open Democracy News Analysis - WAHHABISM -- an overview, - Comments

a.malik@blueyonder.co.uk on "WAHHABISM -- an overview"

a.malik@blueyonder.co.uk — Fri, 31 Dec 2004 10:51:21 +0000

Dear Zubair. As-salam ‘alaykum. I read with interest your article WAHHABISM: UNDERSTANDING THE ROOTS AND ROLE MODELS OF ISLAMIC FANATICISM AND TERROR as posted on open democracy on 27-Feb 04. One thing-not all your references came through and I would apprecaite it if you could possibly email me that article in full? While having read your article, I wish to ask you this question: Since 9/11, we saw vast amount of analysis concerning the Wahhabi connection to religious violence around the world. However, since 2002, the Salafis have begun to show in their publications that Usama bin Laden belongs to the "Qutubi" school, namely following the radical teachings of Seyyed Qutub. They have also shown, that the Wahhabi 'ulama have condemned suicide bombings, hijackings and terrorism in general, long before 9/11. In-fact, they have even shown the Wahhabi 'ulama rebuking bin Laden and warning him of deviating from the path by following the jihadis in their violence. (see for instance, their Islamic Condemnation of Terrorists, Hijackers and Suicide Bombers “The Brothers of the Devil” (Birmingham: UK, Salafipublications, 2003) My question is then, is it fair to blame wahhabism for this violence and ascribe it to bin Laden when the wahhabis are saying and showing contrary. For example, see: http://www.thewahhabimyth.com/ by the Salafi organisation, TROID. We also know for example, that bin Laden has repeatedly condemned the Wahhabi 'ulama of Saudi... To most Muslims, Ikhwan al-Muslimeen, jihadists, the Salafis etc, are all wahhabis -- in that they share certain common beliefs. They are seen as different shades -- as you mention. However, the Wahhabis don't see this, as in their material, they condemn the others as not belong to the Salafiyya way, so how would we see and explain this? An intra-wahhabi polemic?? Jazak Allah khayran. Was-salam Aftab

abuabdurrauf on "WAHHABISM -- an overview"

abuabdurrauf — Tue, 30 Nov 2004 12:02:32 +0000

I have just been reading a heart wrenching article on OpenDemocracy unfortunately written by yourself. I do not wish to argue on any of the ill informed points you have made, and I only write to you, to give you advice’ha. Allah Azza’Wajal say’s in the noble Quran; But people have cut off their affair (of unity), between them, into sects: each party rejoices in that which is with itself. But leave them in their confused ignorance for a time. s.23; v.53&4 However you have clearly rejected this, and wish to make divisions amongst the Muslims.If you hold those views, that is up to you, and I pray Allah Ta’la forgives you, and allows you to repent for the gheeba you make of the scholars, without clearly having the opportunity to apologise to them in person now. As truly, highlighting Shayk Ul Islam Ibn Taymiya as a deviant is a major thing, and something he will take up with you on the day of Judgement. I don’t know you, but I still love you for the sake of Allah, because you have seemingly said 'there is no one worthy of worship, But Allah, & Muhammad is his messenger'. And I ask you to not split ranks with the Muslims in this time of persecution, as this is from the attributes of the Munafiqin/ hypocrites, and I do not wish you to be cast to the same fire, as they will be. A SALAFI brother. As for those of you reading who are non-Muslim, i draw your attention to the fact, the information provided here by Br. Zain should be followed up. I say nothing more than this, as the truth is clear from falsehood. And I pray you see the true light of Salafia.

truelight101 on "WAHHABISM -- an overview"

truelight101 — Fri, 26 Nov 2004 21:54:19 +0000

Thanx (Jazak Allah) for this...the comunity needs this info as well, we are certainly not a perfect people in this point of time, we're very confused and ill informed (and "busy") hence why were so easily judged (with the help of haters and the Bush driven media) lately. This is why we cant judge a religion by it's people, Quran is simply a guide for those who seek the truth as were the scriptures of the past, people will always fall short of jdgement...I will pass this thurough and well written tid bit to my groups i.A. May Allah continue to strengthen our knowlege and refine our good character.

otp on "WAHHABISM -- an overview"

otp — Sun, 22 Aug 2004 04:43:35 +0100

Thanks for clarifying the subject so that I can understand. I've read longer articles in search of this insight. You may know, Chechnya has been a ground of conflict between Wahabis and rest of the sunnis, before the second Russian invasion. I have asked questions to both sides who have lived through it in Chechnya. One disturbing thing was assassinations and counter assassinations of religious leaders, which I have thought never would have happened in Chechen culture. As you described, wahabi person does not say outright that he is wahabi. That identification surfaces after a lengthy discussion. The worst reference a sunni chechen makes of the Wahabi, I've heard, is that he/she will go against his/her own father if father is not in line with the wahabi faith, which is also outside the chechen culture that is older than Islam. "Abdl-Wahhab’s own father had warned Muslims from him,..."

brumit on "WAHHABISM -- an overview"

brumit — Wed, 18 Aug 2004 22:37:24 +0100

Thank you for the insightful article.

owly on "WAHHABISM -- an overview"

owly — Fri, 06 Aug 2004 22:57:22 +0100

Thank you so much for posting this long and interesting article. Very interesting content and fleshed out my understanding of that branch of Islam.

zanonimus on "WAHHABISM -- an overview"

zanonimus — Sat, 20 Mar 2004 14:54:26 +0000

Dear Frank, My apologies for the delayed response. Thank you very much for reading my article and providing your comments. I am not "mistaken" about connecting Salafees with Qutbis, and you are incorrect in saying that "Qutbis are not Salafees[...]." Remember that a "salafi" comes in many forms just like cancer comes in many strains. Salafis are not a homogenous entity but a diverse assortment of groups that aim to bring Muslims out of a state of ignorance (jahiliyya) according to the ways of the pious ancestors who lived in the time period of the noble "salaf" that was praised by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). A common misconception among people is that all Salafis are Wahhabi. However, as I stated in my article, all Salafis are not Wahhabis, although all Wahhabis are Salafis. Non-Wahhabi Salafis include the Qutbis and extremist factions of the Muslim Brotherhood (Ikhwan al-Muslimeen). A well-known non-Wahhabi Salafi is Omar Abdel-Rehman who allegedly masterminded the bombing of the World Trade Center in 1993. Yet, there are common traits among Salafi groups such as their emulation of a controversial scholar named Ahmed Ibn Taymiyah (and his students like Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah), their following or at least tolerance of Muhammad ibn Abdl-Wahhab, their call for abandoning "taqlid" (imitating the mujtahid imams of the four Islamic schools of jurisprudence), relying directly on the Qur'an and Sunnah without strict reliance on the interpretations of orthodox Sunni scholars, declaring tawassul and tabarruk as practices of "shirk" (polytheism), etc. Thank you. Zubair

Frank_19992004 on "WAHHABISM -- an overview"

Frank_19992004 — Wed, 10 Mar 2004 07:48:00 +0000

Hello,In response to your article about"Wahhabism',I simply wish to point out that you are mistaken[as many are]in connecting Salafees with "Qutbis".Qutbis are not Salafees,this just isnt so.Thank You-

David Wood on "WAHHABISM -- an overview"

David Wood — Mon, 08 Mar 2004 14:17:17 +0000

Thanks for this, it is extremely useful.

WAHHABISM -- an overview,

zanonimus — Fri, 27 Feb 2004 14:31:05 +0000

WAHHABISM: UNDERSTANDING THE ROOTS AND ROLE MODELS OF ISLAMIC FANATICISM AND TERROR A Warning by Zubair Anonymous -- an Orthodox Sunni Muslim (E-mail: zanonimus@hotmail.com) Osama bin Laden and the 9/11 hijackers Osama bin Laden was accused of having a central role in the September 11, 2001 hijackings of four planes, three of which were successfully steered into their intended targets, kamikaze style, into the World Trade Center buildings and the Pentagon. Passengers in all airliners were killed, as were thousands of civilians on the ground, including women and children. It was an American tragedy, but even more a world tragedy, that involved the decimation of people from over 80 nationalities and many religions, including Muslims. This tragedy has caused many to perceive Islam as a barbaric and anti- Judeo-Christian religion, and hold it responsible for the hatred and bigotry manifested through the horrific acts of terror perpetrated by radical Islamists on 9/11. Indeed, it has created and/or strengthened a "we" (Judeo-Christians) versus them (Muslims) psyche in which all Muslims are assumed to be linked to the great evil called Islam. Although it revives and brings to light the largely refuted post-Cold War paradigm proposed by Samuel Huntington of the Clash of Civilizations, this bi-polarization and gross generalization conceals the true identity and nature of the intra-religious differences existing within the religions concerned. Reality is that the majority of Muslims in the world orthodox Sunni Muslims have confronted and refuted the menace of extremism within Islam itself through much of its history. It is of paramount importance now after 9/11 for the lay-person to be able to differentiate a moderate Muslim from a pseudo-Sunni fanatic. The most extremist pseudo-Sunni movement today is Wahhabism (also known as Salafism). The most well-known Wahhabi-Salafi known to humankind today is Osama bin Laden and his al-Qaeda terrorist organization. While many may think that Wahhabi terror is a recent phenomenon that has only targeted non-Muslims, it will surprise many to know that the orthodox Sunni Muslims were the first to be slaughtered in waves of Wahhabi terror campaigns in Arabia hundreds of years ago. One only has to read the historical evolution of Saudi Arabia to know the gruesome details of the tragedy a tragedy commensurate to 9/11 in which thousands of Sunni and Shiite Muslims perished at the hands of Wahhabi militants. The extremist interpretations of Wahhabism, although previously confined to small pockets of people in Arabia, has survived to this day under the protection, finance, and tutelage of the Saudi monarchy. This has transformed Wahhabism and related Salafi groups that receive inspiration and support from them from a regional to a global threat to be reckoned with by the world community. To a Wahhabi-Salafi, all those who differ with them, including Sunni Muslims, Shiite Muslims, Christians, and Jews, are infidels who are fair targets of ideological and/or physical assault or extermination. Osama bin Laden and his followers are among the Wahhabis who are carrying the banner of Wahhabi-Salafi terror to all corners of the world today. Read the rest of this post...