Wahhabism: Alhamdulillah or Innalillah?

Amidst of the tendency of Islamic societies that are considered infected by TBC (delusion, heresy, and superstition) Wahhabism emerged to destroy it. With its motto of al-ruju ‘ila al-Qur’an wa al-Sunna (back to the al-Quran and al-Hadith) they preach to calls upon Muslims to follow the true teachings of Islam: Wahhabism.

Based in Saudi Arabia, Wahhabism founded by Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhab ibn Sulayman al-Najdi in the 18th century is one of the radical sect in Islam. Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahab was born in Uyaynah, including the Nejd region, the eastern part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in nowdays, on 1111 H/1699 AD and died in 1206 H/1791 M. He learned to a number of teachers especially to the followers of Hanbali’s mazhab. His father, Abdul Wahab, was a judge (Qadi) the followers of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal.

The Wahhabis claim that they are able to restore Muslims to the pure teachings of Islam and its theology. They want to return to the Qur’an in a literal sense. The Qur’an is considered only a row of letters that is not related to the context in the vicinity. By using this approach, they reject a number of traditions (al-‘urf) that thrive in society. All the circumstances are referred to the state of the Prophet Muhammad. They do not agree to the development of rationalism in Islamic philosophy. For the sake of literalism of the Qur’an, they ignore Ushul Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence).

Literalism of the Wahhabis continue to impede them. Wahabism wanted a “pure” and “original” Islam and of course according their understanding. In the spirit of purification of Islamic teachings, they rejected history. Wahhabism selects modernity. Islam in the understanding of Wahhabism should not be interfered by the hand of science. That is why, not surprisingly, in the 1920s, Wahhabism forbids the use of telephone and radio devices in Mecca. Consequently, purification led to the brink of failure. Wahhabism becomes unwanted by Muslims. Some Sunni scholars do not want if Wahhabism is considered to be part of the Ahlus Sunnah wal Jama’ah. Moreover Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahab’s older brother, Sulaiman ibn Abdul Wahhab, rejected Wahhabism ideology.

Actually Wahhabism has no unique theology. It only dramatizes the old doctrines that tend to be stiff and rigid. Like most of the other Muslims, Wahhabism base their teachings and doctrine on monotheism. If Mu’tazila campaign monotheism,
Wahhabism also do same thing. And then what is the concept of monotheism in Wahhabism? A number of parties considers that Wahhabism’s monotheism is an extreme monetheism. With their own monotheism concept, Wahhabism can easily label the other Islamic groups who differ with her interpretation as unbeliever or heresy. They did not approve tawassul, visiting grave, tahlil traditions, and others. And in the end it leads to legalization to shed other people’s blood. Although Wahhabism do not claim itself as the successor of the Kharijites, both of them have a lots of commonality in their movement : violence. It has been told that the tomb of Zaid al-Khattab, Umar ibn Khattab’s brother was destroyed by Wahhabi groups. In 1802, they attacked Karbala.

Wahhabism is growing in Indonesia now. Some Islamic boarding schools (pesantren) or ma’had with Wahhabism ideology emerge. A friend of mine who is doing his research about Wahhabism in Indonesia recorded that about fourteen pesantren in Indonesia has been spreading the doctrine of Wahhabism. Compared to the statistical data of thousands pesantren in Indonesia, the fourteen numbers are still little. But this phenomenon of Wahhabism has been very dissolute. In this situation, some people say Alhamdulillah, and some others say Innalillah, and finally wallahu a’lam bisshawab.[]