The Life, Teachings and Influence of Muhammad ... - IslamHouse.com

117
The Life, Teachings and Influence of Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhaab
the matter that they are unfamiliar with, the issue would have been
much different. I swear by Allah, the One besides whom there is no
other God, if the people understood the matter correctly, I would give
the ruling that the blood of ibn Suhaim and his likes are permissible
[due to their clear apostasy] and I would have ordered them killed.” 1
Ibn Baaz states that such an approach was most appropriate at
the time when ibn Abdul-Wahhaab was in Basra since he was dealing
with a people who had become very strange and distant from his
message. Hence, he had to be gentle with them and take them step by
step away from that which they were engrossed in. However, even
with that approach, he was not successful and the people of Basra
accused him of causing trouble and he was forced to flee. 2
What ibn Baaz stated concerning that particular time and
environment may be true but in reality Muhammad ibn Abdul-
Wahhaab saw gentleness and kindness as a key basic characteristic in
ordering good, eradicating evil and calling others to the path of Allah.
He once wrote, “It is a must that the caller to the path of Allah calls in
the way that is best—save with respect to those who go beyond the
limits. Allah even ordered His two messengers Moses and Aaron to
say kind words to the Pharaoh so that he may reflect or have fear of
Allah.” 3 In a general letter addressed to his brethren, ibn Abdul-
Wahhaab wrote,
Some of the people of the religion object to a wrong—and while
they are right in doing so they do so incorrectly in a harsh manner
that causes division among the brethren. Allah has said,
¬Σ�⇓Κς…Ω⎝
‚Πς�ΜΞ…
ϑð⇑ΣΤ�⎡Σ∧ΩΤ�
‚Ω�Ω⎝ −Ψ©Ψ�†Ω⊆ΣΤ� ςΠ⊂Ωš
ϑðΩ/≅…
Ν…⎡ΣΤ⊆ΠςΤ�≅…
Ν…⎡Σ⇒Ω∨…ƒ∫
Ω⇑ÿΨϒΠς√≅…
†ΩΘΣΤÿΚς†Η;ΤΤΩΤÿ
&Ν…⎡ΣΤ∈ΘΩ≤Ω⊃ΩΤ�
‚Ω�Ω⎝ †_Τ⊕∼Ψ∧Ω– ϑðΨ/≅…
ΞΤΤ⎯‰µ ⎩Ωγš
Ν…⎡Σ∧Ψ±ΩΤ�⎯∅≅…Ω⎝ (102) Ω⇐⎡Σ∧Ψ∏⌠♥ΘΣ∨
“O you who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared and die not
except in a state of Islam (as Muslims) with complete submission to
Allaah. And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allah, and
1 Quoted from ibn Ghannaam by Abdullah al-Uthaimeen, ““al-Rasaail al-
Shakhsiyyah li-l-Shaikh Muhammad ibn Abdil-Wahhaab” in Buhooth Nadwah
Dawah al-Shaikh Muhammad ibn Abdil-Wahhaab (Riyadh: Muhammad ibn
Saud Islamic University, 1991), vol. 1, p. 108.
2 Abdul-Mushin ibn Baaz, vol. 1, pp. 125-126. Cf., al-Uthaimeen, “Rasaail”, vol. 1,
pp. 107-108.
3 Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhaab, Muallifaat, vol. 7, pp. 250-251.