Kharijism And Wahhabism – Takfir Of Muslims Due To Their Sinful Actions.

[MuhammedAli]

Introduction:

It is common knowledge that Khawarij decalred Muslims to be Kafirs for some major sins to which even the modern day followers of Kharijism agree. Unknown to the modern cult of Kharijism, lead by Shaykh Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahhab, and currently is lead by his descendents, they themselves are also guilty of same crime. They have protested their innocence with regards to being labelled a sub-sect of Khawarij of past. But the similarity between old Kharijism and its recent manifestation from Najd is too much to ignore. Considering their rejection of label, Khariji, and their protest of innocence, it is really important to establish the link between both these manifestations.

Prostrating To Righteous Men:

The Juhala (i.e. foolish folk) when they visit to graves of Saliheen some of them due to their excessive reverance for the deceased Shaykh prostrate to him. But Islam has prohibited prostration to all except Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) and it is a major sin and there is Ijmah (i.e. communual agreement) on this. Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa aalihi was’sallam) is reported to have said: “Anas bin Malik said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah say: ‘My nation will not unite on misguidance, so if you see them differing, follow the great majority.’” [Ref: Ibn Majah, B36, H3950] The agreement of Ummah is proof of validity of position. There is disagreement if prostration of reverance to righteous men of Ummah is Shirk or not. And in this regard we have prophetic guidance to follow the majority of Muslim Ummah. Majority – composed of Ahlus Sunnah of past and present - holds to the understanding prostration to anyone other then Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) out of reverance is major sin and major Shirk if done with intention of worship.

Shaykh Of Najd On Prostration:

Shaykh stated in a letter, in an attempt to justify his activities: “But I explain to people that they must devote their worship sincerely to Allah. I forbid them to call upon the Prophets and the dead among the righteous and others, and [forbade them] from associating them with Allah in any act of worship that should be done for Allah alone, such as offering sacrifices, making vows, putting one’s trust, prostrating and other actions which are due to Allah and in which no one should be associated with Him, not any angel who is close to Him or any Prophet who was sent.[1] Shaykh states he instructed people to direct their worship sinerely to Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala). He says this because he is of belief that Muslims of Arabian Peninsula were directing acts of worship to other than Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala). He then goes on to say, he forbade the Muslims from calling upon deceased Prophets and Awliyah-Allah[2] and from committing Shirk, due to them in His worship: “… and [forbade them] from associating them with Allah in any act of worship that should be done for Allah alone, …”[3] This sentence of Shaykh of Najd is strategically positioned. It connects with all that was before it and connects all that comes after it. Note he states, he forbade Shirk with Allah in acts of worship that should be done for Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) alone. He then goes on to list the acts which are for Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) alone and acts in which no Shirk should be comitted, amongst them is, prostration. Even though he stated the whole in general context I will contextualise it to prostration. He says, prostration is due right of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) and no one from the creation should be prostrated to with/beside Him. Obvious conclusion would is if prostration is performed for anyone other then Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) than according to Shaykh of Najd creation would be given share of which is exclusive for Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) and therefore [according to his methodology] Shirk would occur.

Position Modern Khawarij On Sajdah Being Worship:

The theological descendants of reviver of Kharijism, Shaykh Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahhab an-Najdi also consider the act of prostration as worship. These are prominent Shuyukh and to name some of them, Shaykh Ibn  Baaz, Shaykh Abd Al-Razzaq Afeefi, Shaykh Abdullah Ibn Qa’ood, Shaykh Abdullah Ibn Ghadyaan also share this view. These Shuyukh of Khawarij were/are permanent memebers of Saudi state sponsored committee – official representatives of Shaykh of Najd’s teachings – and they have said: “It is not permissible to bow in greeting to a Muslim or to a kafir, not with the upper part of the body or with the head, because bowing is an act of worship and worship can only be done for Allah alone.”[4] This Fatwah was regarding bowing and not prostrating. Shar’ri rule is, anything greater then the least is also in the ruling of least. Hence logically any position showing more reverance then bow would also be considered worship, and Shirk. In another Fatwah they clearly stated: Making Sujud and sacrificing for anyone other than Allah is Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship). People who indulge in any of these practices after being aware of the ruling of doing so, are Mushriks (people who associate others with Allah in worship) and Kafirs (disbelievers).[5] There we have it, a clear emphatic, statement which states, prostrating anyone other then Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) is Shirk. Another scholar of Khawarij also writes prostration to other than Allah is Shirk: "This is the example the author has given, saying: “What falls into this is performing sacrifices to someone  other  than Allah, such as the person who offers a sacrifice to the Jinn or to a grave” or to the Messenger or to one of the angels and so on. More examples are such as when someone makes an oath to other than Allah, or bows and prostrates to other than Allah, or when someone makes Tawaaf (circumambulation) around other than the House of Allah, seeking nearness to Allah by doing that, or any other form of Shirk. So if someone amongst the created beings commits Shirk in his worship of Allah, his Islam and Religion become nullified. This is the first Nullifier. We ask Allah to save and protect us from it."[6] They arrived to this understanding because they deluded themselves with belief that prostration by its very nature is worship. Yet Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala) and teaching of Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa aaihi was’sallam) belies their distortion of religion of Islam. Please refer to following articles for decisive refutation of their misguided belief, here, here.

Conclusion:

It is known that Khawarij declared Muslims to be disbelievers for the sins and Wahhabis are no different in regards to Takfir of those who commit major sin. Shaykh Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahhab, declared that anyone who prostrates to a grave as a jesture of respect is polytheist because he is guilty of major Shirk. Prostration to ghayrullah to demonstrate the love/respect one has is not major Shirk as it was demonstrated with evidences. Prostration is Haram and acting on Haram is major sin but not major Shirk. This establishes, like the Khawarij, the Wahhabis also make Takfir of Muslims due to sins.

Wama alayna ilal balaghul mubeen.
Muhammed Ali Razavi

Footnotes:

- [1] “I tell you that– praise be to Allah – my belief and my religion, according to which I worship Allah, is the way of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jamaa’ah, which was the way of the imams of the Muslims, such as the four Imams and their followers until the Day of Resurrection. But I explain to people that they must devote their worship sincerely to Allah. I forbid them to call upon the Prophets and the dead among the righteous and others, and from associating them with Allah in any act of worship that should be done for Allah alone, such as offering sacrifices, making vows, putting one’s trust, prostrating and other actions which are due to Allah and in which no one should be associated with Him, not any angel who is close to Him or any Prophet who was sent. This is the Message which was proclaimed by all the Messengers, from the first of them to the last of them, and this is the way of Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaa’ah. I hold a high position in my village and people listen to me. Some of the leaders denounced that because it goes against the customs they grew up with. I also obliged those who are under me to perform regular prayer, pay zakaah and fulfil other Islamic duties, and I forbade them to deal with ribaa, drink intoxicants and other kinds of forbidden things. The leaders could not criticize that or find fault with it, because it is something that is liked by the common folk, so they directed their criticism and enmity against that which I enjoin of Tawheed and that which I forbid of shirk, and they confused the common folk by saying that this goes against what everyone is doing, and they caused a great deal of fitnah…” [Ref: Al Durar Al Sanniyyah Fil Ajoobah Al Najdiyyah, by Shaykh Abdul Rahman Ibn Qasim V1, pages 64-65, pages 79-80]

- [2] Shaykh of Najd says this because, he believes calling them is act of worship, which leads to major Shirk.

- [3] This phrase serves two purposes, it could be that he is explaining his position, why he forbade the Muslims from calling upon Prophets and AwliyahAllah. Or it could be interpreted to mean that, he is arguing, I am the well-wisher of Muslims therefore I forbade them from committing Shirk in worship of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala). It is not really important, if he was explaining his position or portraying himself as a well-wisher of Muslims by saying this, because in both cases the bottom line is, he believed Muslims are polytheists [and in light of his other writing, worse then the polytheists of pre-Islamic era] whom he was calling toward monotheism.

- [4] “The third question of Fatwa no. 5313 - Q3: We joined a karate club in America. The coach said: "You should bow when your opponent bows to you". We refused and explained that this is against our religion. He agreed but said: "You should only gesture by your heads, for an opponent initiates a greeting by bowing and you should greet him back". What is your opinion on this? A: It's not permissible to bow to greet a Muslim or a non-Muslim whether by the upper part of the body or with the head, because bowing is a religious act of `Ibadah (worship) and `Ibadah should be devoted to Allah Alone. May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.” [Ref: FotPC, G1, V1, Venerating other than Allah]

- [5] “The fourth question of Fatwa no. 4360 - Q4: Is it true that a person who testifies that Allah is the Creator and Provider, and that Muhammad (peace be upon him) is Allah's Messenger, and performs Salah (Prayer) is a Muslim even if they make Sujud (Prostration) to their shaykh and offer sacrifices for people other than Allah? A: Making Sujud and sacrificing for anyone other than Allah is Shirk (associating others with Allah in His Divinity or worship). People who indulge in any of these practices after being aware of the ruling of doing so, are Mushriks (people who associate others with Allah in worship) and Kafirs (disbelievers). Allah will not accept any of their deeds even if they offer Sawm (Fast) and Salah. Deeds of Mushriks are rejected. Moreover, if they die in this case, Allah will not forgive them. Allah (Exalted be He) says: Verily, Allâh forgives not that partners should be set up with Him (in worship), but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He wills Allah also says, Verily, whosoever sets up partners (in worship) with Allâh, then Allâh has forbidden Paradise to him, and the Fire will be his abode. And for the Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrong-doers) there are no helpers. Also Allah (Exalted be He) says: But if they had joined in worship others with Allâh, all that they used to do would have been of no benefit to them. But if they return to Allah in sincere Tawbah (repentance to Allah) before death, Allah will forgive them, as Allah (Exalted be He) says: Say: “O ‘Ibâdî (My slaves) who have transgressed against themselves (by committing evil deeds and sins)! Despair not of the Mercy of Allâh: verily, Allâh forgives all sins. Muslim scholars unanimously agree that this Ayah (Qur'anic verse) speaks about repentant people. As for the Ayah of Surah Al-Nissa': Verily, Allâh forgives not that partners should be set up with Him (in worship), but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He wills , it speaks about the unrepentant people, namely, those who died in Kufr (disbelief) and sin. May Allah protect us from that. May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.” [Ref: FotPC, G1, V1, Prostration before anyone other than Allah, and slaughtering animals for them]

- [6] Nawaqid Al Islam, authored by Shaykh Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahhab. Quote from its commentary, Sharh Nawaqid Al Islam, by Shaykh Abdul Azeez ar-Rajihee, Trans by Abu Isma’eel Alarcon.