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The Life, Teachings and Influence of Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhaab
It is especially during times like those of ibn Abdul-Wahhaab
and like those of today, wherein the heresies, incorrect beliefs and evil
practices have become so entrenched that without some strength in
society, one’s reform and purification movement can be crushed
easily. Al-Atram noted that in such an environment as ibn Abdul-
Wahhaab’s, it was not possible to remove the wrongs simply with the
speech of the scholars. Instead, it needed someone who would threaten
them and have the authority behind him to fulfil his threats. Then al-
Atram quoted the famous expression: Allah removes via the
government or rule what He does not remove via the Quran. 1
One finds that ibn Abdul-Wahhaab understood very well the
importance of this concept. The religion of Islam is meant to be
established as the guide for all aspects of society. A complete
reformation of society means a reformation of personal behavior as
well as state and public behavior. Without the support of at least some
of the “powers that be,” it would be expected that its enemies would
crush any such call or movement. Even if someone may believe in
something, he may not have the ability to implement what he
believes—that is, he may find it necessary not to speak or implement
everything that he knows is true. Ibn Abdul-Wahhaab touched on this
point while speaking about scholars during his own lifetime. In one
letter he wrote, “As for the matter that people rebuke me, hate me and
oppose me for, if one were to ask any scholar from al-Shaam, Yemen
or elsewhere about it, they would say, ‘It is the truth. It is the religion
of Allah and His Messenger. However, I do not have the ability to
show it openly in my place because the government does not approve
of it. However, ibn Abdul-Wahhaab is able to show it openly because
the ruler in his land does not object to it.’” 2
Thus, when ibn Abdul-Wahhaab first moved to al-Uyainah, he
presented his beliefs to Uthmaan and called him to believe in the
proper tauheed and to support the religion of Allah. Uthmaan accepted
what ibn Abdul-Wahhaab taught and assisted him in preaching and
spreading the truth. Hence, the call got a firm footing, attracted many
followers and was able to actually put its teachings into practice. It
footnotes to Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Musnad al-Imaam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (Beirut:
Muassasat al-Risaalah, 1998), vol. 23, pp. 346-349.
1 Al-Atram, vol. 1, p. 265.
2 Ibn Abdul-Wahhaab, Muallifaat, vol. 7, p. 32.