Islam

1. ‫َِ َ َ َ‬
‫﴿ت ِلۡك ٱدلار ٱٓأۡلخرةُ َنۡعلُها ل ََِّّلِينَ‬
‫َ َّ ُ‬
‫اداۚ‬ ‫َل يُريدون علوا ِف ٱۡلَۡرض وَل فَسَ‬
‫ََ‬
‫ِ‬
‫ۡ‬ ‫ُ َ ُُ‬ ‫َ‬
‫ِ‬ ‫ِ‬
‫وٱلۡعَٰقِبة ل ِلۡمتقِنيَ‬
‫َ ُ َّ ٣٨﴾‬
‫َ َ ُ‬
‫1‬

2. ‫ُ‬ ‫ة‬ ‫الكي ِ‬
‫َ ْفيُّ‬
‫يفُمناظرِةُاملسمنيُبالسلَِفيَّةُ‬
‫َّ َ َّ‬
‫‪How to Debate with the‬‬
‫‪So-Called Salafiyyah‬‬
‫‪A Handbook for People of Sound Mind and Seekers of Truth‬‬
‫هو ٱَّلِي أَنزل علَيك ٱلكِتَٰب مِنه ءايَٰت ُّمكمَٰت هن أُمح‬
‫ح ۡ َ َ ٌ ُ َّ‬ ‫ُ َ َّ ٓ َ َ َ ۡ َ ۡ َ َ ۡ ُ َ َ‬
‫ُ ُ ۡ َ ۡ َ َ َّ ُ َ‬
‫ِف ُلوِِهۡ َيٞ َيتبِعون‬ ‫ٱلكِتَٰب وأُخر متَشبهَٰت فَأَما ٱَّلِينَ‬
‫َّ َّ‬ ‫َ َ ُ ُ َ َٰ َ‬ ‫ۡ َ‬
‫ِ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ِ‬
‫َ َ ۡ َ َۡ‬ ‫َ َ َ َ َ ۡ ُ ۡ َ ٓ ۡ َۡ ۡ َ ٓ َۡ‬
‫َُٓ‬ ‫ُ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ‬ ‫َ ِ َ‬
‫ما تشبه مِنه ٱبتِغاء ٱلفتنةِ وٱبتِغاء تأوِيلِهِۦ وما يعلۡ تأوِيلهۥ‬ ‫َٰ‬
‫ُ ۡ‬ ‫ۡ ۡ َ ُ ُ َ َ َ َّ‬ ‫َّ َّ ُ َ َّ ُ َ‬
‫إَِل ٱّللُۗ وٱلرَٰسخون ِف ٱلعِلۡ يقولون ءامنا بِهِۦ ك مِن عِند‬
‫ِ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ِ‬ ‫ِ‬
‫ب٧‬ ‫َ َ َ َ َّ َّ ُ َّ ٓ ُ ْ ُ ْ ۡ َ ۡ َ‬
‫رِِناُۗ وما يَذكر إَِل أولوا ٱۡللبَٰ‬
‫ِ‬
‫2‬

3. Prophet Muĥammad 
May Allah raise his majesty and nobility said:
ُ‫إنُاهللُومالئكتهُحّتُاحليتانُيفُالبحر‬
ْ ّ ّ
‫ُلَيصلّونُعلىُمعلِّمُالناسُاخلري‬
This means: “Verily, Allāh is Merciful to the one
who teaches the people the Religious Knowledge.
His Angels and even the fish in the sea will ask
Allāh to forgive him.” This is related by at-
Tirmidhiyy with Isnād Ŝaĥīĥ (an authentic chain of
narration).
Prophet ˇĪsā (Jesus) 
May Allah raise his majesty and nobility said:
ُ‫منُعلِمُ ُ ُِ ُُمباُعلِمُيدعىُعظيما‬
ً َ ‫َ َ َ وعمل‬
َ َ
ُ‫يفُملكوتُالسماء‬
ّ
This means: “He who learns the Religious
Knowledge and practices what he has learnt will
be called great among the Angels of the
Heavens.” This is related by al-Ĥāfiđħ Ibnu-l-
Jawziyy.
3

4. Contents
Forward ..............................................................................................................8
Publisher’s Introduction ................................................................................... 10
Chapter One ..................................................................................................... 13
Basic Refutation of the Wahhābi Creed ............................................................ 13
The Obligation of Following Ahlu-s-Sunnah ................................................ 13
The Wahhābi Attempt to Discredit the Nation at Large ................................ 16
The Madhhabs of Ahlu-s-Sunnah ................................................................. 17
Names that Have Been Attributed to the Wahhābis ...................................... 22
The Correct Belief in Allāh .......................................................................... 24
The Wahhābis Attribute a Body to Allāh ...................................................... 25
The Wahhābi Reasoning Behind Their Incorrect Belief ................................ 27
How the Wahhābis Interpret the Texts ..................................................... 30
The Truth about Majāz (Figurative Speech) ............................................. 32
The Truth about the Lawfulness of Ta’wīl ................................................ 35
The Wahhābis Reject Logic ..................................................................... 38
Reasoning is Necessary and Religiously Confirmed ................................. 39
The Mental Proof that the Wahhābis believe Allāh is a Body ................... 41
The Rational Conclusion which is Supported by the Texts ....................... 44
Islāmic Texts that Refute the Wahhābi Creed ............................................... 45
Proof from the Qur’ān that Refutes the Wahhābi Creed ............................ 45
The Priority of the Muĥkam Verses over the Mutashābih ......................... 47
Proof from the Ĥadīth that Refutes the Wahhābi Creed ............................ 51
Scholarly Texts Refuting the Wahhābi Creed ........................................... 53
The Validity of the Consensus.................................................................. 53
A Documentation of the Salaf’s Belief ..................................................... 54
Important Information and Advice ............................................................... 56
The Meaning of Kufr and Some of its Details .......................................... 57
4

5. Judging Someone as a Kāfir (Takfīr) ....................................................... 59
Having the Correct Intention ................................................................... 61
Refrain from Purposely Leading a Person to Say Kufr ............................. 62
Think First and Hold Your Tongue .......................................................... 63
The Importance of Focusing on the Belief ............................................... 64
Who are the Real Salaf? .............................................................................. 66
Chapter Two .................................................................................................... 67
A Refutation of their Misunderstanding of the Honorable Texts....................... 67
Translating the Qur’ān ................................................................................. 67
The Wahhābis Take Advantage of the Ignorant ........................................... 69
The Wahhābis Show Outward Adherence to the Sunnah .............................. 70
The Truth about the Ĥadīth of the Female Slave .......................................... 72
The Story Behind the Ĥadīth ................................................................... 72
The Wahhābi Misunderstanding of the Ĥadīth ......................................... 73
The Arabic Terms Have More Than One Meaning .................................. 73
Different Versions (Riwāyāt) of the Ĥadīth ............................................. 75
It is not Sufficient to Say “In the Sky!”.................................................... 77
Muslim’s Narration does not Support Them ............................................ 77
This Ĥadīth is not a Proof in the Issue of Belief ....................................... 78
A Scholarly Clarification ......................................................................... 79
The Wahhābi’s Ta’wīl for the Ĥadīth ...................................................... 81
Similar Texts ........................................................................................... 82
The Truth About Istiwā’ .............................................................................. 84
The Tafsīr of the Verse and How to Refute the Wahhābis Who Misinterpret
It ............................................................................................................. 84
Similar Texts Used by Wahhābis ............................................................. 91
The Saying of Imām Mālik ...................................................................... 93
The Truth About the Ĥadīth of An-Nuzūl .................................................... 95
The Explanation of Ibn Ĥajar .................................................................. 95
The Sayings of the Prophet do not Lead to Irrational Matters .................. 98
A Similar Text ........................................................................................ 98
5

6. The Truth About the Ascension of the Good Words ..................................... 98
The Correct Meaning of the Verse ........................................................... 99
The Implications of the Literal Meaning ................................................ 100
A Similar Text ....................................................................................... 100
Allāh is not Attributed with a Shin ............................................................. 100
Allāh is not Attributed with a Face ............................................................. 101
Verses Mentioning the Attribute of Wajh ............................................... 102
Allāh is not Attributed with a Hand ............................................................ 103
The Saying of Abū Ĥanīfah .................................................................... 104
Allāh is not Attributed with Two Hands ................................................. 104
Allāh is not Attributed with an Eye ............................................................ 107
Conclusion ................................................................................................. 108
Three Easy Ways to Smash a Wahhābi .................................................. 113
Appendix A: The Speech of Allāh .................................................................. 116
The 82nd Verse of Sūrat Yāsīn ................................................................ 117
The Meaning of the Word al-Qur’ān ...................................................... 119
Appendix B: The Truth about Innovations ...................................................... 121
Not Every Innovation is Misguidance ......................................................... 121
Proof from the Ĥadīth about Good Innovations .......................................... 122
Other Texts Used by Wahhābis .................................................................. 123
Statements of Scholars about Good Innovations ......................................... 125
The Meaning of the Saying of ˇUmar Ibnu-l-Khaťťāb ................................ 127
Examples of Good Innovations................................................................... 128
The Commemoration of the Mawlid ........................................................... 129
Appendix C: Who are the Heads of the Wahhābis? ......................................... 133
Aĥmad Ibn Taymiyah................................................................................. 133
Muĥammad Ibn ˇAbdil-Wahhāb ................................................................. 142
Al-Albāniyy ............................................................................................... 143
Others Whose Names are not Deserving of a Subtitle ................................. 145
Appendix D: Rain Clouds over the Graves of the Ĥanābilah ........................... 147
6

7. Appendix E: Further Clarification Concerning the Origins of the Wahhābis....149
Appendix F: A Chronological History of Ibn Taymiyah .................................154
Details of the events of 698 (Damascus) .....................................................154
Details of the events of 705 – 707 periods ..................................................155
Details of this period (Egypt) ......................................................................158
Details ........................................................................................................160
Details ........................................................................................................161
Repentance of Ibn Taymiyah (705) .............................................................164
The Decree of Ibn Qalawūn (705)...............................................................166
The Edict of the Four Head Judges in Egypt (726) ......................................170
The Ŝulťān’s Directive (Rajab 726) ............................................................171
References ..................................................................................................173
Epilogue .....................................................................................................174
Transliteration System ....................................................................................177
Vowels (Tashkīl) ............................................................................................178
Extension (Madd) .......................................................................................178
7

8. Forward
Excellent praise and gratitude are due to Allāh1, the Lord of the world. May
Allāh, the Exalted and Glorified, increase the rank and honor of Prophet
Muĥammad  and protect his nation from what Muĥammad feared for it.
Allāh, the Exalted, has praised those who exert themselves in the pursuit of
knowledge. He2 said3:
ِ ِ
﴾‫﴿يَرفَعُٱهللُٱلَّذينُآمنواُمنكمُوٱلَّذينُأوتواُٱلعِلمُدرجات‬
ٍ ِ
َ ََ َ ْ َ ُْ َ َ َ ِْ
This means: “Allāh raises the rank of those amongst you who believed and
acquired knowledge.”
And Allāh said4:
َ ْ َِ َُ ْ َِ ِْ َْ ْ
﴾‫﴿قلُهلُيَستَويُٱلَّذينُيَعلَمونُوٱلَّذينُالُيَعلَمون‬
َ
This means: “Say (O Muĥammad), are those who know equal to those who
do not know?”
The one who acquires the Islāmic knowledge will prevail and will have his status
elevated by Allāh. This is why Prophet Muĥammad urged his nation to acquire
the knowledge of the religion. Ibn Mājah related a Ĥadīth5 of the Prophet 6:
1
Allāh is the proper name of the Creator.
2
The words ‘He’, ‘His’ or ‘Him’ when used in reference to Allāh must not be
understood to represent gender. Allāh has created both the male and the female
and does not resemble either. Allāh referred to Himself in the Holy Qur’ān with
Huwa (He) and not with hiya (she). Therefore, we refer to Allāh with ‘He’ or
‘Him’ without associating Allāh with gender.
3
Sūrat al-Mujādilah, verse 11.
4
Sūrat az-Zumar, verse 9.
5
Ĥadīth refers to the narrated sayings, doings, and approvals of the Prophet .
8

9. ُ،‫ياُأَباُذرُألَنُتَغدوُفَتَتَ علَّمُآيَةُمنُكِتَابُاهللُِخْي رُلَكُمنُأَنُتصلِّيُمائَة كعة‬
ٍ ْ‫ِ َُر‬
ََ
ِ
َ ْ ْ َ ٌَ
ِ ِ
ْ ً َ َ َ ْ ْ َّ
ُ ‫وألَنُتَغدوُفَتَتَ علَّمُبَابًاُمنُالعِلْمُخْي رُلَكُمنُأَنُتصلِّيُأَلْف كع‬
ٍ
‫َ ُرْ َة‬
َ
ِ
َ ْ ْ َ ٌَ ِ َ
ِ
ََ َ ْ ْ َ
This means: “O Abā Dhar, if you go and learn one verse of the Qur’ān it is
more rewardable for you than praying one hundred rakˇah (of the optional
prayers). If you go and learn a chapter of Islāmic knowledge, it is more
rewardable for you than praying one thousand rakˇah (of the optional
prayers).”
It is often referred to as the Sunnah.
6
Sunan Ibn Mājah, Ĥadīth No. 216.
9

10. Publisher’s Introduction
Islām is the Religion of all the Prophets of Allāh, who started with Ādam 
and ended with Muĥammad . One becomes Muslim by believing in the heart
and declaring with the tongue that no one is God except Allāh and that
Muĥammad is the Messenger of Allāh. Utterance of the Two Testifications of
Islāmic Faith (ash-Shahādatayn) is required if one wants to embrace Islām and
one is not dumb (mute). If a person is not able to speak for reason that his tongue
is disabled and cannot move at all while his heart is saying the Two
Testifications of Islāmic Faith, this person becomes Muslim according to Allāh,
the Exalted. This is because he is not able to utter these Two Testifications while
his heart is saying them and believing in them.
The first declaration of ash-Shahādatayn (“No one is God except Allāh”) means
that nothing has the right to be worshipped except Allāh. The second declaration
(“Muĥammad is the Messenger of Allāh”) includes the belief that Muĥammad 
was the last of the Prophets and that he was truthful in all that he said and in that
which he conveyed from Allāh (as were all the Prophets before him). It also
means that the Lord of the world has sent Prophets and Messengers in order to
guide us and to teach us to worship Him correctly. The Muslim must believe in
all of the Prophets, whether the Rasūl or the Nabiyy7, since all of them came with
Islām; the Rusul (pl. Rasūl) were sent with different Religious Laws. That is,
they came with one Religion, which is Islām, but with different rules. Imām al-
Bukhāriyy related that the Prophet Muĥammad  said8:
َُُّ ‫األَنْبِيَاءُإِخوٌُلِعالتُدين همُواحدُوأمهات همُش‬
‫ْ َة َ ٍ ِ ْ َ ِ ٌ َ َّ َ ْ َ ّت‬
This means: “The Prophets are like brothers with the same father, but with
different mothers. Their Religion is one, but their religious rules are
7
The Rasūl is the Prophet who has been sent with a new religious law. The
Nabiyy is the Prophet who has been commanded to follow the religious law of
the previous Rasūl.
8
Ŝaĥīĥ al-Bukhāriyy, Ĥadīth No. 3258; Ŝaĥīĥ Muslim, Ĥadīth No. 2365;
Muŝannaf ˇAbdur-Razzāq, Ĥadīth No. 20845;.
10

11. different.” Moreover, Allāh, the Exalted, has said9:
﴾ُ ‫﴿إِنُٱ ِّينُعندُٱ ُُِٱإلسال‬
‫َّ لد َ ِ َ هلل ِ ْ م‬
This means: “Indeed, the only Religion that is accepted by Allāh is Islām.”
Hence the term ‘revealed religions’ must not be used. Rather, one should refer to
‘Revealed Religious Rules,’ because all the Prophets came with only one religion
which is the Religion of Islām.
Prophet Mūsa (Moses)  commanded the people to believe in Islām by
testifying that, “No one is God except Allāh and Moses is the Messenger of
Allāh.” Whoever believed in him became a Muslim.
Similarly, Prophet ˇĪsā (Jesus)  commanded the people to believe in Islām
by testifying that, “No one is God except Allāh and Jesus is the Messenger of
Allāh.” Whoever believed in him became a Muslim.
Finally, Prophet Muĥammad  commanded the people to believe in Islām by
testifying that, “No one is God except Allāh and Muĥammad is the Messenger of
Allāh.” Whoever believed in him became a Muslim. Prophet Muĥammad 
said10:
َُ‫أَفْضلُماُق لْتُأَناُوالنَّبِيُّونُمنُقَ ْبلِيُالُإِلهُاهللُوحدهُالُشريكُل‬
‫َِ َ ه‬ َْ َ َ ِ
ْ َ َ َ
This means: “The best of what I and the Prophets before me have said is,
‘there is no god except Allāh. He is the only God and there is no partner
with Him’.”
The Two Testifications of Islāmic Faith (ash-Shahādatayn) are the essence of
Islām; they are the foundation of the faith. The analogy of constructing a
building is useful in that it explains the importance of these basic beliefs. There
will be no building without a concrete foundation. Similarly, there will be no
benefit in the Hereafter without first having the correct belief. This analogy
illustrates the need to start from the beginning and to build upward. In order to be
9
Sūrat Āl-ˇImrān, verse 19.
10
Narrated by Imām Mālik in al-Muwaťťa’, Ĥadīth No. 498 and al-Ĥāfiđħ al-
Bayhaqiyy in Sunan al-Kubrā, Ĥadīth No. 9247.
11

12. Muslim one must firmly believe that there is no God but Allāh and that
Muĥammad  is the Messenger of Allāh. Believing in the heart and declaring
with the tongue that there is no God but Allāh and that Muĥammad  is the
Messenger of Allāh is the foundation of the Islāmic Faith. Indeed all Muslims are
united by this basic belief. Muslims use the sound mind as a guide because there
is nothing in the Religious Law that the sound mind will reject. The sound mind
will bear witness to the truthfulness of Religious Law. Religious Knowledge is
essential, since learning gives one strength and purpose.
Learning ‘The Obligatory Religious Knowledge’ puts the Muslim on the road
towards moral excellence and self-betterment. The Muslim uses that knowledge
to differentiate between what is lawful and what is unlawful and between what is
acceptable and valid worship and what is invalid. The Muslims are distinguished
from one another by the amount of Islāmic knowledge that they attain and apply
during their lives.
Believing in and declaring that, “No one is God except Allāh and Muĥammad is
the Messenger of Allāh,” is the most important thing that any person can do and
is necessary before any good deeds can be accepted for the purposes of the
Hereafter. The one who becomes Muslim and stays Muslim will have the
enjoyment of Paradise without end in the Hereafter. The one who rejects Islām
will suffer the torture of Hellfire without end in the Hereafter. Undoubtedly, we
will all face death. The one who is prepared for the Day of Judgment is the one
who knows, accepts and applies the Sunni Creed and implements the teachings
of Prophet Muĥammad  in all sincerity to Allāh, the Exalted.
We have published this book in an effort to expose the lies and exaggerations of
the Wahhābi/so-called Salafi movement that have been spread far and wide. We
ask Allāh to support us in this effort. Without the protection of Allāh no one can
evade sinning, and without the help of Allāh no one has the strength to obey
Him11.
Contemplate this and know with certainty that you will not be able to benefit
from this great book unless the Lord of the world helps you and we would not
have been able to complete it without Allāh’s help. May Allāh make its benefit
widespread.
11
This is the meaning of “Lā ĥawla wa-lā quwwata illā billāh” as mentioned in
an authentic Ĥasan Ĥadīth related by Abū Yaˇlā from Ibn Masˇūd from the
Prophet (peace be upon him).
12

13. Chapter One
Basic Refutation of the Wahhābi Creed
If Allāh willed, this book will shed light on some of the deviant beliefs of the so-
called Salafis/Salafiyyah, those whom the Muslims call the
Wahhābis/Wahhābiyyah. Hopefully, it will be helpful in understanding what
these misguided people believe, why they believe it, and give some basic tips on
how to refute them. Although the intention is to keep this book as simple as
possible, learning Islāmic knowledge on one’s own is not encouraged by the
religion. This book is equipped with footnotes for unfamiliar terms, but one
should not attempt to teach Islām to himself by simply reading books and
depending on his own understanding. Since this is so, every accountable person
is obligated to go to a knowledgeable teacher from Ahlu-s-Sunnah12, and if there
is no teacher in his area, he must travel to find one, as said by the renowned
Shāfiˇiyy scholar Aĥmad Ibn Rislān13 in his famous millennial14 poem entitled az-
Zubad:
ُِ َُ ‫َُنُملُيَُ ُِ ُ ُُِّم‬
‫جدُمعل ً اُفلريحل‬
َ ‫م‬ ُُِ
‫ُُذاُفليسأل‬
‫َُنُملُيكنُيعلم‬
‫م‬
This means: “Whoever does not know, then let him ask, and whoever does not
find a teacher, then let him travel.”
May Allāh guide us to knowledgeable teachers who can fill us with knowledge.
The Obligation of Following Ahlu-s-Sunnah
Know that in a very well known ĥadīth with several narrations, the Messenger of
Allāh (ˇalayhi-ŝ-Ŝalātu wa-s-Salām15) warned about 72 sects that would deviate
12
The Sunni/Sunniyy Muslims; the group which follows the method of the
Companions of the Prophet .
13
Aĥmad Ibn Ĥusayn Ibn Ĥasan Ibn Rislān ar-Ramliyy ash-Shāfiˇiyy (775 AH).
14
1000 lined.
15
Meaning, “May Allāh raise the rank of Prophet Muĥammad and protect his
Nation from whatever he feared for it.”
13

14. from the correct path of the Muslims. He said 16:
ًَُُ ُِ ‫وُِ َُُّ َُ ُُُاأل ُ ُُ ََُتُ ُْت ُُعلىَُُ ٍُُو َُُ ُِ َُُُُِرَُةُُ ُُُّ َُاُيفُالَُّا ُُُُُِّو‬
‫ن ر إال ُاحدة‬
َ
ِ ‫ثالث ُسْبعني ف ْق ً كله‬ َ َ َّ ِ ِ
‫إن هذه مة س ف َُِق‬
This means: “Surely, this nation will divide into 73 factions. All of them will
be in Hell except one.” That path is the way of Ahlu-s-Sunnah wa-l-Jamāˇah,
which means “the People of the Sunnah17 and the Majority”. They are called
Ahlu-s-Sunnah for short. They are referred to in a ĥadīth18:
‫فمنُأرادُُببوحةُاجلنّةُفَلْيَلزِمُاجلماعة‬
َ َ ََ ْ َ ْ َ
This means: “Whoever wishes for the prosperity of Paradise then let him
stick to the Jamāˇah.” The Prophet  taught his Companions19 that 72 out of
73 different sects would be in Hellfire. Some will dwell in Hell forever because
of a blasphemous conviction. Some will dwell therein for a limited time known
to Allāh, due to a deviant creed that did not reach blasphemy 20, for every creed
that does not comply with the creed of the Prophet and his Companions is a
major sin if it does not reach the level of blasphemy 21. Only one group out of the
73 groups would deserve Paradise without first being tortured in Hell. His
16
Narrated by ad-Dārimiyy, Abū Dāwūd, al-Ĥākim, Ibn Abi-d-Dunyā, at-
Tirmidhiyy, Ibn Ĥibbān, and Aĥmad Ibn Ĥambal.
17
Sunnah has many meanings. Linguistically, it means, “a way”. Religiously, it
could refer to the ĥadīth of the Prophet; to the optional, recommended, and
rewardable matters; and to the Prophet’s  practice of the religion in general,
including the obligations.
18
Sunan at-Tirmidhiyy, Ĥadīth No. 2165.
19
Companion refers to those who met the Prophet , believed in him, and died
as Muslims.
20
Blasphemy (kufr) is the opposite of belief.
21
An example of a deviant creed that does not reach the level of blasphemy is
the creed of those who say that after the death of the Prophet, Abū Bakr, ˇUmar
and ˇUthmān all took the rulership before ˇAliyy unjustly. This is deviant because
it contradicts the agreement of the Companions.
14

15. Companions asked him about that single group, and he  told them: 22
‫اجلماعة‬
َ
This means: “The Jamāˇah.”
Ahlu-s-Sunnah, the People of the Prophet’s Method, is the group with the largest
following. In one narration, the Prophet  said23:
ِ
‫َُُ ُ ََُُيُُ ُُاخُِالفًاُفُ َُُُ ُ ُُُِْ َُّو ُُا َُ ُ َُم‬
‫فِإذاُرأ ْتم ْ ت َعلْيكم بالسُاد ألعظ‬ َ
ْ َ َ
This means: “If you see (unacceptable) differences among you, then adhere
to as-Sawādu-l-Aˇđħam (the vast majority).” These different narrations of
ĥadīth comply with each other. There is no contradiction between that single,
guided group being the “Jamāˇah” and being “as-Sawādu-l-Aˇđħam”. “Jamāˇah”
means “group”, and must be explained to comply with the other ĥadīth, so in this
context it means the majority.
In another narration, the Prophet  named that group24:
ِ
‫َُاََُُُ ُ ُُوَُ ُْ َُايب‬
‫م أناُعليه ُأصح‬
َ َ
This means: “The group which is upon what my Companions and I are
upon.” There is still no conflict in the different descriptions of Ahlu-s-Sunnah,
for historically, the majority of Muslims have always had the same belief since
the time of the Companions, who never disagreed about the basics of belief
among themselves.
The majority of Muslims did not disagree about the validity of the rulership of
the four pious Caliphs after the Prophet, nor did they deny the attributes [of
Allāh] or liken them to the attributes of the creations. They did not deny the
torture of the grave, or believe that major sins take a person out of Islām. They
did not deny that Allāh can be seen, although He is seen without having a shape,
22
Sunan Abū Dāwūd, Ĥadīth No. 4597.
23
Sunan Ibn Mājah, Ĥadīth No. 3950.
24
Sunan at-Tirmidhiyy, Ĥadīth No. 2641.
15

16. form or color. They did not deny destiny, or that there will be believers who will
be tortured in Hell, or that people have wills; all of which were beliefs held by
different deviant groups throughout history. Never has the majority disagreed
about the basics of the correct belief, and we challenge anyone to bring evidence
of such a disagreement. Until today, 75% to 80% of the nation has the same
belief, and from that, we know that the so-called Salafis are deviant people, since
they consider most of the Muslims throughout the world as mushriks25 and bad
innovators.
The Wahhābi Attempt to Discredit the Nation at Large
A Wahhābi may put up a defense in this area. Proving that the nation as a whole
will always be guided necessitates that any small group who disagrees with the
majority of the nation is misguided. Therefore, for a Wahhābi, it is imperative to
discredit this notion since he does not and cannot deny that they are a small
outnumbered group. To do that, he may mention the poor situation of Muslims
today, their lack of knowledge and being overwhelmed with sins.
This is why we, Ahlu-s-Sunnah, say that the belief of the majority of the nation
will always be correct. They would not agree upon a misguided creed. However,
the Prophet foretold that his nation will become weak and sinful. There are
several narrations about this, among them26:
ٍ َّ ِ
ُ ُِ َُ ُُ ُْ ََُُُُُ‫َُ َُ ُِّ ُُُِ َُُّ ُُِ ََُُُ َُ ُُُأ ُيت‬
‫املتمسك بسنيتُعْند فساد م له أجر شهيد‬
This means: “Whoever adheres to my Sunnah upon the corruption of my
nation has the reward of a martyr.” This corruption in the nation does not
mean that the majority will believe in a deviant creed. Similar is the ĥadīth27:
ُ‫وُِ َُُُّ َُُ ُ ُُْ َُ ُُُ ُ َُُِ ُُْ ُ َُُِتُ َُاُيفَُُوهلا‬
ُ ‫َُإن أمتكم هذه جعلت عافي ه أ‬
َّ َ
ِِ َّ
‫و َُُ ُِ ُُ ُُِرهاُُِ ٌُُوُأ ُ ٌُُتُُ ُروهنا‬
ِ
ُ‫ُسيصيب آخ بالء ُ مور َنْك‬
َ َ
25
Mushrik is someone who associates partners with Allāh.
26
Narrated by al-Ĥāfiđħ ať-Ťabarāniyy in al-Muˇjam al-Awsať, Ĥadīth No.
5414.
27
Sunan an-Nasā’iyy, Ĥadīth No. 4191; Sunan Ibn Mājah, Ĥadīth No. 3956.
16

17. This means: “Allāh’s protection (the ˇāfiyah) has been granted to the
beginning of this nation of yours, and its end will be inflicted with hardship
and matters to which you object.” A Wahhābi may also produce the verse28:
﴾ُ ‫﴿وقَلِيل ُِنُعبَاديُٱ َّك‬
‫َ ٌُم ْ ِ ِ َ لش ور‬
This means: “Only few of My slaves (the slaves of Allāh) are very thankful.”
We tell them that this is in reference to piety- that few slaves of Allāh refrain
from using their endowments sinfully, which is ungratefulness to Allāh. There
are other narrations about this issue, so know that they may produce several
references. The ĥadīths already mentioned are enough to prove them wrong.
The Wahhābis took the name of Ahlu-s-Sunnah for themselves, but if they are a
minority, only a couple million strong, how can they still claim the name? It is
easy if one merely distorts the meaning of “jamāˇah”. To fool others, and to
consider the millions upon millions upon millions of Muslims as misguided, they
say, “The Jamāˇah can be one person.” This statement may be applicable to a
person truly following Ahlu-s-Sunnah, which is the majority, but is secluded and
surrounded by misguided people. The case of the Wahhābis does not apply. We
seek the protection of Allāh from such sly deviance.
The Madhhabs of Ahlu-s-Sunnah
In reality, Ahlu-s-Sunnah is the vast, vast majority of Muslims. They stuck to the
same belief since the time of the Prophet  and never deviated from it. Ahlu-s-
Sunnah follows the four famous madhhabs29 in obedience to Allāh and His
Messenger, without disputing the validity of any of them, despite the differences
among them. It is important to know that in the past, there were other valid
schools, like the school of Abū ˇAmr Abdur-Raĥmān al-Awzāˇiyy, as well as
others, but these four are the remaining schools. The followers of these schools
took great care to document their schools and pass them down to the following
generations.
The largest of those four schools is the Ĥanafiyy School, the followers of the
28
Sūrat Saba’, verse 13.
29
Madhhab “school of practical rules” refers to the work of scholars following a
particular mujtahid. Sometimes the word is used for other meanings.
17

18. great Imām Abū Ĥanīfah an-Nuˇmān Ibn Thābit al-Kūfiyy30. Imām Mālik Ibn
Anas al-Aŝbaĥiyy31 was a contemporary of his, and the greatest scholar in the
city of al-Madīnah at his time. His school, the Mālikiyy school, is the most
widely spread in Africa, with the exception of the eastern African countries.
Imām Muĥammad Ibn Idrīs ash-Shāfiˇiyy32 was the greatest student of Mālik, and
his school, the Shāfiˇiyy School, is the most common in the areas of Lebanon,
Palestine, Syria, and Jordon, as well as Indonesia and Malaysia, and many
Syrians are Ĥanafiyy. As for the Hambaliyy school, the followers of Imām
Aĥmad [Ibn Muĥammad] Ibn Ĥambal ash-Shaybāniyy33, it is the smallest of the
four, because many of the people who likened Allāh to the creations attributed
themselves to that school and have defamed it - repelling people from adhering
to it. Ahlu-s-Sunnah believes that if someone follows any one of those
madhhabs, he would be guided. By that, they respect the acceptable differences
within the boundaries of the Islāmic Sharīˇah (Law), as validated by the Prophet
himself, and just as the Companions respected the different judgments given by
other mujtahid34 Companions.
30
He is the Great Imām, al-Mujtahid, an-Nuˇmān Ibn Thābit Ibn an-Nuˇmān Ibn
al-Marzubān al-Kūfiyy. He was born in the year 80 AH and died in 150 AH. He
was buried in Baghdād. Among his teachers was Ĥammād Ibn Abī Sulaymān,
ˇAťā’ Ibn Abī Rabāĥ, Abū Isĥāq as-Sabiˇiyy, ash-Shaˇbiyy, Maĥārib Ibn Dathar,
al-Haytham Ibn Ĥabīb as-Sawwāf, Muĥammad Ibn Munkadir, Nāfiˇ, Abū Bakr
az-Zuhriyy, Abu-l-Ĥasan Zayd Ibn al-Ĥusayn, and Abū Jaˇfar Muĥammad Ibn
ˇAliyy Ibn al-Ĥusayn Ibn ˇAliyy Ibn Abī Ťālib.
31
Al-Imām, al-Mujtahid, Abū ˇAbdillāh Mālik Ibn Anas Ibn Mālik Ibn ˇAmr al-
Aŝbaĥiyy al-Madaniyy. He was born in 93 AH and died in 179 AH. He is the
author of al-Muwaťťa’. Imām ash-Shāfiˇiyy said about his book that it was the
most authentic book on the earth after the Qur’ān. Among his teachers was
Ayyūb ash-Shakhtiyāniyy, Jaˇfar aŝ-Ŝādiq, ˇAťā’ Ibn Abī Rabāĥ, Muĥammad Ibn
Munkadir, Nāfiˇ, and Abū Bakr az-Zuhriyy.
32
Al-Imām, al-Mujtahid, Abū ˇAbdillāh Muĥammad Ibn Idrīs ash-Shāfiˇiyy al-
Muťťalibiyy. He was born in 150 AH in Ghazzā and died in 204 AH in Cairo.
Among his teachers was: Mālik Ibn Anas, Muĥammad Ibn al-Ĥasan ash-
Shaybāniyy, and ˇAbdur-Razzāq aŝ-Ŝanˇāniyy.
33
Al-Imām al-Mujtahid Aĥmad Ibn Muĥammad Ibn Ĥambal ash-Shaybāniyy al-
Marwaziyy. He was born 164 AH in Marw and died in 241 in Baghdād. Among
his teachers was: Hushaym, Sufyān Ibn ˇUyaynah, and ash-Shāfiˇiyy.
34
Mujtahid refers to the top scholars who deduce judgments in case the ruling is
18

19. Clear evidence from the incidents that took place between the Companions at the
time of the Prophet is what was narrated by Imām Muĥammad Ibn Ismāˇīl al-
Bukhāriyy35 from the route of Ibn ˇUmar36:
‫ََُُُاُملاُر َُ ُُ ُِ َُُا َُ ُْز ُُِال يصلين أحد العصر‬ُ‫عنُابنُعمرُقال:ُقالُالنيب‬
‫لن َُجع من ألح اب‬ َ
َُُّ َُ ُُِّ ُ ُ ُ ُ ُ‫إال ي َن ق ريظةََُُُ ُرَُُبُ ُ ُ ُ ُ ُْ ُُيفُال َُُّر ُُِفُ ُ َُُب‬
‫فأدَُك َعضهمُالعصر ط ِيق َقال َعضهمُالُنصليُحّت‬
َ ْ َ َ ْ ْ ّ
َُُُِ ‫ََُُُِْيُ َُاُوَُ َُُبُ ُ ُ ُ َُ ُُُ ُُِّيُملُيُُرُُ َُُِّاُ ُُِ ََُُُذ‬
‫َد من ذَلك فَُكر‬ ْ ‫نأت ه ُقال َعضهمُبل نصل‬
َ ْ ْ َ
‫ُفَُُ ُُْيُ ُُِّ ُُْو ُِ ًُ ُِنُْ ُم‬ُ‫ُللَُّيب‬
‫َلم عنف ُاحداُم ه‬
َ َ ‫ن‬
This means: “Ibn ˇUmar said, ‘When he returned from the battle against the
united parties37 the Prophet said to us, ‘No one prays al-ˇAsr until reaching
Banī Qurayđħah38.’ Some of them were in route when the ˇAŝr prayer came in.
Some said, ‘We do not pray until we get there.’ Some of them said, ‘No, we shall
pray, that is not what he wanted from us.’ That was (later) mentioned to the
Prophet and he did not scold anyone of them.” The evidence contained in this
ĥadīth is that some mujtahid companions understood the apparent expression of
the Prophet, and thus took it to be permission to pray ˇAsr outside of its time if it
meant praying it only at their destination. Others understood that the Prophet was
telling them to rush to their destination so to pray the prayer in its time there, but
not to pray the Prayer outside of its time.
Had their difference been unacceptable, the Prophet would have scolded those
who disobeyed him, because the belief of the Muslims is that the Prophet does
not remain silent in the face of sins. Thus, Ahlu-s-Sunnah, unlike the Wahhābis,
follows the Companions in what they did in reference to imitation (taqlīd) of
scholars and following schools. As a result, they did not tamper with the rules of
the Religion. More will be mentioned about the validity of following the schools
in the section about the Wahhābi grandfather, Aĥmad Ibn Taymiyah.
All of Ahlu-s-Sunnah have the same belief. They belong to one of two madhhabs
not explicitly mentioned in the Qur’ān or Ĥadīth.
35
Al-Imām Muĥammad Ibn Ismāˇīl al-Bukhāriyy (194 – 256 AH).
36
Ŝaĥīĥ al-Bukhāriyy, Ĥadīth No. 904.
37
Al-Aĥzāb.
38
They were a tribe of Jews who had breached their treaty with the Prophet.
19

20. of ˇaqīdah (creed), even if some do so without realization. Knowing about this is
important. In brief, the two madhhabs of ˇaqīdah do not have different creeds.
They carry the same basic belief. The difference between them is in such matters
as definitions and terminology. In other words, the base of these two schools is
the same. The outcome they reached in regards to the belief is the same. Their
differences are in issues like defining terms, ways of analyzing proofs, and the
like. If someone follows one of the schools of ˇaqīdah, the Ashˇariyy39 School or
the Māturīdiyy40 School, he follows the belief of the Prophet of Allāh  and his
Companions, just as the one who follows the method of the previously
mentioned schools of fiqh follows the method of the Prophet of Allāh  and his
Companions.
If someone says, “If their belief is the same, why have two different schools, and
if they have two different schools, how could they both be the guided faction?”
The answers for these two questions are as follows:
The first is that they are different schools because they were established by two
different men in two different areas, but both with the same basic belief.
Naturally, being different individuals, they would differ in their terminology and
expressions, even if their belief were the same. Then, the scholars who came
after them applied the method of those two scholars, and taught according to
their ways, out of confession that those two scholars were the masters of their
time in the science of the creed, just as al-Bukhāriyy and Muslim41 were the
39
Al-Imām Abu-l-Ĥasan ˇAliyy Ibn Ismāˇīl Ibn Isĥāq Ibn Sālim Ibn Ismāˇīl Ibn
ˇAbdillāh Ibn Mūsā Ibn Bilāl Ibn Abī Bardah Ibn Abī Musā al-Ashˇariyy al-
Baŝriyy. He was born in 260 AH and died in 324 AH. After leaving the
Muˇtazilah, he devoted himself to defending the creed of Ahlu-s-Sunnah. He
took the Shāfiˇiyy Fiqh from Abū Isĥāq al-Marwaziyy. Among his students was:
Abu-l-Ĥasan al-Bāhiliyy, Abu-l-Ĥasan ať-Ťabariyy, Abū Sahl as-Suˇlūkiyy (the
shaykh of al-Ĥākim an-Naysābūriyy), Ibn Mujāhid and many more.
40
He was the Imām of Guidance, Abū Manŝūr Muĥammad Ibn Muĥammad Ibn
Maĥmūd as-Samarqandiyy al-Māturīdiyy al- Ĥanafiyy. He died in the year 333
AH. Among his teachers was al-Imām Abū Bakr Aĥmad al-Jawzajāniyy al-
Ĥanafiyy who took from al-Imām Abū Sulaymān Musā Ibn Sulaymān al-
Jawzajāniyy al-Ĥanafiyy who took from al-Qāďī Abū Yūsuf Yaˇqūb Ibn Ibrāhīm
al-Anŝāriyy who took from al-Imām Abū Ĥanīfah An-Nuˇmān Ibn Thābit.
41
Al-Ĥāfiđħ al-Imām Muslim Ibn Ĥajjāj al-Qushayriyy an-Naysabūriyy ash-
Shāfiˇiyy. He was born in 202 AH and died in 261 AH. He was the most
20

21. masters in ĥadīth narration42, and the Four Imāms were the masters of Fiqh.
Thus, anyone who took by the way of al-Ashˇariyy in expressing the matters of
the creed was attributed to his school. Likewise is said about whoever taught and
authored according to the way of al-Māturīdiyy.
The answer to the second question is that the fact that they share the same basic
creed confirms that both groups are the guided faction, just as the Companions,
who had the same basic creed, differed about whether the Prophet saw Allāh.
Some, like Ibn ˇAbbās, said that he saw Allāh with his heart43. Others like
ˇĀ’ishah Bint Abī Bakr, said that he did not see Allāh. Some of Ahlu-s-Sunnah
said that he saw Allāh with his eyes. Yes, what is correct is that he saw Allāh
with his heart and not with his eyes, and that no one will see Allāh with their
eyes in this lifetime, the proof for which does not befit this summarized booklet,
but the point is that this difference does not mean that the Companions have
divided into factions. They all still have the same basic belief, which is that Allāh
can be seen. Likewise, the differing expressions between the Ashˇariyyah and the
Māturīdiyyah do not make them two different factions, because their basic creed
is the same. Hence, what is precise is to say that they are two schools within the
same guided faction.
In explaining the Muslim’s creed, most scholars, like the Shāfiˇiyy and the
Mālikiyy scholars, are Ashˇariyyah, also known as al-Ashāˇirah. Others, usually
Ĥanafiyy scholars, are Māturīdiyyah, and it should be known that they are not
few. The Wahhābis hate both groups, claiming that al-Ashāˇirah and al-
Māturīdiyyah are deviants.
They are cornered into this claim, because both fountains of knowledge refute
the Wahhābi creed, and all other deviant creeds. Furthermore, since they claim
that the Ashāˇirah are deviant, and since most of the scholars are Ashāˇirah, they
often quote scholars whom they would consider deviant. The authority of
heavyweight scholars like an-Nawawiyy44, Ibn Ĥajar al-ˇAsqalāniyy45, and al-
accomplished student of Imām al-Bukhāriyy.
42
If someone asks, “Do al-Bukhāriyy and Muslim have a school in ĥadīth?” The
answer is: yes. Among the scholars who followed the way of those two imāms
was Abū ˇAbdillāh Muĥammad Ibn ˇAbdillāh al-Ĥākim an-Naysabūriyy, the
author of al-Mustadrak.
43
Not in his heart! Rather, with his heart instead of his eyes.
44
Al-Ĥāfiđħ al-Imām Abū Zakariyyā Muĥyu-d-Dīn Yaĥyā Ibn Sharaf an-
Nawawiyy ash-Shāfiˇiyy. He was born in 631 AH and died in 676 AH.
21

22. Bayhaqiyy46 give their books and lessons an authentic tone, although in reality
such scholars refuted and disagreed with the Wahhābi beliefs. The Wahhābis
pick and choose what they like from the scholars’ comments and judgments, then
if one were to show them what those scholars believed, those Wahhābis would
say, “O, but he is an Ashˇariyy!” Ahlu-s-Sunnah is moderate, safe between the
different extremes that are and have been practiced. Unlike the Wahhābis, they
do not liken the attributes of Allāh to the attributes of the creations. Nor do they
deny the attributes or existence of Allāh, as the Wahhābis would accuse them.
They do not deem the intellect as something that has priority over the rules of
Allāh, nor do they stoop like the Wahhābis and read the Qur’ān and the ĥadīth
without using their minds. Some scholars said that the one who reads the
Revelation without using his mind is like the one who steps into the light with
his eyes closed, and the one who uses his mind without using the Revelation is
like the one who steps into the darkness with his eyes opened. We must step into
the light with our eyes opened. We must accept the Revelation of Allāh and use
our minds (according to the guidance of the great scholars of Islām).
Names that Have Been Attributed to the Wahhābis
Al-Mushabbihah; “the Likeners”, are among the ancient, deviant factions about
which the Prophet  warned. They are religiously defined as the people who
liken the self of Allāh to the selves of His creations, or they liken His attributes
to their attributes. The so-called Salafis; “the followers of the Salafi Daˇwah”, as
they call themselves, are a modern branch of al-Mushabbihah, as we will prove,
if Allāh willed.
Rather than being Salafi (followers of the scholars of the first 300 years), they
are talafiyy (destructive). Do not call them Salafi, call them imposters. Call them
“so-called Salafis”, or “pseudo (fake) Salafis”. Put “Salafi” in quotation marks to
45
Al-Ĥāfiđħ al-Imām, the Seal of the Scholars of Ĥadīth, Abu-l-Faďl Aĥmad Ibn
Ĥajar al-ˇAsqalāniyy ash-Shāfiˇiyy. He was born in 773 AH and died in 852 AH.
Among his teachers was: Sirāj al-Bulqīniyy, Ibnu-l-Mulaqqin, al-Ĥāfiđħ Zaynu-
d-Dīn al-ˇIrāqiyy, al-Ustādh at-Tanūkhiyy and many others.
46
Al-Ĥāfiđħ al-Imām Ŝāĥibu-l-Wujūh, Abū Bakr Aĥmad Ibn al-Ĥusayn Ibn
ˇAliyy al-Bayhaqiyy, an-Naysābūriyy ash-Shāfiˇiyy al-Ashˇariyy. He was born in
the year 384 AH and died in 458 AH. Among his teachers was: al-Ĥāfiđħ al-
Ĥākim an-Naysābūriyy, Muĥammad Ibn Maĥmish az-Ziyādiyy, Abū ˇAbdir-
Raĥmān as-Sulamiyy, Abū Sulaymān al-Khaťťābiyy, al-Imām Abū Bakr Ibn
Fūrak and al-Ustādh Abū Manŝūr al-Baghdādiyy.
22

23. show that you do not consider them to actually be Salafi. If Allāh willed, we will
also speak about the true Salaf.
Call them the Wahhābiyyah, the name given to them by the scholars when they
first deviated more than 200 years ago, emerging from the land of Najd in the
Arabian Peninsula, following their master, Muĥammad Ibn ˇAbdil-Wahhāb an-
Najdiyy.
***EXTRA DETAIL***
One would find many Wahhābis who are offended by being called Wahhābis,
and say that it is sinful to use the term, because it is derived from the name of
Allāh: “al-Wahhāb” (the one who gives abundantly). They would say, “How can
you use Allāh’s name to refer to people you consider deviant, is this not
belittling His name?” This is yet another example of their ignorance. Had they
known some of the basics of the Arabic language, they would not argue this
point. In the books of Arabic morphology (ŝarf), which is the knowledge of the
structures of the words, there is a chapter called “an-Nasab”, which means to
attribute/relate something to something else. For example, if someone is
attributed to the tribe of Quraysh, he would be “Qurashiyy”, and if he was a
follower of Imām Mālik he would be “Mālikiyy”. We are not actually attributing
those people to al-Wahhāb, who is Allāh the Exalted, but to Muĥammad Ibn
ˇAbdil-Wahhāb or more specifically to the last part of his name: ˇAbdul-Wahhāb
(the slave of al-Wahhāb). This name is composed of two words: “ˇabd (slave)”
and “al-Wahhāb”, which is Allāh’s name. When someone is attributed to a
person with this type of constructed name, one of the two parts must be omitted.
And so, the first part of the name in this case is omitted and the second part is
kept. Hence, anyone attributed to Muĥammad Ibn ˇAbdil-Wahhāb is not called
“ˇAbdiyy”, but “Wahhābiyy”.
***
They also call themselves Ahlu-l-Ĥaqq (the People of the Truth) and Ahlu-l-
Ĥadīth (the People of [the science of] Ĥadīth). When calling themselves Ahlu-l-
Ĥadīth, they truly mean that they (unrightfully) make ijtihād47 from the ĥadīths,
bypassing what the mujtahids said. They have also been called Lā Madhhabiyyah
(those who do not claim any school of fiqh), and Ghayru-l-Muqallidīn (those
who do not imitate). They explain this name to mean that they do not merely
47
Ijtihād is the effort put by the mujtahid to deduce judgments not explicitly
mentioned in the Qur’ān or Ĥadīth.
23

24. imitate the scholars, rather they imitate the Prophet through the ĥadīth, but in
fact, it means that they do not follow qualified scholarship.
Truly, they are Ahlu-l-Kibr (the People of Arrogance), Ahlu-đ-Ďalālah (the
people of misguidance), al-Mushabbihah (the people who liken Allāh to His
creations), al-Mujassimah (the people who believe that Allāh has a body), al-
Ĥashwiyyah (people who speak nonsense) and kuffār (blasphemers), among
other titles.
It is easy for an ignorant person to commit kufr (blasphemy) because of them.
Many people have fallen into their snare. Except for their kufr, they talk and
dress like Muslims. However, if lent a listening ear, they surely will throw an
unfortunate person into the black flames of Jahannam48. This does not include
people who do not believe the bad belief of the Wahhābis, but may affiliate
themselves with the so-called Salafis.
The Wahhābis are as the Prophet  said49:
ُ‫أناسُمنُجلدتناُيتكلمونُبألسنتناُتسمعُمنهمُوتنكرُدعاةُعلىُأبوابُجهنم‬
‫منُاستمعُإليهمُقذفوهُفيها‬
ْ َ
This means: “There are people who look like us and talk with our talk. You
would hear their message and reject. They are preachers at the gates of
Hell. They will throw whoever listens to them in it.”
The Correct Belief in Allāh
To avoid confusion, the correct creed will be discussed before discussing their
incorrect creed.
Know that Allāh exists differently from anything else. His self is His reality, and
not a body. He alone is without a beginning, because no one created Him. He is
the only Creator. He exists everlastingly and does not change. He is perfect.
Before creating the creations, He existed without them. He existed before the
skies or the ˇArsh50 existed, and He now exists as He eternally existed, without
48
Jahannam is a name of Hell.
49
Ŝaĥīĥ al-Bukhāriyy, Ĥadīth No. 6673; Ŝaĥīĥ Muslim, Ĥadīth No. 1847.
50
The ˇArsh “Throne” is the ceiling of Paradise.
24

25. those creations affecting or changing Him.
He is alive without a body or soul, and without needing sustenance. He is
knowledgeable without a teacher and does not learn or forget. He possesses the
perfect knowledge of everything, and the creations exist only as He knew they
would. He has power to bring things from non-existence into existence. He
creates without tools and without getting weak or sleepy. He has the eternal and
everlasting Will, by which He specified His creations with particular places,
directions, shapes, colors, times, changes, movement, stability, hardships, ease,
choice, wills, and everything else He eternally willed for His creations. His
management is unhindered and uninterrupted. He cannot be distracted because
He does not have limbs. He has no partner, wife, parent, son, branch, origin, nor
opposite. He does not need anything, not a space to occupy, nor time to bind
Him. He is not benefited nor harmed by His creatures. He eternally sees and
hears everything without eyes or ears, without looking into a direction, without
needing volume or sound waves, light, time, or space. Nothing is hidden from
Him. He speaks with His eternal Kalām (Speech), without it being of a word,
letter, sound, nor language. It is not the result of organs touching or air moving,
and it does not come from any direction. Allāh does not resemble anything in the
world. He is not composed of particles, nor does He have the characteristics of
particles, such as color, shape, place, motion, stillness, texture, temperature, etc.
He is neither inside nor outside of something, since those are places for bodies.
He is not in a particular place, nor is He everywhere. He exists without being in
any place. He does not have the attributes of the creations. The creations are not
parts or attributes of Allāh. All of His attributes are eternal and everlasting. They
are not organs or emotions. Since His Self is Eternal, His attributes cannot be
created. He is different from whatever is imagined. Let there be no doubt that
this is the correct belief in Him, the mighty Lord with the perfect names.
The Wahhābis Attribute a Body to Allāh
The focus of our discussion will be the Wahhābis’ disbelief in the attributes of
Allāh. They claim Tawĥīd, but they really believe in tajsīm (attributing bodily
attributes to Allāh).
Their belief is that Allāh has attributes whose linguistic meanings refer to the
attributes of a body. This means that the meanings they choose to ascribe to
Allāh are meanings that imply a bodily reference, like organs, places and motion.
Notice the word “meanings”. They intend particular (bodily) definitions when
they use certain words. Let whoever talks to one of them pay attention not only
to the words they use, but also to the meanings they intend.
They believe that Allāh has a real face that should be understood literally. They
25

26. believe that He has two real eyes, and that He actually smiles (these are their
own words) and laughs. Their grandfather, Abu-l-ˇAbbās Aĥmad Ibn Taymiyah
al-Ĥarrāniyy, claimed that Allāh spoke after He was not speaking. They believe
that Allāh speaks Arabic, claiming that whenever Allāh creates, He literally says
“‫( ُن‬Kun) (be; exist)”. They say that Allāh is attributed with a very real pair of
‫ك‬
hands that must be understood as stated, and that Allāh really holds creations in
them.
They believe that He has a real right hand and a real left hand, and some said He
only has two right hands, because a left would not befit Him.
They believe that Allāh has real fingers, but they may have different opinions
about how many. At least, they would say He has two, and some may say six.
They have been known to say that Allāh sits on His ˇArsh, but it seems that was
too easy to refute, so they reverted to saying that He is above His ˇArsh. They
focus on attributing places and directions to Him. They say He is “above”, and
they mean it in the physical sense. They claim that He is above the seven skies,
above the ˇArsh, which is the ceiling of Paradise.
They believe that Allāh is separate from His creations, disconnected from them,
existing in a very high location. Some of them say that Allāh is above the ˇArsh
and there is no place there, which is absurd and against what the Prophet  said
about the book above it. They do not see this as drawing similarities between
Allāh and His creations. Some of them said that Allāh exists in the sky, but
perhaps those who say that He is above His ˇArsh have overtaken them. Some
may say that Allāh is above the ˇArsh by a four-finger spaced distance.
They believe that Allāh descends from above the ˇArsh down to the first sky, and
then ascends back up; that Allāh comes and goes- so that they believe that Allāh
moves from one place to another. Furthermore, they bind Allāh by time,
believing that He descends during the last third of the night, and that He is above
the ˇArsh during the day.
They believe that Allāh has a shin and a real foot, which will be submersed in the
fire of Hell on the Day of Judgment. They even believe that Allāh will cast a
shadow on that day. They firmly believe that all of these so-called attributes must
be taken by their real, literal, apparent and obvious meanings.
As can be seen, when using the name “Allāh”, they refer to something
imaginary. Compare this to the correct belief mentioned in the previous section,
and easily see that they do not believe in God. Let whoever meets one of these
deviant people not be intimidated, nor should he underestimate every one of
26

27. them. Some Wahhābis study and memorize, ready to bombard their opponent.
The point of mentioning their belief without mentioning their so-called proof is
to expose the result of their analysis. They misinterpreted many verses and
ĥadīth to establish their beliefs and this is the result.
The Wahhābi Reasoning Behind Their Incorrect Belief
What complicates the issue is that they usually deny that they believe that Allāh
has a body. On the contrary, they say that they do not believe that He has a body.
Some of them say that they do not confirm whether He has a body or not, which
is still blasphemy. Some of them might say that He has a body, but then would
say that they do not know how His body is, which also does not escape
blasphemy51.
51
Ibn Ĥajar al-Haytamiyy said in al-Minhāj al-Qawīm Sharĥu-l-Muqaddimah
al-Ĥadramiyyah, page 144: “Know that [Shihābu-d-Dīn Aĥmad Ibn Idrīs al-
Mālikiyy] al-Qarāfiyy and others narrated from ash-Shāfiˇiyy, Mālik, Aĥmad and
Abū Ĥanīfah (may Allāh raise their ranks) that those who say that Allāh is in a
direction, or has a body have committed blasphemy — and they deserve this
verdict.”
Al-Ĥāfiđħ as-Suyūťiyy narrated in al-Ashbāh wa an-Nađħā’ir, page 488, that
Imām ash-Shāfiˇiyy said: “The one who attributes a body to Allāh is a
blasphemer.”
The Imām of Ahlu-s-Sunnah, Abu-l-Ĥasan al-Ashˇariyy said in an-Nawādir:
“The one who believes that Allāh is a body does not know Allāh and he is a
disbeliever in Allāh.”
Al-Qāďī ˇAbdul-Wahhāb Ibn ˇAliyy Ibn Naŝr al-Baghdādiyy al-Mālikiyy (422
AH) said in Sharĥ ˇAqīdah Mālik aŝ-Ŝaghīr, page 28: “It is not permissible to
attribute to Him (Allāh) a ‘how’ because the Religion did not come with that,
nor did the Prophet convey such a thing, nor did the Companions ask him about
that. This is because that implies movement, transformation, occupancy,
containment and going from one place to another. And the implication of that is
the attribution of a body to Allāh and the claim that bodies are eternal and this is
blasphemy according to all Muslims.”
Ash-Shaykh Kamāl Ibn al-Hammām al-Ĥanafiyy said in Fatĥ al-Qadīr: “The one
who says Allāh is a body unlike other bodies blasphemes.”
Al-Imām Muĥammad Ibn Badri-d-Dīn Ibn Balbān ad-Dimashqiyy al-Ĥambaliyy
said in Mukhtaŝar al-Ifādāt, page 489: “The one who believes or says that ‘Allāh
27

28. They would deny that Allāh has a body, because they know that they would be
clearly admitting that He is like His creations. Taking this position may be the
case of most of them. Despite this denial, it is known that they secretly believe
that Allāh has a body because they hate for someone to say that He has no place
or direction, and they think that denial of place and direction is denial of His
existence. Had that been true, then where was Allāh before he created places and
directions?
They may not confirm whether Allāh has a body or not, because they would not
want to explicitly liken Allāh to His creations, and at the same time they do not
want to reject their literal meanings. This is still blasphemy, since taking a
middle ground and saying, “I do not say if Allāh has a body or not,” is like
doubting about Allāh. It is the same as saying, “I do not say if Allāh exists or
not,” or “I do not say if Allāh has a partner or not.” The one who doubts about
any attribute of Allāh that is known by necessity52 (such as His knowledge,
power, the fact that He does not resemble the creations, etc) is not a Muslim, as
mentioned by the great Imām Abū Ĥanīfah, one of the heads of the [real] Salaf53,
in his book al-Fiqh al-Akbar54. He said:
Himself is in every place or in one particular place’ then he is a blasphemer.”
And he says on page 490: “He (Allāh) does not resemble anything and nothing
resembles Him, so the one who likens Him to something among His creations
blasphemes. This is like the one who believes He is a body or he says ‘He is a
body unlike other bodies’.”
52
Known by both scholars and laymen.
53
Salaf “predecessors” It refers to the first three centuries of Muslims. Some
scholars said it only refers to the Companions, their students, and their students -
and not the first three centuries entirely. The first saying is the strong one.
54
Some Wahhābis will try to deny that Imām Abū Ĥanīfah authored this book
because it contains statements that they don’t agree with. So let it be known that
Imām Abū Ĥanīfah dictated this book to a group of his students, among them
being: Ĥammād Ibn Abī Ĥanīfah, al-Qāďī Abū Yūsuf, Abū Muťīˇ al-Ĥakam Ibn
ˇAbdillāh al-Balkhiyy and Abī Maqātil Ĥafŝ Ibn Salm as-Samarqandiyy. A group
of scholars conveyed this book from the previous group, such as: Ismāˇīl Ibn
Ĥammād Ibn Abī Ĥanīfah, Muĥammad Ibn Maqātil ar-Rāziyy, Muĥammad Ibn
Samāˇah, Nuŝayr Ibn Yaĥyā al-Balkhiyy, Shaddād Ibn al-Ĥakam and others. And
from this group of scholars al-Fiqh al-Akbar was conveyed with a saĥīĥ chain to
al-Imām Abū Manŝūr al-Māturīdiyy. This has been documented by al-Ĥāfiđħ
Muĥammad Murtaďā az-Zabīdiyy (Itĥāf as-Sādah al-Muttaqīn, vol. 2, page 14)
28

29. ُُ ٌُُُُِِ َُ ُُ‫َُ َُ َُُُْ َُُُِ ٌَََُُُُُُْ ُوَُ ٌَُُُُْوَُّ ََُُُُُْ َُ َُُُِّ َُاُفُ ُو‬
ِ
‫فمن قال إهناُحمدث ُ أو خمل ق ُ أو ُقف أو شك فيه َه َ كافر باهلل‬
َ ‫ة‬ ‫ة‬
This means: “Whoever says that Allāh has a created attribute, or doubts55, or is
neutral56 is a blasphemer.” Whoever considers it possible for Allāh to have a
body, even if he did not believe that Allāh actually has a body, would blaspheme
for deeming it possible.
The less intelligent among them might say that Allāh has a body, because it is
obvious that they describe a body, but they would say that His body is not like
ours, or that they do not know how His body is. According to the great Aĥmad
Ibn Ĥambal, the Salafiyy scholar whom they often claim to follow, whoever says
Allāh has a body unlike other bodies blasphemes57. In his book, “The creed of
the distinguished Imām Aĥmad Ibn Ĥambal”, Abū Faďl at-Tamīmiyy, the head of
Badru-d-Dīn az-Zarkashiyy (Tashnīf al-Masāmiˇ, vol. 4, page 258), Abu-l-
Muđħaffar al-Asfarāyīniyy (at-Tabŝīr fi-d-Dīn, page 184) and others.
55
Doubt means to deem two matters equally possible without one of the two
matters being more probable.
56
Neutral means not to take one side or another side; neither to confirm nor deny
either side.
57
Tashnīf al-Masāmiˇ, vol. 4, page 684.
From this statement of Imām Aĥmad and others, it is known that the case of the
one who says “Allāh is a body unlike other bodies” is similar to the one who says
“Allāh is everywhere.” That is, these words carry only one blasphemous
meaning according to the language and the one who utters them while knowing
their meaning blasphemes. However, if out of their ignorance they think that
these words carry a meaning which is acceptable according to the Religion then
this person does not blaspheme. This is the case of the one who thinks the
statement “Allāh is everywhere,” means “Allāh knows about everything in every
place,” although this is not a valid linguistic meaning. Similarly, the one who
says “Allāh is a body unlike other bodies” while thinking the the word “body”
means “an existent thing” is not declared a blasphemer if this is his
understanding. However, if he knows the true linguistic meaning of “body” (a
constructed entity composed of two or more parts (atoms) that takes up space
and dwells in a direction) and he says it anyway, then he is a blasphemer
according to all Muslims. This is what some scholars intended when they said
“the one who says Allāh is a body unlike other bodies is not charged with
blasphemy.”
29

30. the Ĥambaliyy scholars in Baghdād said, “Aĥmad objected to those who call
Allāh a body, and said: ‘The names of things are taken from the language and the
religious law; the linguists defined the jism (body) as that which has length,
width, depth, composition and image, and it (the term “jism”) did not come in the
religious law, and so it is invalid’.”
Furthermore, it is blasphemous to say that they do not know how His body is,
because the scholars of Islām have made it very clear that “how” cannot be
attributed to Him. Throughout the books of the Sunni scholars, you would find
that they said about Allāh and His attributes:
ِ
‫َُُُِ َُُ َُُّة‬
‫بال كْيفي‬
This means: “without a how (manner of being)”. Thus, to say “they do not know
how He is” is to say that there is a how, but it is unknown to them. Saying that
the “how” is unknown does not negate the fact that they believe that He has a
body, just as saying, “the door is open, but I do not know how,” does not negate
the fact that the door is open. So, if one of them says, “We do not know how,”
tell him that the scholars of the (real) Salaf have agreed that there is no how, as
narrated from the likes of Umm Salamah, the Prophet’s  wife, and Imām
Mālik. She said, “the ‘How’ (being attributed to Him) is not rational (ghayru
maˇqūl).58” If Allāh willed, this point will be revisited in the section, “The Truth
about the Istiwā’ of Allāh.”
These people may have never learned the correct belief, so when they learned
their incorrect belief, they became attached to it and developed a warped logic.
Their thinking is based on an unsound premise: that Allāh is attributed with these
(human) attributes. They also have other horrendous and contradictory claims,
which need not be mentioned now. As a result, their thinking became twisted,
like the Christians who say that Allāh is one, and is three while He is one. The
Wahhābis believe that Allāh has these (human) attributes, yet they claim that
they believe that Allāh is not similar to His creations. This is clearly unsound and
incorrect.
How the Wahhābis Interpret the Texts
Notice that their so-called proofs have not been referenced yet. Go through this
process gradually and systematically. First, have a general idea of how they
58
Al-Fatĥ al-Bārī, vol. 13, page 407 by al-Ĥāfiđĥ Ibn Ĥajar al-ˇAsqalāniyy.
30

31. believe in Allāh, which is really disbelief. They will not deny the belief of which
we have accused them, but they may deny certain words used in this book, like
“organ” and “motion”. They openly use such words as “real”, “literal”, and
“apparent” when they attribute these (human) attributes to Allāh. In Arabic they
use such words as “đħāhir” and “ĥaqīqah”. Why do they believe these things?
The following is the reasoning behind their bad belief in Allāh, the Exalted:
They believe that Allāh must be attributed with these (bodily) attributes because
of some literal meanings of Qur’ānic verses and ĥadīths of the Prophet . They
say that these (bodily) attributes are found in al-Qur’ān and as-Sunnah, so we
must believe in them and whoever does not believe in them has negated them.
They mean that one must believe in those texts by their literal meanings, and
whoever does not believe in the literal meanings has completely negated the
attribute, which of course is not true. Hence, if they meet someone who does not
believe that the Yad of Allāh is a real and literal hand, they will accuse him of
rejecting an attribute of Allāh. If they find someone who does not believe that
Allāh has a true and literal face, as they would describe it without explicitly
calling it an organ, they would accuse him of completely rejecting an attribute of
Allāh.
This twisted reasoning is a trick that lead many Muslims to blasphemy. They left
Islām to join the Wahhābis, not realizing that this reasoning is perverted. They
did not possess the answers that would protect their faith. Seeing that too many
Muslims did not know how to defend themselves or Islām against the lies of the
Wahhābis is what inspired the writing of this book. The Wahhābis are among
those whom Allāh warned us about in the Qur’ān when He told us59:
ٌ َ ْ ‫َّ ِ َ ِ وِب‬
ُُ‫﴿فَأَماُٱلَّذينُيفُق ل ِِمُزيْغُفَيَتَّبِعونُماُتَشابَهُمْن‬
‫َ َ َ َِه‬
﴾ُِ‫ُابْتِغَاءَُٱلفْت نَةُوٱبْتِغَاءَُتَأْويل‬
ِ
‫ِه‬ ُِ ِ
َ
This means: “As for those with perversion in their hearts, they follow what
may have more than one meaning (mutashābih60 verses), with the purpose of
causing tribulation, and to misinterpret it…”
59
Sūrat Āl ˇImrān, verse 7.
60
Mutashābih is a verse or ĥadīth that can have more than one meaning. Even an
Arab may not reach its true meaning.
31

32. Know that these difficult people do not deem rational thinking valid. How could
they when it shows the invalidity of their creed? They say, “Logic is good, but it
has its place.” Although a true statement, what they truly mean is that one must
believe what they consider as proper belief, regardless of logic or reasoning.
They believe that assigning a meaning to a verse or ĥadīth that is different from
its literal meaning, which is called “making ta’wīl61”, is sinful. This basic creed
of theirs - that ta’wīl is sinful - is one of their greatest reasons for encountering
contradictions, as will be shown in the second chapter, if Allāh willed. It is true
that some texts may literally suggest some bodily attributes, but sound reasoning
does not attribute bodily characteristics to the Creator, nor is it valid for the
verses to contradict each other, which is the result of their claims. The Wahhābis
do not believe that this is grounds to interpret these texts differently from the
literal meanings. As a result, they fell into tajsīm (attributing bodily attributes to
Allāh), which is blasphemy, and they accuse the one who believes in a different
(befitting) interpretation of takdhīb (the blasphemy of contradicting the religious
judgments) and taˇťīl (the blasphemy of denying the attributes of Allāh).
They say statements like, “If Allāh revealed this word, then it must be
understood by the literal meaning, or He would have revealed a different word.”
This is a very devious and weak-minded understanding, which may sound
appealing to an ignorant person. This reasoning has no support from the Qur’ān
or the Sunnah. Scholars like Abu-n-Naŝr ˇAbdur-Raĥīm Ibn Abi-l-Qāsim ˇAbdil-
Karīm al-Qushayriyy62 said that those who follow this method do so because of
their ignorance in Arabic 63.
The Truth about Majāz (Figurative Speech)
The Wahhābis have denied that there is any figurative speech in the Qur’ān or
the Sunnah, and some of them have denied it from the speech of the Arabs
completely.
Ibn Taymiyah said64:
61
Ta’wīl is interpreting a text to have a meaning different from its apparent
meaning. The term ‘We’ when referring to Allāh denotes majesty, not plurality.
62
Died 514 AH.
63
Conveyed by al-Ĥāfiđħ Muĥammad Murtaďā az-Zabīdiyy al-Ĥanafiyy in Itĥāf
as-Sādah al-Muttaqīn, vol. 2, page 110.
64
Al-Majmūˇ al-Fatāwā, vol. 7, page 113 (Maktabah al-ˇArabiyyah as-
32

33. ٍ ٍَ
ُ‫ُ ُُوجما ُُتَقسيمُمْبتَد ٌُحمدثُمل‬ ِ
ٌ َ ‫َُُيفُالقرآنُبلُوتُ ُْ ُُ ُُإىلُحقيقة ز ْ ٌ َع‬
‫َقسيم اللغة‬ ‫فالُجماز‬
ِ
ُُ َ‫يَْنطقُبهُالسل‬
‫َّ ف‬
This means: “There is no figurative speech in the Qur’ān. In fact, dividing the
language into ‘literal speech’ and ‘figurative speech’ is an innovated
categorization. It was never uttered by the Salaf.” This denial is necessary for
their creed, and they only deny figurative speech because of their incredible
attachment to likening Allāh to the creations. If they confirm that there is
figurative speech in the religious texts, the entire foundation of their claim will
be destroyed and all of their argumentation would be petty and useless. Thus, to
justify interpreting the mutashābih verses by their apparent meanings, Ibn
Taymiyah made this claim.
The ease of demolishing this absurdity frees us from having to give a detailed
refutation. Let us settle with a few clear examples and references. Allāh
describes His Prophet in the Qur’ān as65:
﴾‫﴿وسراجاُمنِريا‬
ً ُّ ً َ َ
ِ
This literally means: “A luminous lantern.”
If there is no figurative speech in the Qur’ān, then the Prophet must be a literal
lamp, which is not true because he is a human being. The actual meaning is that
the Prophet eradicates the darkness of blasphemy and is a reason for misguided
people to become guided. In the Qur’ān, Allāh described a wall as66:
ِ ًَِ
﴾َُّ ‫﴿جداراُيريدُأَنُيَنق‬
‫َض‬
This literally means: “A wall that wants to fall.”
If there is no figurative speech in the Qur’ān, then that wall would have to
literally been ascribed with a will, which is an attribute of the living. The
scholars said that the meaning of this verse is that the expression gives the wall
Saˇūdiyyah, 2004).
65
Sūrat al-Aĥzāb, verse 46.
66
Sūrat al-Kahf, verse 77.
33

34. the image of something living and willing, so to portray its leaning over as if it is
ready to fall. Taking this verse literally would necessitate confirming that the
wall was alive.
Lastly, Allāh informed us in His Book67:
﴾ُْ ‫﴿نِس كمُحرثُلَّك‬
‫َ اؤ ْ َ ْ ٌ م‬
This literally means: “Your women are plots of land for your cultivation.”
Therefore, according those who deny figurative speech in the Book of Allāh or
the sayings of His prophet, the women are actual plots of land, and not humans
made of flesh and blood. The verse actually contains a metaphor that refers to the
impregnation of women.
So, just as it is known to us that these texts should not be taken literally, it is
known that nothing in the Qur’ān or the ĥadīth that would seemingly ascribe
organs, places, directions or motion to Allāh should be taken literally. As for Ibn
Taymiyah’s claim that the Salaf did not confirm figurative speech in the Arabic
language, that is refuted by the fact that the Imāms like Ibn ˇAbbās, al-Bukhariyy,
Aĥmad Ibn Ĥambal and others from the Salaf interpreted texts according to
meanings different from the apparent meanings, as will come in the second
chapter. Ibn ˇAbbās said in confirmation of figurative speech in the Qur’ān68:
ُ‫إذاُخفيُعليكمُشئُمنُالقرآنُفابتغوهُمنُالشعرُفإنهُديوانُالعرب‬
This means: “If anything in the Qur’ān is unclear to you, then seek its meaning
from the poetry, for the poetry is the portfolio of the Arabs.” Also among the
Salaf who confirmed figurative speech is Abū ˇUbaydah Maˇmar Ibn al-
Muthannā69. He has a famous book entitled, Majāz al-Qur’ān (the figurative
speech within the Qur’ān).
67
Sūrat al-Baqarah, verse 223.
68
Narrated by al-Ĥāfiđħ al-Bayhaqiyy from the route of ˇIkrimah, ˇAliyy Ibn Abī
Ťalĥah, ˇAmr Ibn Dīnār, Ibrāhīm, and ˇAťiyyah Ibn Saˇd from Ibn ˇAbbās in his
book al-Asmā’ wa aŝ-Ŝifāt, page 436 – 438.
69
Al-Imām Abū ˇUbaydah Maˇmar Ibn al-Muthannā at-Taymiyy an-Naĥwiyy,
110 AH – 207 AH.
34

35. The Truth about the Lawfulness of Ta’wīl
On the contrary, Allāh taught us this lesson in His book:
‫ٌ ُّْ َ َ ٌ َّ ُّ ِ ِ َ َ َ ِ ات‬ ِ
﴾ٌُ َ‫﴿منْهُآيَاتُحمكماتُهنُأمُٱلكتَابُوأخرُمتَشاِب‬
This means: “Within the Qur’ān there are muĥkam70 verses. They are the
base of the book, and other verses are mutashābih (susceptible to more than
one meaning).”
Also, the Prophet  made a supplication for Ibn ˇAbbās (may Allāh accept his
and his father’s deeds) to know the ta’wīl of the Qur’ān, when he said 71:
ُ‫ُُعلمهُاحلكمةُوتأويلُالكتاب‬
‫اللهم‬
ّ
This means: “O Allāh, teach him the Wisdom (the Sunnah) and the ta’wīl of
the Book (al-Qur’ān).” Ta’wīl is to interpret a text differently from its literal
meaning. It is known that Ibn ˇAbbās interpreted many texts that the Wahhābis
use to liken Allāh to His creations. The fact is that ta’wīl is necessary for making
all of the texts free of contradiction.
***EXTRA DETAIL***
Know that the Wahhābis may deny the validity of ta’wīl by referring to the
verse:
﴾‫﴿وماُيَعلَمُتَأْويلَهُإِ َُُّٱهلل‬
‫َ َ ْ ِ ال‬
This means: “No one knows its ta’wīl except Allāh.”
They say that it is not permissible to make ta’wīl because no one can know the
ta’wīl of the mutashābih verses except Allāh. So, they say that we must take
them literally, because only Allāh knows the ta’wīl. We answer, “When reciting
this verse and stopping at the word ‘Allāh’ so that it means, ‘No one knows its
70
Muĥkam is a verse or ĥadīth that has only one meaning in the Arabic language.
71
Narrated by al-Ĥāfiđħ Ibn Mājah in his Sunan from the route of Ibn ˇAbbās
(Ĥadīth No. 166).
35

36. ta’wīl except Allāh’, this means, ‘No one knows the manifestation; time of
happening (of certain matters like the Day of Judgment or the coming of the
One-eyed Imposter) except Allāh’.”
According to this recitation of the verse, Allāh dispraised the Jews who tried to
determine the exact time of the occurrence of Judgment Day by referring to some
of the mutashābih verses of the Qur’ān like72:
ٓٓ
﴾١ ۡ‫﴿ال‬
Which are three letters among the Arabic letters. This verse, and similar verses,
such as73:
ٓ
﴾‫﴿ن‬
ۚ
have been interpreted in different ways, and hence are mutashābih. The word
“ta’wīl” can mean “the manifestation; the time of happening”, as proven by the
saying of Allāh74:
﴾ُ ‫﴿يَومُيَأِِْتُتَأْويل‬
‫ِه‬ َْ
This means: “The Day when its ta’wīl (manifestation; time of happening)
comes…”
In order to interpret the word “ta’wīl” as “meaning” or “interpretation”, recite
past the word “Allāh”, and continue until reaching the word “al-ˇIlm (the
knowledge)”.
Hence, the verse would say75:
﴾ُِ ْ‫﴿وماُيَعلَمُتَأْويلَهُإِ َُُّٱ ُُوٱلراسخونُيفُٱلعِل‬
‫َ َ ْ ِ ال هلل ُ َّ ِ َ ِ م‬
َ
72
Sūrat al-Baqarah, verse 1.
73
Sūrat al-Qalam, verse 1.
74
Sūrat al-Aˇrāf, verse 53.
75
Sūrat Āl ˇImrān, verse 7.
36

37. This means: “No one knows the ta’wīl (true interpretation) except Allāh and
those who are deeply rooted in the knowledge.”
In this way, both recitations are in compliance, for just as there is no
contradiction between the meanings of the verses of the Qur’ān, there must be no
contradiction between the meanings in its recitations.
Furthermore, the Wahhābis do make ta’wīl for any verse whose literal meaning
contradicts their belief, as will be made obvious in the second chapter, in shā’
Allāh. In their so-called Noble Qur’ān translation, they put a period after the
word “Allāh” because of their disregard and disbelief in the other recitation
(qirā’ah76) of the verse, known as the recitation of Mujāhid, the student of Ibn
ˇAbbās.
Lastly, the claim that there are verses in the Qur’ān whose meanings cannot be
possibly known by any creature is actually a blasphemous claim, because it
implies that there are verses that have no benefit for the people, since the people
could never understand their meanings. Had this been true, the old Arabs would
have discredited the Prophet by saying, “This book is not a miracle as you claim,
for our language is understood and intelligible, and you have come with
something that has no meaning to us, and cannot be known by anyone.” This
claim is mentioned in some of the footnotes of their so-called Noble Qur’ān
translation in reference to some of the verses. Do not be impressed by it because
it is a trap. It contradicts the verse of the Qur’ān that proves that everything in
the Qur’ān has a meaning that can be possibly known to the creatures77:
﴾ٍُ ِ‫﴿بِلِسانُعرِيبُمب‬
‫َ ٍ ََ ٍّ ُّ ني‬
This means: “(The Qur’ān is revealed) in a clear Arabic tongue.”
This extra detail may not be needed for many, so do not bring it up without need,
especially if you do not completely understand this point. But, in case this book
is used to refute a Wahhābi who raises this point, then here is the answer.
***
76
Qirā’ah “recitation” could refer to any of the proper ways of reciting the
Qur’ān.
77
Sūrat ash-Shuˇarā’, verse 195.
37

38. They quote the verse from the Qur’ān78:
ِ
﴾‫﴿وقَالواَُسعنَاُوأَطَعنَا‬
ْ َ َْ َ
This means: “They said, ‘we hear and we obey’,” which to them means that
they take things by face value without looking into other possible meanings.
Their belief is so unsound, that they are forced to reject logic. They believe that
the logical process of refuting them is philosophy and innovation, which is also
not true, as will now be addressed, if Allāh willed. If the Wahhābi were to ask:
“How could we be misguided by merely believing what is in the Qur’ān? We are
just taking what is in the Book and going no further.” Tell him, “But your
method of interpretation is sinful, and Allāh told us about His book79:
‫ِ ُّ ِ َ ً َ ْ ِ ِ ك ً َ َ ِ ُّ ِ ال َ ِ ِ ني‬
﴾َُ ‫﴿يضلُبِهُكثِرياُويَهديُبِهُ َُثِرياُوماُيضلُبِهُإِ َُُّٱلفاسق‬
This means: “He guides many by the Qur’ān and misguides many by it, and
He only misguides the major sinners by it.”
The Wahhābis Reject Logic
So let us address the intellectual and logical issues pertaining to this blasphemy.
They do not agree that the mind (al-ˇaql)80 should have consideration in
deciphering what Allāh revealed, so they say, “Sound thinking is good, but it has
its place.” If they completely reject sound thinking, no one will listen to them, so
they give some weight to it, but if they encourage people to think, they will
expose themselves, so they deny that rational thinking is a part of the creed (al-
ˇaqīdah), which is a lie. They teach people to just believe in the texts by their
literal and apparent meanings and not to listen to anyone who says otherwise.
They might actually put their fingers in their ears, following the sunnah of the
blasphemers from the time of Prophet Nūĥ (Noah, ˇalayhi-ŝ-Ŝalātu wa-s-Salām).
Allāh told us in the Qur’ān about their rejection of the truth, that Nūĥ said81:
78
Sūrat al-Baqarah, verse 285.
79
Sūrat al-Baqarah, verse 26.
80
ˇAql “mind; intellect” It is the faculty given to some creatures which enables
them to distinguish between what is valid and what is invalid.
81
Sūrat Nūĥ, verse 7.
38

39. ﴾ُْ ِِ ‫﴿وإِِّنُكلَّماُدعوت همُلِتَ غْفرُهلمُجعلواُأَصابِعهمُيفُآذ‬
‫َ ِّ َ َ َ ْ ْ ِ َ َ ْ َ َ َ َ ْ ِ َاهنم‬
This means: “And surely, whenever I call them so that You would forgive
them (by guiding them to Islām), they put their fingers in their ears.”
They refer to a saying of Imām ˇAliyy (may Allāh accept his deeds), but they
pervert its text and distort its true meaning. They say that ˇAliyy (may Allāh
accept his deeds) said, “If the religion were by logic, we would wipe the bottom
of the khuff (foot gear)82 instead of the top.83” They would then tell the person to
forget about logic, and just accept the literal interpretations.
Reasoning is Necessary and Religiously Confirmed
It is important to have the correct understanding of this saying. ˇAliyy Ibn Abī
Ťālib (may Allāh accept his deeds) actually said, “Had the Religion been by
opinion (ra’y), we would wipe the bottom of the foot gear instead of the top
(because the bottom is the side that gets dirty), however I saw The Messenger of
Allāh  wiping the top”. Imām ˇAliyy did not negate the use of logic. Logic,
reasoning, and use of the intellect are praised throughout the Qur’ān. The two
Sayings of Allāh are repeated many times in the Qur’ān84:
‫ِْ ن‬
﴾َُ ‫﴿أَفَالُتَعقلو‬
This means: “Do you not use your minds?” and85
‫ِْ ن‬
﴾َُ ‫﴿أَفَالُيَعقلو‬
This means: “Do they not use their minds?”
82
The Khuff refers to foot gear with specific qualities that one is allowed to wipe
instead of washing the feet in Wuďū’.
83
Sunan Abū Dāwūd, Ĥadīth No. 162.
84
Sūrat al-Baqarah, verse 44 & 76; Sūrat Āl ˇImrān, verse 65; Sūrat al-Anˇām,
verse 32; Sūrat al-Aˇrāf, verse 169; Sūrat Yūnus, verse 16; Sūrat Hūd, verse 51;
Sūrat Yūsuf, verse 109; Sūrat al-Ambiyā’, verse 10 & 67; Sūrat al-Mu’minūn,
verse 80.
85
Sūrat Yāsīn, verse 68.
39

40. Al-Imām ˇAliyy, the most knowledgeable of the Companions (may Allāh raise all
of their ranks), would not say anything against the Qur’ān, and if so, then his
saying would be rejected for the revelation of Allāh. In fact, consideration of the
mental judgments is an integral part of understanding the belief, and has its
origin in al-Qur’ān and as-Sunnah. Hence, it is not philosophy or innovation.
The scholars of ˇaqīdah (creed), like Abu-l-Ĥasan al-Ashˇariyy also pointed out
the fact that the Prophets, the greatest of Allāh’s creations (ˇalayhimu-s-Salām),
used logical arguments to refute the blasphemers they encountered and to
establish the correct belief in Allāh, such as what was narrated in the stories of
Prophet Ibrāhīm (Abraham, ˇalayhi-ŝ-Ŝalātu wa-s-Salām). Among those stories
was Ibrāhīm’s debate with the tyrant, Nimrod86:
‫َ َ ِ َّ هلل‬ َ ْ َ َ ْ
ِ ِّ ِ ‫ْ َ إ‬
َُُ ‫﴿إِذُقَالُُِبْراهيمُريبُٱلَّذيُُييِيُوُيِيتُقَالُأَنَاُأحيِيُوأميتُقَالُإِبْراهيمُفَِإنُٱ‬
ِ
ََ َ
‫ب لش ْ ِ ِ َ ْ ِِ ِ ِ ِ َ ْ ِ ِ ِ َ ِ َ َ ر‬
﴾َُ‫يَأِِْتُُِٱ َّمسُمنُٱملشرقُفَأْتُِبَاُمنُٱملغربُفَبهتُٱلَّذيُكف‬
This means: “When Ibrāhīm said, ‘My Lord creates life and makes the living
die.’ Nimrod said, ‘I create life and make the living die.’ Ibrāhīm said,
‘Surely, Allāh brings the sun from the east, so bring it from the west.’ Upon
that, the one who blasphemed was dumbfounded.”
By this simple and clever logic, Ibrāhīm silenced Nimrod, who claimed to be
God. This verse is evidence for the permissibility of debating deviant people to
establish the truth. So, if a Wahhābi claims that debating is forbidden, or that
mental evidence is not from the Religion, use this verse as your evidence. In fact,
it is obligatory on some Muslims (communal obligation) to know the mental and
textual evidence, and to refute the deviant people.
Thus, Imām ˇAliyy’s aforementioned saying refers to the details of the practical
rules (al-fiqh), not the essentials of belief. One can realize the correct belief
about the Creator through reasoning; that worshipping a man or a stone or a
picture is invalid. Why else do the Christians readily say, “Just believe”? It is
because they realize the confusion of their beliefs. However, we do not use logic
to deduce the practical rules. For example, how would one logically conclude
that there are five prayers? Mere logic does not necessitate five prayers over six
or four. How would one logically deduce that the bowing position comes before
prostration when praying? These judgments cannot be known by logic, and are
86
Sūrat al-Baqarah, verse 258.
40