Mohammed Ibn Abdul Wahab and Wahhabism - Essay Example

MOHAMMED BIN ABDUL WAHAB AND WAHHABISM Introduction Islamic fundamentalism has assumed gigantic proportions during past few decades, and especiallyafter the 911 attacks, it has become the biggest threat to the very existence of humanity. Many western politicians have often depicted the situation as clash of civilization. It is surprising as to how the youngest religion of this world has grown consistently into an extremist, separatist and fundamentalist in body and spirit. There are many sects within Islam like Shia, Sunni, Wahhabi, etc. with their unique ideologies and interpretations of Islam. For the purpose of this essay, we shall restrict our discussion to Wahhabi Islam and its influences on current Islamic fundamentalism and the society as a whole. This especially involves Islamic terrorism since Wahhabi Islam is considered to be the premier fundamentalist religious movement supporting it and still incorporates religious beliefs and principles from Koran not found anywhere else in the world. Background (Pike, 2005) Mohammad ibn bd ul-Wahab was a reformist born in 1703 in Central Arabia in Bani Tamim tribe. He learned literature at a Hanifite school, Islamic law at Medina, and then after few years in his hometown, commenced working as an Islamic teacher after returning to Nejd. Influenced by his examination of luxuries of life, superstitious pilgrimages, worship of Prophet Mohammed and other saints rather than the God and use of omens, he was repulsed and began to pronounce simplicity of early religion as per Koran. Thus began a sect now known as Wahhabism. There was considerable difference in religious texts and actual situation on ground in practical Islam. He was amazed at the importance given to practices like pilgrimages, saints, sacrifices while non-adherence to Islamic law, indifference to conditions of women, widows and children, lack of ritual prayers and non-inheritance of family share to women. He began to preach against jahilliya, which meant ignorance of Islamic laws. Jahilliya was a term in Islam referring to barbarism and ignorance that existed before Islam was founded. Paradoxically, while Wahhab recognized himself with Prophet Mohammed in principles, he connected his society with he same evils that the prophet attempted to overthrow. (Cline, 2003) Because so many Muslims lived (or so he claimed) in jahiliyya, Abd-ul Wahhab accused them of not being true Muslims at all. Those who followed the strict teachings of al-Wahhab were proclaimed as true Muslims during the period because only they still followed the path laid out by Allah. Accusing someone of not being a true Muslim is significant because it is forbidden for one Muslim to kill another; but if someone is not a true Muslim then killing them (in war or in an act of terrorism) becomes legitimate. It would be hard to underestimate the importance of this principle to modern terrorists and extremists. He also based his preachings on principle of uniqueness of God and his students were called as Muwahuddin (Unitarians). The basic text of Wahhabis is the Kitab at-tawhid or the book of unity. Their critics called them Wahhabis who mainly concentrated against Shia ideologies. While this word was originally used in a derogatory context, it has now become commonplace and is used by even people in Nejd. Most Wahhabis today live in Saudi Arabia. However, with passage of time and influx of notorious money, their influence has spread in many other countries of the middle-east, central and South Asia. Implementation of Wahhabism Mohammed Ibn Abd'ul Wahhab's directions for implementation of Islamic law as per his interpretation of Koran were strict and non-tolerant. All non-believer Islamists as well as non-Islamic people were to be put to death immediately. Soldiers of Islam were promised immediate entrance into Paradise and, unbelievably, each soldier had a written order from Ibn Abd-ul Wahhab for the gatekeeper to admit him in heaven forthwith. Wahhab died in 1791, and Wahhabism spread until it was broken down by Mehemet Ali. Wahhabi Preachings His preachings were essentially based on 13th century fundamentalist Ibn Taimiyya, who also refused to follow all the four sects of Islam and called his decisions as direct orders from Koran. Wahhabis also believed in Koran and deduced their duties from it separately from the four schools of Islam. Like most preachers, they cited current prejudices and failures of followers of conventional Islam as a raison-d'etre. They renounced principles and practices founded on Ijma, which were tolerant, accommodating and open in nature, due to their non-conformity with Koranic verses. Recitation of prayers and correct rituals had to be punctually adhered to by people. They prohibited pilgrimages and prayer of saints. Severe simplicity was to be practiced in all aspects of living and luxuries of life were to be banished. They attacked slack government and ineffective governance, any liberty against infidels was condemned, and advocated against use of alcohol and deceit. Strong dressing directives were stipulated for Wahhabis with simplicity as prime focus. Law forbade wearing of silk and gold by women while dance and music was prohibited in public functions. Wahhabi law forbade even loud laughter and demonstrative weeping. While most of these preachings are still followed in rural and orthodox Muslim regions of the world, there has been a dangerous spurt in such radicalism even in educated and prosperous Muslim populations and governments in recent decades, which is the main cause of concern in most liberal societies today. Initial movement by Wahhab faced tremendous difficulties from within his own tribe and he had to wander about for decades in search of meaningful support to his preachings. However, when he succeeded in converting Mohammad ibn Sad, who married his daughter and became founder of a hereditary Wahhabite dynasty in Derayya (Nejd), the tide turned for him. This association led political loyalty being converted into a religious commitment with considerable growth in Wahhabi sect across the nation. According to Wahhabism, a Muslim must present bayah (oath of allegiance) to a Muslim ruler during his lifetime for an assured salvation after death. Ruler, in turn, owes unparalleled allegiance from the population as long as he works according to laws of God. As per Wahhabism, the whole idea was for Muslim community to become a living embodiment of Koran and live in conformity with them. (Pike 2005) Under Abd ul-Aziz, a Bedouin commonwealth was formed which advocated compulsory following of Islamic laws, payment of homage, military service against infidels and rigid punishments in courts established for the purpose. Wahhabis considered themselves as true Islamists with strong hostility towards other sects and Shia and Sufism in particular. (Pike 2005) Modern Wahhabism Even today, the Ulema reject the western interpretation of Koran as satanic, and reject reformation attempts of nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Reformations particularly in gender equality aspects, family honor law and even participatory democracies have been seen as totally against the Islamic verses. Wahhabi Influence on Society Today in Arabian Peninsula, Wahhabi ideology influences the society considerably. Since Osama bin laden is himself a Wahhabi, radicalism and extremist concepts of purity have had considerable effect on him. His support base is difficult to pinpoint, as individuals from many religions, countries and societies have been involved in terrorist networks across international boundaries. Such has been the spread and influence of Wahhabism even in modern times. Since Wahhabis consider themselves the only followers of true Islam, nothing else except their own ideologies matter for them. Many intolerant societies and regions today stand isolated to the modern world. With the war against terrorism striking these regions in particular, the fundamentalist groups have found another reason to fall back upon their unique ideologies, and they are likely to further adversely influence the situation in future by shifting the vulnerable population to isolation and radical Islam. Wahhabism in Other Regions Wahhabism exists overtly or covertly in many countries of the middle-east, Central Asia and South Asia with most Muslim dominated countries trying to achieve maximum political advantage from the war against terror. Oliy Majlis, Uzbekistan's Parliament, passed a law in 1998 'On Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations' and on stricter punishments for violating the rules of teaching religious subjects, and for preparing and disseminating materials containing ideas of religious extremism. (Malashenko, 2005) Similar preventive action is being taken overtly in many other countries too. However, the main idea seems to gain politically and economically through support and military aid from US and other countries to fight terrorism and resolve problems of non-governance. Similar extremism is faced by Russia in many of its neighboring Muslim countries, which formed after the break-up of erstwhile USSR. Political Islam is slowly gaining foothold in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. Some Islamic groups have known to attempt to seek official recognition. In cities like Osh and adjoining areas, there is considerable influence of Wahhabism, which is now almost synonymous with Muslim fundamentalism in these regions. However, Islamism in Central Asia is relatively stable and dynamic too, essentially due to economic prospects of the region and political stability in the region. (Malashenko, 2005) However, the instability of Wahhabism and fundamental Islam in South Asian countries including Afghanistan and Pakistan can haunt the world during the next decade. Unless there is considerable success in political processes and economic progress in countries like Afghanistan and Pakistan, the situation is not likely to improve in the near future. Similarly, in Dagestan, the Wahhabis have consistently confronted with traditional people during past decades. Wahhabis had least influence on Dagestan's ethnic groups who were most Western in their thoughts and actions. (Ware, 2000) It seems the Wahhabis appealed only to the poverty-stricken people due to its clarity and simple ideology. On the other hand, prosperous were apparently appealed by organizational power, Puritanism, traditional morality of Wahhabism. Rejection of political authorities allowed them to reject corrupt bureaucracy and state officials. (Ware, 2000) In years to come, this influence can lead to a degree of political instability and unless dealt with a firm hand in terms of proper governance and economic progress, the situation is not likely to improve in long time to come. Influence of Wahhabi Ideology on Societies The adverse influence of Wahhabi mindset throughout the Muslim world is considerably greater than imagined. The Wahhabi critique through these centuries have not only led to more cruel and barbaric Islam, but also increased mutual enmity and radicalization of many moderate traditional Muslims. Interestingly, there have been found many Western participants in Islamic terrorist networks who were well educated, holding responsible jobs in the US or European countries and had no apparent reason to change their livestyles so radically. These aspects have bewildered all the other countries and religions across the world, and today no country considers itself safe from terrorism. Wahhabism, in many ways, has become synonymous to terrorism and Islamic terror networks have been closely associated with Wahhabi influence of intolerant Islam. Considerable financial support is apparently provided from underground organizations in Saudi Arabia and Persian Gulf countries to these terrorist networks across the world. (Ware, 2000) In many ways, Jihad has already been launched by followers of this sect against most developed nations of the world leading to a belief of it actually ending up into clash of civilization in future. Wahhabism and the West Wahhabis throughout their history have, in their own perception, opposed the ideas propagated by the West. Freedom of choice has been seen akin to moral degradation, equality of all genders has been social irresponsibility and freedom to practice any religion and in any form has been corruption of religious establishments. The easy targets have been poverty-stricken regions across the Muslim world, which have not interested the economics of the Western countries. Wahhabism and its growth in the past few decades is seen as a natural reaction against excessive capital based economy and modernization. Adding fuel to the fire could be lack of modern education, poverty and excessive political corruption in many nations. Political Position Today Present situation due to technological advances is a bit different in native Saudi Arabia. During 90s, Wahhabi legacy no more forms the core of Saudi leadership in international forums. Descendents of Abdl Wahhab do not hold important positions in the religious bureaucracy or the government. Physical conformity in terms of dressing sense, public behavior and public prayers have remained rather unchanged. In rural areas, severe Islamic laws are still followed without overt support from the government. However, Wahhabi legacy was manifest in government assuming responsibility of moral ordering of country from individual behavior, institutions, businesses and governance itself. However, King Fahd ibn Abd al saud has repeatedly called for scholars to consider ijtihad and deal with contemporary challenges faced by the government in modernizing the kingdom. (Pike,2005) Conclusion Wahhabism evolved about two centuries back in a moralistic revolution started by Mohammed Ibn Abd'ul Wahhab after he noticed people following the Islamic law with laxity and many other such contemporary social issues. While the effort was similar to what Prophet Mohammad desired in his time, Abd'ul Wahhab eventually led the society away from what Prophet exactly desired. While Wahhabism is in minority, it has been extremely influential in supporting the cause across national boundaries and has even incited Muslim extremism internationally leading to disastrous results in past decades. The situation has been described as akin to clash of civilization by many powers. The war against terror and its effect on the world has definitely changed the support base of Wahhabism and its acceptance in other countries. Even Saudi Arabia has made some efforts to modernize the state leading to isolation of Wahhabi sect, at least overtly. While the future of fundamental Wahhabism is definitely in jeopardy, it is expected that Wahhabism will continue to have significant presence in countries like Saudi Arabia and at the same time, it will continue to fuel terrorist network with hatred, and attempt to turn even moderate Muslims against the infidels. The world must wait and closely watch Wahhabism in all societies for its close association with terror networks of the world. References 1. Pike John, 2005. Wahhabi. Retrieved on 02 May 08 from http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/gulf/wahhabi.htm. Cline, Austine, 2003. Wahhabism and Wahhabi Islam: How Wahhabi Islam Differs from Sunni, Shia Islam. Retrieved on 01 may 08 from http://atheism.about.com/od/islamicsects/a/wahhabi.htm. Malashenko Aleksei, 2005. Islam and Politics in Central Asian States Retrieved on 02 May 08 from http://www.ca-c.org/dataeng/02.malash.shtml. Ware Dr. Robert Bruce, 2000. Why Wahhabism Went Wrong In Dagestan Read More