Every year the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has the honor to host millions of guests who come to fulfill their obligation toward Allah by performing Haj or Umrah.Many of those who visit Saudi Arabia come with mixed feelings. Saudi Arabia is not only the land of the two Holy Mosques or the home to the Messenger of Allah(peace be upon him), but it is also the country of Sheikh Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahab. Sheikh Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahab's life, his writings and teachings are well known. Numerous books have been published and are easily accessible to anyone who is interested to know more about him. Over the years there have been some controversies, but the correct way of analyzing this subject is based on the authentic statements of the person we are to further talk about. If any criticism is made but quotes are not given, doubts and apprehensions are bound to take place. “O you who believe! Stand out firmly for Allah, as just witnesses; and let not the enmity and hatred of others make you avoid justice. Be just: that is nearer to piety. And fear Allah, for Allah is well acquainted with all that you do” (Al-Maaidah 8). During the time of Sheikh Wahab people were mired in ignorance, they had abandoned the clear teachings of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and were indulged in Shirk. Sufi's ordered and practiced things that could only be called Islamic if one totally ignores both, the Qur'an and the Sunnah. People would sing, dance and play musical instruments, and the cults of grave-worship were widespread. The gravesites of righteous people were visited and prayers were offered to seek their support or intercession with Allah. Mausoleums were built over Abu Talib's (May Allah have mercy on him) gravesite as well as over the gravesite of Khadeejah( MayAllah have mercy on her). Sheikhs and Sufi's were admired as saints and worshipped as well. Although they did not call these visits pilgrimage the essence of it existed in some of their rituals. For instance some of them thought that visiting the Prophet's (peace be upon him) grave was more important than performing Haj. The basic teachings of Sheikh Abdul Wahab confronted all these un-Islamic practices. “And verily, we have sent among every Nation a messenger proclaiming: ‘Worship Allah alone and eschew all false gods” (Al-Nahl 36). “I created not the jinn and mankind except to worship Me alone” (Al-Dhaariyaat 56). It is based on these clear verses of the glorious Qur'an that Abdul Wahab began his mission and carried it on throughout his lifetime. “Verily, the one who mixes partners in worship with Allah (Shirk), then Paradise has been made forbidden for him and his final abode will be the hellfire. And the wrongdoers will not have any helpers” (Al-Maaidah 72).Paradise is forbidden for those who commit shirk as it wipes out all of one's good deeds and straightaway leads to eternal hellfire. Whoever places intermediaries between himself and Allah by calling onto them has committed shirk according to the following statements of Allah. “And those who take supporters besides Allah, they say: we don't worship them except for the purpose of bringing us closer to Allah” (As Zumar,3).But Allah declares them disbelievers and liars because of this statement of theirs.“And they worship besides Allah that which can neither harm them nor benefit them, and they say: These are our intercessors before Allah” (Yoonus,18).To all those who opposed his struggle for ‘Tawheed' in his lifetime, Sheikh Abdul Wahab wrote, “I remind those who oppose me that the obligation upon the people is to follow what the Prophet(peace be upon him) informed his ummah with his sunnah. And I tell them that the books are with you. Read them and do not take any of my speech. When you come to know the words of the Messenger of Allah then follow it and don't oppose it like others. Do not obey me or anyone else except Allah or His Messenger(peace be upon him)-. And, know that nothing can save you from hellfire except for following the way of Allah's Messenger and the Qur'an. This worldly life is temporary and it is not proper for someone with common sense to be forgetful about Paradise and Hell.” __
