Muhammad bin Abdul-Wahhab: The Impact of his Da’wah on Muslims in the Philippines

A
Research paper

Presented to:
Mr. Darwin Absari

Institute of Islamic Studies

University of the Philippines
Diliman, Quezon City

In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements in IS 225
History of Islam

Prepared by:
Hassanor S. Bansao
 INTRODUCTION

Allah the Exalted has preserve His ‘Deen’ Islam through sending Messengers and

Prophets since the time where people engage with some beliefs that contradict what Allah’s

commanded in the Qur’an. In this Ummah (nation) where the Prophets was gone, Allah is

guiding the believers through Islamic Scholars because it is mandatory to preserve the Deen

‘Islam’ particularly this present century where the innovations and many beliefs that contradict

teaching of Qur’an and Sunnah was spread. Allah the All-Knowing said in the Qur’an: “Verily

We: It is We Who have sent down the Dhikr (i.e. the Qur’an) and surely, We will guard it (from

corruption)”1

It was narrated also by the great Sahaabi Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with

him) from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), that he said:

“At the beginning of every century Allah will send to this ummah someone who will renew

its religious understanding2.”

The Standing Committee of Islamic Scholars in Saudi Arabia said (Al Lugnah Daemah)

regarding this hadith:

What is meant by the words of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him,

“someone who will renew its religious understanding”, is that every time many people deviate

from the path of the religion which He perfected for His slaves, completed His favour upon

______________

(1) Surah al-Hijr, verse:9

(2) Narrated by Abu Dawood (4291); classed as saheeh by as-Sakhkhaawi in al-Maqaasid al-

Hasanah (149) and by al-Albaani in as-Silsilah as-Saheehah (no. 599).

them and chose for them as their religion, He sends to them scholars or a scholar who has deep

knowledge of Islam, and a wise caller who helps the people to develop a proper understanding

of the Book of Allah and the proven Sunnah of His Messenger, and protects them from

innovation and warns them against newly-invented matters, and brings them back from

deviation to the straight path of the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (blessings

and peace of Allah be upon him). This is called renewal of the ummah (tajdeed al-ummah), not

renewal of the religion that Allah prescribed and perfected. Changes, weakness and deviation

happen time after time to the ummah; as for Islam itself, it is protected by means of the

protection of the Book of Allah, may He be exalted, and the Sunnah of His Messenger

(blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)1.

There were many persons who rush to judge on Sheikh Muhammad bin Abdul-Wahhab,

some of them may not even read what the Sheikh has written, but they read about him from his

enemies. The policy has played a major role in this issue, particularly the English foreign policy

which monitors and controls the renaissance in the Muslim nation, and is trying to get rid of it

before it achieves its results. The movement of renewal by the Shaykh al-Islam Muhammad

bin Abdul Wahab was a positive psychological earthquake that revived the Islamic nation,

awakened it, and returned it to youth (Al-Moqadem 2015).

Two hundred years ago, Imam Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab led a religious reformist

movement in Central Arabia. The main principles of the movement focused on fighting

innovations and deviations in religion, which prevailed in Arabia in particular and in the

Muslim world in general (Al-Tayyar 2003).

__________________

(1) https://islamqa.info/en/answers/153535/the-hadith-at-the-beginning-of-every-century-

allah-will-send-to-this-ummah-someone-who-will-renew-its-religious-understanding
 Where the term ‘Wahhabism’ came from?

The term "wahhabism" is an outsider's designation for the religious reformist movement

within Islam founded by Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab. This term is given to them by their

opponents and is now used by both European scholars and most Arabs. Members of the

movement describe themselves as Muwwahhidun, the term is an Arabic word which means

‘Unitarians’. The movement calls for renewal of Muslim spirit, the return to the original

sources of Islam, namely the Qur’an and the authentic teachings of Prophet Muhammad (peace

and blessings of Allah be upon him), and the refutation of all innovations in religion (Al-Tayyar

2003).

According to Natana (2002) in her dissertation’s interview about Muhammad bin

Abdul-Wahhab that it is very important to make judgments about a person or a movement

based upon evidence, not hearsay. In the case of Sheikh Muhammad, the evidence portrays a

scholar whose goal in life was to educate Muslims about their faith and to create a just society

for both men and women, not to engage the entire non-Wahhabi world in an endless jihad. Just

as not all "Wahhabis" represent a threat to the Western world, so not all Saudis are to be feared

as prototypes of Osama bin Laden. She also said when she asked if Muhammad bin Abdul-

Wahhab mission is call Jihad that Sheikh Muhammad's teachings are geared toward educating

believers in proper beliefs through direct study of the Qur’an and hadeeth and encouraging

them to live up to the dictates of their faith in both private and public life. He gives great

attention to the issues of social, justice and social welfare.

Mahmoud (2000) stated in his book about the life of Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab

that many groups have collaborated to excite hatred against Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab

and his movement. Example of that is the Ottoman caliph authorized the ruler of Egypt to
subdue the movement of Shaykh. The Shiites and the Sufis and other deviated sects, who are

blinded by fanaticism, all stood against the success of the Wahhabism.

He also indicated that hundreds of articles, books and discourses were, and still are

written to excite hatred against the followers of Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab. This literature

was so detrimental to the point that even people who did not know a thing about the Da’wah

of Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab were scared away from it and the impact is that they publicly

defy and turn the mob against any scholar who was branded as the Wahhabi or the follower of

Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab.

A final important point as Zarabozo (2010) indicates in his study is that the “followers”

may not always reflect the true stance of the original teacher or teachings. This is true for any

leader. Any set of teachings, call or movement may have followers who are attached to it who

do not completely understand the message, who are ignorant in themselves or who are not

completely sincere in their attachment to the call. Indeed, with respect to any set of teachings,

one must distinguish between the knowledgeable followers who are truly carrying on the

message in word and deed and the non-scholar followers. Hence, actions may be taken for

which the original teacher and teachings cannot be blamed.

In contemporary times, two things are happening: everyone is being labeled a

“Wahhabi” and “Wahhabis” are being blamed for everything. Many people who claim to be

“Wahhabis” are doing things that are inconsistent with the principles of Muhammad ibn Abdul-

Wahhaab or, if that cannot be derived directly, the way of the salaf upon which ibn Abdul-

Wahhaab’s teachings are derived. Thus, once again, it may be a time in which it is preferable

not to use the term “Wahhabi” or “Wahhabism” and, instead, force all to trace their claims back

to the Quran and Sunnah (Zarabozo 2010).

 Who is Muhammad bin Abdul-Wahhab?

His Birth and Lineage

Sheikh-ul-Islam, Muhammad bin Abdul-Wahhab, was born in 1115 H. in the city of

Uyainah, seventy kilometers northwest of Riyadh, the capital of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

He belonged to a highly respectable and scholarly family; his father Sheikh Abdul-Wahhab bin

Sulaiman, characterized by his profound scholarship and righteousness, inherited an exalted

status from his ancestor Sheikh Sulaiman bin Ali, the chief of the scholars and well versed in

teaching, writing and giving verdict. He breathed his last on the last day of the month of Dhul-

Q'adah in 1206 H (1792 A.C) (Al Sa’di).

Education
Sheikh-ul-Islam acquired his primary education from his esteemed father at his native

place and was nurtured under his guidance. He was intelligent enough to memorize the Qur'an

by heart at the very tender age of ten only. He read the books on Tafseer (exegesis), Hadith

and Fiqh. From the very outset, he was greatly interested in studying the works of early

scholars, particularly those of Sheikh-ul-Islam Ibn Taimiyah and his noble disciple Allamah

Ibn Qaiyim. He went through all those books and well grasped the contents.

On attaining the age of maturity, he set out to perform Hajj at Makkah and derived

benefits from the scholars there. He then proceeded to Al-Madinah, met the learned ones there,

and adopted the studentship of two renowned erudite, Sheikh Abdullah bin Ibrahim bin Sa'id

Najdi and Sheikh Muhammad Hayat Sindhi for a long period. Out of the curiosity for higher

education, he took also the journey to Iraq and Basrah and got himself benefited there.

Condition of Najd

In those days, the people of Najd were badly indulged in polytheistic deeds and un-

Islamic practices. They were completely overwhelmed with polytheism. The graves, trees,

stones, caves, evil spirits and insane persons were regarded as deities. The baseless stories and
tales were ascribed to them to manifest their excellence. The worldly Ulama too had misguided

them for the fulfillment of their materialistic lust. The soothsayers and magicians were having

their influence over the society. None could dare challenge their holds on the commoners. Same

condition was prevailing in both Makkah and Al-Madinah also. Yemen was also in the same

line. Polytheism, erection of structures on the graves, seeking refuge and assistance of the dead,

saints and jinns were the common religious features (Al Sa’di).

Mission of Da'wah

Having studied this pitiable condition of the nation, Sheikh was highly moved. More

pitiable was the situation that no one was ready to take trouble to guide the people to the Right

Path. It is obvious that to take this task meant to challenge those evildoers who had) their

provisions through these practices. It meant to make oneself prepared to face every torture and

atrocities from these selfish misguides and their followers. But Sheikh resolved to make every

effort to fight against the circumstances up to the extent of Jihad (Al Sa’di).

Sheikh started his mission. He invited the people to the Tauhid (Islamic Monotheism)

and guided them to the Qur'an and Sunnah. He urged upon Ulama to strictly follow the Qur'an

and Sunnah and derive the issues directly from them. He forcibly contradicted the blind

following of any scholar of the Ummah in preference to the Qur'an and Hadith(Al Sa’di).

Sheikh was a man of courage and enthusiasm. He started his preaching, made

correspondence with religious scholars inviting them to lend helping hands in eradication of

the prevailing absurdities and defilements in religious matters. A number of scholars from

Makkah, Al-Madinah and Yemen accepted his invitation, and supported him. But apart from

them, there were also such ignorant and selfish scholars who criticized him and kept themselves

aloof (Al Sa’di).

 The so-called learned ones rose against Sheikh as they were being affected by his

Da’wah in terms of their worldly gains. Even then he took journey to different places to convey

his message to the people given to error. Traveling through Zabir, Ahsa, Huraimala, he reached

Uyainah (Abdul Rahman Al Sa’di).

Muslims in the Philippines before the Da’wah of Muhammad bin Abdul-Wahhab

Islam entered the Philippines through Arab merchants and preachers of Islam

from Hadramout and the peninsula of Malaya, in the year 804 AH 1384 AD, known as the

preachers who introduced Islam in the Philippines, Ishaq ibn Awlia Al Makhzoumi; relative

to the tribe of Ms. Halima Saadia Makhzoumiyah the breast feeder of the Prophet

Muhammad(‫( )ﷺ‬Basher 1988).

Scholars on Southeast Asia including Philippines are unanimous in saying that the

nature of Islam in the region is syncretic. It generally recognized that before Islam reached

Southeast Asia, it passed through various cultures and civilizations in the Middles East, Central

Asia, India and China (Abirin 2008).

Before the Da’wah of Ibn Abdul-Wahhab came to the Philippines, most of Muslims

practices was mixed with some innovations and idolatry. Musa (2013) indicates in his study

that Sufi have published many innovations and myths such as the establishment of funerals

(Kanggawii)1 and burial ceremonies - a tradition of Christians - and reading the Qur’an to the

dead, and the establishment of the feast after twenty days of death and after forty or fifty days

_______________

(1) Maranao term on funeral after the death of relative which is three to seven days.
of death also, and other innovations such as the revival of the night of the half of Shaaban and

celebrate the birth Prophetic, as appeared among them the doctrine of reincarnation of souls.

It has been practiced also in Maranao area the practice of Genies or dealing Jinn with

magic and sorcery, fortune telling (Kapririmar)1 is contradict the traditions and teaching of

the Prophet (‫)ﷺ‬.

It is reported on the authority of Abu Hurairah (ra) that the Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬said: "Whoever went

to a fortune-teller and believed in what he said, has disbelieved in what was revealed to

Muhammad"2. Furthermore, according to Abirin (2008) it has been practiced also among

Tausug the Pagtibaw kubul (visiting graves), pag-khaja (appearing the spirit), pag-sa’buh ha

patay (commemorating the dead), pag-mawlud (commemorating the birth of the Prophet(‫)ﷺ‬

and pag-panulak bala’ (extirpating misfortune).

___________________

(1) Maranao term on asking fortune teller regarding destiny and lost things.

(2) Ibn Majah 936

 Muslims in the Philippines after the Da’wah of Muhammad bin Abdul-Wahhab

Allah the Most-High make the believers as a propagator of Islam, commanding what is

good and right and forbidding what is bad and wrong as Allah said in the Qur’an: {You are the

best nation produced [as an example] for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is

wrong and believe in Allah}1. He also said: {Let there arise out of you a group of people

inviting to all that is good (Islam), enjoining Al-Ma’ruf (i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that

Islam orders one to do) and forbidding Al-Munkar (polytheism and disbelief and all that Islam

has forbidden). And it is they who are the successful}2.

Through the establishment of traditional Madrasah and Islamic institutions in various

stages and area of Muslims in the Philippines it aspires to intensify the work to enlighten

Muslims about their religion and to explain to them the true Islamic faith. In addition, after

Rabitah al-Aalam Al- Islamiy (Muslim World League) and other Muslim countries provides

scholarship for Muslim students to study abroad in Middle East particularly in Saudi Arabia, it

results the increasing the number of preachers and Islamic scholars in Muslim

community. Furthermore, through the Ulama who graduate from Middles East particularly

Saudi Arabia, the Da’wah of Shayk Muhammad bin Abdul-Wahhab entered in the Philippines

and the Da’wah of Shaykh was the Da’wah and Manhaj (method) of almost Ulamah (Islamic

scholars) in the Philippines, the Da’wah which is nothing except it is a similar to the Da’wah

of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), his Companions (pleased of Allah

be upon them).

________________

(1) Surah Al-Imran, Verse:110

(2) Surah Al-Imran, Verse:104

 One of the Islamic scholars in the Philippines said regarding Shaykh Muhammad bin

Abdul-Wahhab that it is nothing bad in his Da’wah, what he wants to this Ummah is to make

their Aqeedah (Islamic creed) in a right way1. The positive impact of the Da’wah of

Muhammad bin Abdul’Wahhab is the Muslims learned the importance of Aqeedah, they

understand the rights of Allah and they practiced their religion in accordance to the teaching of

the Qur’an and Sunnah (Traditions of Prophet ‫)ﷺ‬. In Bangsamoro area specially in Lanao area,

it was very influenced by the teachings of Muhammad bin Abdul-Wahhab with the efforts and

struggle of the Ulamah in that region. In this regard, innovations and others beliefs that

contradict the Qur’an and Sunnah was eradicated and it reduced in some areas where the

number of Ulamah is few.

Conclusion

The Islamic movement of Sheikh Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahhab represented a real

model for several scholars in Muslim world to follow in their call to the restoration of original

fundamentals of Islam and reviva1 of the true Islamic faith (Musaid 2010). Excellence and

virtues of Muhammad bin Abdul-Wahhab are too much to count and more famous than need

be mentioned. If I were to detail those matters, the pages would not be sufficient. It is enough

for his virtues that as a result of him heresies were removed, the Muslims were united, the

congregational prayers and Friday prayers were held, the religion was revived after it was lost

and the roots of shirk were cut after they had been planted.” Jamaal Al-Din 2010).

____________________
(1) Alim Hassanor Alapa, Member of Regional Darul Iftah, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim
Mindanao
 Some Books written by Muhammad bin Abdul-Wahhab

Despite the fact that he was preoccupied with many affairs of da’wah and teaching, the Imam
still managed to dedicate some of his time for writing. His works included:

1. Abridgment of Sahil Al Bukhari

2. Kitab at Tawheed (Aqeedah of the Oneness of Allah, the right of Allah upon His

slaves

3. Kitab Al Kabaair (The Book of the Major sins)

4. Al Qawaidh al Arba’ah (The Four Rules of the Belief in the Oneness of Allah)

5. Kashf Ash Shubuhat (Refutation of Dubious Issues)

6. Abridgment of Zad Al Ma’ad (Provisions of the Hereafter by Ibnul Qayyim)

7. Abridgement of the Sirah ( The Prophet’s biography)

8. Ahkam Al Qur’an (Eliciting rulings from the Qur’an)

9. Prophetic Traditions

10. The Fundamentals of Iman

11. Issues of Jahiliyah or Pre-Islamic Era

12. Qur’anic Exegesis

 Bibliography

Al Quran al Kareem, Saheh International.

Al Hadith

Al Sa’di A.R, Kitab At Tawheed, Translated by Dar-us-Salam Publications.

Ahmad B. 1988, “When Islam entered the Philippines.

https://www.alukah.net/world_muslims/0/69194/#ixzz5otw4kYzu

Christopher M. B., 2008 “The Islamic Traditions of Wahhabism and Salafiyya”.

Mahmoud M., 2000 “The life and the Aqeedah of Muhammad Bin Abdul Wahhab.

Mohammad M., 2015 Thoughts About Wahhabism: Why Did Some Try To,

https://kep.org.sa/?p=10502&lang=en.

Musaid A. T., 2003,” Interview to Mrs. Natana DeLong Bas obtained a Ph.D. in history from

Georgetown University seven months ago. The title of the dissertation was

"Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab: An Intellectual Biography Biography, “Al-Da’wah

Monthly Islamic magazine – No. 21 Jumada I 1424 H. July 2003.

Sharif A. 2008, “Cultural Study on Selected Tausug Practices of Bid’a (Innovation).

Yusuf M, 2013 “Ideas on the reality of Muslims in the Philippines”

http://www.albayan.co.uk/article2.aspx?ID=2966

Zarabozo, J. A. D. M. (2010). The Life, Teachings and Influence of Muhammad ibn Abdul-

Wahhaab. Riyadh: International Islamic Publishing House.