FITNATUL WAHHABIYYAH : Part [ 2 ]

Punishing Some Wahhabis And Replacing Sharif Ghalib

Muhammad 'Aliyy Basha reached Makkah in Dhul-Qa'dah, arrested Sharif Ghalib Ibn Mus'id and sent him to the capital of the state. Sharif Yahya Ibn Surur Ibn Musa'id, Sharif Ghalib’s nephew, was appointed as the Sharif (Governor) of Makkah.

In Muharram, 1229 A.H., Mubarak Ibn Madyan, the Wahhabi governor of al-Madinah was sent to the capital. He was carried around Constantinople in a disgraceful manner for the people to see. He was killed after this, and his head was hung on the gate of the government building. The same thing was done to 'Uthman al-Madayiqiyy as a punishment for all the crimes they committed during their rulership.

Sharif Ghalib was sent to Salonika{22}, held in high regard, and treated well until he died in 1231 A.H. He was buried there, and a dome was constructed over his grave--and to this day, the people still visit his grave. Sharif Ghalib’s rulership over Makkah lasted for twenty-six years.

Uprooting The Wahhabis

Muhammad 'Aliyy Basha continued to fight the Wahhabis, and he sent a large number of troops to Saudi Arabia in the areas of Turabah, Bishah, Ghamid, Dhahran, and 'Asir. His aim was to eradicate the Wahhabis, so he personally led the army in pursuit of them. In Sha'ban, 1229 A.H., he located them, killed and captured many, and demolished their strongholds. Prince Sa'ud, the head of the Wahhabis, died in Jumadal-Ula, and his son, 'Abdullah, took over the leadership.

Shortly before the time of Pilgrimage, Muhammad 'Aliyy Basha left these areas and departed for Makkah. He performed Hajj and stayed in Makkah until Rajab, 1230 A.H. Muhammad 'Aliyy Basha left Hasan Basha{23} in Makkah and returned to Egypt in the middle of Rajab, 1230 A.H. He had spent one year and seven months residing in al-Hijaz, because he would not go back to Egypt until he had arranged the affairs of al-Hijaz and destroyed the Wahhabi factions spread throughout the Bedouin tribes of al-Hijaz and Eastern Arabia.

The Third Egyptian Campaign

The Wahhabi prince, 'Abdullah Ibn Sa'ud, was still in ad-Dar'iyyah when Muhammad 'Aliyy Basha made preparations for an army to fight him. The troops were sent under the leadership of his son, Ibrahim Basha. Prior to this, 'Abdullah Ibn Sa'ud corresponded with Tusun Basha Ibn Muhammad 'Aliyy Basha; Tusun Basha was in al-Madinah, to make a peace accord with 'Abdullah Ibn Sa'ud. In this proposed accord, he agreed to pay his loyalty to Muhammad 'Aliyy Basha on the condition he was left as the governor of that area. Muhammad 'Aliyy Basha did not approve this arrangement. The army was mobilized under Ibrahim’s command at the end of 1231 A.H. Ibrahim Basha and his army reached ad-Dar'iyyah in 1232 A.H. where they battled 'Abdullah Ibn Sa'ud. In Dhul-Qa'dah, 1233 A.H., they conquered the Wahhabis.

When Egypt received news of the victory, the people were extremely triumphant and rejoiced for seven days. They set off fireworks and fired 1,000 canons in celebration of this great event.

Some Of The War Expenses

Muhammad 'Aliyy Basha had a tremendous concern for fighting the Wahhabis by sea. He spent great amounts of money to attain his goal. Some of those who used to serve him said on one occasion 45,000 riyals{24} were paid to transport ammunition{25}. This costly payment was one of many times such things occurred. Another time, one transport in particular was made for ammunition carried from Yanbu' to al-Madinah. Each camel cost six riyals, half of which was paid by the governor of Yanbu' and the other half by the governor of al-Madinah. Upon the arrival of the shipment from al-Madinah to ad-Dar'iyyah, the fee for the transport of ammunition alone was 140,000 riyals.

The Capture Of The Wahhabis’ Leader

Ibrahim Basha caught 'Abdullah Ibn Sa'ud and sent him and many of the Wahhabi princes to Egypt. They arrived on the seventeenth of Muharram, 1234 A.H., where people gathered to see the Wahhabi leader paraded around the capital riding on a camel. After this, 'Abdullah Ibn Sa'ud was brought to see Muhammad 'Aliyy Basha. Muhammad 'Aliyy Basha stood up for 'Abdullah Ibn Sa'ud, was gentle with him, and smiled as he let Abdullah sit beside him. Muhammad 'Aliyy Basha talked to him.

Al-Basha: Why do you keep rebelling?
Ibn Sa'ud: The war goes on; you lose sometimes and you win other times.
Al-Basha: How did you find my son, Ibrahim Basha?
Ibn Sa'ud: He was not reckless but he put forth effort and so did we until what Allah had willed happened.
Al-Basha: I will petition our master, the Sultan, on your behalf.
Ibn Sa'ud: What Allah willed to be shall be.

Al-Basha ordered a robe{26} to be put on Ibn Sa'ud before he left to the house of Isma'il Basha in Bulaq{27}. Abdullah Ibn Sa'ud had a small metal box with him.

Al-Basha: What is this?
Ibn Sa'ud: This was taken by my father from the room of the Nabi. I am taking it with me to the Sultan.

Al-Basha ordered the box to be opened. They found three Mushafs in it--the like of which no one had ever seen--and with them were 300 large pearls, one large emerald, and a golden ribbon.

Al-Basha: You have taken much more than that.
Ibn Sa'ud: This is what I found kept by my father. He did not take all what was in the room for himself. The Bedouin tribesmen, the people of al-Madinah, the Aghas of al-Haram, and the Sharif of Makkah also removed things from the Nabi’s room.
Al-Basha: That is true. We found some of these things with the Sharif.

Then 'Abdullah Ibn Sa'ud was sent to the place of the Sultan. In Muharram, 1235 A.H., Ibrahim Basha returned to Egypt from al-Hijaz after he destroyed ad-Dar'iyyah such that it was abandoned by its inhabitants. When Ibn Sa'ud reached the headquarters of the Sultanate in Rabi'-ul-’Awwal, he was paraded around the city for all the people to see. He was then put to death at the Door of Hamayun (as a punishment for his crimes). The chiefs of his followers were executed in different places.

Conclusion

This is a very brief summary of the story of Muhammad Ibn 'Abdul-Wahhab. To talk at length on each of these details would be very lengthy. The tribulations inflicted by the Wahhabis were a calamity for the Muslims. The Wahhabis shed a great deal of blood and robbed a great deal of money; their harm was prevalent and their evil spread.

Many of the hadiths of the Nabi, Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim, spoke explicitly about this tribulation. One narration said:

which means: <<There will be people who come from the eastern side of Arabia who will recite Qur’an, but their recitation will not pass beyond their collarbones{28}. They will go out of Islam as swiftly as the arrow goes through the prey. Their sign is shaving their heads.>> This hadith was mentioned in many narrations, including Sahih-ul-Bukhariyy and other books of hadith. There is no need to expound on listing these narrations or their narrators because they are well-known and of the sahih{29} classification.

The Nabi said: "Their sign is shaving their heads." This is an explicit reference to the Wahhabi sect. They used to order all those who follow them to shave their heads. None of the previous sects, i.e., those who came before the Wahhabis, like the Khawarij or other innovators, had this sign.

As-Sayyid 'Abdur-Rahman al-Ahdal, the Mufti of Zabid, used to say: "There is no need for writing against the Wahhabis. For, in refuting them, it is sufficient to mention the hadith of the Nabi, Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim: <<Their sign is shaving their heads>> since no other innovators had ever done it."

It happened once that a women made her point against Ibn 'Abdul-Wahhab when they compelled her to follow them and she did. He ordered her to shave her head. She told him: "Since you order the woman to shave her head, you have to order the man to shave his beard. The hair of the women is her decoration and the decoration of the man is his beard." Ibn 'Abdul-Wahhab could not answer her.

Among of what the Wahhabis used to do was to prevent the people from asking the Nabi, Sall Allahu alaihi wa Aalihi wa Sallim, for his intercession--although the hadiths about the Nabi’s intercession are numerous and are of the mutawatir{30} classification. Most of his intercession is for the Muslims of his nation who committed major sins. The Wahhabis also prohibited Muslims from reading Dala’il-ul-Khayrat--which includes saying as-Salat on the Nabi and mentioning many of the Nabi’s complete descriptions. They said this is blasphemy. They also prevented Muslims from saying as-Salat on the Nabi on the minarets after the Adhan. Once a righteous blind Muslim was calling Adhan and said as-Salat on the Nabi after the Adhan{31}. The Wahhabis brought him to Ibn 'Abdul-Wahhab who ordered his execution.

If I [the author] was to pursue the mischievous things the Wahhabis did, I would fill notebooks and lots of papers. However, what has been mentioned thus far is enough.

Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala, knows best.

Footnote

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