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

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The Life, Teachings and Influence of Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhaab
of the Virtues of the Quran”) and Ahaadeeth fi al-Fitan wa al-
Hawaadith (“The Hadith about Tribulations and Events”).
Works Related to Tafseer (Quranic Exegesis)
Ibn Abdul-Wahhaab had a unique style in his works of a
tafseer nature. For example, for the sake of brevity, often he would
not reproduce the entire verse. Then he would explain the meaning of
some of its words. Then he would make a list of important points that
can be concluded from the verse, which could be used by a scholar or
student to further elucidate on the verse. Ibn Baaz states that the points
ibn Abdul-Wahhaab alluded to demonstrate the strength of his
understanding of the Quran, the correctness of his thinking and his
adherence to the principles of derivation of rules. 1
An example of ibn Abdul-Wahhaab’s approach may be
beneficial. While discussing al-Baqarah 102 2, ibn Abdul-Wahhaab
presents a portion of the verse and then goes on to list fifty-one points
that can be deduced from that verse, including: “(4) False matters can
be lyingly attributed to prophets.” “(11) No matter what level of
knowledge a person reaches, he can never be safe from the plan of
Allah.” “(12) One should not expose oneself to trials and temptations
being fully confident in oneself. Instead, one should ask Allah for
safety.” “(18) The statement of shirk, even if just one statement, does
not require for the disbelief of the one who makes the statement that
his heart believes in it or that he has no dislike for shirk.” “(20)
Killing a soul is a greater sin than fornication.” “(23) The punishment
1 Abdul-Muhsin ibn Baaz, vol. 1, p. 167. Ibn Abdul-Wahhaab’s book of tafseer
forms volume five of the Muallifaat, comprising some 396 pages. He also has a
separate work entitled Mukhtasar Taseef Soorah al-Anfaal (“The Abridged
Commentary on Soorah al-Anfaal”) which was published for the first time in
volume 13 of Muallifaat.
2 The verse reads: “They followed what the evil ones gave out (falsely) in the
lifetime of Solomon: the blasphemers were, not Solomon, but the evil ones,
teaching men magic, and such things as came down at Babylon to the angels
Harut and Marut. But neither of these taught anyone (such things) without
saying: ‘We are only for trial; so do not blaspheme.’ They learned from them the
means to sow discord between man and wife. But they could not thus harm
anyone except by Allah's permission. And they learned what harmed them, not
what profited them. And they knew that the buyers of (magic) would have no
share in the happiness of the Hereafter. And vile was the price for which they
did sell their souls, if they but knew!”