Shaykh
Muhammad bin ‘Abd al-Wahhab and Sufism
By Shaykh ‘Abd al-Hafiz al-Makki
Translated by Ismaeel Nakhuda
[Translator’s foreword:
Below is the first chapter of the incomplete yet ongoing translation of Shaykh
‘Abd al-Hafiz’s Mawqif A’immat
al-Harakat al-Salafiyyah min al-Tasawwuf wa al-Sufiyyah. In this
chapter, the author, a student and khalifah of Shaykh al-Hadith Mawlana
Muhammad Zakariyya al-Kandhalawi, produces several excerpts from the writings
of Shaykh Muhammad bin ‘Abd al-Wahhab that show the positive manner by which
the shaykh regarded Sufism.]
Imam Muhammad bin Saud
Islamic University in Riyadh held a “Shaykh Muhammad bin ‘Abd al-Wahhab Week”
in which all of the shaykh’s writings were distributed in
twelve volumes. Through the grace of Allah, I studied each volume page
by page and never came across any place in which Shaykh Muhammad bin ‘Abd
al-Wahhab criticises, refutes or rejects Tasawwuf or any one of the Sufi shaykhs on
account of his Tasawwuf.
These books are easily available and sold in
markets and bookstores; it is possible for anyone to acquire and study them,
and verify that which I shall mention here.
Rather, I came across
several passages in these writings of his that clearly and plainly elucidate
his clear position regarding Tasawwuf and the Sufi shaykhs (may
Allah mercy them). I shall mention these in the following with the accordance
and favour of Allah, and it is upon Him Most High that all trust is placed.
1: Mu’allafat
al-Imam al-Shaykh Muhammad bin ‘Abd al-Wahhab, chapter regarding Fatawa
wa Masa‘il (vol. 3, page 31, question no. 5). Compiled, revised and
compared with the original by Shaykh Salih bin ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Atram and
Shaykh Muhammad bin ‘Abd al-Razzaq al-Duways.
Theshaykh upon being
asked an important question replied:
Let it be known — may Allah guide you — that Allah Most High sent
Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) with guidance, which is
known as the beneficial knowledge, and true religion, which are virtuous
actions.
When [it is the case
that] among those who affiliate themselves to religion, there are those
who focus on knowledge and fiqh and speak regarding it, such
as the jurists, and those who focus on worship and the quest for the hereafter,
such as the Sufis, then Allah has sent His Prophet with this all-inclusive
religion for two reasons.[1]
From amongst the
greatest things with which Allah has strengthened him and his Ummah is
that He gave him the Qur’an (Jawami‘ al-Kalim). Allah mentions in His
Book one word that becomes an all-inclusive principle under which
innumerable masa’il come.
Likewise, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant
him) spoke comprehensively. Whoever understands this issue well will understand
that which He Most High mentions: “Today I have completed for you, your
religion.” (5:3) This verse is also from among those that are comprehensive and
concise…
2. Mu’allafat
al-Imam al-Shaykh Muhammad bin ‘Abd al-Wahhab, chapter regarding fiqh (vol.
2, page 4). The shaykh writes in a treatise entitled Arb‘at
Qawa‘id Tadur al-Ahkam ‘alayha:
Know — may Allah have
mercy on you — religion revolves around these four sentences, in spite of their
brevity; this is regardless of whether the speaker is speaking regarding the
science of tafsir, the science of usul (principles
of fiqh), the science of the deeds of the heart, which is
known as the science of Suluk,[2] the
science of hadith, the science of that which is permissible and
impermissible and ahkam which is known as the science of fiqh,
or regarding the knowledge of the rewards and punishments that aspire from good
and bad deeds (wa‘d and wa‘id), or regarding any other
religious science apart from these…
3: Mu’allafat
al-Imam al-Shaykh Muhammad bin ‘Abd al-Wahhab, chapter regarding tafsir and Mukhtasar
Za‘d al-Ma‘ad (vol. 4, page 84). In the section regarding the
Prophet’s (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) guidance during i‘tikaf,
the shaykh writes:
When the piety of the heart and its steadfastness in its journey
to Allah Most High is dependent on its connection to Allah; and [when] the
disorder of the heart can only be rectified by its complete attachment to Him,
for the disarrangement of the heart can only be corrected by turning to Him;
and [when] excessive drink and food, socialising with people, sleep and talk
are from among those elements that increase its disorientation, disperse it in
every valley, and separate, weaken, hamper and stop it in its journey to Allah
Most High, then the wisdom of He Who is Powerful and Merciful has made it
necessary on His slaves that a number of fasts be prescribed that would end the
excessive consumption of food and drink, and vacate the heart from a mixture of
carnal desires that have hampered it in its path to Allah. A suitable amount
[of fasts] have been prescribed through which the slave may derive benefit in
the affairs of his world and the hereafter, and not harm him.
I‘tikaf has been prescribed to them, the purpose and
spirit of which is to devote the heart to Allah, separate it from the creation
and preoccupy it with He alone. As a result, the individual becomes intimate
and friendly (unsiyyah) with Allah instead of the creation. Hence, due
to this intimacy with Allah, he will consider the time spent in solitude to be
the time of loneliness in the grave.
When it is the case that
this objective can only be accomplished through fasting, i‘tikaf has
been prescribed in the best days of fasts, which are the last ten days of
Ramadan. Allah Most High has also only mentioned i‘tikaf with
fasting and the Prophet of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) only
remained in i‘tikaf while fasting.
As far as talk is concerned, He has decreed that the Ummah
restrain their tongues from all speech that is not beneficial in the hereafter.
As to excessive sleep,
He has prescribed for them the prayer of the night, which is the best of all
vigils and most praiseworthy in outcome, and that is the prayer of the middle
of the night which benefits the heart and the body and does not hamper the
interests of the slave. The focus of the religious exercises of the
people of spiritual exercises and Suluk ((The reference is to
the Sufis as is clear.)) is on these four principles. Fortunate from
among them in this is he who treads the Muhammadan way, and does not diverge
like those who are extreme and does not lax like those who are slack. We have
mentioned his guidance in fasting, praying and speech, now we shall mention his
guidance in i‘tikaf.
4: Mu’allafat
al-Imam al-Shaykh Muhammad bin ‘Abd al-Wahhab, (appendix, page 182),
the shaykh writes in Hadhihi Masa’il:
It is known that
the Ummah has been ordered to propagate the Qur’an, its words
and its meaning; its propagation to the non-Arabs is done by translation. When
a learned believer studies all philosophical writings and other such works
written by other nations, he will find the Qur’an and theSunnah revealing
their condition, explaining their reality, and distinguishing between truth and
falsehood. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were the most
knowledgeable of the creation regarding this; they were most firm in fighting
the disbelievers and hypocrites. As Sayyiduna ‘Abd Allah bin Mas‘ud (may Allah
be pleased with him) said: “Whosoever wishes to follow a way then let him
follow the way of those who have died, for indeed the living are not immune
from fitnah. Those Companions of Muhammad (may Allah bless him and
grant him peace) were the most devout of heart, in-depth in knowledge and the
least affectatious. They were a nation chosen by Allah for the companionship of
His Prophet and the establishment of His religion. For their sake, understand
their right and hold fast to their way for they were on an upright course.”
He has informed
regarding them that they possessed complete righteous hearts and complete
in-depth knowledge. This is something seldom found amongst the people of the
latter times; it is as it is said: “From among the wonders is to find a
Sufi who is a faqih and a scholar who is an ascetic (zahid).”
For indeed those who are
concerned with the piety of the heart are often associated with a lack of ma‘rifah,
which would necessitate abstinence from wrong and make jihad necessary.
And those who are in-depth in knowledge at times mention such wickedness and
doubts that place them in err and deviation.
The majority of those who are in-depth in knowledge from among the
theologians and devout worshippers of the latter times are associated with
blameworthy affectatious behaviour, and that is to speak and act without
knowledge and to seek that which cannot be realised, contrary to that upon
which the Companions were.
This is Allah’s favour
on this Ummah, as is found in the saying of Sayyiduna ‘Isa: “I
present them from my knowledge and forbearance.” This (the Qur’an) is one of
the special things that continues after the Prophet. Hence, whosoever is the
most adherent to it, he shall be the most perfect in relation to it.
5: Mu’allafat
al-Imam al-Shaykh Muhammad bin ‘Abd al-Wahhab (appendix, page 24).
The shaykh writes in Hadhihi Masa’il following
a delicate discussion on those who have rejected the love of Allah and those
who have affirmed it:
So, His love itself is
the basis of His worship, and assigning equals (shirk) in love is the
basis of polytheism in His worship. These are those who resemble the
Christians; in them is a form of polytheism of the type that the Christians
possess.
This is why the ‘arif Sufi shaykhs would
advise many to pursue knowledge. Some of them would say: “A person only leaves a single Sunnah due
to the pride in him.”
It is like the saying:
Indeed, when he does not follow that which the Prophet (may Allah bless him and
grant him peace) brought, then he is pursuing his carnal desires without any
guidance from Allah. This is the mode of living of the carnal desires (nafs)
and a form of pride, for indeed it is a branch from the sayings of those who
said: “We shall only bring faith if we are given the likes of that which was
given to the Messengers of Allah.”
6: The great ‘allamah Shaykh
Muhammad Manzur Nu‘mani — former head of the faculty of hadith at
Dar al-‘Ulum Nadwat al-‘Ulama, Lucknow, and member of the board at Dar al-‘Ulum
Deoband — writes in his book, Di‘ayat Mukaththafah Didd al-Shaykh
Muhammad bin ‘Abd al-Wahhab[3] (page
76), that Shaykh ‘Abd Allah, the son of Shaykh Muhammad bin ‘Abd al-Wahhab, has
written a booklet that throws much light on his father’s da‘wah and
movement. In it he writes:
We informed them that
indeed that which we believe in and the way by which we worship Allah, in the
principles of religion, is the way of the Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama‘ah and
the predecessors (salaf) of this Ummah. As to matters
of jurisprudence, we follow the madhhab of Imam Ahmad bin
Hanbal; we do not refute those who follow the four imams, or
consider ourselves to be worthy of ijtihad, nor does anyone among
us claim such. However, in certain issues, when there is an evident text from
the Book of Allah or the Sunnah – which has not been
abrogated, nor is in any way specific (makhsus), or contradicted by a
text stronger than it and one of the four imams has mentioned
it — then we would take it and leave themadhhab. Indeed, the opinions of
some of the imams within the four madhhabs, in
some matters of fiqh, have been different to the way of those who
firmly follow (taqlid) the madhhab’s founder…
Shaykh ‘Abd Allah bin Shaykh Muhammad bin ‘Abd al-Wahhab ends his
treatise saying:
We do not negate the way
of the Sufis and the purification of the inner self from the vices of those
sins connected to the heart and the limbs as long as the individual firmly
adheres to the rules of Shari‘ah and the correct and observed way. However, we will not take it on ourselves
to allegorically interpret (ta’wil) his speech and his actions. We only
place our reliance on, seek help from, beseech aid from and place our
confidence in all our dealings in Allah Most High. He is enough for us, the
best trustee, the best mawla and the best helper. May Allah
send peace on our master Muhammad, his family and companions.[4]
_____________________________
Notes:
1. This is clearly fiqh and Tasawwuf.
2. This is obviously Tasawwuf.
3. Published by Maktabat al-Furqan, Lucknow.
4. Al-Hadiyyah
al-Suniyyah (page 50). Shaykh ‘Abd
Allah bin Shaykh Muhammad bin ‘Abd al-Wahhab al-Najdi’s letter, a portion of
which we have presented here, is included in a collection of epistles that
illustrate the da‘wah of
Shaykh Muhammad bin ‘Abd al-Wahhab, entitled Al-Hadiyyah
al-Sunniyyah. I have before me its
second edition published with the commentary of the late ‘Allamah Rashid Rida,
proprietor of Al-Manar magazine, from Al-Manar Publishers in Egypt (1344
AH).
-Taken from Deoband.org
By Shaykh ‘Abd al-Hafiz al-Makki
Translated by Ismaeel Nakhuda
Notes:
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