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

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The Life, Teachings and Influence of Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhaab
upon as heretical and blasphemous indeed. On the other hand, when
the Ottomans and Shareefs recognized the true threat that the
followers of ibn Abdul-Wahhaab posed, they used all of their weapons
to destroy this new and growing collection of Muslims. Not only did
they use military force but they also used propaganda. The leaders and
the scholars who were their close friends worked hand and hand to
paint the worst picture of ibn Abdul-Wahhaab and his followers. Like
the power of the media today—many times controlled by governments
or by giant corporations—the masses could easily be fooled into
believing the lies and claims made against ibn Abdul-Wahhaab and
his followers. 1 Thus, for example, numerous religious verdicts were
given in Istanbul against the “Wahhabis” and many of the followers
and even descendents of ibn Abdul-Wahhaab were later brought to
Istanbul, paraded around and executed there as people who rebelled
against the legitimate role of the Ottomans. 2
(4) One of the greatest reasons for the opposition to ibn Abdul-
Wahhaab and his salafi beliefs based on the Quran and Sunnah was
1 This type of process continued in later times. Concerning the Third Saudi State,
Muhammad Rasheed Ridha wrote that King Hussein would use the newspaper
al-Qiblah in his war against the “Wahhabis.” In that government publication in
the years 1336 and 1337, the King branded the “Wahhabis” with disbelief and
with declaring the Muslims as disbelievers. He also claimed that they
disrespected the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and so
forth. Ridha notes that the entire motivation behind such attacks was political,
as the other rulers feared the power of the new state. See al-Abdul-Lateef, p.
74.
2 The Russian embassy described the killing of Abdullah, the descendant of Saud
at the end of the first “Wahhabi” state in Najd in 1818: “Taken prisoner in al-
Diriya and brought recently to the capital, the Wahhabi leader, his minister
and his imam were beheaded last week. To make more glorious his triumph
over the sworn enemies of the cities that are the cradle of Islam, the sultan
ordered the rakab (the assembly of the topmost persons of the empire) to be
convened in the old palace in the capital. Accompanied by a crowd of idlers, the
three prisoners were brought in heavy chains… The leader was beheaded in
front of the main gate of St. Sophia, the minister at the entrance to the palace
and the imam in one of the main markets. Their bodies were displayed with
their heads under their arms… and were thrown into the sea three days later.
His Majesty ordered that a prayer should be performed throughout the empire
to thank heaven for the victory of the sultan’s weapons and the annihilation of
the sect that had devastated Mecca and Medina and exposed Muslim pilgrims
to fear and danger. All insolvent debtors were released from jail… huge sums
were distributed at mosques and madrasas (religious schools) to thank heaven
for its mercy…” Quoted in Vassiliev, p. 155. With such propaganda and such
virtual celebrations on the death of “Wahhabi” leaders, it is no surprise that
the majority of Turks would think ill of the “Wahhabis.”