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The Life, Teachings and Influence of Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhaab
reasons that the “Wahhabis” were criticized and attacked. The
outsiders will call such people who adhere to the truth, regardless of
what the masses are following, “sectarians.” In reality, though, this is
the proper or acceptable type of “sectarianism.” If the people as a
whole are ignoring the truth, one has to adhere to the truth, even
though it will make him appear as an outsider or a “sectarian.” It is as
the Companion ibn Masood told Amr ibn Maimoon after advising him
to the stick to the jamaah (“congregation, community”) and then told
him to pray alone if the rulers delay the prayer. This seemed to be a
contradiction to Amr, so he asked ibn Masood about that. Ibn Masood
explained to him, “The jamaah is whoever is in agreement with the
truth, even if it be just you by yourself.” 1 In other words, it is the truth
that one must adhere to, even if that makes one “an outsider” with
respect to the masses who may be following a different way.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) spoke
of a time in which this will be the proper course of action for a
believer. In fact, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said,
ِﺀﺎ�ﺑ�ﺮ�ﻐﹾﻠ�ﻟ ﻰ�ﺑﻮﹸﻄﹶﻓ ﺎ�ﺒﻳﹺﺮﹶﻏ ﹶﺃ�ﺪ�ﺑ ﺎ�ﻤﹶﻛ �ﺩﻮ�ﻌ�ﻴ�ﺳ�ﻭ ﺎ�ﺒﻳﹺﺮﹶﻏ �ﻡﻼ�ﺳِﻹﺍ ﹶﺃ�ﺪ�ﺑ
“Islam began as something strange and it will return as it began [that
is, as being something strange]. So glad tidings of Tooba [a tree in
Paradise] for the strangers.” (Recorded by Muslim.) Another narration
describes those “strangers” as:
�ﻢ�ﻬ�ﻌﻴ�ﻄ�ﻳ �ﻦ�ﻤ�ﻣ �ﺮﹶﺜﹾﻛﹶﺃ �ﻢﹺﻬﻴ�ﺼ�ﻌ�ﻳ �ﻦ�ﻣ ﹴﲑ�ﺜﹶﻛ ٍﺀﻮ�ﺳ ﹺﺱﺎ�ﻧﹸﺃ ﻲ�ﻓ ﹶﻥﻮ�ﺤ�ﻟﺎ�ﺻ �ﺱﺎ�ﻧﹸﺃ
“Pious people among evil people. Those who disobey them are more
than those who obey them.” 2
Ibn Abdul-Wahhaab also gave the following advice, “If you
find it difficult to go against what the people are doing, ponder over
Allah’s words…” and then he quoted the following verses of the
Quran:
1 Quoted in Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhaab, Muallifaat, vol. 7, p. 236.
2 Recorded by Ahmad. According to al-Albaani, this narration is sahih. See al-
Albaani, Saheeh al-Jaami, vol. 2, p. 728.
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