World View Of Wahhabism

AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY COUNCIL

The Worldview (akida) of Wahhabism Mullah Zakir Hajji, Osh Mosque, Republic of Kyrgyzstan

Wahhabism as a religious and political movement in Sunni Islam emerged in Arabia during the middle of 18th century, based on the teachings of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab.

er layers,’ as it describes its mission, but had been distorting them. The powerful alims always used to say, ‘Wahhabis are wayward people who divert other people.’”2

Monotheism (tawhid) is the main idea of Islam. It is the precept that Allah is the sole source of creation and only He deserves to be worshipped by people. The Holy Qur’an says, “The Apostle believes in what has been revealed to him from his Lord, and the believers; they all believe in Allah and His angels and His Books and His Apostles; We make no difference between any of His Apostles; and they say: We hear and obey, our Lord! Thy forgiveness (do we crave), and to Thee is the eventual course.” (2:285). Allah said, “Believe in Allah and His Apostle and the Book which He has revealed to His Apostle and the Book which He revealed before; and whoever disbelieves in Allah and His angels and His Apostles and the Last Day, he indeed strays off into a remote error.” (4:136).

So, what kind of teaching is Wahhabism? This is a very difficult question to answer. This religious and political movement spreads its influence using many skillful propaganda slogans – from the statement that Wahhabism per se does not exist to the declaration that Wahhabism represents true Islam. Briefly, Wahhabism is Islamic religious and political extremism. As a doctrine, it represents the result of the selection and modification of some provisions of the Qur’an and Sunnah to Wahhabi ideas and concepts.

Wahhabism seeks to convince Muslims that traditional Islamic principles of belief have been lost and that it can show the way to supposedly revive the pure Islam of the times of Prophet (PBUH) and his Wahhabis believe that Muslims have departed from companions (peace be upon them). The foreword to the monotheistic principle by worshipping saints and the first edition of the book Let Us Be Muslims by introducing various innovations (bid’ah)1 to Islam. Dr. Sayyid Abul A’la Maududi states: Therefore, they believe it is necessary to purify Islam and return to its original canons by spurning bid’ah, The Muslim community in the former Soviet Union the cult of the saints, and so on. However, according in general, and in Central Asia in particular, played to the opinion of Shaykh Sayyid Chirkeysky, “From a great role in developing Islamic culture, civilizathe very beginning, Wahhabism had nothing in comtion, literature and intellectual legacy .… Due to mon with ‘purification of Islamic ideals from the lata number of historical reasons and pressures on

them, the Muslim communities of this large region could not continue this tradition during the latest period.3

opinion, they conducted some religious ceremonies improperly. He declared himself to be someone who resembled a supreme priest or the Catholic Pope, with the right to excommunicate people from the religion.

Therefore, Maududi writes, a series of books on Islamic literature have been published in order to reIbn Abd al-Wahhab did not recognize the mavive “a golden tradition of literature and scientific zhabs (schools of Islamic theology) and arbitrarily research.”4 commented upon ayahs of the Holy Qur’an and hadiths of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), relying Maududi challenges Muslims to cast off the chains only upon his personal understanding and rejecting of erroneous thinking and return to what he considers the opinions of other alims (Islamic experts) and the to be true Islam: “You, Muslims, you are vegetating Muslim ummah (community). The fatwa “Is it possiin infamy! You, Muslims, have become slaves! Such ble to call Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab an alim?” a situation is as senseless as if white were black.”5 “It relates to this. It was disseminated by the Religious is inconceivable to have the word of God and suffer Department of Muslims in Dagestan and other refrom disgrace and infamy, to live subordinated and publics of the North Caucasus. It states: humiliated, to carry the chains of slavery and allow yourself to be led like an animal.”6 He writes: You are many hundreds of millions, and if each of you throws a stone, you will make a mountain. In spite of the majority of Muslims and Muslim governments, the contemporary world depends on those who rebelled against God. You are in their hands; they do what they want with you. Your heads, which you should bow to Allah, bow to such people as you. Your honor, which no one could dare touch before, today it is trampled down in mud. You used to keep your hands raised; now they are bowed and stretched in front of your enemies. Ignorance, dependency, poverty and debts humiliate you all over the world. Is this the mercy of Allah? If it is not, but a sign of rage, then it is strange that He raged at Muslims!7

Alims are those people who are knowledgeable about the Muslim religion and strictly follow all the prescriptions of Allah. The alims accept the Holy Qur’an, hadiths and all four mazhabs... Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab criticized “ashabs” – the Companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) (peace be upon them all) – and distorted their views. He rejected the hadiths in which the ashabs were given an honorable place. He looked down on the admonition of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) who taught us, “Follow my ashabs (peace be upon them all); they will guide you to the true path.”

Wahhabism can also be defined as distorted Islam, as represented in the teachings of the religious reformer Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab, which subsequently became virtually the official ideology of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Ibn Abd al-Wahhab wrote Kita bat-Tauhid (The Book of Monotheism), a primitive work that cannot be compared to the works of true Islamic theologians – alims.

A most profound delusion of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab was that he labeled as kafirs (disbelievers) all those who refused to follow his ideology. In doing so, he rejected the admonition of the Prophet (PBUH), “Whoever calls a Muslim kafir, he expresses by himself his disbelief toward Allah.” It is absolutely obvious that Muhammad ibn Abd alWahhab was not an alim; a true alim aims to help a man find the right path, while Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab deluded his followers. His teachings, which contradict the Holy Qur’an and the hadiths, became the basis for dangerous tendencies in the ummah, and caused enmity and animosity among Muslims.”8

He also raised an anti-Ottoman revolt under the banner of an Arabian “national liberation movement.” When Egyptian Muslim soldiers came to pacify the rebels, the Bedouins were afraid of fighting against their religious brothers. But Ibn Abd al-Wahhab autocratically declared the Egyptians to be kafirs (unbelievers) because, according to his personal

So, ulemas (Islamic pundits) have determined that Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab was not a scholar. As for ibn Abd al-Wahhab’s criticism of ashabs, it should be noted that in doing so he ignored the admonition of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) who taught Muslims, “Surely, whoever lives a (long) life

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will become a witness of considerable feuds and therefore, follow my Sunnah9 and the Sunnah of the righteous Rashid caliphs10 – do not recede from them, not one jot.”11 One should take into consideration that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) could recommend that people follow the path of caliphs who did not rule until after his death, because he was the prophet; therefore he could prophesy. If caliphs had ruled before the Prophet, it would not have made any sense to recommend following their way. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) also predicted that after him four caliphs would rule the Islamic world, and after that the feuds would take place. The main points of Wahhabi ideology Wahhabi ideology, as it is represented in materials disseminated in Central Asia, is based upon a distorted interpretation of the provisions of Islam regarding monotheism (tawhid), jihad and disbelief (kufr). The main points of Wahhabi ideology are as follows: Tawhid The pivotal point of the Islamic religion is “tawhid” – belief in the one and single God – or monotheism. According to Wahhabi ideology, the principle of monotheism is incompatible with loyalty and respect toward any other ideologies, including patriotism, because all of them are human inventions and therefore to follow them means following orders from people, not God. “A second reason of diverting from the Way is a blind adherence to customs and conventions, beliefs and concepts, rituals and ceremonies of society, as if all of them stand higher than God’s guidance,” says Sayyid Maududi. “When they remind such a person about God’s commandments, this person insists that he will follow only the things that are encouraged by society and that maintain the traditions of his family or his country. How can the person who is suffering from such a disease be a servant of God? His Gods are society, family and nation. How can he call himself a Muslim?”12 According to Wahhabism, Muslims must not obey the rules, norms or orders of secular law because people created them. The Wahhabi ideologists claim in their booklets and brochures, such as The Religion of Truth is Islam, that:

If a Muslim does not consider the polytheists, Jews, atheists, magicians and others to be disbelievers, then he himself becomes a disbeliever; … the following behaviors as well can be considered as crimes against Islam: to think that some law or regime is better than the Muslim one; … to support disbelievers or to love them.13 The booklet also states: Allah commanded Muslims to elect and appoint an imam who will rule over them, call them to unite and to create a united community. Allah commanded a believer who lived in a country where he could not practice Islam and call others to do it, to leave such a country for a Muslim country with an Islamic regime, which was ruled by the imam. Islam does not recognize any state borders or any citizenship because a true Muslim has only one nationality, which is Islam and all the people of the world are servants of Allah, who possesses not only the Earth but also the whole Universe. A Muslim is free to move (to a Muslim country) if he follows Shari’ah.14

From the times of the Prophet (PBUH), it was established that a faithful Muslim must maintain relations not only with Muslims and the People of the Book (Christians and Jews) but also with polytheists and disbelievers (kafirs). Moreover, it was recommended that Muslims should maintain proper relations with them; if they do not declare war against Muslims, they should be treated with respect.15 The Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, “Of all the people in this world and in the everlasting world, I am very close to Jesus, the son of Mary. The Prophets are brothers (of one father); their mothers are different but their religions are one.”16 (Al Bukhari). According to Wahhabism, a faithful Muslim must follow only Shari’ah, and not the laws of a state. So, “belonging to atheistic movements like communist, secular, democratic, capitalist or other communities of disbelievers is an apostasy regarding Islam.”17 The list of such ideological movements also includes “anti-religious secularism, oppressive capitalism, Marxist socialism and atheistic Free Masonry.”18 “Disbelief,” according to Wahhabis, occurs when any form of socio-political establishment is not based entirely, wholly and exclusively upon Shari’ah as the Paper Title Would Go Here

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Wahhabis interpret it. Takfir Another concept in Islam is the principle of “takfir” (accusing a person of disbelief, kufr, or of being a disbeliever, a kafir). All rulers who do not follow Shari’ah are accused of being disbelievers. In addition, Wahhabis label as disbelievers all those who obey rulers who are disbelievers, including those who consider themselves to be good Muslims. In Wahhabi ideology, a Muslim must not obey a disbeliever under any circumstances. Wahhabis declare to be “disbelievers” those who participate in a social system that includes delegation of powers, redistribution of social resources, and an exchange of goods and services. According to Wahhabis, “disbelief ” is “ruling and judging not on the grounds provided by Allah” or “any human legislative activity.”19 Disbelief “is an intention to issue laws, to permit and to forbid.”20 The book Let Us Be Muslims by Sayyid Maududi states, “No single stone obeys another stone, no single tree obeys another tree, and no single animal obeys another animal. Are you worse than animals, trees and stones, which obey only God? But you obey people as if you prefer them to God.”21 Wahhabis label as disbelievers (kafirs) all Muslims who do not follow the interpretation of Islam that Wahhabis claim is the only true one. They think that “every true Muslim must express hostility and feel hatred toward the pagans in an obligatory manner.”22 The Muslims that Wahhabis accuse of disbelief are accorded the status of apostates (murtads), that is, people who were Muslims but then abandoned Islam. Abdul Aziz bin Baz, one of the main Wahhabi ideologists, states: “One who violates openly or secretly shall know that he becomes an infidel and shall expect the possibility of murder or imprisonment.”23 However, according to Islamic law, it is necessary, first of all, to carefully discover the true state of affairs and then to offer an apostate three chances to repent and to return to Islam. The Wahhabis ignore this. They label as “takfir” the officials of Islamic states as well as the law enforcement bodies and security agencies of these states. Wahhabis compose lists of rulers-apostates and believe Muslims are subject to takfir if they refuse to support Wahhabis. Bin Baz writes:

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No one should rule others. All the people shall live obeying only Allah. It is necessary to make such a fundamental change in state governments all over the world. Those who rule should not become lords, but by recognizing Allah to be the only Lord, shall rule as His entrusted representatives. They should perform their duties with the awareness that finally they will have to report to the King who manages everything that is known and unknown. All the laws shall be based upon the guidance of Allah, the Allknowing and the Wisest. No one is able to change the laws of Allah, correct or refuse them. Otherwise, it is inevitable to have corruption as a consequence of ignorance and egotism.24

Jihad The next main point of Wahhabism is that holy war, or “jihad,” should be waged against disbelievers. According to the Wahhabi interpretation, every Muslim has the holy responsibility to fight against disbelievers, to wage a jihad in order to establish Islamic power. “The lesson is clear,” bin Baz writes. “We must struggle until no power except of the one of Allah is overthrown; until only Allah’s laws rule the world; until the supremacy of the one and only Allah is recognized; until we serve only Him.”25 Wahhabis defend violence and jihad and consider them to be the main pillars of Muslim virtue. They favor the legalized obedience of women to men. They absolutely reject anything that they believe to be modern, especially secularism and democracy, and condemn all this for contradicting Islam. The idea of holy war against pagans and Muslims who have “betrayed their principles” occupies an important place in Wahhabi doctrine. From the very beginning, Wahhabism has taken an extremist approach in its struggle against ideological and political opponents. Today, the followers of this movement use it in an attempt to modify the existing socio-political establishments in Muslim countries. Traditionally, Islam looks at jihad not primarily as waging war but as the peaceful and constructive efforts of believers to achieve moral self-perfection. The Messenger (PBUH) said, “The best jihad is (saying) a just word in the presence of unjust ruler.”26 (Abu Dawud, at-Tirmizi). He said, “The one who cares about a widow and the poor is similar to a fighter on the way of Allah.”27 One hadith recounts:

Once I asked the Prophet (PBUH), “What kind of affair does Allah love?” He said, “The prayer made in time.” I asked, “What else after this?” He said, “expressing respect to parents.” I asked, “What else after this?” He said, “Fighting for Allah.”28

According to this provision, “conducting a war is recommended only against those who attack a Muslim state or against those who impede preaching and the peaceful dissemination of Islam.”29 In contrast to these teachings, Wahhabi groups resort to jihad immediately, defining it exclusively as armed struggle. Secondly, they compel every Muslim to wage jihad. Thirdly, they consider kafirs – disbelievers – to be the targets of jihad. Because all those who do not agree with Wahhabis are declared to be disbelievers, the Wahhabis wage jihad primarily against Muslims and, in particular, against those who do not agree with their interpretation of jihad, as well as the followers of other confessions. The concepts of tawhid, kufr, takfir, and jihad are closely interrelated in Wahhabi ideology. How do Wahhabis determine if a person is what they consider to be a monotheist? And how can a person protect himself from being labeled a “disbeliever” by Wahhabis and from being punished for his “disbelief?” For the Wahhabis, he must spurn any form of “disbelief ” and “plurality of gods,” ask forgiveness for his “disbelief ” and repent, and become a follower of Wahhabi-style monotheism. According to Wahhabism, only full and absolute obedience to a Wahhabi group – and total hostility, including a readiness to kill, toward everyone who does not belong to this group – allows a person to avoid sanctions for “disbelief.” A decisive proof of monotheism, especially for a Muslim, and a necessary condition for the Wahhabis not to consider a Muslim a “disbeliever,” is honesty and sympathy toward Wahhabis and hostility toward all non-Wahhabis, against whom a true Muslim-Wahhabi must conduct holy war – jihad. “This can be achieved only by love toward the adherents of the tawhid of Allah (monotheists, as Wahhabis call themselves), faithfulness to them and providing them with any help and also by hatred and enmity toward disbelievers and mushriks (polytheists).”30 Thus, Wahhabi ideologists encourage Muslims to believe that unless a person is a Wahhabi, he will be accused of disbelief.

accepting certain identifying signs, including a special appearance. For example, men do not shave their beard, wear traditional Arab clothes, wear trousers or sleeves that do not reach the foot or wrist, and so on. In a word, “Wahhabis shall not copy disbelievers.”31 However, as Wahhabi sources attest, these special signs and appearances are not enough to guarantee that a person will not be accused of “disbelief ” or “polytheism,” because he may have doubts and hesitations. On account of these doubts and hesitations, he may be accused of “hypocrisy” – that is, secret and hidden “disbelief.” Wahhabis state that a “hypocrite is a Muslim who shows adherence to Islam but hides disbelief.”32 If a person is judged to be a “hypocrite,” he is subject to “takfir,” which deprives him of immunity for his life and property, and he may become the object of sanctions, up to and including murder. But the main condition for a Muslim who has accepted Wahhabism is that he must confirm his monotheism by showing proper “hatred and enmity.” According to Wahhabis, a true monotheist should hate all those whom Wahhabis call “disbelievers,” “polytheists,” and “hypocrites.” But hatred is an emotion that is difficult to control. Wahhabis pay special attention to how a person behaves. Thus, a show of hatred can save a Muslim from being accused of “disbelief.” Otherwise, he may risk losing immunity for his life and property. Moreover, hatred toward “disbelievers” must be constantly manifested. In the Wahhabis’ eyes, in order to become a Muslim a man must “treat polytheists and disbelievers with enmity: “There are so many Muslims free of paganism (polytheism) but without enmity toward pagans (polytheists)! In this case, a man cannot be Muslim… Any true Muslim shall express enmity and feel hatred toward pagans in an obligatory manner.”33 Wahhabism forbids its followers to treat “disbelievers” positively or to undertake any good deed toward them: “Friendliness toward disbelievers and helping them are not permitted.”34 The ultimate sanction for all “disbelievers” is taking their lives.

In order to justify its violent methods, the Wahhabis have their own interpretations of the Holy Qur’an and hadiths. As is accepted in Islam, the interpretation of the Holy Qur’an and hadiths must be done by ulemas, experts in Islamic theology who are recognized and respected by the whole Islamic world. The interpretation of the Holy Qur’an and hadiths must be done in the process of discussion with other ulemas and alims. In this regard, Imam ash-Shafi’i, founder of the Shafi’i mazhab (school of thought) Adherence to a Wahhabi group is signaled by (peace be upon him) said, “Fight verbosity with the Paper Title Would Go Here

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help of silence and use reflection”35 in order to properly deduce.36 Muslim scholars, when dealing with a problem, as a rule, refer to the fundamental sources of knowledge in Islam. A “mu’min” is a Muslim who believes and follows the knowledge that was revealed by Allah via the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). This knowledge is revealed in the Holy Qur’an and explained in hundreds of hadiths. The followers (ashabs), having gained this knowledge directly from the Prophet (PBUH), transmitted it to their followers – tabi’un. They, in turn passed it along to their followers. The scholars of the first three generations are called “as-salaf as-salih” (the noble ancestors). The following generations commented differently on the books of the previous scholars and added their own ideas. The varying interpretations of the knowledge given in the Qur’an and Sunnah resulted in the emergence of various groups within Islam. There were and still are people who distort the conceptual meaning of even clear and obvious verses of the Qur’an. Such wrongful interpreters are called “mulhids.” A mulhid, as a rule, thinks that he is a true follower of the Prophet (peace be upon him), even though he is not. A munafiq (hypocrite) pretends to be a Muslim, although he truly is not. There is a number of so-called “scholars” who harm the reputation of Islam because their “scientific works” are full of conclusions that distort the very essence of belief in Allah. Wahhabis selectively choose Qur’anic surahs and ayahs that relate to military actions and thereby intentionally distort the meaning of the Holy Qur’an. For example, they disseminate a leaflet with the following appeal: “Allah commands to leave their thrones those who have found a common language with the enemies of Allah and who spill the blood of Muslims, and to help the Palestinian brothers who ask for your help.” To justify this appeal they refer to the ayah from the surah “The Spoils of War” (8:72): “If those who have your belief ask for your help, you shall help.”38 Then, the leaflet directly states, “Allah obliges you to liquidate all the Jews, revive the dignity of Islam and revive the bright history of great leaders.” As the Wahhabis state, “Allah said: The one who committed this is a disbeliever who shall be killed if he does not return to the Law of Allah and His Messenger.”39 As a rule, their publications make no reference to the ayahs and surahs of the Holy Qur’an. If a person who is uninformed about Islam is exposed to such materials and other extremist literature, he can easily come to the wrong conclusion 6

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that the Holy Qur’an really contains direct appeals to take extreme measures toward non-Muslims. Wahhabis distort the Sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH) in a similar manner. If a hadith contradicts the tenets of Wahhabism, they state that “it is an unauthentic hadith.”40 Imam ash-Shafi’i states in his book Al-Risala: Allah did not let anyone after the Messenger (PBUH) speak except based upon the knowledge that had existed before. The knowledge left after the Messenger (PBUH) is the Qur’an, Sunnah, ijma (consensus of religious scholars), and statements of followers and the types of qiyas (reasoning by analogy) described by me. The qiyas can be undertaken only by those who have the instrument required that is needed to make a comparison. This instrument is knowledge of the provisions of Qur’an: the obligations and ethics that it lays out, general and concrete ayahs and admonitions.41

The modern Wahhabis strictly follow the legacy of ibn Abd al-Wahhab. A famous imam from the city of Andijan in Uzbekistan, Abduvali kori Mirzoev, stated in a sermon that Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (the founder of the Hanbali school of thought) appealed to his followers not to recognize the founders of the other mazhabs (schools of thought) – Abu Hanifa, Imam Malik and Imam ash-Shafi’i.42 The author of the booklet The Religion of Truth is Islam also states that, “a Muslim is not obliged to follow one of the schools of thought in Islam.”43 Refusal to join a mazhab is the most dangerous innovation facing Islamic Shari’ah. Recently, the brochure “Is a Muslim obliged to follow one of the four mazhabs?” has been circulated widely. Muhammad Sa’id Ramadan al-Buti, a famous Islamic scholar, says it was written by Muhammad Sultan al-Masumi al-Hodjandi al-Makki, a teacher at the Sacred Mosque in Mecca. Al-Buti states: This brochure considers as disbelievers those who follow one of the four mazhabs. The followers of the four imams are called foolish, ignorant and lost. It says that they have divided their religion and formed groups and they are the ones to whom the following words of Allah refer: “They accepted their sofers [scribes] and priests as their masters instead of Allah.” They have incurred losses in their activities and their aspirations are useless in this life, but they think that they create good.44

Those who do not follow one of the four Sunni schools of thought are called “gair ul-mukallidin” (non-followers, or those without mazhabs). They (scholars without mazhabs) usually say in order to justify themselves, “Allah and His Messenger (PBUH) did not request us to follow any simple mortals or follow any mazhab.” In response to them one should point out the following ayahs of the Holy Qur’an: “O, you who believe! be careful of (your duty to) Allah and seek means of nearness to Him and strive hard in His way that you may be successful” (5:35); “… so ask the followers of the reminder if you do not know.” (21:7) Many hadiths about the founders of four schools of thought are given in the book Ashab-i Kiram by Ahmad Faruk (died 1624). As has been previously said, the founders of this school are scholars of the highest caliber. The most famous collection of AlDjami’ as-Sahih by Imam al-Bukhari (died in 870) contains the well-known hadith, “Scholars – successors of prophets.” The Messenger (PBUH) said, “Allah makes the road to Paradise easy for one who goes on the road in search of knowledge;”45 and “Truly, the knowing ones are the successors of the prophets, and the prophets left as a legacy neither dinars, nor dirhams, but only knowledge.”46

hibition against declaring jihad against brothers in faith and the prohibition to doubt the sincerity of belief on the part of a Muslim until Allah, on the Day of Judgment, makes His decision on the genuineness of a person’s faith. Allah said, “The believers are but brethren, therefore, make peace between your brethren ….” (49:10). Among the statements of God retold by the Prophet (PBUH) was the following: “O, My servants, I have forbidden Myself and also you to oppress, therefore, do not oppress each other.”48 The Prophet (PBUH) said, “Speaking evil of a Muslim is (an expression of ) dishonesty and fighting with him is (witness of ) disbelief.”49 (Al-Bukhari; Muslim). The Messenger (PBUH) said, “The life, honesty and property of (other) Muslims shall be inviolable for every Muslim.”50 All the ayahs of the Holy Qur’an and the hadiths show that the adherents of Wahhabism are wrong in their interpretation of the basics of the Islamic religion.

The Wahhabis believe that the reason for all the problems in the Middle East is colonialism and American, Zionist, Jewish and Christian occupations of Muslim territory, and that occupiers and colonialists are trying to create enmity and intolerance between the Sunnis and Shi’as and also between Muslims and Christians. They also claim that those people who harm Islam “are Christian and Jewish missionaries and their successors, who hate Islam as they are irritated by the perfection, nobleness and breadth of dissemination of Islam – because Islam is a religion man is born with. All the non-Muslims live in trouble and fear because no belief but Islam is compatible with human nature.”47

Wahhabism has consistently been used for militarypolitical purposes, such as the religious justification of military campaigns and the use of violence against Muslim neighbors of the Saudi dynasty. As early as 1746, only two years after Wahhabism became the official religion of the Saudi dynasty, the new Saudi state declared jihad against all neighboring Muslim tribes that refused to follow this doctrine. Until the 1920s, the history of the Saudi dynasty was a history of violent acts with the purpose of forcing other Muslims to accept political and theological obedience. This led to the breach of another fundamental norm of the Qur’an, namely, the prohibition against using violent measures in religion. The Holy Qur’an says: “Let there be no compulsion in religion. Truth stands out clear from Error .…” (2:256). Islam believes that conversion must be done on the basis of conviction.

In reality, the extremist doctrine of al-Wahhab contradicts the main principles and provisions of traditional Islam. Wahhabism always has been and continues to be a weapon of political struggle. One of the main postulates of Wahhabism states that Muslims who do not believe in the main dogmas of the Wahhabi doctrine are disbelievers and apostates, against whom the use of violence and jihad (holy war) is not only permitted but is an obligation of each of the “faithful.” This postulate violates two of the fundamental provisions of the Qur’an – the pro-

Wahhabi ideology contains a number of convictions and requirements that contradict the interests of most Muslims in the world, without even mentioning the interests of non-Muslims. The Sunni Muslims of the mazhabs that are not related to Wahhabism are considered in the best case as inferior; Wahhabis hate Shi’as and label Shi’a Islam as a Jewish or English invention against Islam. Wahhabis state, “There is a large group of Shi’a, who are beyond of frames of Islam, although they call themselves Muslims… They all serve only the enemies of Allah.”51 Paper Title Would Go Here

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Wahhabis are intolerant toward non-conformity, idealize the past and demonstrate antagonism toward the present. Materials disseminated by Hizb ut-Tahrir claim, “It is indisputable that an Islamic state will emerge, being strong, sustainable and capable of war. Its akida (worldview) is a doctrine for all humankind, and therefore it is a global system of life. Because of this, naturally, the Islamic state will conquer other countries. The system of Islam obliges it to invade other countries.”52 Wahhabis do not trouble themselves with whether they have the moral right to threaten the life and security of many thousands or even millions of people in order to achieve their goals. Today, Wahhabism has become the ideological prototype of all the extremist and terrorist Islamic groups, even those who hate the Saudi dynasty. The question arises: how could this pseudo-Islamic religious movement become the dominant ideology and “common language” for Islamic extremists and a certain segment of Muslims? The answer is clear: money. Money, primarily, oil and drug dollars, has been the decisive factor in the revitalization of Islamic radicalism. Wahhabis do not treat Islam as a religious system but rather as a socio-political concept that will supposedly solve virtually all the problems of man and society. All other ideologies, especially secular ones, are rejected as “non-Islamic,” against which one should wage jihad. The Main Political Goals of Wahhabis Wahhabis aim to achieve three main goals. First, in any society, they seek to dismiss all moral rules and legislation that contradicts what they consider to be Islamic morality and the norms of a “true” Islamic state. Wahhabis label existing Muslim governments as “secular ones” because they follow mostly Western-style laws and a Western-style legal code. They consider almost all present ruling regimes in Muslim countries as “barbarian” or “pseudo-Islamic.” These leaders are accused of apostasy, bribery and corruption; of unacceptably close relations to the West, in particular, the United States; the dissemination and transplantation of Western culture and, consequently, the destruction of decency and moral decay. As Sayyid Maududi wrote: Governments have access to power and means. They dictate the laws, rule and have instruments of pressure like the police and army. Evil prospers in a soci8

Central Asia Counterterorism Project

ety because the government disseminates it or close its eyes to it. Obviously, the authority to do things in this or in that manner belongs to the government. For instance, why is adultery practiced openly; why does prostitution operate in the open? Only because this is not a crime in the eyes of the wealthy. They are stuck in this and let others do the same. If they wished to stop this, everything would be different. Why do special interests prosper? Why do the rich exploit the poor? Because the government becomes rich through special interests and helps others do the same. Big credit houses and banks prosper only because the government supports them. You also see how immorality and permissiveness increase. Why? Only because the government educates and teaches people in this very manner. Even if you want to educate a man in another way, you do not have access to the means of education. Even if you educate several people, where will they find a job? All the means of life and work are controlled by the corrupted government.53

Secondly, Wahhabis seek to introduce Shari’ah, which dictates the principles and the rules of conduct in the religious life and actions of Muslims. Wahhabis reject any modernization and revision of the provisions of Shari’ah and aim to apply its norms, which were formulated in the seventh and eighth centuries, under modern conditions. As Sayyid Maududi said: True believers are distinguished due to only one thing – all of them do their best to eliminate the false din (official state religion). Because every official state religion that does not originate from Allah is a false one, true believers fight to convert it into a true din. They live, suffer and die for the sake of this goal. It does not matter whether they succeed or not. And vice versa, if they tolerate a wrong way of life or enable it, then they lie if they say that they have an iman (belief ).54

The third goal of Wahhabis is to establish an Islamic caliphate. In view of the fact that, according to Wahhabi doctrine, the majority of existing regimes in Arab and Muslim countries are illegal, the Wahhabis believe that they have all the “legitimate justifications” necessary to overthrow them. Non-Muslim countries must also be the subject of violent Islamization. For this reason, advocates of Wahhabism declare Christianity and Judaism to be their enemies. According to Sayyid Maududi:

“Monarchy” means that there is a supreme power in a country that belongs to a king and also there is a din (an official state religion). Everybody obeys the king and only his law is established in this country. If this is not so, there is no sense to declare that the king is your master and supreme ruler, and that his law is the supreme law.55

Wahhabis appeal to many because tens of millions of poor Muslims yearn for a revival of the golden years of the caliphate, when Islam was powerful and ascendant. According to the Wahhabi plan, a revived caliphate would include northern Africa, the Arabian peninsula, the countries of the Near and Middle East, the western part of India, Central Asia, and the northern Caucasus. The Wahhabis denigrate the beliefs of Muslims who are skeptical about the idea of reviving the caliphate, and accuse them of blasphemy and sabotage. As one Wahhabi tract states: The Islamic community should be linked throughout the entire world because of its responsibility to disseminate Islam all over the world. An Islamic state should also use Islamic tactics to disseminate Islam all over the world and to establish contacts with all people to inform them about this mission. That is why every Islamic state is obliged to commit “fatkh,” which means to gather the non-Muslim countries, or the world of the unfaithful (dar ul-kufr), into the world of Islam (dar ul-Islam). It is the duty of Muslims to implement the fatkh in front of Allah and humanity. This duty of Muslims means that by establishing Islamic laws over people, they are bringing them to the true religion. Because of such a mission, some say that Islamic fatkh aims to exploit and colonize non-Muslim nations or rob their wealth. On the contrary, Islamic fatkh intends to accomplish only one goal – to liberate these nations from their unhappy life and corrupt godless ruling systems. This can be achieved by the emergence of an Islamic state, and obligatory fatkh for da’wah (missionary work) and jihad.56

The Wahhabi material continues: The caliphate introduced fatkh with only one goal – to spread Islam. This requires Islamic states to conquer every country no matter how rich or poor it is, whether it obeys or opposes …. Jihad and da’wah in

Islam do not pay attention to the wealth or poverty of nations and whether those nations accept Islam or not. There is only one thing that is important – using Islam as an intellectual guide so that its laws are directed to all humankind regardless of any differences in color of skin, nation or traditions.57

The essence of Islamic doctrine is an aspiration to peace and reconciliation, not only among people but also among animals and plants. But Wahhabis consider it wrong when Muslims reconcile with aggressors; instead, they call for revenge, which is not correct. Wahhabis wish to destabilize the political and economical situation in those countries that they consider to be their main enemies. The Wahhabis believe that a search for reconciliation with their main enemies is the same as capitulation. They ignore that Allah said, “…if they desist, then there should be no hostility except against the oppressors.” (2:193). It would be a big mistake to regard Wahhabism as a relatively harmless, inoffensive ideology. In Afghanistan, the Taliban movement, which fought against Muslims, established an “Islamic Emirate” in the country. From there, militants were sent to Central Asia and other parts of the world. One of them, the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, adopted violent measures in the Fergana Valley in its efforts to create an “Islamic Emirate of Fergana,” which it envisioned as a part of a future world Islamic caliphate. Wahhabism in Central Asia Wahhabis are gradually penetrating Central Asia. They find backers among local Muslims. Acting through them, the Wahhabis are establishing their own rule in Muslim organizations by penetrating mosques and Islamic cultural and educational institutions. Having built a local mosque, they propose to select the imam for it from among their supporters. They provide financial assistance only to those mosques and madrassahs in which mostly their supporters rule and study. This method of spreading their influence can be called the “peaceful infiltration” of Wahhabism. It is worth remembering that taking control of mosques means more than just creating the perfect opportunity to spread the Wahhabi version of Islam. All Wahhabi organizations in Central Asia began their activities in legal or underground mosques such as “Gumbez” and “Djami masjidi.” The headquarters Paper Title Would Go Here

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of Wahhabis who follow Juma Namangani, who was partment of Muslims in Dagestan, issued the fatwa, one of the leaders of the Islamic Movement of Uz- “Can Muslims use the word ‘Wahhabi?’” In it, he bekistan, was the mosque “Ata Vali khan tura.” states, “Muslims can use the word ‘Wahhabi,’ which implies a follower of the teaching of Muhammad ibn The imam and the management department of Abd al-Wahhab.” Some scholars call the followers of mosques are responsible for the collection of the “za- Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab the wayward; othkat” (an obligatory religious tax for a Muslim in an ers incorrectly refer to them as salafis (adherents of amount of 2.5% of annual income). This offers an original Islam). Very often the term “Wahhabi” is excellent opportunity for a Wahhabi manager to use used in scientific literature. these taxes to support extremist organizations. A Muslim should not relate the word “Wahhabism” The activities of Wahhabis in recent decades have to one of the Names of Allah – Al-Wahhab (All-givsubstantially contributed to the radicalization of Is- ing). Similarly, the words “shafi’ite” and “malikite” lam and the destabilization of a number of countries do not have a direct link with glorious names of Alin Central Asia. Saudi Arabia plays a special, if not lah – Al-Malik (Possessor) and Ash-Shafi’i (Curing). the central, role in the dissemination of Wahhabism They originated from the names of the founders of all over the world, and in Central Asia in particular. the religious schools of thought of Imams Malik and It is difficult to estimate exactly how much the Saudis Shafi’i. There is not and there should not be anycontribute to these activities, but they are certainly thing in common between Wahhabis and a wonderhuge amounts. Numerous Central Asian non-govern- ful name of Allah. The activities of these people conmental organizations receive financial support from tradict the principles and dogmas of Islam. Saudi Arabia, including substantial annual subsidies from Riyadh, in exchange for their acquiescence to It should be noted that Islamic tradition allows Wahhabi influence or control over their activities. referring to special schools in Islam (schools of law, theological movements, Sufism tarikats, sects, and so on) by the name of their founder, irrespective of any evaluation of their theological, religious or leActions against Wahhabism in gal content. However, those who consider MuhamCentral Asia mad ibn Abd al-Wahhab their religious leader do not The Kyrgyz General Public Prosecutor’s Office and call themselves Wahhabis and even are offended to the Kyrgyz Supreme Court have decreed that ex- be referred to by such a name. They refer to themtremist and terrorist organizations and their activi- selves simply as Muslims (muslimun), monotheists ties are forbidden on the territory of the Republic (muwahhidun), or “followers of the beneficent anof Kyrgyzstan. In April 2003, the General Public cestors” (salafiyun). They do not refer to the teachProsecutor’s Office issued a decree stipulating that ing of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab or ideological the Hizb ut-Tahrir al-Islami organization is an ex- movements that disseminate Wahhabi teachings and tremist group, and that the Organization for the advocate Wahhabi positions as Wahhabism. Liberation of Turkestan (Sharki Azat Turkestan), The main reason why Wahhabis do not wish to be the Eastern Turkestan Islamic Party (Sharki Turkestan Islam Party), and the Islamic Party of Turkestan called as such is that although practically all Muslims are terrorist organizations. This created a legal basis are aware of the existence of heresy (bid’ah), not all for suppressing the activities of international radical are aware of whom an author and promoter of heresy and/or terrorist organizations whose members have might be. If the supporters of Wahhabism admit that committed terrorist acts and other grave crimes, and they are Wahhabis, then logically they have to agree disseminated publications appealing for a change of with accusations raised by Muslims against them the constitutional order. The Kyrgyz Supreme Court – that within the framework of Islam Wahhabis are upheld the decision of the General Public Prosecu- heretics. Muslims accuse Wahhabis of heresy because tor’s Office and sanctioned its prohibition on the ac- they do not follow the admonitions of the Prophet (PBUH) but rather are a religious school developed tivities of these organizations. in the 18th century (more than one thousand years A number of Muslim religious departments in after the death of the Prophet (PBUH)) by someone the newly-independent states of the former Soviet who was a simple man, not a recognized expert in Union have issued fatwas regarding the use of the the teaching of the Prophet (PBUH). word “Wahhabi.” For example, Muhammad-Rasul In spite of the many statements on a conflict of Saaduev, the Council Chairman of the Religious De10 Central Asia Counterterorism Project

civilizations between Muslims and Christians, Wahhabism represents a threat primarily not for Christians but for Muslims. Wahhabis fight primarily against Muslim rulers, whom they declare apostates. Other “natural enemies” of Wahhabis are democrats and liberals, Christians and secular politicians of any trend (including those who are Muslim from birth). NOTES: 1. The Arabic word bid’ah originates from the root bada’a – to introduce the new, and means a condemned and rejected innovation, a heresy.

ing to the Holy Qur’an and Authentic Sunnah (Moscow: Badr, 2003), 131. 19. al-Fawzan, The Book of Monotheism, 58. 20. Ibid., 60. 21. Maududi, Let Us Be Muslims, 96. 22. Zinu, Islamic Akida According to the Holy Qur’an and Authentic Sunnah, 31-32. 23. Abdul Aziz bin Baz, The Necessity of Obeying the Sunnah of Allah’s Messenger and Declaring Those who Deny it to be Apostates (Riyadh: General Department of Printing of the Waqf Ministry, 2000), 35.

2. Sayyid Afandi Chirkeysky, Who Are The Wahhabis? (Makhachkala: Mazhmatul Favvid, 1997), http://www.islam.ru.

24. Ibid., 286-287.

3. Sayyid Abul A’la Maududi, Let Us Be Muslims (Jeddah: IQRA charitable organization, 1997), 3.

26. An-Nawawi, The Gardens of the Righteous (Moscow: Badr, 2001), chapter 3, hadith 194, 121.

4. Ibid.

27. Ibid., hadith 265.

5. Ibidem, 56.

28. Ibidem, hadith 312.

6. Ibidem, 64.

29. Forty Hadiths of An-Nawawi, 21.

7. Ibidem, 58-59.

30. Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab (M. S. Tamimi), The Book of Monotheism (Moscow: Badr, 1998), 70.

8. The fatwa is published on the Web site Islam.ru by Muhammad-rasul Saaduev, Expert Council Chairman of the Spiritual Department of the Muslims in Dagestan. 9. The original meaning of this word is “way.” It is now used to mean the acts and decisions of the Prophet (PBUH). 10. The title al-Hulafa ar-Rashidun is given to first four caliphs of Islam. 11. Forty Hadiths of An-Nawawi (Riyadh: International Islamic Publishing House, 1992), chapter 45. 12. Maududi, Let Us Be Muslims, 98. 13. Abdul Rahman bin Hammad al-Omar, The Religion of Truth is Islam (Tashkent: publisher unknown, 1993), 45. 14. Ibid., 41. 15. The Book of Morality for the Children of Muslims (Bishkek, publisher unknown, 2002). 16. Imam al-Bukhari, Sahih Bukhari (Umma Publishing House, 2003), “The Book of Stories about Prophets,” hadith 1371, 541.

25. Ibidem, 131.

31. Programs on Studies in Shari’ah Sciences (Moscow: Joint edition of the Ministry on Islamic Affairs, Waqfs, Call and Orientation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Ibrahim Bin Abdul Aziz Al Ibrahim Foundation, 1999), 88. 32. Ibid., 7, 53-61. 33. Zinu, Islamic Akida, 31-32. 34. Ibid., 101. 35. Abu Hamid al-Ghazali, Revival of the Theological Sciences (Moscow: Ibrahim Bin Abdul Aziz Al Ibrahim Foundation, 2003), 474. 36. In Islamic jurisprudence, “deduction” (istinbat) refers to the process of extracting from Qur’anic ayahs and hadiths rules and guidelines that are not directly envisaged in the Qur’an and Sunnah. 37. “Kill them (who fight you) where you find them and drive them out from the place where you were driven out from.” Leaflet dated March 13, 2002. 38. Ibid.

17. Salih ibn Fawzan al-Fawzan, The Book of Monotheism (Mahachkala: Badr, 1997), 64.

39. M. A. Ibrahim, Establishing the Laws of Allah (Mahachkala: Badr, 1997), 10.

18. Muhammad ibn Dzhamil Zinu, Islamic Akida Accord-

40. Interview with staff of the Department for Fatwas of the Paper Title Would Go Here

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Religious Administration of Muslims of the Kyrgyz Republic, August 2005. 41. Muhammad Sa’id Ramadan al-Buti, The Way is Marked (location unknown: Ansar, 2005), 31. 42. Interview with mudaris of the Islamic University DUMK, July 2005. 43. al-Omar, The Religion of Truth is Islam, 56. 44. al-Buti, The Way is Marked, 23. 45. al-Ghazali, Revival of the Theological Sciences, 55. 46. Ibid., 10. 47. al-Omar, The Religion of Truth is Islam, 53. 48. Forty Hadiths of An-Nawawi, 38.

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49. Ibid., chapter 266, hadith 1559. 50. Ibidem, chapter 274, hadith 1577. 51. al-Omar, The Religion of Truth is Islam, 55. 52. Found online at http://www.islam-ru.com/ 04UBEJDENIE/STATYI/tavkhid_st_003.htm. 53. Maududi, Let Us Be Muslims, 282. 54. Ibid., 299. 55. Ibidem, 294. 56. Found online at http://www.islam-ru.com/ 04UBEJDENIE/STATYI/tavkhid_st_003.htm. 57. Ibid.