Introduction to Hijaz (now) KSA

The twelfth century of the Muslim calendar was a time of great uncertainty for believers, and they suffered numerous setbacks with the growing prominence of colonialism in the heartlands of Islam. The Muslim ruler of the time, Salim III, watched these calamities with dismay, each washing over those under his authority like waves in the ocean. The French had torn Egypt away from its fellow believers from 1113-1116 AH, which disrupted shipments to and from the country and also instigated the beginning of the secularisation of the country. Rather than deal with these external forces, his attention was made to focus on the internal destruction being wrought by a tiny band of violent men, intent on having Muslims believe as they did, or destroy them in the process. Perhaps most disturbing of all was that they claimed to be Muslims, in fact the only true Muslims.

This awful calamity had been sleeping cancer; which in its current manifestation was no less lethal. Muslims had suffered under many cults, always proving victorious when they were patient and steadfast, but Salim III was confronted by the Khawarij, the first and most violent cult that had sprung up during his reign. This group was known of by the Prophet Mohammad, peace and blessings be upon him, some 1,200 years previously when it was led by a man by the name of Dhul Khuwaisirah, who was described by the companions as having,’a shaved head, a thick unkempt beard and his clothes tucked above his ankles’. Dhul Khuwaisirah had been unhappy with the charity he had received and told the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, “Muhammad! Fear Allah and be just!”.

here is full hadith with arabic and urdu english translation: (Ref; at the end)

Arabic Hadith:
حدثنا أبو اليمان أخبرنا شعيب عن الزهري قال أخبرني أبو سلمة بن عبد الرحمن أن أبا سعيد الخدري رضي الله عنه قال بينما نحن عند رسول الله صلی الله عليه وسلم وهو يقسم قسما أتاه ذو الخويصرة وهو رجل من بني تميم فقال يا رسول الله اعدل فقال ويلک ومن يعدل إذا لم أعدل قد خبت وخسرت إن لم أکن أعدل فقال عمر يا رسول الله ائذن لي فيه فأضرب عنقه فقال دعه فإن له أصحابا يحقر أحدکم صلاته مع صلاتهم وصيامه مع صيامهم يقرئون القرآن لا يجاوز تراقيهم يمرقون من الدين کما يمرق السهم من الرمية ينظر إلی نصله فلا يوجد فيه شيئ ثم ينظر إلی رصافه فما يوجد فيه شيئ ثم ينظر إلی نضيه وهو قدحه فلا يوجد فيه شيئ ثم ينظر إلی قذذه فلا يوجد فيه شيئ قد سبق الفرث والدم آيتهم رجل أسود إحدی عضديه مثل ثدي المرأة أو مثل البضعة تدردر ويخرجون علی حين فرقة من الناس قال أبو سعيد فأشهد أني سمعت هذا الحديث من رسول الله صلی الله عليه وسلم وأشهد أن علي بن أبي طالب قاتلهم وأنا معه فأمر بذلک الرجل فالتمس فأتي به حتی نظرت إليه علی نعت النبي صلی الله عليه وسلم الذي نعته

Urdu Hadith:

ابوالیمان شعیب زہری ابوسلمہ حضرت ابوسعید خدری رضی اللہ تعالیٰ عنہ سے روایت کرتے ہیں انہوں نے کہا کہ ہم رسول اللہ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم کی خدمت میں حاضر تھے۔ آپ صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم کچھ مال تقسیم کر رہے تھے کہ آپ صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم کے پاس ذوالخویصرہ جو قبیلہ بنی تمیم کا ایک شخص تھا حاضر ہوا۔ اس نے کہا یا رسول اللہ! انصاف کیجئے! آپ صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم نے فرمایا تیری خرابی ہو اگر میں انصاف نہ کروں گا تو کون ہے جو انصاف کرے گا؟ اگر میں انصاف نہ کروں تو بہت ناکام و نامراد ہوں گا حضرت عمر رضی اللہ تعالیٰ عنہ نے عرض کیا کہ یا رسول اللہ! مجھ کو اجازت دیجئے کہ میں اس کی گردن اڑا دوں فرمایا اس کو رہنے دو اس کے چند ساتھی ایسے ہیں جن کی نمازوں کو دیکھ کر تم اپنی نمازوں کو حقیر سمجھو گے۔ اور ان کے روزوں کے سامنے اپنے روزہ کو کمتر وہ قرآن کی تلاوت کریں گے مگر وہ ان کے حلق سے نیچے نہیں اترے گا یہ دین سے اس طرح نکل جائیں گے جس طرح کمان سے تیر نکل جاتا ہے اس کے پکڑنے کی جگہ دیکھی جائے تو اس میں کوئی چیز معلوم نہ ہو گی۔ اس کے پر دیکھے جائیں تو ان میں کوئی چیز معلوم نہ ہو گی۔ اس کے پر اور پکڑنے کی جگہ کے درمیانی مقام کو دیکھا جائے تو اس میں کوئی چیز دکھائی نہ دے گی حالانکہ وہ گندگی اور خون سے ہو کر گزرا ہے ان کی نشانی یہ ہے کہ ان میں ایک سیاہ آدمی ہوگا اس کا ایک مونڈھا عورت کے پستان یا پھڑکتے ہوئے گوشت کے لوتھڑے کی طرح ہوگا جب لوگوں میں اختلاف پیدا ہوگا تو یہ ظاہر ہوں گے۔ حضرت ابوسعید رضی اللہ تعالیٰ عنہ کہتے ہیں کہ میں اس امر کی شہادت دیتا ہوں کہ میں نے یہ حدیث نبی صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم سے سنی ہے اور یہ کہ حضرت علی رضی اللہ تعالیٰ عنہ بن ابی طالب نے ان لوگوں سے جنگ کی ہے۔ میں ان کے ساتھ تھا انہوں نے حکم دیا وہ شخص تلاش کر کے لایا گیا میں نے اس میں وہی خصوصیات پائیں جن کو نبی صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم نے اس کے بارے میں بیان فرمایا تھا۔

صحیح بخاری:جلد دوم:حدیث نمبر 861 حدیث متواتر حدیث مرفوع متفق علیہ 4


English Translation:

Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri:

While we were with Allah’s Apostle who was distributing (i.e. some property), there came Dhu-l-Khuwaisira, a man from the tribe of Bani Tamim and said, “O Allah’s Apostle! Do Justice.” The Prophet said, “Woe to you! Who could do justice if I did not? I would be a desperate loser if I did not do justice.” ‘Umar said, “O Allah’s Apostle! Allow me to chop his head off.” The Prophet said, “Leave him, for he has companions who pray and fast in such a way that you will consider your fasting negligible in comparison to theirs. They recite Qur’an but it does not go beyond their throats (i.e. they do not act on it) and they will desert Islam as an arrow goes through a victim’s body, so that the hunter, on looking at the arrow’s blade, would see nothing on it; he would look at its Risaf and see nothing: he would look at its Na,di and see nothing, and he would look at its Qudhadh ( 1 ) and see nothing (neither meat nor blood), for the arrow has been too fast even for the blood and excretions to smear. The sign by which they will be recognized is that among them there will be a black man, one of whose arms will resemble a woman’s breast or a lump of meat moving loosely. Those people will appear when there will be differences amongst the people.” I testify that I heard this narration from Allah’s Apostle and I testify that ‘Ali bin Abi Talib fought with such people, and I was in his company. He ordered that the man (described by the Prophet ) should be looked for. The man was brought and I looked at him and noticed that he looked exactly as the Prophet had described him.

(This hadith is most authentic and quoted in several books like Sahih Bukhari, Muslim, Sunan Nasai,ibne Maja, Maw’ta Imam Maalik and also Masnad Ahmed)

This flagrant disrespect and revolt against a Prophet and the leadership of Orthodox Islam was met with stern rebuke and anger by the companions. Some asked for permission to execute the man, but were told by the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, not to do so. An ominous prophecy was then unveiled, in which he said:

“Leave them, fr they have their people. If you were to compare your prayer and fasting to theirs, you would look down upon your own. Yet they will go out of the religion as a hunter’s arrow goes out of the prey he is hunting. If the hunter should check one part of the arrow, nothing is found. The same is the case with the other part and the other side of it”.

Hadith in Arabic:

حدثنا الحسن بن علي حدثنا عبد الرزاق عن عبد الملک بن أبي سليمان عن سلمة بن کهيل قال أخبرني زيد بن وهب الجهني أنه کان في الجيش الذين کانوا مع علي عليه السلام الذين ساروا إلی الخوارج فقال علي عليه السلام أيها الناس إني سمعت رسول الله صلی الله عليه وسلم يقول يخرج قوم من أمتي يقرون القرآن ليست قراتکم إلی قراتهم شيا ولا صلاتکم إلی صلاتهم شيا ولا صيامکم إلی صيامهم شيا يقرون القرآن يحسبون أنه لهم وهو عليهم لا تجاوز صلاتهم تراقيهم يمرقون من الإسلام کما يمرق السهم من الرمية لو يعلم الجيش الذين يصيبونهم ما قضي لهم علی لسان نبيهم صلی الله عليه وسلم لنکلوا عن العمل وآية ذلک أن فيهم رجلا له عضد وليست له ذراع علی عضده مثل حلمة الثدي عليه شعرات بيض أفتذهبون إلی معاوية وأهل الشام وتترکون هؤلا يخلفونکم في ذراريکم وأموالکم والله إني لأرجو أن يکونوا هؤلا القوم فإنهم قد سفکوا الدم الحرام وأغاروا في سرح الناس فسيروا علی اسم الله قال سلمة بن کهيل فنزلني زيد بن وهب منزلا منزلا حتی مر بنا علی قنطرة قال فلما التقينا وعلی الخوارج عبد الله بن وهب الراسبي فقال لهم ألقوا الرماح وسلوا السيوف من جفونها فإني أخاف أن يناشدوکم کما ناشدوکم يوم حرورا قال فوحشوا برماحهم واستلوا السيوف وشجرهم الناس برماحهم قال وقتلوا بعضهم علی بعضهم قال وما أصيب من الناس يومذ إلا رجلان فقال علي رضي الله عنه التمسوا فيهم المخدج فلم يجدوا قال فقام علي رضي الله عنه بنفسه حتی أتی ناسا قد قتل بعضهم علی بعض فقال أخرجوهم فوجدوه مما يلي الأرض فکبر وقال صدق الله وبلغ رسوله فقام إليه عبيدة السلماني فقال يا أمير المؤمنين والله الذي لا إله إلا هو لقد سمعت هذا من رسول الله صلی الله عليه وسلم فقال إي والله الذي لا إله إلا هو حتی استحلفه ثلاثا وهو يحلف


Urdu Translation:

حسن بن علی، عبدالرزاق، عبدالملک بن ابوسلیمان، حضرت سلمہ رضی اللہ تعالیٰ عنہا بن کہیل فرماتے ہیں کہ مجھے زید بن وہب الجہنی نے بتلایا کہ وہ ایک لشکر میں تھے جو حضرت علی رضی اللہ تعالیٰ عنہ کے ساتھ تھا اور جو خوارج کی سرکوبی کے لئے نکلا تھا۔ پس حضرت علی رضی اللہ تعالیٰ عنہ نے فرمایا کہ اے لوگو بیشک میں نے رسول اللہ صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم سے کو یہ فرماتے ہوئے سنا کہ میری امت میں کچھ لوگ ایسے نکلیں گے کہ وہ ایسا قرآن کریم پڑھیں گے کہ تمہاری تلاوت ان کی تلاوت کے سامنے کچھ نہ ہوگی اور نہ تمہاری نمازیں ان کی نمازوں کے سامنے کچھ ہوں گی نہ تمہارے روزے ان کے روزوں کے سامنے کچھ ہوں گے وہ قرآن پڑھیں گے اور خیال کریں گے کہ یہ قرآن ان کے لئے حجت بنے گا لیکن (حال یہ ہوگا کہ) وہ ان کے اوپر وبال اور حجت بن جائے گا ان کی نمازیں ان کے حلق سے نیچے نہیں اتریں گی اسلام سے اس طرح خارج ہو جائیں گے جیسے تیر کمان سے نکل جاتا ہے اگر ان سے لڑنے والا لشکر ان فضائل کو جانتا جو ان کے لئے ان کے نبی صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم کی زبان سے بیان ہوئے تو وہ اسی عمل پر بھروسہ کرلیتے۔ ان کی علامت یہ ہے کہ ان میں ایک بازو والا شخص ہوگا اس کے بازو پر ہاتھ کہنی تک نہیں ہوگا۔ ایک گھنڈی ہوگی پستان کی گھنڈی کی طرح اس پر سفید بال ہوں گے اور کیا تم معاویہ رضی اللہ تعالیٰ عنہ اور اہل شام سے لڑائی کے لئے تو جاتے ہو اور انہیں اپنے پیچھے اپنی اولاد اور اموال پر چھوڑ جاتے ہو (کہ یہ تمہاری غیر موجودگی میں تمہارے اموال کو لوٹیں اور اولاد کو قتل کریں) اللہ کی قسم مجھے یہ امید ہے کہ یہی وہ لوگ ہیں (جن کے بارے میں نبی صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم نے مذکورہ بالا حدیث میں بتلایا) کیونکہ انہوں نے ناحق خون بہایا وہ خون جو ان کے لئے حرام تھا اور لوگوں کی چراگاہوں میں غارت گری کی پس چلو ان پر حملہ کرنے کے لئے اللہ کے نام کے ساتھ۔ سلمہ بن کہیل کہتے ہیں کہ زید بن وہب نے مجھے ایک ایک منزل میں اتارا یہاں تک کہ ہم ایک پل پر سے گذرے پس جب وہ دونوں لشکر ملے اور لشکر خوارج کے سالار عبداللہ بن وہب الراسبی تھا اس نے اپنے لشکریوں سے کہا کہ نیزے پھینک دو اور تلواریں نیاموں سے کھینچ لو کیونکہ مجھ ڈر ہے کہ وہ تمہیں (مقابلہ کرنے کی) اس طرح قسم دیں گے جیسے حروراء کے روز قسم دی تھی۔ راوی کہتے ہیں کہ پھر ان لوگوں نے اپنے نیزوں کو پھینک دیا اور تلواریں کھینچ ڈالیں اور لوگوں (مسلمانوں) نے انہیں اپنے نیزوں سے روکا اور وہ قتل کر دئیے گئے ایک دوسرے پر اور حضرت علی کی طرف سے اس روز کسی کو کوئی گزند نہیں پہنچی سوائے دو آدمیوں کے پھر حضرت علی رضی اللہ تعالیٰ عنہ نے لوگوں سے کہا کہ ان مرنے والوں میں ایک گنجے شخص کو تلاش کرو۔ وہ (تلاش کرنے پر) نہیں ملا تو حضرت علی رضی اللہ تعالیٰ عنہ بذات خود کھڑے ہوئے پھر کچھ ایسے مقتولین کے پاس آئے کہ ان کی لاشیں ایک کے اوپر ایک پڑی تھیں حضرت علی نے فرمایا کہ انہیں نکالو چنانچہ وہ گنجا شخص مل گیا زمین سے چمٹا سب سے نیچے پڑا تھا تو حضرت علی رضی اللہ تعالیٰ عنہ نے تکبیر کہی اور کہا کہ اللہ نے سچ فرمایا اور اس کے رسول صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم نے پہنچا دیا۔ حضرت عبیدہ السلمانی کھڑے ہوئے اور کہا کہ اے امیر المومنین اس ذات باری تعالیٰ کی قسم جس کے علاوہ کوئی معبود نہیں آپ نے خود رسول اللہ صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم سے یہ سنا ہے؟ حضرت علی رضی اللہ تعالیٰ عنہ نے فرمایا کہ ہاں اللہ کی قسم جس کے علاوہ کوئی عبادت کے لائق نہیں حتی کہ تین مرتبہ اس نے حضرت علی رضی اللہ تعالیٰ عنہ کو قسم دی اور آپ رضی اللہ تعالیٰ عنہ نے قسم کھائی۔

English Translation:

Zaid b. Wahb Jahani reported and he was among the squadron which was under the command of Ali (Allah be pleased with him) and which set out (to curb the activities) of the Khawarij. ‘Ali (Allah be pleased with him) said: 0 people, I heard the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) say: There would arise from my Ummah a people who would recite the Qur’an, and your recital would seem insignificant as compared with their recital, your prayer as compared with their prayer, and your fast, as compared with their fast. They would recite the Qur’an thinking that it supports them, whereas it is an evidence against them. Their prayer does not get beyond their collar bone; they would swerve through Islam just as the arrow passes through the prey. If the squadron which is to encounter them were to know (what great boon) has been assured to them by their Apostle (may peace be upon him) they would completely rely upon this deed (alone and cease to do other good deeds), and their (that of the Khawarij) distinctive mark is that there would be (among them) a person whose wrist would be without the arm, and the end of his wrist would be fleshy like the nipple of the breast on which there would be white hair. You would be marching towards Muawiya and the people of Syria and you would leave them behind among your children and your property (to do harm). By Allah, I believe that these are the people (against whom you have been commanded to fight and get reward) for they have shed forbidden blood, and raided the animals of the people. So go forth in the name of Allah (to fight against them). Salama b. Kuhail mentioned that Zaid b. Wahb made me alight at every stage, till we crossed a bridge. ‘Abdullah b. Wahb al-Rasibi was at the head of the Khawarij when we encountered them. He (‘Abdullah) said to his army: Throw the spears and draw out your swords from their sheaths, for I fear that they would attack you as they attacked you on the day of Harura. They went back and threw their spears and drew out their swords, and people fought against them with spears and they were killed one after another. Only two persons were killed among the people (among the army led by Hadrat ‘Ali) on that day. ‘Ali (Allah be pleased with him) said: Find out from among them (the dead bodies of the Khawarij) (the maimed). They searched but did not find him. ‘Ali (Allah be pleased with him) then himself stood up and (walked) till he came to the people who had been killed one after another. He (‘Ali) said: Search them to the last, and then (‘Ali’s companions) found him (the dead body of the maimed) near the earth. He (Hadrat ‘Ali) then pronounced Allah-O-Akbar (Allah is the Greatest) and then said, Allah told the Truth and His Messenger (may peace be upon him) conveyed it. Then there stood before him ‘Abida Salmani who said: Commander of the Believers, by Allah, besides Whom there is no god but He, (tell me) whether you heard this hadith from the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him). He said: Yes, by Allah, besides Whom there is no god but He. He asked him to take an oath thrice and he took the oath.



(Ref: Sunan Abu Dawuod Vol 3 : Hadith 1365 Hadith Mutawatir, Mutafiq aleh Authentic)

When speaking of them, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, stated:

“(as you read in above given hadith…) Out of this man’s offspring will be a people who will recite……till they will kill Muslims and leave the idol worshippers.”



The stage was set, so that even after the death of the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, this movement began to grow in strength punish its enemies and, when necessary, interrogate those who were suspect in their eyes. They appeared concurrently and continuously ever 100 years there after, leaving havoc and chaos in their wake. One such appearance came in the year 1111 AH,”with a young man born in Arabia in the city of al-’Uyainah in Najd province. His name was Muhammad ibn ‘Abdul Wahhab.



As a youth, he studied from his father, Imam ‘Abdul Wahhab” and alongside his older brother, Sulaiman, but on detour to Iraq on the way to Sham, underwent a change. He had happened across the books of Muhammad al-Amir as-San’ani as well as isolated quotes from Ibn Taymiyyah’s Collected Digest of Legal Rulings, which he read with great relish. Although untrained and unqualified as a scholar, he began to write books and make rulings not long after his return in the year 1150 AH. Many of these were not publicaly revealed or taught openly, as the time was not yet deemed suitable, but with the death of his father in Hurailama and his own emigration to al- ‘Uyainah and then ad- Dar’iyyah, he came under the patronage of a local governor named Muhammad ibn Sa’ud. It was agreed by Ibn Sa’ud that the would be the temporal leader while Muhammad ibn ‘Abdul Wahhab was the spiritual head, and together they would purify Arabia of all that they saw as idolatrous. The pact was sealed by Ibn Sa’ud’s clan intermarrying with the religious zealot.



Under the supervision and support of the new emperor of the movement, M – Ibn Wahab penned some 22 pamphlets and booklets; all demanding obedience from layman and scholar alike. Some of the major doctrinal positions propunded at variance with Muslim Orthodoxy were as follows.



1) One may know the meaning of all ALLAH’S names and attributes in this life, even if they have not seen Him. The names and attributes of Allah have earthly meanings that we understand.



2) Salvation by faith and deeds being the reason for entrance into the Paradise.



3) The state of the dead is close to that of annihilation, so they cannot hear those who come to visit them at their graves. This further includes the point that their wonders and life also cease at death, so to ask them to pray for one would be idolatry.



4) Visiting those at the graveyard or sending blessings upon them at the graveside is idolatry. The same holds true for speaking of the unseen or absent; for example, the angels.



5) The vast majority of Muslims down through the ages, since the first three generations, have slipped into idolatry. As this happened, Muslims were obliged to draw new conclusions from the texts and apply them in ways they saw fit. This, of course, would need to be checked by people of authority in the movement. In addition to this, the Muslims have come to be like the idol worshippers, who believed that Allah was the Creator, but just did not worship Him.



These were not all the beliefs of the organisation, which was called al-Muwahhidun or ‘The Brotherhood, but were beliefs that caused major theological rifts between them and the Muslim community. The message of The Brotherhood was simple, stark and unmistakable. They neither claimed to belong to any of the legal schools, nor did they claim ancestry to the theologians of the past such as Imams Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Abu mansur al-Maturidi and Abul Hasan al-Ash’ari, may Allah pleased with them, in any sense. The Brotherhood did not claim to be any of these things, but rather the re-establishment of pure and pristine Islam that had been lost so long ago. Islam had to be preached anew.



They soon came into conflict with the scholars, who began writing teaching and preaching against the new movement. There were imminent shaikhs, such as Sulaiman ibn ‘Abdul Wahhab, ‘Alawi al-Haddad, ‘Abdullah ibn Dawud al-Basri and others, who literally risked their lives to tell the truth. Some felt the sword of the assassin and fell as martyrs, while others were captured and tortured. Still others were free, and continued preaching regardless, sometimes taking up arms against a theological system seeking to overthrow Muslim governance. Ghalib ibn Masa’id, Governer of Makkah in the Ottoman era under Salim III, fought them with all the arms available. The year 1206 AH witnessed some of the worst fighting imaginable and was also the year the Muwahhidun’s founder, M- ibn Abdul Wahab, was buried and prayed upon by his group, and left in an unmarked grave. The Brotherhood group, in 51 years, had depopulated several towns and cities, forcibly converted Bedouin tribes and also shelled Makkah and Madinah, stopping the annual pilgrimage for two years.



In the year 1217 AH, they gained entry to the city of Ta’if with an army of thousands of Brotherhood members, and decimated the populace. The people in Makkah had heard about this and were terrified the same fate might await them. When the armies of the new cult came to the gates of Makkah, they found that the annual pilgrimage was taking and that thousands were present. They decided to wait until the hajj was over and then take over when the armies and most of the able-bodied men had left.



They returned in the year 1218 AH, in the first month of the year, and found the doors locked. The Brotherhood threatened to murder all inside unless given entry, at which time they promised amnesty to all. When the gates were opened, darkness swept the land. For 14 days they destroyed buildings, slaughtered school teachers and scholars of all sorts, and forced people to renounce Orthodox Islam and come to the masjid to hear the new teachings. People sought to avoid it, but were viciously beaten. Records of the congregations were kept.