The Hostility of Wahhabis Towards the Ahl al-Bayt (a)
Are Ibn Taymiyyah and Wahhabism really hostile to the Ahl al-Bayt?
The Wahhabi sect's hostility towards the Prophet's (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) is well-documented. This animosity is evident both through Ibn Taymiyya, the intellectual founder of the Wahhabi sect, and the Wahhabis themselves, manifesting in various forms. Their actions confirming this hostility towards the Prophet's (s) Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) include: denying the virtues of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them), comparing Imam Ali (a) to Pharaoh, exalting his enemies, declaring Imam Ali's (a) followers as unbelievers (takfir), supporting his opponents - particularly Yazid b. Muawiya, and destroying the tombs of the Prophet's family members (peace be upon them).
Hostility of Ibn Taymiyya Towards the Prophet's (s) Ahl al-Bayt (a)
- Ibn Taymiyya denies any special virtues of the Prophet's (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them), viewing their prominence merely as a continuation of pre-Islamic practices where tribal leaders were considered superior. He states: «The belief in the superiority and preeminence of the Prophet's (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) over others is a notion from the age of ignorance (Jahiliyya), when tribal leaders and chiefs were deemed superior.».[1] These assertions contradict Islamic teachings, as both the Quran (in the Verse of Purification) and Prophetic traditions, such as the Hadiths of al-Thaqalayn and al-Safina, explicitly affirm the Ahl al-Bayt's (a) superiority. Moreover, the Verse of Proximity (al-Taqrib) commands Muslims to love the Prophet's (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them).
- Ibn Taymiyya likens Imam Ali (a) to Pharaoh regarding bloodshed and pursuit of power. This contradicts a hadith reported in both Sunni and Shia sources, where the Prophet (s), addressing Imam Ali (a), Fatima (a), al-Hasan (a), and al-Husayn (a), declared: «انا حرب لمن حاربتم و سلم لمن سالمتم؛ I am at war with those who wage war against you, and at peace with those who are at peace with you.»[2] Al-Jassas comments that anyone fighting against them merits being called an enemy of God and His Prophet (s), even if they are not polytheists.[3]
Despite these hadiths and numerous historical accounts, Ibn Taymiyya and the Wahhabis' attitude clearly stems from their animosity not only towards the Prophet's (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) but also towards God and His Prophet (s).
- Ibn Taymiyya's hostility towards Imam Ali (a) and his followers is evident in his statement:
- «Those who belittled Ali (a), cursed him, and labeled him as a disbeliever and tyrant, such as the Khawarij, the Umayyads, and the Marwanids, were all members of the Islamic community who practiced Islamic rituals. However, those who supported Ali (a) and his followers were all apostates and unbelievers.».[4]
This contradicts the fact that Imam Ali (a) belongs to the Prophet's (s) Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them). As Fakhr al-Razi, the prominent Sunni exegete, stated: "Whoever follows Ali ibn Abi Talib (a) in his religion is truly guided, as evidenced by the Prophet's (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) words: «اللهم ادر الحق مع علی حیث دار؛ O God, place the truth with Ali (a) wherever he is.».[5] Sunni sources also confirm that truth is with Ali (a), and Ali (a) is with truth, wherever he may be.[6]
- Ibn Taymiyya dismisses all hadiths about the Prophet's (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) Ahl al-Bayt's (a) virtues by either questioning their transmission chains or rejecting their interpretations. For instance, regarding the hadith in authoritative Sunni collections, including Sahih Muslim, narrated by Aisha about the Verse of Purification's revelation, and in another version by Umm Salama, stating that after the verse was revealed, the Prophet (s) said:
- "O God, these are my family. Remove all impurities from them and purify them."[7]
Unable to criticize this hadith's transmission chain, Ibn Taymiyya explicitly claims that neither this verse nor the Prophet's (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) prayer for his family confers any special superiority or virtue to the Prophet's (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them).[8]
The Views of Abd al-'Aziz Al Sheikh, Contemporary Wahhabi Mufti, on Imam al-Husayn (a)
Abd al-'Aziz Al Sheikh, the contemporary Wahhabi mufti, holds views regarding Imam al-Husayn (a) that are far more extreme than those of Ibn Taymiyya and earlier Wahhabi leaders. As reported by various websites, Al Sheikh openly expressed Wahhabi beliefs, explicitly portraying Yazid as righteous and Imam al-Husayn (a) as mistaken.
According to reports, during a live broadcast on the Saudi satellite channel Al-Majd, Al Sheikh responded to a viewer's question about Yazid and Imam al-Husayn's (a) uprising, stating: "The allegiance to Yazid ibn Muawiya was legitimate, having been secured by his father Muawiya and accepted by the people. When Muawiya died, al-Husayn ibn Ali (a) and Ibn Zubayr refused to pledge allegiance to Yazid; thus, they erred in their decision. Al-Husayn (a) disregarded others' advice and acted against public interest, and God's predestination took its course. He added: Al-Husayn (a) made mistakes!... Indeed, his revolt against Yazid was forbidden!... He should not have acted thus. It would have been more fitting and virtuous for him to remain in Medina, conforming to public consensus, without interfering in the caliphate. Nevertheless, we pray for God's pleasure, forgiveness, and mercy upon al-Husayn (a)!"[9]
However, according to an authentic and Mutawatir hadith, Imam al-Husayn (a), along with his brother Imam al-Hasan (a), is one of the two leaders of Paradise's youth. Therefore, it is inconceivable that he could have committed any error or sin, making it inappropriate for Al Sheikh or others to seek forgiveness on his behalf.
Contemporary Wahhabi Views on the Day of Ashura
Modern Wahhabis consider the Day of Ashura a day of celebration. In Kuwait, Wahhabi-affiliated publications have characterized Ashura as a festive occasion. Furthermore, contrary to the Sunni tradition of revering the Prophet's (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them), Wahhabis in Kuwait deliberately schedule weddings and celebrations on the nights of Tasua and Ashura.[10]
Al Sheikh, renowned for his antagonism towards the Prophet's (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them), particularly Imam al-Husayn (a), demonstrated this hostility by arranging his son Umar b. Abd al-Aziz's wedding on the Day of Ashura. Numerous Saudi muftis attended this celebration.[11]
Wahhabi Hostility Towards Sayyida Zaynab's (a) Shrine
The Wahhabi television channel "Safa," operating from Kuwait, Cairo, and Riyadh with Saudi intelligence funding, addressed the Free Syrian Army as Syria's Umayyad descendants, declaring: "O descendants of Muawiya b. Abi Sufyan and Yazid b. Muawiya! O soldiers of the Free Syrian Army! You must target and destroy Zaynab's (a) shrine and demolish all similar graves."[12]
This hostility has intensified among contemporary Wahhabis to the extent that they have established an army named after Yazid and Ibn Ziyad, and organize demonstrations in Pakistan with slogans declaring "Yazid and Ibn Ziyad are martyrs."[13]
Support for the Enemies of the Ahl al-Bayt (a)
The Wahhabis, consistent with their hostility toward the Prophet's (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them), continuously support and defend the killers of Imam al-Husayn (a).
In Minhaj as-Sunna (volume 4, pages 549-575), Ibn Taymiyya attempts to equate Yazid b. Muawiya with other Muslim caliphs, striving to exonerate him from responsibility for the Karbala tragedy. This event led to the martyrdom of al-Husayn b. Ali (a), the Prophet's (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) beloved grandson, along with his children and companions, and the imprisonment of the Prophet's (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) family. Ibn Taymiyya claims that even if Yazid was sinful and tyrannical, God would forgive him for his good deeds![14] He explicitly defends Umar b. Sa'd, who directly killed al-Husayn (a) and his companions, asserting that although Umar b. Sa'd led the army and killed Imam al-Husayn (a), his sin is far less grave than that of al-Mukhtar b. Abi 'Ubayda, who avenged al-Husayn's (a) murderers.[15]
Wahhabis publish books glorifying the Ahl al-Bayt's (a) enemies, particularly Ali's (a) opponents like Muawiya b. Abi Sufyan and his son Yazid. One such book is titled Fadā'il Muawiya wa Fī Yazid wa Annahu Lā Yasub (The Virtues of Muawiya and Yazid and That They Are Not to Be Cursed). They deliberately ignore hadiths about the Prophet's (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) curse on Muawiya, including his invocation: "May God never fill his belly."[16] Without evidence, they dismiss hadiths concerning the curse on Muawiya, Umar Sa'd, the Banu Umayya, the Banu Marwan, 'Amr b. al-'As, and Yazid b. Muawiya as fabrications.[17]
Yazid b. Muawiya holds particular significance in modern Wahhabi ideology. The Saudi Ministry of Education has published Haqqā'iq 'an Amīr al-Mu'minīn Yazid b. Muawiya (Truths About the Commander of the Faithful Yazid b. Muawiya) as part of the official school curriculum.[18]
An Iraqi media source revealed that Saudi Wahhabis, demonstrating their antipathy toward the Prophet (s) and his family, have named educational institutions and streets after their adversaries. These include the School of Yazid b. Muawiya, the Street of Yazid b. Muawiya, the School of Abu Lahab (whose enmity toward the Prophet prompted a Quranic chapter cursing him), and the Street of Abraha the Ethiopian, who attempted to destroy the Ka'ba during the Year of the Elephant and was divinely punished along with his army.[19]
Destruction of the Ahl al-Bayt's (a) Tombs
The Wahhabis have demonstrated their hostility toward the Prophet's (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) through the destruction of their tombs in al-Baqi' cemetery and military attacks on Karbala and Najaf—the burial sites of Imam al-Husayn (a) and Imam Ali (a). This behavior reflects their aberrant ideology, which promotes antagonism toward the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them) while cultivating affection for their adversaries, particularly Yazid and his family. What motivation other than this enmity could explain the repeated Wahhabi military campaigns against Karbala and Najaf, led by Sa'ud b. 'Abd al-'Aziz between 1216 and 1225 AH?[20]
References
- ↑ Ibn Taymiyya, Aḥmad ibn ‘Abd al-Ḥalīm, Minhāj al-Sunna, Miṣr, Mu’assasa Qurtuba, j 3, ṣ 269.
- ↑ Ḥākim Nayshābūrī, Muḥammad ibn ‘Abdullāh, al-Mustadrak ‘alā al-Ṣaḥīḥayn, Bayrūt, Dār al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyya, ch 1, 1411 q / 1990 m, taḥqīq: Muṣṭafā ‘Abd al-Qādir ‘Aṭā, j 3, ṣ 161; Sunan Ibn Māja, Muḥammad ibn Yazīd Abū ‘Abdullāh al-Qazwīnī, Sunan Ibn Māja, Dār al-Fikr - Bayrūt, taḥqīq: Muḥammad Fu’ād ‘Abd al-Bāqī, ṣ 52.
- ↑ Jassāṣ, Aḥmad ibn ‘Alī al-Rāzī, Aḥkām al-Qur’ān lil-Jaṣṣāṣ, Bayrūt, Dār Iḥyā’ al-Turāth al-‘Arabī, 1405 q, taḥqīq: Muḥammad al-Ṣādiq Qamḥāwī, j 4, ṣ 51.
- ↑ Ibn Taymiyya, Minhāj al-Sunna, j 5, ṣ 9.
- ↑ Fakhr al-Rāzī, Fakhr al-Dīn Muḥammad ibn ‘Umar al-Tamīmī al-Rāzī al-Shāfi‘ī, al-Tafsīr al-Kabīr yā Mafātīḥ al-Ghayb, Bayrūt, Dār al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyya, ch 1, 1421 q / 2000 m, j 1, ṣ 168.
- ↑ Ḥākim Nayshābūrī, al-Mustadrak ‘alā al-Ṣaḥīḥayn, j 3, ṣ 134; Haythamī, Nūr al-Dīn ‘Alī ibn Abī Bakr, Majma‘ al-Zawā’id, al-Qāhira, Dār al-Rayyān lil-Turāth; wa Bayrūt, Dār al-Maktab al-‘Ilmiyya, 1408 q, j 7, ṣ 235.
- ↑ Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal, Musnad Aḥmad, Bayrūt, Dār al-Ṣādir, bī-tā, j 1, ṣ 331.
- ↑ Ibn Taymiyya, Minhāj al-Sunna, Maṭba‘a Kubrā Amīriyya, ch 1, 1322 q, j 3, ṣ 4.
- ↑ http://database-aryana-encyclopaedia.blogspot.com/2013/07/blog-post_14.html
- ↑ Sāyt Mashriq News.
- ↑ Khabarnāma Jāmi‘a-ye Mudarrisīn, shumāra 1138, ṣ 56.
- ↑ Khabarnāma Jāmi‘a-ye Mudarrisīn, shumāra 1138, ṣ 56.
- ↑ Khabarnāma Jāmi‘a-ye Mudarrisīn, shumāra 1195, ṣ 51.
- ↑ Ibn Taymiyya, Aḥmad ibn ‘Abd al-Ḥalīm, Majmū‘ al-Fatāwā, bī-tā, bī-jā, j 3, ṣ 413; j 4, ṣ 475.
- ↑ Minhāj al-Sunna, j 2, ṣ 70.
- ↑ Nasā’ī, Aḥmad ibn Shu‘ayb, Khaṣā’iṣ Amīr al-Mu’minīn (‘a), Maktabat Nīnawā al-Ḥadītha, ṣ 23; Abū Dāwūd, Sulaymān, Musnad Abī Dāwūd, Bayrūt, Dār al-Ḥadīth, ṣ 359.
- ↑ Ibn Qayyim, Muḥammad ibn Abī Bakr, Naqd al-Manqūl, Bayrūt, Dār al-Qārī, ch 1, 1411 q, ṣ 108.
- ↑ Tījānī, Sayyid Muḥammad, al-Shī‘a Hum Ahl al-Sunna, pāwaraqī, ṣ 94; wa As‘ad Waḥīd al-Qāsim, Ḥaqīqat al-Shī‘a al-Ithnā ‘Ashariyya, ṣ 82.
- ↑ Khabarnāma Jāmi‘a-ye Mudarrisīn, shumāra 1198, ṣ 65.
- ↑ Ṣāliḥ ‘Uthaymīn, ‘Abdullāh, Tārīkh al-Mamlaka al-Su‘ūdiyya, Riyāḍ, ‘Ubīkān, ch 15, 1430 q, j 1, ṣ 73.