Ibn Abdul Wahaab's KITAB UT-TAWHID

[faqir]

www.htspub.com


Salamalaykum shaykh,

Is Kitab al-Tawhid a reliable book in terms of Creed?

If not then what are the problems with this book by Sh. Ibn Abdul Wahab?

Are there any other more suitable alternatives you would recommend?

JazakAllah khair.


--------------------------------


as-Salaamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullah,

Noble brother,

Thank you for your question and may Allah reward you for your diligence. The entire text of Kitaab ut-Tawhid, which was later plagiarised into Persian and Urdu into the subcontinent under the title, Taqwiyat ul-Imaan, is replete with weak ahaadith used in theology, statements declaring Muslims outside of the fold of Islam and many other things.




Perhaps a few examples are the following,

1. Ibn `Abdul Wahhaab's statement in Kitaab ut-Tawhid (Arabic version printed by Daar ul-Iftaa, pp. 48-49; the English version translated by Ismaa'il al-Faruqi, Ch. 33, pp. 72-76):

'Their statement that the kuffar are those who they know their kufr are better in guidance upon a way than the believers,'

2. Ibn `Abdul Wahhaab's misinterpretation of a hadith in Sahih Muslim and other collections regarding the fact that some people will join the idol worshippers in their idolatry at the end of time.

However Imaams an-Nawawi (Sahih Muslim Bi-Sharh in-Nawawi, V. 17), Sulaimaan an-Najdi (as-Sawaa`iq, pp. 50-60), al-Qaadi `Iyaad (Sahih Muslim bi-Sharh in-Nawawi, V. 17) and others have already shown with evidences that this is connected with after the Muslims have been raptured from the Earth.

They also make the point that when the Messenger of Allah SAW is speaking of his Ummah, there are two frames of reference,

a. Those of his Ummah that have answered his call and are Muslims.

b. Those who are of his Ummah and have not answered the call. They are kuffar but will still be asked about him in the grave and are held accountable on the Day of Resurrection.

3. Muhammad ibn `Abdul Wahhaab's statement on the same hadith in point #12 of the said chapter mentioned above,

'And all of these extremely stange events have indeed happened just as the Prophet SAW predicted.'

If that is the case, then all of us here on this Earth are lost in sin and due for eternal judgement. For when idolatry is widespread again according to that hadith, the Muslims will have been raptured off of the Earth. If this has taken place while we are still left behind, we are lost in our sins! (Please see Sahih Muslim Bi-Sharh in-Nawawi, Vols. 17 and 18)

4. The leader of the Salafi movement, Muhammad ibn `Abdul Wahhaab, stated that he and his group are the small remnant referred to in the hadith of the victorious group in point #'s 9-10 of the said chapter above.

5. Redefining the meaning of La ilaha illallah and declaring the blood and wealth to be halaal of those who do not accept the new definition (Kitaab ut-Tawhid, ch. 5, pp. 19-21 Eng.; 12-14 of the Arabic).

Compare this with the explanation and elucidation of the meaning of La ilaha illallah from Imaams such as an-Nawawi, al-Qaadi `Iyaad and al-Maaziri (Sahih Muslim Bi-Sharh in-Nawawi, V. 1, pp. 196-227 ), as well as Ibn al-Jawzi (Zaad ul-Masir, pp. 156 and 1311), Ibn `Abbas (Tanwir ul-Maqbaas, p. 539), al-Baghawi (Lubaab ut-Ta'wil, pp. 159 and 1197), Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali, Ibn `Atiyyah (al-Muharrir ul-Wajiz, p. 228) and many others RHM.

6. That most of the Sahaaba were not familiar with the 10 commands expounded in Surat un-Nisaa' (4), ayah 36 and Surat ul-Israa' (17), ayaat 22-39. This was stated in Kitaab ut-Tawhid, point #15, Ar. , pp. 4-5 and En. by al-Faruqi, pp. 5-7

7. This causes major problems if the Sahaaba did not know the very crux of the Orthodox creed, for they saw the revelation. If they are on questionable foundations, particularly when we make the unqualified statement to say most of them, the very point of the Qur'an and the Sunna and its' revelatory status comes into question.

Indeed, the Orthodox and the Salafiyyah organisation are using the same terminology but have completely different meanings by what they are stating.

They are in essence speaking past one another. The force that drives Salafiyyah is indeed a supernatural one, but not a benevolent or sacred one, but rather a malign influence.

It is then our duty to preach to them and to let them know that they can have a fulfilling relationship with Allah without deeds based salvation. We will not be able to preach to the kuffar about the state of their house when our very kitchen is filled with all the cults of the Earth that have piled their filth in our sinks for these past several hundred years.

I hope that by examining these quotes and researching them that we might know more about why we believe what we believe and be able to preach it with more passion and fervour. And with Allah is every success,

was-Salaam,

brother in Islam

[faqir]

http://www.abc.se/~m9783/wahtwd_e.html

Kitâb al-Tawh.îd

al-Ladhî Huwa H.aqqullâh `alâ al-`Abîd


by Muh.ammad ibn `Abd al-Wahhâb
Translated into English by Unknown
Ryadh: Darussalam Publications, 1996.







Muh.ammad ibn `Abd al-Wahhâb's “inelegant book ... containing the acceptable and the inacceptable” ‚ according to al-Shawkânî's student S.iddîq H.asan Khân al-Qinnawjî[1] ‚ Kitâb al-Tawh.îd, has been raised, through the power of free distribution and “dumping” on the book market, to the perceived status of classic when it is in fact replete with strange statements and doctrinal errors such as the following:











* Calling the Ash`aris 'Nullifiers of the Divine Attributes' (mu`attila) [chapters 2, 16]

* Declaring the Lesser shirk an integral part of the Greater. [chapter 7]

* Deprecating the understanding of 'the elite of people today' for tawhîd. [chapter 15]

* Stating that Abu Jahl knows lâ ilâha illâ Allâh better than the Muslim Ulema. [18]

* Attributing the beginning of shirk on earth to the act of the people of knowledge and religion, caused by their love for saints. [19]

* Misinterpreting the hadith 'do not make my grave an idol' to mean: do not even pray near it whereas the agreed-upon meaning is: Do not pray towards or on top of it. [20]

* Omitting the phrase “and that I am the Messenger of Allâh (swt) in quoting the h.adîth: “When the Messenger of Allâh [s.a.w.] sent Mu`âdh (ra) to Yemen, he said: 'You will come upon the People of the Book, so call them first to testify that there is no God but Allâh (swt) ‚ although this phrase is narrated by the totality of the h.adîth Masters except for one (al-Bayhaqî). [5]

* Misrepresenting a very gharîb narration as being narrated from the Prophet [s.a.w.] by T.âriq ibn Shihâb whereas it is a mawqûf report of the words of Salmân al-Fârisî narrated by T.âriq. [10] This blunder is due to the fact that Ibn `Abd al-Wahhâb imitated the erroneous claim to that effect made by Ibn al-Qayyim in al-Jawâb al-Kâfî (p. 21) without checking the sources where this report is found such as Ibn Abî `Âs.im's al-Zuhd, Abû Nu`aym's H.ilya, and al-Khat.îb's Kifâya. Worse, Ibn `Abd al-Wahhâb references the report to “Ah.mad” (rawâhu Ah.mad), which means the Musnad of Imâm Ah.mad ibn H.anbal in h.adîth terminology; however, the report is not found in any of the works of Imâm Ah.mad, whether the Musnad, al-Zuhd, or others. It is true that the chain of the report comes through Ah.mad, but to reference the report to him is deception.

* Citing another weak narration that “a Companion” said: “Let us all go seek the help of the Messenger of Allâh [s.a.w] (qûmû binâ nastaghîthu birasûlillah) against this hypocrite [`Abd Allâh ibn Ubay ibn Salûl who challenged Abû Bakr to ask the Prophet [s.a.w.] for a major miracle],” whereupon the Prophet [s.a.w.] said: “Innahu lâ yustaghâthu bî innamâ yustaghâthu billâh ‚ “Help is not sought with me, it is sought only with Allâh.” Ibn `Abd al-Wahhâb references it to al-T.abarânî. [10]


First neither the wording nastaghîthu birasûlillah nor innahu lâ yustaghâthu bî innamâ yustaghâthu billâh is found in any book of h.adîth and there is no chain for them! The reference to “al-T.abarânî”shows blind imitation of Ibn Taymiyya's incorrect referencing of these wordings to al-T.abarânî's al-Mu`jam al-Kabîr in al-Radd `alâ al-Bakrî and Majmû` al-Fatâwâ.


Second the correct wording in Ibn Sa`d's T.abaqât, the Musnad, and al-Jâmi` al-S.aghîr states that Abû Bakr said: “Let us rise to the Messenger of Allâh [s.a.w.] to seek help (qûmû nastaghîthu ilâ rasûlillah) against this hypocrite” whereupon the Prophet [s.a.w.] replied: “Lâ yuqâmu lî innamâ yuqâmu lillâh ‚ Not for me is redress sought but only for Allâh.” So the reply of the Prophet [s.a.w.] does not address the means but the motivation and purpose of the Companions against the hypocrite. This is confirmed by another report in which `Umar asks permission to kill `Abd Allâh ibn Ubay ibn Salûl, whereupon the Prophet [s.a.w.] said: “Leave him lest people say that Muh.ammad kills his companions!”[2]


Third the chain of the report Lâ yuqâmu lî innamâ yuqâmu lillâh contains an unnamed narrator in addition to `Abd Allâh ibn Lahî`a who is weak as indicated by al-Haythamî in Majma` al-Zawâ'id (8:40), so the report is weak and wholly unfit to be adduced in matters of belief!


Fourth the report is not found other than in very few of the h.adîth compilations and is long-winded and quite improbable in its complete wording, hence Ibn Kathîr declared it “extremely strange” (gharîb jiddan) in his Tafsîr (3:174).


Fifth the Companion in question is Abû Bakr (ra), which would be a proof in itself ‚ if the report were authentic ‚ that istighâtha from the Prophet [s.a.w.] cannot be shirk, since Abû Bakr was of the most knowledgeable and strictest of Companions in Tawh.îd!


Sixth the meaning of personal redress meant in Abû Bakr's phrase and the reply of the Prophet [s.a.w.] is confirmed by the extraordinary words Abû Bakr spoke to Rabî`a al-Aslamî ‚ the Prophet's [s.a.w.] servant ‚ whom he regretted having insulted: “You will insult me back [in fair requital] or else I will seek the help of the Messenger of Allâh [s.a.w.] against you! (aw la'asta`diyanna `alayka Rasûlallâh).”[3]




* Stating verbatim: 'The disbelievers who know their disbelief are better-guided than the believers.' (inna al-kuffâr al-ladhîna ya`rifûna kufrahum ahdâ sabîlan min al-mu'minîn) [23]

* Stating: 'Among the polytheists are those who love Allah with a tremendous love' [31].

* Stating: 'The Muslim was named a worshipper of the dinar and dirham.' [37]

* Showing undisguised loathing of the Awliyâ, the Ulema, and the generality of the Believers: “Conditions decayed to the point that, among most, worshipping the monks is the best deed and is called sainthood (wilâya), while worshipping the doctors of the Law is 'knowledge' and 'jurisprudence.' Then conditions decayed further, until those who were not even saints were worshipped besides Allah, and, in the second rank, those who were ignorant.” [38]

* Stating that 'the two opposites [belief and disbelief] can be found in a single heart' [41] in violation of the verse {Allah has not assigned unto any man two hearts within his body} (33:4). This and the previous four concepts are fundamental to understand the Wahhâbî propagation of mutual suspicion among Muslims.

* Equating the poem al-Burda to setting up an equal to Allah SWT [44].

* Assimilating the Islamic title qâdî al-qudât, 'Judge of judges,' to the prohibited title shâhân shâh, 'King of kings.' [46]

* Citing Ibn Hazm to explain a verse on `aqîda, although Ibn Hazm is considered by them a Jahmi in `aqîda. [50]

* Attributing shirk to Prophets 'in name, not in reality.' [50] * Stating that Allah SWT is explicitly said to have two hands: the right holds the heaven and the other holds the earth, and the other is explicitly named the left hand. [67]

[muslim786]

Assalamulikum WR WB,

Some very good articles, should be read by all.

[muslim786]

Assalamulikum WR WB,

I was wondering why don't they wahabis consider calling a book Kitab ul Tawhid as shirk, because the real Kitab Ul Tawhid is the Majestic Quraan Shareef, and certainly not this book. So by calling a man made book Kitab Ul Tawhid are not the wahabis committing shirk, by the way this is using their logic.

[A D I D A S]

No, they arent commiting shirk by calling a book kitabut-tawheed. May be you can check up the word tawheed in an arabic english dictionary which would answer your question.

[muslim786]

No, they arent commiting shirk by calling a book kitabut-tawheed. May be you can check up the word tawheed in an arabic english dictionary which would answer your question.

LOL its a joke, and I know what Tawheeed means. Also you will find that by using their own logic as to what is or is not shirk you will find that will have to call this shirk too, they are weird like that.

[A D I D A S]

Oh right sorry I thought you were serious.

[jinnzaman]

this book is BAATIL.

[Ansari]

www.htspub.com


Salamalaykum shaykh,

Is Kitab al-Tawhid a reliable book in terms of Creed?

If not then what are the problems with this book by Sh. Ibn Abdul Wahab?

Are there any other more suitable alternatives you would recommend?

JazakAllah khair.


:salam:

The deobandi's say its a reliable book.


Since 'Taqwiyatul Iemaan' is only a plagiarism of Kitaab ut-Tawhid by Muhammad ibn `Abdul Wahhaab:
http://212.67.202.62/~security/htspub/index.php?option=com_simpleboard&Itemid=&func=view&catid=5&id=549#549

And according to the deobandi's that book is authentic.


2. Taqwiyatul Iemaan by Moulana Ismail Shaheed is authentic.

http://www.islam.tc/ask-imam/view.php?q=5350

So according to mufti ebrahim desai there is nothing wrong with the book (if "Taqwiyatul Iemaan" is plagiarism of kitaab ut-tawhid.)

[faqir]

"Whoever determines the truth from people alone will remain lost in the plains of bewilderment. Rather, know the truth, and you will know its people."


Imam al-Ghazali, Ihya `Ulum al-Din, 'The Book of Knowledge']

[Silver Sparrow]

As salamu alaikum
I have this book called Proofs of Tawheed, it says its by ibn Taymi, but inside it says it's based on the principles of kitaab at-tawheed. It has a section saying there are five things which take one out of iman, one of them being doubt. And the author then uses v32-35 of surah al kahf to prove it. But I've seen other interpretations of these verses and the tafsir of ibn kathir says this man described in the verse neglected Allah out of pride and arrogance, not because he was suffering from doubt. This is the correct meaning of this verse isnt it?

What I want to know is, did this first interpretation (anyone who gets doubts about Islam is a kafir) from ibn abdul wahhaabs book? Because I was plagued with thoughts of kufr from shaytaan a while ago, to the extent I got doubts about Allah, life after death etc. So when he says anyone suffering from doubts is a kafir, does that mean he is making takfir on me?

[Mustafa]

Bismillah-hir-Rahman-hir-Rahim

Wa alaikum as salaam

I don't know the answer to your question (though if you mean Ibn Taymiyya, I don't know he can base anything on Kitab-al-Tawhid, since that book was written centuries after his death). We would have to see the text and its context before deciding if he was making takfir on someone afflicted with doubts.

With regards to doubts, the proper adab is to say 'doubts come into my heart' and not 'I doubt Islam.' Doubts, if we're afraid of them, are actually signs that shaytaan is annoyed with us and is trying harder to make us slip. They don't put us out of Islam unless we firmly believe in them (in which case they're not really doubts anymore).

A paraphrased hadith from Sahih Muslim:

The Companions came and asked the Prophet (upon him be blessings and peace): "We find thoughts in ourselves which, if any of us uttered them, we could consider it a grave enormity." He replied: "You found this?" They said: "Yes." He said: "That is clear true faith." (Muslim 1.119:132)

Imam an Nawawi in his sharh said: Since they considered those passing thoughts an enormity (with disgust and fear) that was a sign of their iman. (Sharh Sahih Muslim, 2.154).

Shaykh Nuh adds in his Tariqa Notes that passing thoughts of kufr do no harm so long as they don't become convictions (pg 73).

And Allah knows best

Wa salam
Your brother in Islam

[Silver Sparrow]

Jazakallah! No the book is by ibn Sulayman at-taymi, not taymiyyah. i'll try to scan the page in within the next day or two, insha Allah!

Masha Allah, last Ramadan I had two dreams which I considered worth interpreting, though I only managed to get them interpreted a month ago, the result being: Allah knows I have faith, but there is something holding me back. Do you think that maybe Allah only allowed me to have this dream interpretted at this time that I really needed it? It was like a lifeline, after all the confusion shaytaan was creating within me. Alhumdulillah!

[faqir]

As salaam alaykum,

People can sit here and knock the salafiyya. But i do not believe there is a basis for your claim.........

......When I read stuff like that for the sufis like you, it makes me think you guys are just grabing for straws.

I mean look at the Three principles by Shaykh Ul Islam Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahab. That is my Aqeedah. What is wrong with following the book?

Please let us know. I've read the book plently of times and I cannot find anything in it that goes against the Quran and Sunnah.

SuperSalafee






as-Salaamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullah,


Noble brother,

Thank you for your reply. We do apologise that you do not find the literature on this site beneficial for you. Perhaps we could upgrade the literature to make it more useful to you. It may also be good to keep a few things in mind:

1. As far as taking creed from the Book, The Three Principles, there is a problem with it. On p. 6 of the Arabic edition (al-Usul uth-Thalaalah wa Adillatahaa), it states,

'It is compulsory on us to know four things...'

He then seeks to naming the four things every believer must know. He then gives three things that every believer must do to be a Muslim. What is the problem with this as creed? What is the problem with this as belief?

Cross reference this with what the Messenger of Allah SAW said in a hadith collected in the Musnad of Imaam Ahmad,

'Salvation is in accepting the word that my uncle rejected.'

He was referring to the Shahaadah. Please notice that there is no reference to any of what Muhammad ibn `Abdul Wahhaab declared as necessary for Muslims to know. The Shahaadah is enough for a Muslim to enter the faith and be saved. The same was done in Sahih ul-Bukhaari when the Shahaadah was the last word on the lips of the Jewish youth.

The problem is deeds, which Salafiyyah establishments and theologians teach is part of salvation. The problem is the Salafiyyah establishment teaching, implicitly or explicitly, that the shahaadah is not enough to be a faithful believer. This doctrine is clearly wrong.

2. We understand that you have not found anything in these texts that has gone against the Qur'an and the Sunna due to the fact that your researching and looking into the Qur'an and Sunna has already been coloured by looking into these texts.

3. Muhammad ibn `Abdul Wahhaab wrote his works in a particular time, to a particular set of people, namely his devotees. These books have a historical context that cannot be dismissed by those reading them in this contemporary age. We can better facilitate our understanding by asking (and then perhaps answering) the following questions:

a. Who was 'us' when Muhammad ibn `Abdul Wahhaab stated in the said work above,

'Know that it is compulsory on us to know the following four principles...'

b. What time period was Muhammad ibn `Abdul Wahhaab comparing that of the Messenger of Allah SAW's to when he stated in the said work above,

'He took on staying there for 10 years, calling them to Tawhid and after the tenth year he did Mi`raaj and the five salaah were made compulsory and he prayed in Makkah for three years. Then after that, he was ordered with hijrah to Madinah. And the hijrah is moving from a land of shirk to a land of Islam...' pp. 20-21 under the commentary on the 3rd principle.

c. In the very next statement, why did Muhammad ibn `Abdul Wahhaab state,

'And hijrah is a compulsory action for this Ummah from the land of shirk to the land of Islam and it remains until the time of the Hour...' p. 21 under the same principle.

d. By analysing historical data as well as books in his time period, there was no specific example of anyone denying hijrah, especially in Najd, the Hijaaz region and other places. There was no denial of this foundation.

e. Where was he telling the Ummah to migrate to and from where? Please keep in mind that his letters circulated mainly in the Najd and Hijaaz regions. So where would he be telling the people of Hijaaz, in the two Sacred Sanctuaries, to migrate to?

f. Where did Muhammad ibn `Abdul Wahhaab live at the time of penning this letter? Does it exist now? Why not? What was done with it?

g. The people that did refuse to come to the new location, what was done with them? How were they viewed? If people wanted to make the compulsory hijrah in the time of Muhammad ibn `Abdul Wahhaab, where did they go to? Where did he direct them?

h. Why did Muhammad ibn `Abdul Wahhaab end his letter by stating,

'And in the hadith, The head of the matter is Islam. Its' pillars are the Salaah and the Highest point is Jihaad in the cause of Allah.'

p. 25 of the said work above.

i. Is this not a very unusual way to end a work on creed, with a text about fighting in the cause of Allah? Why would he end a letter that is supposed to be discussing the issues of creed with what for all intents and purposes appeared to be a call to arms or a spurring on to continued warfare?

In fact, the very order of the book is unusual, as the Orthodox theologians and their successors have not taken this as a common form, where the book begins with speech about what the devotee must do, speech about idolatry and the time of the Messenger of Allah SAW, shirk must be stamped out, hijrah must be made as in the time of the Messenger of Allah SAW, it is compulsory for every single one of the Ummah to do so, then finally, Jihaad is the highest summit or affair. End of message.

On its outward form, this would appear like a call to arms after indoctrination. Read the book without its' whitewashed commentary (coming some 212 years later from non-eye witness accounts) and prayerfully think about it.

As far as being Sufis, we are not, as the word Sufi is synonymous with the word faqih, and none of us working in the outreach have reached that level yet. But Allah can exalt whichever of his slaves He chooses to in the future.

I hope this small explanation helped and I look forward to corresponding with you again soon. And with Allah is every success.

was-Salaam,

brother in Islam