for example by accusing anyone who critises him of “Sabb al-Din”/”cursing the religion”) in a very clear way without having any shame whatsoever! May Allah ta’ala give him what he deserves!

What was his connection to the first Saudi state?

After he was thrown out of his hometown he met the Amir of al-Dir’iyyah (which is a town in Najd), Muhammad bin Sa’ud (d. 1179 AH), in the year 1157 AH. Ibn Sa’ud accepted his call after Ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab had told him that the people of Najd and the surrounding were upon “polytheism” and “ignorance” and after he explained to him his new religion. (Ibn Bishr has mentioned the incident.) Ibn Sa’ud and Ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab made an alliance and agreed that the polical power shall be for Ibn Sa’ud (and his sons after him) and that the religious power shall be for Ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab and his new ideas. This was the birth of the first Saudi state and he was the “Mufti” of this [accursed] state.

The first Saudi state: The worst and most bloodthirsty Khawarij in the history!

After the alliance was made Ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab started throwing around with Fatawa of Takfir and to claim that most people of his time were are upon “Shirk akbar” (polytheism), so that the soldiers of the new born Saudi state could take this as a justifcation to fight the surrounding areas and occupy these regions. The Najdis first started with the towns and villages of Najd and attacked them one after the other.

But they did not stop with Najd. Soon they started to attack the whole Arabian peninsula. They also attacked all surrounding areas like ‘Iraq, Sham, Yemen, ‘Oman, etc.
They did no even shy away from making Takfir against the people of Makkah al-mukarramah and Madinah al-munawwarah and harming them and occupying these blessed cities!!

If you read how the two Wahhabi historians Ibn Ghannam and Ibn Bishr proudly and without any shame reported these incidents you’ll be shocked. They reported how they made Takfir upon whole towns and villages, attacked them and killed them on the streets, the markets and even in their houses. They even killed the Amir of al-‘Uyayynah inside the mosque (!!!) after he had prayed the Salat al-Jum’ah. (Not even the houses of Allah had any sanctity for them!)

They also reported how they burned and destroyed the fields of Muslims (while referring to them as “polytheists” and “apostates”), robbed and stole from them whatever they could take!

They even reported what a great fear their attacks caused in the heart of the people (this was during their attack on al-Sham) or how the people – innocent Muslim men and women!!! – ran away from them and died from hunger and thirst in the desert (this is what happened to the people of al-Riyadh) or how the people fled to the ocean and drowned in the water (this happened to the people of al-Basrah). They also reported how they made an embargo against different cities which caused the people to die from hunger (this happened to the people Makkah al-mukarramah!).

And as if all of these crimes are not enough: When they occupied Makkah al-mukarramah they stopped the people from the other Muslim lands from making Hajj for several years, because they regarded all of them to be “polytheists” and “apostates”. The first time this happened in the year 1221 AH.

When their tyranny and bloodshed had reached its peak, the Ottomans – who were the biggest “Mushrikin” (polytheists) upon this earth according the Najdis – decided to stop these criminal Mariqin and Khawarij and to retake every single city that they had occupied. The Ottomans crushed their Khariji state and the first Saudi state ceased to exist by the help of Allah and his permission.

What is build upon deviation does not lead to anything except more deviation:

After the first state they had a second state, but the second state was only in Najd and was weak compared to their first state. As for the third state: It’s the current Saudi state and it was build upon treason against the whole Ummah of Islam.

In the time of their first State the Wahhabiyyah were hated by all Muslims of the region (because everyone saw and knew of their crimes) and the people did not accept their views. However when time passed by the people started to forget about them.

During the third state (i.e. the actual one) the government started to spread the so called “Salafi” Da’wah with huge amounts of money (because there is still an alliance between the Saudi rulers and the Wahhabi Al al-Shaykhs, who are the descendents of Ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab). This and the widespread ignorance regarding the religion in our times are the main reason why the “Salafis” have spread. It should be noted that the so called “Salafi” Da’wah has nothing to do with the Salaf al-salih or the Ahl al-Sunnah. It’s the result of a mix of the ideas of Ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab and some other controversial personalities.

So beware from whom you take religion and do not let these deceivers influence you.

And our last call is that all praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. And may the peace and blessings be upon our Master Muhammad – the seal of the Prophets and Messengers – and upon all of his familiy and companions.

What did the Najdi forefathers of ISIS think about the people of al-Sham al-sharif and how did they treat them?

Some people still don’t get it why ISIS / IS in al-Sham are first and foremost fighting against the Syrian rebels and people instead of fighting against the criminal Bashar. (They only attack Bashar when they need a oil field.) Know that they learned this from the Najdis!

The Najdis would regard the Ottomans as the biggest “polytheists” upon this planet and would even make Takfir upon anyone who would regard them as Muslims or support them in any way. The Wahhabi historian Ibn Bishr (d. 1288 AH) would even refer to the Ottomans as al-Rum (the Romans…), which is quite ironic because the Ottomans were trying to defend the Muslims against the real Romans (i.e. Europeans) while the Najdis where busy with slaughtering the Muslims of the Arabian peninsula.

So let’s see what they thought about the people of al-Sham:
Ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab (d. 1206 AH) said:

لكن هو أتى من الشام، وهم يعبدون ابن عربي، جاعلين على قبره صنما يعبدونه، ولست أعني أهل الشام كلهم، حاشا وكلا; بل لا تزال طائفة على الحق، وإن قلّت، واغتربت

But he came from al-Sham, and they worship Ibn ‘Arabi and have made an idol upon his grave to worship it. I do not mean all of the people of al-Sham, no of course not; rather there does not cease a group [from them] to be upon the truth, even if they’re only few.”

Source:
al-Durar al-Saniyyah 2/45

In the above quote he accuses the majority of the people of al-Sham of worshipping other than Allah ta’ala.
Know that this is from among his many many lies against this Ummah. (In al-Durar al-Saniyyah there is even a quote where accuses the majority of the people of the Hijaz of rejecting the resurrection [after death].)

Let us see now how the Najdis treated the people of al-Sham:
Ibn Bishr proudly reported in his ‘Unwan al-Majd the following incident which happened in the year 1225 AH:

بلغه الخبر أن بوادي الشام وعربانه من عنزة وبني صخر وغيرهم فيها , فلما وصل تلك الناحية لم يجد فيها أحداً منهم , وإذا قد سبقه النذير إليهم , فاجتمعوا على دوخي بن سمير رئيس ولد علي من عنزة , وهو من وراء الجبل المعروف بطويل الثلج قرب نابلس , نازلين عين القهوة من جبال حوران , ولما بلغ ابن سمير ومن معه إقبال سعود إليهم انهزم بمن معه من البوادي ونزلوا الغور من حوران , فسار سعود في تلك الناحية , وأقبل فيها وأدبر , واجتاز بالقرى التي حول مزيريب وبصرى , فنهبت الجموع ما وجدوا فيها من المتاع والطعام , وأشعلوا فيها النيران , وكان أهلها قد هربوا عنها لما سمعوا بمسيره , ثم نزل عين البجة , وروى منها المسلمون!! وشربت خيلهم وجيوشهم….
ثم رجع قافلاً إلى وطنه ومعه غنائم كثيرة من الخيل والمتاع , والأثاث والطعام , وقتل من أهل الشام عدّة قتلى , وحصل في الشام رجفة ورهب عظيم بهذه الغزوة , في دمشق وغيرها من بلدانه وجميع بواديه

Source: ‘Unwan al-Majd 1/309-310

Here it is described how they robbed the property of Muslims, burned their things down and how the people had fled from the areas they were attacking.It’s also mentioned that a number of people from al-Sham got killed and that this attack (he refers to it as a Ghazwah) caused a huge fear in the hearts of the people of al-Sham – especially those in Dimashq (Damascus) and other towns and villages.

In the next comment I’ll insha`Allah show how much they hated the people of Makkah al-mukarramah. (They said that whoever does not make Takfir upon them is also a disbeliever and they made an embargo against them until many people in Makkah died from hunger.)

The orginal Wahhabi movement: “Whoever does not make Takfir upon the people of Makkah is a disbeliever!”

Let us see what the Najdis said:

الأمر الثاني: الكفر بما يعبد من دون الله، والمراد بذلك تكفير المشركين، والبراءة منهم، ومما يعبدون مع الله. فمن لم يكفر المشركين من الدولة التركية، وعباد القبور، كأهل مكة وغيرهم، ممن عبد الصالحين، وعدل عن توحيد الله إلى الشرك، وبدّل سنّة رسوله صلى الله عليه وسلم بالبدع، فهو كافر مثلهم، وإن كان يكره دينهم، ويبغضهم، ويحب الإسلام والمسلمين ; فإن الذي لا يكفر المشركين، غير مصدق بالقرآن، فإن القرآن قد كفر المشركين، وأمر بتكفيرهم، وعداوتهم وقتالهم

“The second issue: To disbelieve in that which is worshipped instead of Allah, and this means to make Takfir (declare as disbelievers) upon the polytheists (Mushrikin) and the disavowal from them and that which they worship alongside Allah.
So whoever does not make Takfir upon the polytheists of the turkish state (i.e. the Ottomans!) and the grave-worshippers like the people of Makkah (!!!)and [upon] others from those who worship the righteous (Salihin) and left the Tawhid (monotheism) of Allah for Shirk (polytheism) and exchanged the Sunnah of his Messenger – sallalalhu ‘alayhi wa sallam – with innovations, then he is a disbeliever like them even if dislikes their religion und hates them and loves Islam and its people.
This is so because the one who does not declare the polytheists to be disbelievers has not accepted the Qur`an. The Qur`an declares the polytheists as disbelievers, and commands to declare them as such and to show enmity towards them and to fight them.”

Source: al-Durar al-Saniyya 9/291

Look what a great lie they made against the people of Makkah, who were from the people of Tawhid and Tanzih! (And do you see the Takfir against the Ottomans?)
And look how they make Takfir even upon the one who does not make Takfir upon them. If this is not Ghuluww (extremism), then I don’t know what is!

Now look at this letter of Sa’ud I. bin ‘Abd al-‘Aziz [bin Muhammad bin Sa’ud] (d. 1229 AH) addressing the people of Makkah:

من سعود بن عبد العزيز , إلى كافة اهل مكة والعلماء والآغوات وقاضي السلطان , السلام على من اتبع الهدى
أما بعد: فأنتم جيران الله وسكان حرمه آمنون بأمنه.
إنما ندعوكم لدين الله ورسوله , ( قل يا اهل الكتاب تعالوا الى كلمة سواء بيننا وبينكم ان لا نعبد الاّ الله ولا نشرك به شيئاً ولا يتخذ بعضنا بعضاً أرباباً من دون الله ، فان تولوا فقولوا: اشهدوا باننا مسلمون ) , فأنتم في أمان الله ثم في أمان أمير المسلمين سعود بن عبد العزيز , وأميركم عبد المعين بن مساعد ، فاسمعوا له وأطيعوا ما أطاع الله والسلام

“From Sa’ud bin ‘Abd al-‘Aziz to all of the people of Makkah, the scholars, the chiefs and the judge of the Sultan: Peace be upon the one who follows guidance.
To proceed: You’re are the neighbours of Allah and the inhabitants of his sanctity and secure by his safety. We are calling you to the religion of Allah and that of his Messenger (!!!), { Say: O People of the Scripture! Come to an agreement between us and you: that we shall worship none but Allah, and that we shall ascribe no partner unto Him, and that none of us shall take others for lords beside Allah. And if they turn away, then say: Bear witness that we are they who have surrendered (unto Him). } [3:64].
You’re in the safety of Allah and then in the safety of the leader of the Muslims (!) Sa’ud bin ‘Abd al-‘Aziz, and your leader ‘Abd al-Mu’in bin Musa’ad. So listen to him and obey him as long as he obeys Allah. Peace.”

Source: Hashiyyah of ‘Unwan al-Majd 1/261 by Ibn Bishr (d. 1288 AH)

Look how he greets them with “Peace be upon the one who follows guidance” instead of “Peace be upon you”. (It should be obvious by now why he’s doing that!)
Then he’s calling them “to the religion of Allah and that of his Messenger”?!?! Why?? Are the People of Makkah not already upon the religion of Allah?
And then look at the Ayah he qoutes and how we declares himself to be the leader of Muslims!

There are two important things that you need to know about this Sa’ud I. bin ‘Abd al-‘Aziz (d. 1229 AH):

He was not just the third leader/ruler of the first Saudi state, but also a direct student of Ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab (d. 1206 AH) himself
– The one who commanded all of the people of Najd to make Bay’ah to him after ‘Abd al-‘Aziz bin Muhammad bin Sa’ud (d. 1218 AH) was none other than Ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab as Ibn Bishr mentioned in his ‘Unwan al-Majd 1/162: “أمر الشيخ محمد بن عبد الوهاب جميع أهل نجد أن يبايعوا سعود بن عبد العزيز , وأن يكون ولي العهد بعد أبيه , وذلك بإذن عبد العزيز , فبايعوه” – end of the qoute –

Know that he’s still trying to sound nice in the above letter, because he said that after being able to control the city.
But let’s see how this “safety” that he claimed to give to the people of Makkah looked like when he lost the control over the city.

The Wahhabiyyah made an embargo against Makkah al-mukarramah, which caused the death of many of its people

Ibn Bishr said while speaking about the incidents of the year 1220 AH:

وفي هذه السنة اشتد الغلاء والقحط على الناس … وأما مكة فالأمر فيها أعظم مما ذكرنا بسبب الحرب والحصار وقطع الميرة والسابلة , وذلك حيث انتقض الصلح بين غالب وبين سعود ,فسدّت الطرق كلّها عن مكة من جهة اليمن وتهامة والحجاز ونجد , لأنهم كلهم رعية سعود وتحت أمره , فثبت عندنا وتواتر أن كيلة الأرز والحب بلغت في مكة ستة أريل , وكيلتهم أنقص من صاع نجد , وبيع فيها لحوم الحمير والجيف بيعت فيها بأغلى الأثمان ، وأكلت الكلاب ، وبلغ رطل الدهن ريالين , ومات خلق كثير منهم جوعاً

Source: ‘Unwan al-Majd 1/284-258

It’s mentioned that there was a drought in that year. What did the Wahhabiyyah do in this situation against the people of Makkah?
They made an embargo against them so that nothing could enter the city from the direction of Yemen, Tihamah, Hijaz and Najd (because all of these regions were already under Wahhabi occupation), which made the situation in Makkah even more serious. The people had even started eating the meat of dogs and Ibn Bishr says that many people [in Makkah] died from hunger.

Know that they treated Madinah al-munawwarah in the same way (and this was in the same year and Ibn Bishr mentioned that some pages after the above qoute), even though Rasulullah – sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam – has explicitly warned from harming al-Madinah!