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3IN THENAMEOFALLAH,

THEALL-BENEFICENT,THEALL-MERCIFUL


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.Indeed Allah desires to repel all impurity fromyou, O People of the Household, and purify youwith a thorough purification. (Srat al-Azb 33:33).


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ANEW ANALYSISOFWAHHBDOCTRINES


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:

.

The Messenger of Allah () said:

Verily, I am leaving among you twoprecious things [thaqalayn]: The Book ofAllah and my progeny [itrah], the membersof my Household [Ahl al-Bayt]. If you holdfast to them, you shall never go astray. Thesetwo will never separate from each other untilthey meet me at the Pond [aw] (of

Kawthar).

Someof its references:Al-kim an-Nayshbr, Al-Mustadrak all-aayn (Beirut), vol. 3, pp. 109-110, 148, 533Muslim, Al-a, (English translation), book 31,adths 5920-3At-Tirmidh,Al-a, vol. 5, pp. 621-2, adths 3786,3788; vol. 2, p. 219An-Nas,Khai Al ibn Ab lib, adth 79Amad ibn anbal, Al-Musnad, vol. 3, pp. 14, 17, 26;vol. 3, pp. 26, 59; vol. 4, p. 371; vol. 5, pp. 181-182,189-190Ibn al-Athr,Jmi al-Ul, vol. 1, p. 277Ibn Kathr,Al-Bidyah wan-Nihyah, vol. 5, p. 209Ibn Kathr, Tafsr al-Qurn al-Am , vol. 6, p. 199

Nir ad-Dn al-Alban, Silsilt al-Adth a-aah(Kuwait: Ad-Dr as-Salafiyyah), vol. 4, pp. 355-358


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ANEW ANALYSIS

OF

WAHHB DOCTRINES

Muammad usaynIbrhm

TranslatorMansoor Limba

Cultural Affairs Department

Ahl al-Bayt(a) World Assembly


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Title:A New Analysis of Wahhb Doctrines Author: Muammad usaynIbrhmTranslator: Mansoor LimbaProject supervisor: Translation Unit, CulturalAffairs Department, Ahl al-Bayt (a) WorldAssembly

Editor: Ahmad HanifBibl iography prepared by the translatorPublisher: ABWA Publishing and PrintingCenterFirstPrinting: 2007Printed by: Layl PressCopies: 3,000

ISBN: [email protected]

ALL RIGHTSRESERVED


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Table of Contents

PREFACE 15

INTRODUCTION 19The distinctive features of this book 19

Is Wahhbism a movement? 20

Explanation of some points 21

ISLAM ASTHE SCHOOL OF UNITY 23

Keeping aloof from spitefulness 24

Why Wahhbism should be identified 26

Leaders and unity 28

THE LIFE ACCOUNT OF SHAYKHIBN ABD AL-

WAHHB AND IBNSAD 31

A cursory glanceat the lifeaccount ofShaykhIbn

Abd al-Wahhb 31

ShaykhIbn Abd al-Wahhb after the death ofhis

father 32

The children and students ofShaykhIbn Abd al-

Wahhb 33

The Death ofShaykhIbn Abd al-Wahhb 34

To whom was ShaykhIbn Abd al-Wahhb indebted36


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Ibn Sad 37

TAWD FROM THE SHÀH AND WAHHB POINTS

OF VIEW 39

The negation of reasoning [taaqqul] in the Wahhb

school and its consequence 39

A few words from Martyr Professor Murta

Muahhar 40

Tawd according to theShàh philosophers and

scholastic theologians [mutakallimn] 41Tawd of Essence [Tawd-e dht] 41Shirk [polytheism] in Essence 42Tawd in Attributes 42Tawd in Actions 42Polytheism in Action [shirk-eafl] 43Tawd in worship 44

Foundations ofTawd according to the Wahhbs 44Tawd in Lordship [rubb] 45Tawd in Divinity [ulh or ulhiyyah] 45Tawd in theNames and Attributes 45

Shirk [polytheism] and its limits according to the

Wahhbs 46

The socio-political consequences ofTawd and

shirk [polytheism] according to the Wahhbs 47

The Wahhb-Shàh difference of perspective on

Tawd 49


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FOURTH DISCOURSE

TAWASSUL [RESORTINGTO INTERMEDIATION],

DEATH AND SHAFAH [INTERCESSION] ACCORDING

TO THE SH`AH AND THE WAHHBS 51

Tawassul according to the Wahhbs 51Analysis of theabove verses 53

Turning for help of the weak to the strong 53

Tawassul in the Qurn 54

Deathaccording to the Wahhbs 56

The permission to resort to the sacred personages 58

Istimdd and tawassul to the living ones 59

The preeminence of tawassul to the Divine Essence

60

Tawassul as identical with servitude [ubdiyyah] 61

Shafahaccording to Muammad ibn Abd al-Wahhb

and Ibn Taymiyyah 63An analysis of thequoted noble verse 64

The precedence of the negation of tawassul and

shafah 66

The ideas ofIbn Taymiyyahand the reaction of the

Ahl as-Sunnah 67

The ulam's opposition to Ibn Taymiyyah 68

ZIYRAH [VISITATION] AND THE LAWS PERTAINING

TO THE GRAVES AND MOSQUES ACCORDINGTO THE

SH`AH AND WAHHBS 71


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Ziyrahaccording to Sunns and Sh`ah 71

The views ofIbn al-Qudmah 71

The view of Allmah Majlis 73

Visiting the graveas an excellent sunnah 74

The laws pertaining to the graves and mosques 77

Why did the Wahhbs not destroy the graves of the

Prophet () and theTwo Sheikhs? 79

Honoring the mosques and praying beside graves 79

Argument based on verse 21 ofSrahal-Kahf 81

Another argument 82

Construction of mosques near the graves 84

Elevation of the graves 85

The Wahhb viewpoint concerning the

ornamentation of mosques and holy shrines 86

Traveling to for visit mosques 87

THE MIRACLES [KARMAH] OF THE SAINTS OF GOD

[AWLIY ALLH] 89

The miracles of the saints ofGod as theeffect of

satisfaction of the soul and God-wariness [taqw] 91

Charities [khayrt], alms [adaqt] and vows

[nudhrt] 92Seeking blessings from the sacred stones 93

Seeking Tabarruk from the Prophet and his relics 95


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ALLEGORICALINTERPRETATION [TAWL] INTHE

QURN 97

Tawl according to the Wahhbs 99

The Juhaym nature of theShàh 99

The Wahhbs have not trodden the path ofenlightenment 101

CELEBRATION AND MOURNING ACCORDINGTO THE

SHÀH AND THE WAHHBS 103

Celebrations and festivals 103

The two festivals acceptable to the Wahhbs 104

Respectable places and dates 105

Festivity in the Qurn 107Festivity in Islamic narrations 110

The statements ofal-Mward 111

The reason behind the Wahhbs sensitivity to

festivityand lamentation [az] 112

Mourning according to Islam and Wahhbism 113

A critique of thequoted tradition 114

The other argument of the Wahhbs 115

The precedence of mourning 116Types ofelegy writing 117

Mourning in theShàhand Sunn schools

[madhh ib] 119


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DISTORTION [TARF] INTHE QURN, TRADITIONS

AND HISTORY 123

Belief in tarfaccording to Sunn and Sh`ah ulam

125

The viewpoint ofa number ofjurists [fuqah] 127

Theexcuses and distortions of Wahhbism 128

Tarf in the statements and works of the Prophet

130

ABSOLUTE OBEDIENCE TO THE RULER 141

The practice of the Companions [abah] 144

Obedience to the ruler and one vested withauthority[wal al-amr] among theSh`ah 147

The first wal al-amr after the Prophet and the

criterion of preeminence of the Companions 149precedence in faith 151struggle 151knowledgeand learning 151God-wariness [taqw] 151

The ministry ofImm Al (a) 156

BIBLIOGRAPHY159


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Transliteration Symbols

Symbol Transliteration Symbol Transliteration

a B t th j kh D dh R z S sh

` gh f q k l m n h w y ah

Long Vowels Short Vowels a u i


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Preface

3In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-Merciful

The precious legacy left behind by the Holy ProphetsHousehold [ahl al-bayt] (may peace be upon them all) andtheir followers preservation of this legacy from the menaceof extinction is a perfect example of the all-encompassingschool [maktab] that embraces all the different branches ofIslamic knowledge. This school has been able to train manytalented personalities by quenching them with this gushingfountain. This school has presented scholars to the Muslimummah who, by following the Holy Prophets Household(a), have occupied the station of clarifying doubts andskepticisms put forth by various creeds and intellectualcurrents both inside and outside Muslim society.Throughout the past centuries, they have presented thefirmest answers and solutions to these doubts.

Anchored in the responsibilities it is shouldering, theAhl al-Bayt (a) World Assembly has embarked upondefending the sanctity ofrislah [message] and its authenticbeliefstruths which have always been opposed by the


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1 6 A n e w a n a l y s i s o f w a h h b d o c t r i n e s

chiefs and leaders of anti-Islamic sects, religions andtrends. In this sacred path, the Assembly regards itself as afollower of the upright pupils of the school of the Ahl al-Bayt (a)those who have always been ready to refutethose accusations and calumnies and have tried to be alwaysin the frontline of this struggle on the basis of the

expediencies of time and space.The experiences in this field, which contained the books

of scholars belonging to the school of the Ahl al-Bayt (a),are unique in their own right. It is because theseexperiences have been based upon knowledge [ilm] and thepreeminence of the intellect and reasoning, and at the sametime, they are completely devoid of blind prejudice, whimand caprice. These experiences address experts, scholarsand thinkers in a manner that appeals to healthy minds andthe pure human natural disposition [firah].

In a bid to assist those who are in quest of truth, the Ahl

al-Bayt (a) World Assembly has endeavored to enter a newphase of these worthy experiences within the framework ofresearch and translating the works of contemporary Shiahwriters or those who, through divine guidance, haveembraced this noble school.

The Assembly is also engaged in the study andpublication of the valuable works of pious predecessors andoutstanding Sh`ah personalities so that those who searchfor the truth may quench their thirst from this refreshingfountain by listening and embracing this truth, which thethe Holy Prophets Household (a) has offered as a gift tothe entire world.

It is hoped that our dear readers would not deprive theAhl al-Bayt (a) World Assembly of their valuableopinions, suggestions and constructive criticisms in this


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Preface 1 7

arena.

We also invite scholars, translators and other institutionsto assist us in propagating the pure Muammadan () Islam.

We ask God, the Exalted, to accept this humble effortand enhance it further under the auspices of His vicegerenton earth, give us success to al-Mahd (may Allah, the

Exalted, expedite his glorious advent).It is appropriate here to express our utmost gratitude to

ujjat al-Islm wal-Muslimn Shaykh Muammad usaynIbrhm for writing the book, and to Mr. Mansoor Limbafor translating it, as well as all our honorable colleagues inaccomplishing this task especially our close associates inthe Translation Office for undertaking this responsibility.

Cultural Affairs Department

The Ahl al-Bayt (a) World

Assembly

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Introduction

3 In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful

Twelve years ago, the book, Tall N bar AqidWahhbiyyn [A New Analysis of Wahhb Doctrines], waswritten and it has been so far printed three times by thePublication Center of the Islamic Propagation Office of theIslamic Seminary in Qum.

With the help of God, a review of its content wasundertaken for its fourth printing and new chapters andissues were added.

The distinctive features of this book

This book examines Wahhb beliefs in the light of thebeliefs of the Ahl as-Sunnah and the Sh`ah.1 It endeavorsto discuss their main ideological issues. The quotations in

this book are cited from books published in the holy citiesof Mecca and Medina such as the following:

1 In this volume, I have used the word Shah to refer to both the group(single collective unit) and the individuals constituting the group (plural).[Trans.]


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20 A n e w a n a l y s i s o f w a h h b d o c t r i n e s

1. Fat al-Majd written by Shaykh Muammad ibnAbd al-Wahhb, one of the prominent figures of thismovement, with a commentary by Shaykh Abd ar-Ramn ibn al-asan l ash-Shaykh and footnotes byAbd Allh ibn Bz.

2. Al-Asilah wal-Ajwibah al-Uliyyah written by

Abd al-Azz Muammad Suln.3. At-Tawd bil -Lughah al-Frisiyyah (No. 27)published by the Saudi Ministry of Islamic Guidanceand Endowments in 1374 AHS (circa 1995) anddistributed freely to Iranian pilgrims.

In addition to these references, other sources written bySunn and Sh`ah Imm ulam in general, and Wahhbsin particular, are cited in the footnotes.

This book contains an examination of the views andoutlook of the Wahhbs regarding the Sh`ah and the

infallible Imms (a).

1

Be that as it may, it does not meanthat intellectually, ideologically, and even politically andsocially, the Wahhbs have no clash with the Ahl as-Sunnah. In this book, we will also deal with this point.

Is Wahhbism a movement?

Many socio-religious reforms and movements havealready emerged among Muslims. Some of them are purelypolit ical such as those involved in changing the types ofgovernments regardless of whether or not a preference for aparticular type of government exists. Some others are

purely religious and their concern is only reform in

1The abbreviation, a stands for the Arabic invocative phrase, alayhis-salm, alayhimus-salm, or alayhs-salm [may peace be uponhim/them/her], which is used after the names of the prophets, angels,Imms from the Prophets progeny, and saints (a). [Trans.]


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Introduction 2 1

religious and ideological content. Yet, others have beenreligious and socio-political such as the Islamic Revolutionin Iran. These types of movements cannot be regarded asmere reformist movements as they have affected all aspectsof lifereligious, personal, social, etc. Indeed, the veryword revolution is the best label for these kinds of

movements.In reply to the question being posed, it must be said that

the truth of the matter is that Wahhbism is merely apolit ical movement that emerged within a religious-ideological framework, and it has brought about a particularsocial outcome. Of course, the final view must be expressedby social and polit ical scientists.

Explanation of some points

Wahhbism has been labeled with many various namesamong which is the appellation, Salafiyyah. This name is

used because they believe that for the reformation of theirreligion and beliefs, the present Muslims must go back tothe early period of Islam (salaf means the past orpreceding one). Ibn Taymiyyah has introduced the issue ofsalaf and his statements are a source of Wahhbdoctrines.

By Wahhbism it means that Shaykh Muammad ibnAbd al-Wahhb must be followed in socio-political andreligious issues because he has taught his followers the wayto reform religion and society. The members of these twosects, Wahhbism and Salafism, are followers of themadhhab [school of thought] of Amad ibn anbal. Thisgroup can also be called the hiriyyah because ininterpreting the passages of the Qurn and traditions, theycontent themselves with the outward [hir] content of thetexts. For example, when the Qurn says:


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And Your Lord and the angels arrive in ranks,

1

They interpret it as saying that God will also arrive on theDay of Resurrection in such a way that the people can seeHim!

This writing contains subjects that explain the aboveheadings and expresses the Sh`ah Imm beliefs regardingthose subjects. At any rate, I will try to make it simple,easy-to-read and devoid of complex reasoning. It is hopedthat this work will be acceptable to God, the Exalted, andapproved by arat ib al-Amr [His Holiness Master of theAffair] (Imm al-Mahd) (a).

Muammad usaynIbrhmIslamicSeminary ofQum1379 AHS (Circa 2000)

#

1Srat al-Fajr89:22. In this volume, the translation of Quranic passagesis adapted from Sayyid Al Qul Qar, The Quran with a Phrase-by-Phrase English Translation (London: Islamic College for AdvancedStudies Press, 2004). [Trans.]


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Islam as the School of Unity

The Holy Qurn invites all human beings to unityMuslims, Christians, Jews, etc.and this invitation is notexclusive for the time of the Prophet () or a certain groupof the People of the Book [ahl al-kitb]:1

.Say, O People of the Book! Come to a word common

between us and you: that we will worship no one but

Allah, and that we will not ascribe any partner to

Him, and that we will not take each other as lords

besides Allah.2

The Glorious Qurn speaks about the synagogue,temple, church and mosque in the same line because theName of God is ment ioned in all of them. As such, theymust be held in high esteem and respect.

Although the blessed verse quoted invites all to unity,the greater emphasis is on the solidarity of Muslims. This is

1 People of the Book [ahl al-Kitb]: the respectful title given to the Jewsand Christians in the Quran. [Trans.]2Srat l Imrn 3:64.


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because, in addition to their unity and commonality intawd[unity of God], prophethood [nubuwwah] qiblah [thedirection where one faces for prayer and other acts ofworship], etc., Muslims also have a commonality with somebranches of religion. Thus, among the followers of thevarious religions, Muslims are more deserving of having

unity, and thus the possibility of scientific, cultural,polit ical and other interact ions among them is stronger.

Keeping aloof from spitefulness

The life conduct [srah] of the Holy Prophet ()1 servesas a proof, guideline and model for all of us. Throughcompassion, magnanimity and endeavor, he () was able tounify the people of ijz,2 most of whom had been idol-worshippers, under the banner of Is lam.

After their acceptance of Is lam, some of them, known asthe munfiqn [hypocrites], engaged in open confrontation

with the Prophet () who had to deal with them. They werethose who ostensibly embraced Islam but in intention andpractice they were not assisting him (). In spite of this, theProphet () peacefully associated with them and hisobjectives were the accomplishment of the mission as wellas imparting the understanding and implementation of theHoly Qurn. The very same conduct was adopted by theinfallible Imms (a) and they never kindled the flame ofdiscord among Muslims.

1 The abbreviation, , stands for the Arabic invocative phrase,allallhu alayhi wa l ihi wa sallam [may Gods salutation and peace beupon him and his progeny], which is used after the name of the HolyProphet Muammad (). [Trans.]2 ijz: the region in Western Arabia bordering the Red Sea that includesif, Mecca and Medina. Here, it alludes to the entire Arabian Peninsula.[Trans.]


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I s l a m a s t h e S c h o o l o f u n i t y 25

We can see that although Al (a) had reproached theearlier caliphs as recorded in Nahj al-Balghah,1 in otherinstances he would laud them. All this was primarily tofoster the freedom of thought and the spread of Islamicbeliefs. The conclusion is that in the present age, indulgingin magnifying Sunn-Shàh differences, apart from not

being useful, will result in an irreparable loss.Proximity between Sunns and Shàh advances the

interests of both. The Shàh in particular have not confinedtheir thought, culture, jurisprudence [fiqh], exegesis of theQurn [tafsr], and beliefs to themselves and theirseminaries. A survey of Muslim-populated countriessubstantiates this statement as the books of great Shàhfigures such as Shaykh al-Mufd, Shaykh a-s,Allmah ill, Allmah Tabab, and ProfessorMuahhar can be easily found in these countries.

The proximity of Sunns and Shàh opens the ways for

the spread of Shàh thought and culture in the Muslimworld, and as a result, makes the further proximity of thesetwo sects even more possible.

More than anyone else, the Wahhbs are apprehensiveand endangered by this proximity. It is for this reason thatduring the ajj season, they prohibit the entry into the

1Nahj al-Balghah (The Peak of Eloquence) is a collection of speeches,sayings and letters of the Commander of the Faithful, Imm Al ibn Ablib (a) compiled by Sharf ar-Ra Muammad ibn al-usayn (d. 406AH/1016). The contents of the book concern the three essential topics of

God, man and the universe, and include comments on scientific, literary,social, ethical, and political issues. With the exception of the words of theGlorious Quran and of the Holy Prophet (), no words of man can equateit in eloquence. So far, more than 101 exegeses have been written on Nahjal-Balghah, indicating the importance of this treatise to scholars andlearned men of research and investigation. For more information, visit:http://www.al-islam.org/nahjul. [Trans.]


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country all religious books including the Qurn (in Persiantranslation), tafsr, history and adth books, and evenIranian magazines and newspapers. This is because they areafraid that these printed materials would present factsagainst their particular policy and doctrines. This is in spiteof the fact that those matters are never repugnant to the

truth of Islam.In terms of outlook, they oppose not only the Sh`ah but

also the four Sunn schools of thought. They write booksagainst the proximity of Sunns and Sh`ah, campaigningagainst it, regarding it as an impossible venture, andclaiming thus: We shall never have an understanding withthose who are engaged in speculative interpretation of theverses of the Qurn and who disrespect the two sheikhs[shaykhayn].

Why Wahhbism should be identified

The anti-unity campaign of Wahhbs reaches its peakduring the Unity Week.1 One of the best means of replyingto such a plot is that the ulam of the ajj caravans andpilgr ims should be the promoters of unity more than anyoneelse. They should be familiar with the methods of dealingwith them and understand their views and opinions so thatduring confrontations and argumentations, they could replyto them consciously and intellectually.

It is necessary for some Muslims who are following theSunn school to be properly informed about the opinions ofthe Sunn imms so as to realize that the Wahhbs also

have views difference to them and even regard many of thebeliefs of the Ahl as-Sunnah as polytheistic and, worse still,prone to infidelity [kufr]. In reality, Wahhbism is a

1 12-17 Rab al-Awwal. [Trans.]


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have to know that the Shàh school is closer to the Ahl as-Sunnah than Wahhbism is.

Leaders andunity

During the past decades, there were figures whoregarded the unity of Muslims as their ideal and aspiration,

but they did not realize this precious aspiration, or if theyever took steps for its realization, they were veryinsignificant and rudimentary. In the recent period, the lateyatullh Burjerd (r)1 gave an affirmative reply to thisaspiration by approving the Jmiah at-Taqrb bayn al-Madhhib al-Islmiyyah [University or Forum for theproximity of the Islamic schools of thought]. There havebeen other ulamand fuqah who upheld the approach ofthe late Burjerd. In this context, the viewpoint andoutlook of the late adrat2 Imm Khomein (r) and hisefforts are well known to all. At the present time also, in a

bid to extend the scope of this unity further, yatullhKhmene (may his sublime presence endure) has issued adecree for reviving the foundation of unity and the forumfor proximity, which is itself worthy of gratitude and asource of hope.

It is appropriate for us to note at this juncture that theShàh ulam and fuqah of the past, such as Shaykh al-Mufd (d. 413 AH), Sayyid Murtad Alam al-Hud (d. 436AH), and Shaykh a-s (d. 460 AH), among others, havealso emphasized unity between Sunns and Shàh, andhave written valuable books on this subject such as al-

1The abbreviation, r stands for the Arabic invocative phrase, ramatullhalayhi, ramatullh alayh, or ramatullh alayhim [may peace be uponhim/her/them], which is used after the names of pious people. [Trans.]2 arat: The Arabic word arat is used as a respectful form of address.

[Trans.]


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I s l a m a s t h e S c h o o l o f u n i t y 29

Khilf which enumerates the common points of beliefbetween the two groups. Allmah ill has also written abook on the basis of the jurisprudence [fiqh ] of the Sh`ahand the four Sunn schools.

All these are proofs for the proximity of jurisprudentialviews of the two schools and of the interest of leading

figures in jurisprudence in establishing mutualunderstanding. Of course, at the present time there aretreatises on jurisprudence written by Sunns in which theviews of the Sunns and the Sh`ah on the branches ofreligion and jurisprudence have been compared. Forexample, the books Mawsah Jaml Abd al-Nir and Al-Fiqh all-Madhhib al-Khamsah can be cited.

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The Life Account of Shaykh Ibn Abd al-Wahhb and Ibn Sad

A cursory glance at the life account of Shaykh Ibn Abd

al-Wahhb

In this section, we deemed it fitting to take a survey ofthe life of Muammad ibn Abd al-Wahhb, known as theShaykh, and Muammad Sad.

The sons and grandsons of the Shaykh are still living inthe Arabia, some of whom are known by the family name,l ash-Shaykh. The children of Muammad l as-Sadsome of whom are holding the reins of government inArabia are known as l Sad. The country had beenknown before as ijz, but it was changed into theKingdom of Saudi Arabia [al-Mamlakah al-ArabiyyahSadiyyah] during the reign of King Abd al-Azz.

Shaykh Muammad ibn Abd al-Wahhb came from theregion of Najd who was born in 1114 AH in one of thecities of Najd named as Ayniyyah. His father, Shaykh

Abd al-Wahhb, was a scholar [lim] and the judge [q]of that region. As such, the creed of Shaykh Muammad hadbeen ascr ibed to his father. After learning the basics ofreligion from his father, Shaykh Muammad went to Medinaand learned from the ulam of that region.


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Due to his personal interpretations of some issuesregarding belief and his opposition to the ulam ofMedina, he was expelled from the city. He then went to Iraqwhere he stayed in Barah. In that city he got acquaintedwith a person named Shaykh Muammad Majm andadopted his ideas. Finally, the two believed in a certain

creed.The other ulam of Barah and the believers of the

region that were mainly of Iranian origin, had opposed himand ousted him from Barah.

When Shaykh Muammad was driven out of Barah, heproceeded to Damascus, which had a pleasant climate, butbecause of his unusual belief and difficulties in life he wasunable to remain there. Since he could not return to Medinaor Mecca, he went back to the Najd of his father, ShaykhAbd al-Wahhb, who was then still the lim of the region.

The Shaykh had a brother named Shaykh Sulaymn ibnAbd al-Wahhb who was at loggerheads with him in termsof belief. His brother was the first person to write a bookrefuting his doctrines. His father also opposed him andsided with Shaykh Sulaymn. In addition to the oppositionof his father and brother, he also faced the opposition ofulam, and this dispute continued until the death of hisfather.

Shaykh Ibn Abd al-Wahhb after the death of his father

After the death of his father, Shaykh Muammadenjoyed great freedom in propagating his doctrines andviews. As such, he went to other places and becomeacquainted with Uthmn ibn Amad ibn Muammad, whowas then the emir of Ayniyyah, and married his daughterJawharah. Although it is said that the people there acceptedsome of his beliefs, because he went to extremes in


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L ife accounts 33

opposing their customs, they expelled him from the region.For instance, he had ordered the destruction of a domebelonging to Zayd ibn al-Khab, brother of Umar. Hehad also issued a decree for an old tree, which wasvenerated by the people of the region, to be uprooted.

In sum, on account of his peculiar doctrines, among

which was his disregard for the leaders of the Ahl as-Sunnah, the Shaykh lost his esteem in the peoples s ight andearned their wrath. From there he went to the region ofDariyyah.

Nowadays, pilgrimsIranian and non-Iraniancan stil lsee the relics related to the rule of Uthmn in Arabia suchas the holy shrine of the Holy Prophet () and the gravessurrounding it, the lanterns of Masjid an-Nab, and theinscriptions on that sacred mosque.

The children and students of Shaykh Ibn Abd al-Wahhb

Shaykh Muammad had a number of sons and daughtersand married one of his daughters to Muammad ibn Sad,the tribal chief. His sons, usayn, Abd Allh and Ibrhm,became judges after their father. Even now, his sons, oneafter another, hold religious positions in Saudi Arabia.

During his lifetime, apart from training students, theShaykh wrote some books which nowadays have caught theattention ofulam and students of the region. These booksare as follows:

1. Kitb at-Tawd; a collection of his doctrines;

2. Kitb Kashf ash-Shubaht, which is written in defenseof his doctrines vis--vis Sunn ulam;

3. The merits and issues of some stories in the Qurn;

4. Kitb al-Kabir, which has been written about themajor sins;


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L ife accounts 35

This creed is called Wahhbism derived from the nameof the Shaykhs father. Although the Shaykh seemed to be afollower of the anbal school of thought, the truth of thematter is that he was not so, and he was distinctivelydifferent from the other ulam. In fact, he regardedhimself as free to think, choose and formulate his own

beliefs pertaining to religion. Since he considered himselfan initiator of a new set of beliefs, he expressed his beliefsin the following points:

1. He treated all Muslims as infidels or polytheists whilethinking of himself as the true Muslim;

2. He declared visiting the graves and constructingdomes and courtyards around the cemetery of theCompanions of the Prophet () and his descendants asunlawful [arm];

3. He regarded making vows, requests and offeringsacrificial animals beside the shrine of saints [awliy] as

unlawful;4. He used to reckon as arm entreating [istighthah]

and resorting to the intermediation [tawassul] of the saintsof God;

5. He considered it obligatory to wage jihd againstthose who opposed his creed, saying: Wage war againstthe infidels and polytheists until there is no more sedition[fitnah] and the religion is solely for God:

.

Fight them until faithlessness is no more.1

What is meant by the Shaykh in this verse is jihdagainst Muslims and for him the pure religion is referred tohis creed.

1Srat al-Baqarah 2:193.


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This is the summary of the life account and beliefs ofShaykh Muammad ibn Abd al-Wahhb as taken from KitbAt-Tawd bil -Lughati al-Frisiyyah.1 Of course, otherpoints shall also be mentioned in other discussions.

To whom was Shaykh Ibn Abd al-Wahhb indebted

During the period of his stay in Mecca and Medina,Shaykh Muammad came across books that had a role in theformation of his thought. Among them are the books ofAmad ibn anbal, his Musnad in particular; the books ofIbn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah; and the writings of IbnTaymiyyah. Contrary to other ulam of the Ahl as-Sunnah, they expressed new beliefs and opinions which canbe extracted from their books on jurisprudence and history.Of course, the Shaykh was largely influenced by the viewsof Ibn Taymiyyah.

Ibn Taymiyyah lived during the 8th century AH. In terms

of belief, he was follower of Amad ibn anbal who lived inthe 3rd century AH. Ibn Taymiyyah believed in a sort ofanthropomorphism concerning God maintaining that Godhas a hand, foot, eye, tongue and mouth, and occupies aspace! In order to prove his case, he resorted to the literaltext of Qurnic verses, maintaining that God is sitting on athrone in heaven.

Ibn Taymiyyah is the epithet and title of Abl-AbbsTaq ad-Dn Amad ibn Abd al-alm. He was born in theterritory of arrn in present-day Turkey. He then migratedwith his father to Damascus, Syria, and there he acquired

learning in religion and jurisprudence. In many ideologicaland intellectual issues, he held extreme and radical views.In addition to his anthropomorphic beliefs concerning God,he prohibited visitation of the graves and seeking the

1Kitb at-Tawd bi l-Lughah al-Frisiyyah, no. 27, pp. 16-34.


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L ife accounts 37

intermediation [tawassul] of the Prophet () while deemingit permissible to abuse Imm Al ibn Ab lib (a). Onissues in jurisprudence, he opposed the predecessors of thefour Sunn schools. From the above points, it can beunderstood that the Shaykh was not the first person to haveexpressed such beliefs, for individuals such as IbnTaymiyyah had advanced similar ideas prior to him. Like

Shaykh Muammad, Ibn Taymiyyah earned the wrath andstern criticism of the ulamof his time and for a time hewas exiled to Egypt. But through the help of thegovernment of the time, he returned to Damascus. Duringthe last period of his life, he was imprisoned for hisopposition to the ulam of Damascus and finally expiredin the castle of Damascus and was buried there.1

Ibn Sad

In the territory of Dariyyah in the region of ijz, whichis a mountainous territory with a pleasant climate, a personnamed Muammad ibn Sad assumed the chieftainship ofhis tribe. The Shaykh became acquainted with Ibn Sadand relayed to him his new doctrines, and Ibn Sad in turnaccepted them. They agreed together to set up a governmentencompassing the entire region where religious and judicialaffairs, issues concerning propagation, and the leadership ofthe Friday prayers would be assumed by the Shaykh whilethe political, social, military, and security affairs would beunder Ibn Sad.

The government in ijz at that time was tribal andethnic, and like many Muslim countries, was under Ottomanrule whose capital was present-day Turkey. With l Sads

ascension to power, ijz seceded from Ottoman rule and inthe course of time, it fell under the control of Britain. Oncourse, the British role in this change of the governmentshould not be overlooked.

1 Al Dawn, Firqeh-ye Wahhb, chap. 1.


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Tawd from the Sh`ah and WahhbPoints of View

The negation of reasoning [taaqqul] in the Wahhb

school and its consequence

A kind of intellectual negation can be observed in theschool of Wahhbism. Although Shaykh Muammad ibnAbd al-Wahhb regarded himself an enlightened person,criticizing the four Suun schools of thought, some Sh`ahbeliefs, and reproaching them for speculatively interpreting

the verses of the Qurn, he used to resort to secondaryissues concerning the teachings about God, the Exalted. Hebelieved in a sort of anthropomorphism for God and in thisregard he used to content himself with the outward purportof the verses.

His supporters also reject reflection and reasoning aboutthe verses of the Qurn and the Prophetic traditions,negating the rational sciences, philosophy and mysticism[irfn]. They are afflicted with a close-mindedness andintellectual frigidity to the extent that they are incapable ofapplying the precepts of the school [madrasah], the

Qurnic verses and the traditions to the demands of time. Itwas for this reason that they initially declared thetelephone, mass communication devices and others asreligiously unlawful, and strongly resisted them, but laterthey finally relented.


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Since they are incapable of applying the concepts suchas intercession [shafah], tawassul and infallibility[imah] of the Prophet () in the light of contemporarythinking their viewpoint concerning the prophets, the HolyProphet () in particular, and the saints is narrow. Theytreat the spiritual station of the prophets and the saints as

identical with the rest of people, thinking them as beingannihilated and nonexistent after death, while the Sh`ahand other Islamic schools of thought consider them to bepresent and watching over us. In a result, the Wahhbsconsider tawassul to the prophets and awliy, entreatingthem and asking for theirshafah an innovation in religion[bidah] and polytheism.

A few words from Martyr Professor Murta

Muahhar

Martyr Professor Murtad Muahhar says:T

he Wahhbs believe that God has two realms. One is relatedto His Essence and no one has the right to enter into this realm.Worship [ibdah] and tawassul pertain to God and areexclusive to this axis. The other realm is related to the naturalaffairs of the world in which the will and discretion of manhave a role and it has nothing to do with God.

1

He also says:According to us, however, conceiving of two realms for thecreation; thinking of God as belonging to one realm and thecreatures, man in particular, to be in the other realm; andconsidering these two as distinctly separated is unacceptable

and itself as a kind of polytheism. We should not separateGod from His acts and His creatures; for, we believe that:

1 Murta Muahhar, Jahn Bn-ye Tawd [Monotheistic Worldview],vol. 2, p. 116.


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T a w d 4 1

.

That power, altogether, belongs to Allah,1

And:

.

There is no might and power except from Allah, the Exalted

and Great.

2

Then, he says:

Contrary to common notions, Wahhbism is not only an anti-Imamate theory but rather, before being anti-Imamate, it isanti-tawd and anti-human. It is anti-tawd because itadvocates the division of work between the Creator [khliq]and the creature [makhlq]. In addition, it upholds a sort ofhidden polytheism in Essence [shirk-e dht]. It is anti-human because it fails to comprehend the talent of man thatmakes him superior to the angels, and according to the text ofthe Qurn, elevates him to the status of vicegerency of Allah

[khilfat Allh] who ordered the angels to prostrate beforehim. It reduces him into a mere natural animal.3

Tawd according to the Sh`ah philosophers and

scholastic theologians [mutakallimn]

In the light of the blessed Srah at-Tawd (or al-Ikhl), the following headings about the cognition of theEssence and Attributes of God can be deduced:

Tawd ofEssence [Tawd-e dht]:God has a Perfect Essence and the Attributes of

Perfection and Beauty. Thus, this Essence must be regarded

as One and Unique. That is, whatever we say concerningHis Oneness and Unity, we have to believe also with

1Srat al-Baqarah 2:165.2Jahn Bn-ye Tawd, ibid.3Ibid.


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respect to His Essence. Those who acknowledge suchEssence also believe in the Tawdof Essence.

Shirk [polythei sm] in Essence:

This means that we believe in two or more essences forGod, the Exalted. This type of polytheism is calledpolytheism in Essence. God is One in Essence and has no

partner. So, those who maintain that God has a son or equal,or that He has been begotten profess polytheism in Essence.The Holy Qurn strongly condemns this type of belief.

Tawd in Attributes:

The Essence of God has Attributes which we canunderstand through Their effects, such as theKnowledgeable [al-Alm], the Living [al-ayy], the Wise[al-akm], and the Ever-Living [al-Qayym]. We relatethese Attributes to the Essence, saying that God, theBlessed and Exalted, is One in Essence and Attributes.Since all these Attributes relate back to the Essence, there is

no multiplicity in the Attributes and all Attributes are one.Every Attribute is identical with the other Attribute. Forexample, His Knowledge [Ilm] is His Power [Qudrah].Therefore, the plurality of Attributes according to ourunderstanding is related to the effects of the Single Essence.As such, His Attributes and Essence are One and not thatHe has One Essence and many Attributes.

Tawd in Actions:

Tawdin Actions is also like Tawd in Essence in thesense that the origin of every action in the world of being isthe Divine Sacred Essence, and will finally relate to Him.We should know that every Action that we ascribe to Him

will be the same as His other Action, and there is nodifference and distinction among the Actions of God, andthe apparent duplicity in the Actions of God is caused byour perception:


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T a w d 43

.

Do not say about anything, I will indeed do it

tomorrow, without [adding], if Allah wishes. And

when you forget, remember your Lord.1

So, all our wishes are within the domain of His will andall the actions of God are one:

.

There is no might and power except from Allah, the Exaltedand Great.

Those who have such belief, attributing all actions toGod have the belief in Tawdin Action.

Polytheism in Action [shirk-e afl]:

Polytheism in Action [shirk-e afl] means to believethat a creature has a divine will independent of the will ofGod in the sense that whatever the said creature does isoutside the domain of Gods will. This is contrary to what

God has attributed to Himself as stated in the Holy Qurn,thus:

.

And you did not throw when you threw, rather it was

Allah who threw.2

While we all know that the Prophet () threw earth andstones toward the enemy during the Battle of Badr.

1Srat al-Kahf18:23-24.2Srat al-Anfl8:17.


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Tawd in worship:

Having attributed the Tawdof Essence, Attributes andactions to God, Tawd in worship is confirmed for Him inthe sense that only His Essence is worthy of worship, and ifwe consider anyone as His partner in worship, as the idol-worshippers and others do, it means that we are afflicted

with polytheism in worship. The following verses of theQurn express this Tawdin worship:

.

You [alone] do we worship, and to You [alone] do we

turn for help.1

And along this line, another verse states:

.

Say, Indeed my prayer and my worship, my life and

my death are all for the sake of Allah, the Lord of all

the worlds.2

Tawd in worship is understood from the phrase,indeed my prayer and my worship while Tawd inLordship [rubbiyyah] is discerned from the phrase, mylife and my death.

The foundations of Tawd according to the Wahhbs

The Wahhbs regard Tawdas having three parts: (1)Tawd in Lordship [rubb], (2) Tawd in Divinity[ulh], and (3) Tawdin the Names and Attributes [asmwa ift].

1Srat al-Ftiah 1:5.2Srat al-Anm 6:162.


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T a w d 4 5

Tawd in Lordship [rubb]:

It means that only the Essence of God has all theabsolute and perfect Attributes. In other words, Tawd inLordship is the Tawd in recognizing and proving Godwhose proofs are the verses ofSrah al-Kfirn,1 the verse,

Say, O People of the Book! Come to a word common

2

and other verses.

Tawd in Divinity [ulh orulhiyyah]:

It is the belief in the fact that only God is worthy ofworship and praise, and there is not other that godworshipped being beside Him.

Tawd in the Names and Attributes:

The Attributes and Names of God are pre-eternal[qadm].3The Wahhbs consider this aspect of Tawd inthe place of the Tawd in Attributes, worship and actions.

This belief is traceable from the belief of the Asharites[ashirah], a group of scholastic theologians[mutakallimn] during the 2nd century AH. The Asharitesalso believed in the pre-eternality [qidmah] of the DivineNames and Attr ibutes. Anchored on this belief, the

1Srat al-Kfirn 109:1-6: O faithless ones! I do not worship what youworship, not do you worship what I worship; nor will I worship what youhave worshipped nor will you worship what I worship. To you yourreligion, and to me my religion.2 Srat l Imrn 3:64: Say, O People of the Book! Come to a wordcommon between us and you: that we will worship no one but Allah, andthat we will not ascribe any partner to Him, and that we will not take eachother as lords besides Allah.3 Here, the word pre-eternal [qadm] is not in contrast to the notion ofnew [jadd]. It is rather the opposite of created [dith]; that is, tohave existed from the very beginning and not to have come into beingsometime in the past.


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Wahhbs reckon the Qurn as pre-eternal and the attributeof an act of God. They also consider the dotted Arabicletters [urf al-mujam] as pre-eternal.

They regard as Attributes of the Essence those attributessuch the Eye [ayn]; Soul [nafs]; Knowledge [ilm]; Life[ayh]; Hearer [sam]; Seer [bar]; Face [wajh]; Speech

or Word [kalm]; Pre-existence [qidam]; Hand [yad]; Foot[rijl] (The Wahhbs believe that GodGod forbidhashands and feet!), Dominion [mulk]; Grandeur [aamah];Greatness [kibriy]; Eminence [uluww]; Richness [ghin];Mercy [ramah]; Power [qudrah]; Wisdom [ikmah]; etc.They consider as Attributes of Act the attributes such assurprise [taajjub]; laughing [aik]; satisfaction [ri];anger [ghaab]; aversion [karhah]; equality [istiw];coming [maj] (the alleged appearance of God on the Dayof Resurrection); coming down [nuzl] (it refers to thebelief of the Wahhbs that God is s itting on the Throne and

He descends from heaven at the dawn!); disagreement; andgladness.1

After stating the parts and examples ofTawdfrom thepoint of view of Wahhbism, it is now proper to examinepolytheism [shirk] according to this sect. Thereafter, weshall compare it with Sh`ah monotheistic thought.

Shirk [polytheism] and its limits according to the Wahhbs

Shirk [polytheism] from the viewpoint of Wahhbismmeans associating partner with God and considering otherbeings as independent from Him. Wahhbism also regards

turning for help to the prophets and seeking theintermediation [tawassul] of the saints as acts ofpolytheism.

1Fat al-Majd, pp. 33, 41, 57.


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T a w d 47

According to this viewpoint, kissing and visiting thegraves of the infallible Imms (a) and the Prophet () areall acts of polytheism, unlawful and religious innovation[bidah]. According to the Wahhbs, the Sh`ah arepolytheists or at least their beliefs have elements ofpolytheism.

The socio-political consequences of Tawd and shirk

[polythei sm] according to the Wahhbs

The late Muammad Jawd Mughniyyah thus writes:

Based on the Wahhb creed, mere utterance of L ilhaillallh wa ashhadu anna Muammadan rasl Allh [There isno god but Allah and Muammad is the Messenger of Allah]is not enough for the acceptance of Islam. After uttering it,one should rather not seek the intermediation of other thanGod; not have the intention of paying homage to the Prophet(); not touch and kiss his grave; not swear by the Prophet(); and not call on him and addressing him, thus: O theMessenger of Allah! and O my master!

During his control of Mecca, Muammad ibn Sad (one ofthe rulers of Saudi Arabia) had said in his speech that withthe exception of the Wahhbs, all Muslims are polytheistsand must be reformed at the point of the sword so as toembrace Wahhbism. Contrary to his statement, however,King Faisal, the king of the Wahhbs, in his message issuedin 1342 AH, says while addressing the Wahhbs: And allMuslims, from Egypt, India, etc. are your brothers.

This means that, You should not be pessimistic withrespect to the Muslims and you are not supposed to actaccording to this creed of Shaykh Muammad ibn Abd al-

Wahhb.Maintaining this belief by the Wahhbs would have suchsocio-political consequences as considering all Muslims as

polytheists and spreading sedit ion [fitnah] and chaos, forsuch a belief is an imperialist and anti-Islamic one.


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The Wahhb-Shàh difference of perspective on Tawd

As stated earlier, there are qualitative and quantitativedifferences between the Wahhbs and the Shàh aboutTawd.

We shall find out later on that this classification fromthe perspective of Wahhbism has significant political

implications.It can probably be argued that there is no problem with

the classification of the Wahhbs. In addition, this issue isonly an intellectual limitation, and difference of opinionbetween Muslim philosophers and mystics [uraf]concerning this issue can also be observed. But that whichcannot be ignored is the difference in understanding.

Shàh ulam have divided Tawd into (Tawd in)Essence, Attributes, acts and worship while the Wahhbulam have divided it into (Tawd in) Lordship, Divinity

and the Names and Attributes.

1

If we compare them, andpair Tawdin Essence with that of Lordship and TawdinDivinity with that of Tawd in acts and worship, nothingremains to compare with Tawd in the Names andAttributes. Meanwhile, to believe in the pre-eternity[qidmah] of the Names and Attributes demands theacceptance of the multiplicity of pre-eternals, and this isan Asharite belief which is false.

Shàh ulam believe that the Names of God can bedivided into two: particular and general. The particularaspect pertains specifically to the Essence of God, the

Exalted, such as Allh. The general aspect relates to theAttributes of God which can also be applied to His servants

1 Muammad ibn Abd al-Wahhb, At-Tawd wal-Qawl as-Sadd fMaqid at-Tawd, p. 13.


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T a w d 49

such as ramn [All-beneficent], ram [All-merciful] andkarm [All-kind]. The intellect of man has separated thisaspect of Attributes and ascribed it to God.

If this difference merely had an ideological dimension,it would not then be so acute and sensitive, but since theyare utilizing it for a political end, it ought to be analyzed.

The Wahhbs have taken this way of dividing thelevels of Tawd from Ibn Taymiyyah who, in turn, hadadopted it from Amad ibn anbal.

Similarly, by dividing the Attributes into Acts andEssence, the Wahhbs have ended up believing that Godhas an actual hand and foot and that He can physicallycome and have an appearance. They have contented withthe literal meaning of the verses in this regard whilerejecting rational understanding and analysis. They reject asmuawwiln [allegorical interpreters] those who opposethis creed, particularly the Sh`ah who, by takinginspiration from the lofty teachings of the Prophet () andthe infallible Imms (a), interpret the verses related toGods seeing, hearing, His having a hand, foot and Hiscoming on the Day of Resurrection as allegorical. Forinstance, the Sh`ah regard the verse,

.

The All-beneficent settled on the Throne,1

to mean the sovereignty and authority of God on the Throneand not in the sense of Gods actual sitting on the Throne.

#

1Srat H 20:5.


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FOURTH DISCOURSE:

Tawassul [resorting to intermediation],Death and Shafah [intercession] according

to the Sh`ah and the Wahhbs

Tawassul according to the Wahhbs

In this chapter, tawassul [resorting to intermediation]according to Wahhabism shall be examined. The ulam ofthis sect believe that

Tawassul to other than God, paying homage [ziyrah] to agrave and praying in a place where there is a grave in front ofthe person praying are not consistent with Tawd in

Lordship. According to them, the requisite of Tawd is thatone should not resort to the intermediation of other than Godeven if he is the Prophet of Islam (), because tawassul,

shafah [intercession] and the like are outside the Sunnah ofthe Prophet and the pious predecessors [as-Salaf a-li],and the Qurn also regards this belief as polytheism.

1

It is thus stated in the book, al-Tawd bil-Lughati al-Frisiyyah:

Seeking the help of other than God is polytheism and seekingrefuge in other than God is also within the sphere of

polytheism The Words [kalimt] of God are identical with

the uncreated [qadm] Essence of God. So, for this reason,one may entreat [istighthah] these Words otherwise, such actof entreating will be regarded as polytheism.2

1Fat al-Majd, p. 98.2Al-Tawd bil-Lughati al-Frisiyyah, p. 140.


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In refuting this proposition, it must be stated first of allthat the pertinent verse had been revealed with respect to thejinn. Concerning the circumstances surrounding the revelationof this verse, it must be said that the Arabs used to believe thatthe jinnlive in the desert, and during the pre-Islamic period ofignorance [al-Jhiliyyah], they used to turn to the chief of the

jinn at the time of going out of the city for help, addressinghim thus: O chief of the jinn! Save us from the evil of thejinn and preserve us from their annoyance.

Of course, resorting to the jinn is absolutely unlawfulbecause God has explicit ly prohibited this practice. Inaddition to this, seeking help from anyone who denies Godis obviously more so. Secondly, there are a lot ofdifferences between the prophets [anbiy] and messengers[rusul] who have direct connection with God, and thereceivers of the divine revelation, on one hand, and the jinnwho do not recognize God on the other. Therefore, the

Islamic belief demands that we have to beseech and entreatGod, the Exalted, and seek the intercession of those who arecloser to Him.

We have mentioned earlier the viewpoint of theWahhb ulam regarding the status of tawassul to otherthan God. Now, we shall examine their reasons:

First reason: By citing as proof the noble verses,

.

.

Say, Invoke those whom you claim [to be gods]besides Him. They have no power to remove your

distress nor to bring about any change [in your

state]. They [themselves] are the ones who

supplicate, seeking recourse to their Lord, whoever is


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T a w a s s ul a n d S h a f a h 53

nearer [to Him], expecting His mercy and fearing His

punishment. Indeed your Lords punishment is a

thing to beware of,1

they have concluded that one should never seek help andresort to anyone other than God.

Analysis of the above verses:

If one contends oneself with the literal meaning and nottake into consideration other Qurnic verses, these twoverses will conform to the statements of the Wahhbulam because based on these words of God, when manabandons the nearer means (that is, God Himself) in orderto get closer to God and resorts to a remote means (thatis, other than God [min dni allhi]) and one who has nopower to remove distr ess and the like, it will fall within thespheres of polytheism in Lordship [shirk-e rubb]. It mustbe noted, however, that there are other verses indicatingthat with Gods permission, one may also resort to otherthan God, in which case, the issue of polytheism would beirrelevant, and one could turn for help from the individualsapproved by God. If these ulam had only paid attentionto these other verses, they would have never committedsuch a glaring mistake.

Turning for help [istimdd] of the weak to the strong

In principle, tawassulis one of the laws of creation andit means resorting to a superior means in order to attain anobjective. One manifestation of tawassul is a childstawassul to his mother when something happens to him.This meaning is true in all spheres of human lifesocial,polit ical, ideological, mater ial, and spiritual. Tawassul toGod is the same tawassul to that which is perfect in power

1Srat al-Isr17:56-57.


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and force. Tawassulto the prophets and the saints of God isa case of the tawassulof the weak to the strong, because theprophets are stronger than other human beings. One mayresort to the prophets and saints for help and take theirpractical conduct, which we called sunnah, as models forourselves.

Tawassul in the Qurn

Many verses of the Qurn and Prophetic traditionsspeak about the subject of tawassul to the awliy. As anexample, one may refer to the verses related to the sons ofYaqb (Jacob) (a):

.

.

They said, Father! Plead [with Allah] for

forgiveness of our sins! We have indeed been erring.

He said, I shall plead with my Lord to forgive you;

indeed He is the All-forgiving, the All-merciful.1

In these verses, the sons of Yaqb (a) resorted to theintermediation of their father. They had committed mistakesso many times; they had annoyed and disturbed twoprophets of God (Yaqb and Ysuf (Joseph) (a)), andtransgressed the command of God by annoying their parentsand telling lies. Since those mistakes required the sons toseek forgiveness, they took their father as their intercessor;so this action has not been denied or rejected in the Qurn.

Since God does not reproach the sons of Yaqb for

resorting to two persons of those who are near to Him[muqarrabn], it can be concluded that there is nothingwrong in entreating the Prophet () especially since theeminence of his rank and the loftiness of his station are not

1Srat Ysuf12:97-98.


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hidden to anyone.

The other verse which may be cited is the following:

.

Had they, when they wronged themselves, come toyou and pleaded Allah for forgiveness, and the

Apostle had pleaded for forgiveness for them, theywould have surely found Allah All-clement, All-merciful.

1

It can be deduced from this verse that the intermediationof the Holy Prophet () can also be resorted to in askingGod for forgiveness of sins.

It is possible to criticize the deduction based on the firstverse with the answer that the tawassul of the sons ofYaqb (a) to their father had been confined to their owntime; that is, one may seek the help of the living and not thedead. We shall talk about this point later on in the section

concerning tabarruk.What can be inferred from the second verse is that

tawassul to the Prophet () is in a general sense. That is, itincludes both the time when the Prophet () was alive andthe time afterward. And there is no reason to distinguishbetween tawassulduring and after his lifetime.

Since the following verse reproaches tawassul to idolsand regards it as a form of polytheism, some individualsmight cite it as proof that tawassulto other than God leadsto misguidance:

1Srat an-Nis4:64.


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.

.

They say, Do not abandon your gods. Do not

abandon Wadd, nor Suw, nor Yaghth, Yaq and

Nasr, and they have certainly led many astray. Do

not increase the wrongdoers in anything but error.1

In reply, it must be said that if what is meant by otherthan God are idols, then one cannot find fault with thisstatement, but if other than God includes the prophets andawliy, then it would be contrary to the truth because thesebeloved ones are approved by God and are vicegerents ofAllah [khulaf' Allh]. Idols are in contrast andcontradiction with God while the prophets (a) and saintsare concordant with Him and are means of His grace. In thesame manner, idols are a source of deviation from Godwhile the prophets (a) are means of guidance andrighteousness. In sum, the comparison between tawassulto

the prophets (a) and tawassul to the idols is anasymmetrical and false analogy.

The other point is that an idol is basically an object ofworship and not a means of nearness to God [taqarrub].There are two types of means of nearness to God: One islegitimate, referring to the prophets (a) and the saints, andthe other is illegitimate such as idols and the like whichreligion has made forbidden to man.

Death according to the Wahhbs

T

here are different viewpoints concerning death, and weshall deal with the viewpoint of the Wahhbs on thesubject. Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah is reported to have said:

1Srat N 71:23-24.


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T a w a s s u l a n d S h a f a h 57

Tawassul to the dead, even if he be the Prophet of Islam (),is an act of polytheism because based on the statement of theQurn, he is dead and extinct:

.

You will indeed die and they [ too] will die indeed.1

He then continues:Entreating the dead and uttering words such as: O mymaster, O the Messenger of Allah! Help me, O my masterAl ibn Ab lib! Assist me, and the like are acts of

polytheism.2

It is indeed amazing that Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah andthe Wahhbs could have no belief in the purgatorial life[ayt al-barzakh], thinking that the dead cannot establishspiritual relations with others, while the Qurn affirms thatthose who are in the barzakh are alive.3 How could theWahhbs regard the martyrs [shuhad] as dead while the

Qurn says,

.Do not suppose those who are slain in the way of

Allah to be dead; rather they are living and provided

for near their Lord. 4

Accordingly, how could Shaykh Muammad ibn Abdal-Wahhb also say that Anyone who dies would beannihilated,5 while the Holy Qurn says,

1Srat az-Zumar39:30.2Fat al-Majd, p. 198.3Srat Ghfir(oral-Mumin) 40:46: The Fire, to which they are exposedmorning and evening.4Srat l Imrn 3:169.5Fat al-Majd, p. 198.


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.We have removed your veil from you, and so your

sight is acute today.1

In another place, it states thus,

.And therein they will have their provision morning

and evening.2

Since there is morning and evening in the world ofbarzakh according to the verse quoted, and that the deadhave provisions, those who are in the world of sojourn(barzakh) cannot be regarded as nonexistent [madm]. Ofcourse, morning and evening are special characteristics ofbarzakhbecause there is no sun on the Day of Resurrectionwhich could portray this case. So, death is not equivalent tononexistence, and the theory of the Wahhbs isconsequentially rendered false.

The permission to resort to the sacred personages

In the following verse, the Holy Qurn regards itpermissible and acceptable to resort to and seek theintermediation of the chosen ones of God in seekingnearness to Him [taqarrub]:

.

O you who have faith! Be wary of Allah, and seek the

means of recourse to Him, and wage jihd in His way,

so that you may be felicitous.3

Although in this verse seeking the means of recourse is

1Srat Qf50:22.2Srat Maryam 19:62.3Srat al-Midah 5:35.


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are rational and customary behaviors, having noinconsistency with their infallibility [imah]. Also, inconfirming this statement, the following verse, which isaddressed to the Prophet (), can be cited as proof:

.

Had they, when they wronged themselves, come toyou and pleaded Allah for forgiveness, and the

Apostle had pleaded for forgiveness for them, they

would have surely found Allah all-clement, all-

merciful.1

Based on this verse, the Prophet () has been grantedthe permission to be the intercessor of sinners. According tothe Sh`ah, this intercession is still valid and is notconfined to the lifetime of the Prophet ().

The preeminence of tawassul to the Divine Essence

Before ending the discussion, it is necessary to pose thisquestion: Which is superior, tawassul to God, or tawassulto the saints of God? It can be concluded from the verse,

.whoever is nearer [to Him]

2

that tawassul to God is superior. That is, as much aspossible, one must seek help from God and this is aprinciple to which Muslim mystics are steadfast. But just ashe makes use of his intellect, natural instinct and othermeans in managing his life, man also seeks the assistance of

intermediaries in the domain of spirituality and seekingnearness to Allah.

1Srat an-Nis4:64.2 See Srat al-Isr17:56-57.


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Tawassul as identical with servitude [ubdiyyah]

Since tawassulto the prophets and the awliyof God islike the angels act of prostration (to Adam) with thepermission and command of God, resorting to these belovedones is identical with servitude [ubdiyyah] and worship[ibdah]. Among the Muslim sects, only the Wahhbs do

not believe in tawassul and its devotional dimension. Itmust be noted that this sect is trying to make its incorrectand false ideas dominant.

Of course, if we ever regard the Wahhbs oppositionto tawassulas incorrect, it is because there are authoritativetraditions and adths that prove the incorrectness of thissects belief. For example, after the demise of the Prophet() a certain Arab came to the grave of the Prophet () andthrew himself on the holy shrine. While pouring the soil ofthe grave over his head, he said: O Messenger of Allah! Iheard from you the verse, Had they, when they wronged

themselves, come to you... And now I have wrongedmyself and I have come here to ask you to plead forforgiveness for me. At the end of the adth, it is thusstated regarding this episode: Then a voice from the gravewas heard: You are forgiven!1

In another tradition, it has been narrated that there wasonce a famine in Medina. Bill ibn rith, one of theCompanions, went to the grave of the Prophet () and said:O Messenger of Allah! There has been no rain for quitesometime. Pray to God to shower the rain of His mercyupon us. During the night, Bill saw the Prophet () in adream, saying: You shall soon benefit from the rain of theLord.

It is not useless to note the fact that Muammad ibn

1 .


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Idrs ash-Shfi, one of the leading figures of the Ahl as-Sunnah, regards tawassul to the Ahl al-Bayt (a) aspermissible, thus saying:

The family of the Prophet is my shelter

and they are means of my nearness to Him (God).

Regarding adrat Fimah az-Zahr (a), the followingtradition has been narrated:

- .

Fimah (a) went to the grave of the Messenger of Allah(); picked up some soil from the grave, put it on her eyesand cried.

It can be inferred from the above adth that to seek thehelp of the Prophet, the infallible Imms and the pioneers ofreligion is not against the religion because a personage such

as Fimah az-Zahr (a) used to go to the grave of her greatfather and seek this beloveds assistance. There is anotheradth which is as follows:

Because of the effect of famine and the lack of rain, a numberof people went to the house of ishah (wife of the Prophet()), asking for her guidance. She said to them: Make holeson the holy shrines of the Prophet () in such a way that thesky would become the watcher of the holy grave of theProphet () so that it would shower rain in respect for theProphet (). When the people followed ishahs instruction,the rain came.


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Many traditions have been recorded in the book, At-Tabarruk,1 all of which show the tawassul of theCompanions to the soil of grave of the Messenger of Allah() for cure and blessings [tabarruk].

Shafah according to Muammad ibn Abd al-Wahhb

andIbn Taymiyyah

Based on some verses of the Qurn, Shaykh Muammadibn Abd al-Wahhb, Ibn Taymiyyah and the contemporaryWahhbs regard seeking help from other than God orasking for their intercession [shafah ] as an act ofpolytheism. Their main proof is the phrase, other thanGod in verse 18 of Srah Ynus.2 The Wahhbs regardthe prophets, saints, idols, thejinn , and the dead as the mostvivid manifestations of this verse.

In reality, they have not made any distinction betweenthe idols during the pre-Islamic period of ignorance

[jhiliyyah], which were taken by the people as theirintercessors and were held in high esteem by theirforefathers, and the person of the Prophet () because theybelieve that the Prophet () has passed away, and as such,he could not do anything and nothing could not be expectedfrom him anymore. Therefore, they imagine the intercessionof God on the Day of Resurrection as positive, and that ofthe Prophet () or otherawliy as negative.

1 yatullh Al Amad Maynj, At-Tabarruk(Beirut), pp. 147-151.2 Srat Ynus 10:18: They worship besides Allah that which neithercauses them any harm, not brings them any benefit, and they say, Theseare our intercessors with Allah. Say, Will you inform Allah about

something He does not know in the heavens and on the earth? Immaculateis He and exalted above [having] any partners that they ascribe [to

Him].


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It can perhaps be inferred from the apparent purport oftheir contention that this sect rejects intercession in general.They have divided intercession into positive and negative inthe following manner:

1. Positive intercession is that which comes from God.There are many verses that substantiate it, and there isno debate and dispute concerning this type ofintercession.2. Negative intercession is that which comes from otherthan God such as the Prophet (), other prophets (a)and the awliyof course, when they are not alive.

The most fundamental basis for this belief of theWahhbs is the following blessed verse:

.

They worship besides Allah that which neither causes

them any harm, nor brings them any benefit, and they

say, These are our intercessors with Allah.1

An analysis of the quoted noble verse:

What the apparent purport and text of the versesubstantiates is that God rejects the intercession of idols,not the intercession of human beings. In other words,besides Allah refers to idols and it is these idols whoseintercession is not acceptable to God. The following versealso confirms this contention:

.Neither intercession shall be accepted from it, nor

any ransom shall be received from it, nor will they be

helped.2

1Srat Ynus 10:18.2Srat al-Baqarah 2:48.


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The absolute negation of intercession of other than Godcan be deduced from the phrase, besides Allah which ismentioned many times in the Holy Qurn. The absolutenessand generality of besides Allah, however, is mitigated byother verses, and the intercession by individuals whopossess the conditions for intercession is permissible andacceptable. Some of the verses that can substantiate this

claim are the following:

.

Intercession is of no avail with Him except for those

whom He permits.1

.

Who is it that may intercede with Him except with His

permission?2

.Intercession will not avail that day except from him

whom the All-beneficent allows and approves of his

word.3

.And they do not intercede except for someone He

approves of.4

Based on these verses, the intercession of those whohave the permission of Allah is acceptable. Now, a questionthat lingers in the mind is this: Have not those who negatethe intercession of the prophets and saints come acrossthese verses, or do they have other reasons?

1Srat as-Saba34:23.2Srat al-Baqarah 2:255.3Srat H 20:109.4Srat al-Anbiy21:28.


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In reply, it must be said that the intensity of their enmityto the Shàh have prompted the Wahhbs to focus on theverses that negate, and not affirm, intercession. Throughthis method and policy, they are determined to accuse theShàh of disbelief [kufr] so as to incite the entire Muslimworld against the Shàh as much as possible. At this

juncture, the hidden hand of imperialism can be witnessedin some of the religious beliefs of Wahhbism.

In opposing and besmirching Shàh beliefs, theWahhbs oppose the Qurn and the Sunnah of the Prophet() upon which this belief is based. The Qur'n and Sunnahacknowledge the intercession of the prophets and the saintson the Day of Resurrection. They respect the soil of theirgraves, encouraging the Muslims to honor and respect them,especially the Holy Prophet (); and are the foundations ofmany material and non-material activities andachievements. The Wahhbs not only regard tawassuland

visitation to the graves [ziyrah] as unlawful and acts ofkufr and shirk, but also deny the principle and basis ofintercession.1 The consequence of this practice will bedrifting away from the Prophet () and the infallible Imms(a), which is itself a kind of secret attack against Islam.

The precedence of the negation of tawassul and

shafah

Ibn Taymiyyah, one of the Sunn ulam of the anbalmadhhab during the 8th century AH, says regardingtawassulandshafah :

Seeking help from the dead without paying attention to God,even if that person is a prophet, or requesting the dead to

1 For more information, see Sayyid Ibrhm Alaw, Trkhcheh-ye Naqdwa Barras-ye Wahhbiyyah, pp. 257-353 and other books included in the

bibliography of this book.


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pray to God to grant our request , or for us to implore God, OGod! By the station and position of so-and-so, grant ourrequest, etc. are forbidden and impermissible, which willfinally lead to polytheism in worship.

1

As we can observe, the intellectual cornerstone ofWahhbism is traceable to Ibn Taymiyyah, however,Muammad ibn Abd al-Wahhb discusses these doctrineswith more fanaticism and extremisms, especially thenegation of tawassuland shafah. As it is always lookingfor every opportunity to catch fish in troubled watersimperialism has been trying to take advantage of the recordand opposition of the Wahhb thought to the other schools[madhhib]. They have been attempting to do this when theprecedence of the Wahhhb creed is not a proof for themadhhabi nature of the Wahhb movement. It cannot beconsidered one of the Islamic schools of thought becausefrom the very beginning, the Muslim nation, the Ahl as-Sunnah in particular, has declared the ideas of Ibn

Taymiyyah and his followers as an innovation in religion[bidah] and to be against the religion.

The ideas ofIbn Taymiyyah and the reaction of Ahl as-

Sunnah

Taq ad-Dn Abl-Abbs Amad Ibn Taymiyyah wasborn in 661 AH in a Kurdish-populated village called Urfahin Turkey. When the Tatars invaded the Muslim lands, healong with his family went to Damascus (Syria) and studiedin the religious school [madrasah] of the anbals where heengaged in the memorization of the Qurn. He readMusnad Ibn anbal and the book, Mujam a-abar, and

engaged in learning other sciences. It has been said that he

1 Mamd Mahd al-Isambl, Ibn Taymiyyah baal al-Il ad-Dn(Beirut: Nashr Maktabal-Islm, n.d.), pp. 136, 139.


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deeming it as a sinful travel, and would rule for thecompletion (instead of shortening) of prayer during thistravel, which led the Shfis to rise up in opposition to him.

In a bid to portray a veneer of moderation to his creed,Ibn Taymiyyah used to say that since the Prophet () andthe Companions had neither visited their graves nor sought

their intermediation, and that the Followers [tbin]1

havealso not done so, none of the Muslims should deem itrecommended [mustaabb]. Anyone who observed thispractice had gone against the consensus of Muslims. Afterissuing this religious edict, Ibn Taymiyyah considered thefollowing adths from the Prophet () as fabricated[majl]:

.He who performs the ajj (pilgrimage) without paying a visit[ziyrah] to me has indeed deserted.

: .You are not supposed to travel except for the visitation[ziyrah] of three mosques: al-Masjid al-arm (in Mecca),this mosque of mine (Masjid an-Nab in Medina), and al-Masjid al-Aqs (in Jerusalem).

These kinds of views incited the opposition of theSunn ulam. So, it becomes clear that there had been nodifference of opinion regarding it until that time and thefirst person to initiate this difference was Ibn Taymiyyahwho, while in prison, wrote books in support of his creed.

After more than two years of imprisonment in the prison

1Tbin [Followers or Successors] refers to the second generation ofMuslims who came after the Companions, who did not know the Prophet() but who knew his Companions. [Trans.]


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cell of Damascus, Ibn Taymiyyah passed away in 728 AH andwas buried in Bb a-aghr beside his brother. In the book,Al-Kunya wal-Alqb,Shaykh Abbs al-Qumm opines that hewas buried in Jordan. Ibn Taymiyyah was later known as Taqad-Dn Amad ibn Abd al-alm al-arrn ad-Damishq.

Nowadays, there is no trace of his grave and the booksattributed to him, as per reported in the book, Ibn

Taymiyyah baal al-Il ad-Dn, are estimated to be asmany as seventeen books.What we quoted regarding the issue ofshafah was

from the book entitled, Ibn Taymiyyah baal al-Il ad-Dn. Similar subjects are also recorded in the book, Fatal-Majd, which is a commentary on the book, At-Tawd,by Muammad ibn Abd al-Wahhb. In a recently writtenbook entitled, At-Tawd bil -Lughati al-Frisiyyah, therehas been some modification of issues about which theSh`ah have opposing views. This book in which some ofthose issues were presented was distributed freely amongthe Iranian pilgrims at the Jeddah Airport in 1374 AH (1995CE). Concerning shafah , it states that shafah isexclusive for God. The inclusion of the divine grace andcompassion has conferred this merit upon some of theservants of God. This book narrated a certain subject fromIbn Taymiyyah, at the end of which it says:

.

Intercession includes individuals who are monotheists andsincere, and by the decree of God, intercession extends tothese individuals.

In this book, the author writes that according to theSh`ah, those individuals who best embody these qualitiesof Tawd and ikhl [sincerity] are the prophets, awliy

and infallible Imms (a) who, according to the abovequotation, are supposed to possess the privilege to intercedeon the Day of Resurrection.1

1At-Tawd bil-Lughah al-Frisiyyah, no. 27, p. 123.


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Ziyrah [visitation] and the Laws Pertainingto the Graves and Mosques according to

the Sh`ah and Wahhbs

Ziyrah according to Sunns and Sh`ah

As stated earlier, Wahhbs think that ziyrah , likeshafah , is a polytheistic act of seeking intermediation, andrenders a person outside the pale of religion. This is whileziyrah, according to the Ahl as-Sunnah, has beenconsidered permissible. In this context, as in many otherbeliefs as well, Wahhbism is at odds with the Ahl as-Sunnah.

By resorting to uncommon and strange statements,against which the Ahl as-Sunnah have also complained, theWahhbs have endeavored to portray Wahhbism as aschool of thought [madhhab]. But Muslims, the Ahl as-Sunnah in particular, cannot permit the inclusion of thisgroup in the list of Muslim schools of thought [madhhib].

The views ofIbn al-Qudmah

Ibn al-Qudmah, a leading figure andfaqh of the Ahl as-Sunnah, while regardingziyrah, like mourning, as consistentwith the laws of Islam, elaborates that ziyrah is permissiblefor men while abominable [makrh] for women. In


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confirming this view, he has cited the following tradition:

.

Allah curses the visitors of the graves, especially women wholight candles on the graves and take them as their place of

prostration or mosque.

And he adds,

In this tradition, the phrase, Allah curses... impliesaversion, and this aversion is more intense for womenaccording to their welfare; for, it is possible that by goingoutside the house and to be present in the public, the rights ofthe husband might be violated. The reason behind the curseon female visitors [zirn] is because of the fact that the

people during the pre-Islamic period of ignorance [jhiliyyah]used to visit the graves. After sometime, they wouldconstruct statues and images on the grave. Then, these would

be treated as idols and they would pay reverence in front ofthese. So, they were cursed and the visitation of the women

was prohibited.1

In continuation, he writes:

Visiting graves is mustaabb for men. Regarding its beingmakrh or impermissible for women, there are two pertinenttraditions. According to a tradition, it is mustaabb providedthat, like men, they read beside the gravesrahs ofat-Tawd(al-Ikhl) and Y Sn, and yat al-Kurs, but according toanother tradition, it is not permissible. In case of its

permissibility, man and woman should reci te this salutation :

.Peace be upon you, O believers and Muslims whoinhabit these graves. We will join you, God willing.

1 Ibn al-Qudmah,Al-Mughn, vol. 2, p. 430.


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Z i y r a h a n d l a w s o f g r a v e s 73

We pray Allah for wellbeing for you and us.1

Ibn al-Qudmah does not regard the ziyrah aspermissible for women, saying:

:

...

Ziyrah for women is makrh (discommended) because theProphet said, Allah curses the women who visit the graves.

He believed that the Prophet () initially prohibitedziyrah for women and the phrase, Allah cursesbespeaks of this fact. But afterward, he considered theziyrah for women as permissible, saying:

.I was prohibiting you from visiting to grave in the past, butnow you may do so.

Ibn al-Qudmah also says: .

Tirmidh narrated that ishah visited the grave of herbrother (Abd ar-Ramn).

In the end, Ibn al-Qutdah concludes from the set of thedecrees on the permissibility and honor (ofziyrah) in thequoted adths that it is loathsome for the women toperformziyrah .2

The view ofAl lmah Majlis

In this regard, Allmah Majlis expresses thus:

Ziyrah is good and recommended for men But concerningthe ziyrah for women, there are two pertinent opinions. Oneopinion is that ziyrah for women is loathsome and the

1 Ibn al-Qudmah,Al-Mughn, vol. 2, p. 430.2 Ibn al-Qudmah,Al-Mughn, vol. 4, pp. 426, 431.


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other opinion is that it is permissible provided that they coverthemselves from the sight of strangers [ghayr maram].

1

According to the belief of the Sh`ah, visiting the graveof the faithful is part of the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet ()and all Muslims have consensus of opinion that at the timeof death of a believer, he would go to his grave and express

condolences to the bereaved ones. It is also stated in theHoly Qurn, thus:

.

And never pray over any of them when he dies, nor

stand on his graveside. They indeed defied Allah and

His Apostle and died as transgressors.2

This verse is about the hypocrites [munfiqn] andexpresses this point: O Prophet! Do not go to the gravesideof the hypocrites as you are doing with respect to the graves

of the faithful, and do not pray for their souls nor pray overtheir graves because they defied Allah and His Apostle andthey are transgressors. That ziyrah is an indisputableprinciple and the presence of believers at the graveside ofone another is unquestionable although there may possiblybe differences of opinion among some Muslim schools ofthought concerning the secondary features ofziyrah.

Visiting the grave as an excellent sunnah

It is thus recorded in history books attributed to the Ahlas-Sunnah: Every year the Prophet () would visit thegraves of the martyrs [shuhad'] of the Battle of Uud andrecite this prayer [ziyrah]:

.

1 Allmah Majlis,Mirt al-Uql, vol. 14, p. 191.2Srat at-Tawbah (or, Barah) 9:84.


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Z i y r a h a n d l a w s o f g r a v e s 75

Peace be on you because you were constant, how excellent, isthen, the issue of the abode.

It is also recorded that Ab Bakr, Umar and Uthmn,like the Prophet (), also used to perform ziyrah . Thedaughter of the Prophet of Islam (), adrat Fimah az-Zahr (a) would also visit the martyrs of Uud two days a

week. During his visit to the martyrs, especially in theziyrah to amzah and Muab ibn Umayr, the HolyProphet () would recite this verse,

.

Men who fulfill what they have pledged to Allah.1

In addition to this, it is thus recorded in the book, A-a that Ab Sad al-Khudr would extend salutations tothe grave of amzah Umm Salamah, one of the honorablewives of the Prophet (), and individuals such as AbHurayrah, Fimah Khuziyyah, and Abd Allh ibn Umar

al-Khab also used to perform ziyrah to this group ofmartyrs.2

It is thus recorded in the valuable book, al-Ghadrunder the section, Virtues and Merits of Ab anfah[Bb Fail wa Manqib Ab anfah]:

Whenever he would go to Baghdad, Imm ash-Shfi wouldpay a visit to the grave of Ab anfah. He would standbeside his grave, offer salutat ion to him and seek hisintermediation for the fulfillment of his n

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