Wahhabism Political Ideology

WAHHABISM POLITICAL
IDEOLOGY
 Wahhabism is a Sunni Islamic revivalist and fundamentalist movement associated with the
reformist doctrines of the 18th-century Arabian Islamic scholar, theologian, preacher, and
activist Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab.He established the Muwahhidun movement in the
region of Najd in central Arabia as well as South Western Arabia,a reform movement with a
particular emphasis on purging practices such as the veneration of Muslim saints and
pilgrimages to their tombs and shrines, which were widespread amongst the people of Najd
 The Wahhabi mission started as a revivalist and reform movement in the remote, arid region of
Najd during the 18th century.During this era, numerous pre-Islamic beliefs and customs were
practiced by the Arabian Bedouin. These included various folklores associated with ancestral
worship, belief in cult of saints, animist practices, solar myths, fetishism,which had become
popular amongst the nomadic tribes of central Arabia
 In the 1950s and 1960s within Saudi Arabia, the Wahhabi ulama maintained their hold on shari'i
courts, and presided over the creation of Islamic universities and a public school system.Outside
of Saudi the Wahhabi ulama became "less combative" toward the rest of the Muslim world.
 The Wahhabi movement was part of the overall current of various Islamic revivalist trends in
the 18th century. It would be influenced by and in turn, influence many other Islamic reform-
revivalist movements across the globe. Ahl-i-Hadith movement of subcontinent was a Sunni
revivalist movement inspired by the thoughts of Shah Waliullah Dehlawi, al-Shawkani, and
Syed Ahmad Barelvi. They fully condemn taqlid and advocate for ijtihad based on scriptures.
Founded in the mid-19th century in Bhopal, it places great emphasis on hadith studies and
condemns imitation to the canonical law schools. They identify with the early school of Ahl al-
Hadith. During the late 19th century, Wahhabi scholars would establish contacts with Ahl-i-
Hadith and many Wahhabi students would study under the Ahl-i-Hadith ulama, and later
became prominent scholars in the Arabian Wahhabi establishment
 As a religious revivalist movement that works to bring Muslims back from what it considers as
foreign accretions that have corrupted Islam,and believes that Islam is a complete way of life
which has prescriptions for all aspects of life, Wahhabism is quite strict in what it considers
Islamic behavior.
 Unlike other schools of Sunnism, Wahhabis admonishes to ground Islamic principles solely on
the Qur'an and Hadith,rejecting much material derived within Islamic culture.
 Adherents to the Wahhabi movement identify as Sunni Muslims.The primary Wahhabi doctrine
is affirmation of the uniqueness and unity of God (Tawhid),and opposition to shirk (violation of
tawhid – "the one unforgivable sin", according to Ibn Abd Al-Wahhab).They call for adherence
to the beliefs and practices of the Salaf al-Salih (exemplary early Muslims). They strongly
oppose what they consider to be heterodox doctrines, particularly those held by the Sufi and
Shiite traditions,such as beliefs and practices associated with the veneration of Prophets and
saints. Ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab associated such practices with the culture of Taqlid (imitation to
established customs) adored by pagan-cults of the Jahiliyya period.The movement emphasized
reliance on the literal meaning of the Quran and hadith
 According to ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab; there are three objectives for Islamic government and
society: "to believe in Allah, enjoin good behavior, and forbid wrongdoing". This doctrine has
been sustained in missionary literature, sermons, fatwa rulings, and explications of religious
doctrine by Wahhabis since the death of ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab.Ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab saw a role for
the Imam, "responsible for religious matters", and the Amir, "in charge of political and military
issues".Despite this, in Saudi history; the Imam had not been a religious preacher or scholar, but
Muhammad ibn Saud and the subsequent Saudi dynastic rulers
 He also believed that the Muslim ruler is owed unquestioned allegiance as a religious obligation
from his subjects; so long as he leads the community according to the laws of God (Shari'ah). A
Muslim must present a bay'ah (oath of allegiance) to a Muslim ruler during his lifetime to
ensure his redemption after death.Any counsel given to a ruler from community leaders or
ulama should be private, not through public acts such as petitions, demonstrations, etc.This
principle arosed confusion during the dynastic disputes of the Second Saudi State during the
late 19th-century; when rebels succeeded in overthrowing the monarch, to become the
ruler.While it gave the king a wide range of power, respecting shari'a does impose limits, such
as giving qadi (Islamic judges) independence. This meant non-interference in their
deliberations, as well as not codifying laws, following precedents or establishing a uniform
system of law courts – both of which violate the qadi's independence.
THANK YOU

Wahhabism Political Ideology

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Wahhabism Political Ideology

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Wahhabism Political Ideology

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

WAHHABISM POLITICAL

You might also like