The Wahhabi Movement: A Response to an Article by Dr. Muhammad al-Bahi Criticizing Wahhabism By Shaykh Muhammad Khalil Harras

Say, "This is my way; I invite to Allah with insight, I and those who follow me. And exalted is Allah; and I am not of those who associate others with Him."

— Surah Yusuf 12:108

About This Book

The Wahhabi Movement is Shaykh Muhammad Khalil Harras's reply to an article by Dr. Muhammad al-Bahi criticising what its opponents call "Wahhabism", the call of Imam Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhab. Rather than answering with slogans, Shaykh Harras takes the article's claims in turn and measures them against the Qur'an, the Sunnah and the record of the da'wah itself: what it called people to, where it took its method from, and what it went on to build.

What This Book Covers

The Foundations of the Call: Tawhid and the Worship of Allah Alone

The first part sets out how the movement emerged and what it stood for: the affirmation of tawhid, calling to the way of Allah with wisdom and good admonition, and guarding the greatest principle of Islam. Shaykh Harras compares the first jahiliyyah with the second, contrasts the paganism of the dead with the paganism of the living, and shows that the call followed the way of the righteous Salaf among the Companions, the Tabi'in and the guided imams.

A Movement That Came to Build, Not to Demolish

The second part answers the charges directly: that the call was sectarian, that it broke with the Islamic heritage, and that it was mere taqlid. Shaykh Harras argues it was the agreement of truth with truth, a movement of revival and renewal, and he examines the effect of biased propaganda, the question of whether it was a reform movement or an academic one, its place in contemporary thought, and the scholarly movement it produced.

From Principle to Practice

The final part turns to how the da'wah was applied: what clear Islam is, Islam's relationship with civilisation and industry, establishing the whole order of life upon Islam, and the experience of applying it in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The book closes on the principle that returning to the truth is better than persisting in falsehood.

About the Author

Shaykh Dr. Muhammad Khalil Harras (1916 to 1975 CE) was an Egyptian scholar of creed. He studied at al-Azhar, earned his doctorate there with a thesis on Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, and later taught at Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University and headed the department of creed at Umm al-Qura University in Makkah. He is best known for his explanation of al-Aqidah al-Wasitiyyah. Translated by Abu Sulayman Muhammad Abdul-Azim. Published by Al-Ihsan Publications.

Who This Book Is For

Readers who have heard the word "Wahhabi" used as an accusation and want to know what the call of Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhab actually taught, students of aqeedah, and anyone looking for a short, evidence-based answer to the common criticisms of that da'wah.

Continue Reading

To read the call in the imam's own words, browse the books of Muhammad ibn Abdul-Wahhab and our introduction to Kitab at-Tawheed, the Book of Monotheism. For more on Islamic creed, see the full aqeedah collection.