We are still with the memoirs of Mr. "Hempher," and the book of the Sunni Hanbali imam, the judge "Suleiman ibn Abd al-Wahhab ibn Suleiman ibn Ali al-Tamimi al-Najdi," brother of "Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab," founder of the Wahhabi movement.
A logical question should suddenly occur to the people who defend "Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab".. did "Abd al-Wahhab" fight the English, for instance? No.. he never raised his weapon except against simple Muslims, from the people of towns and small villages, and many of them were his own cousins...!
When "Hempher" met "Abd al-Wahhab" in "Abd al-Rida's" shop, with the latter's friends.. everyone began to converse and debate.. and the conversation turned to religion.
"Hempher" says: "The young man (Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab) followed his own self in understanding the Quran and the Sunnah, and cast the opinions of the scholars aside - not only the scholars of his time and the four schools of law - but even the scholars among the Companions; such as Abu Bakr and Umar as well.. If he understood from the Book something contrary to what they understood, and he used to say: that the Messenger said I leave among you the Book and the Sunnah, and he did not say I leave among you the Book and the Sunnah and the Companions and the schools of law.. and he detested Abu Hanifa and despised him utterly.. and he used to say of himself that he understood more than Abu Hanifa."
And at this meeting, one of the Shia among the companions of (Abd al-Rida) argued with him, and told him that if he was holding fast to the Sunnah, then he was obliged to respect the jurisprudence of the transmitters of the Sunnah as well, such as Abu Bakr and Umar, for they understood it better.. and this amazed "Hempher" greatly, and he realized that the Shia was only trying to provoke Abd al-Wahhab, because he knew full well that the Shia do not hold Abu Bakr or Umar in esteem.. so the purpose of the Shia's words, as it appeared to "Hempher," was to provoke "Abd al-Wahhab."
And during the talk, "Abd al-Wahhab" flew into a rage, and was about to rise up and assault the Shia.. and here the idea flashed in "Hempher's" mind like a lightning bolt, when he learned that "Abd al-Wahhab" was the type who might resort to violence.. to impose his opinion.
And "Hempher" continued: "This conceited young man was nothing, compared to the scholars of Basra whom I had seen.. but in him I found the object of my quest.. for his stubbornness, his violence and his independent opinion that paid no heed even to the Companions; beside what he himself understood from the Quran and the Sunnah, were among the greatest points of weakness through which I could slip into his self."
And "Hempher's" decision was to recruit "Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab."
And "Hempher" submits his periodic report to the Colonial Office.. along with his proposal.. and the English administration shows profound interest in this young man.. and demands that "Hempher" not think of recruiting him at all at this stage.. but demands that he continue with him, and consolidate his relationship with him.
And "Hempher" recorded in his memoirs: "I struck up a strong friendship with him, and I used to discuss the Quran and the Sunnah with him in the light of our own ideas, not in the light of the schools of law and the opinions of the scholars, and I kept pouring fuel on the fire of his vanity.. and I told him that he was better than Abu Bakr and Umar, and that if the Messenger of God were alive he would have chosen him as his caliph.. and at first he was stunned by this talk, then in time he began nodding his head as a sign of approval."
And as their friendship grew firmer, and "Hempher" blew on the fire, instructions began coming back from the Colonial Office.. what was wanted was a third path.. a new religious school differing from the Sunni and Shia schools in most of it.. and agreeing with both of them together on several matters.. and here "Hempher's" game with "Abd al-Wahhab" began, to make him doubt the jurisprudence of both sects together.
And "Abd al-Wahhab" used to perform a portion of the night prayer, so "Hempher" set about dissuading him from that, saying that the night prayer was not obligatory, and that God intended by prayer only "the remembrance of God".. according to the verse "and establish prayer for My remembrance".. and he convinced him that remembrance might suffice instead of prayer, and the opinion began to creep into "Abd al-Wahhab's" heart.. and "Hempher" says:
"And after that I found he no longer cared about the matter of prayer, sometimes he prayed and sometimes he did not, especially in the morning.. and at night I used to converse with him and debate him until sleep overcame him, worn out, so that he would not perform the night prayer, until that became his habitual custom."
And one night, "Hempher" committed a fatal mistake.. he set about debating "Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab" and casting doubt in his mind about prophethood.. but "Hempher" was taken aback by an extremely ferocious reaction from "Abd al-Wahhab".. and he stood firm in the face of "Hempher's" argument and raged at him, and told him sternly that if he touched on this subject again.. he would leave him forever.
And "Hempher" feared that everything he had done over the past months would be lost in vain, so he changed the subject and moved the conversation directly to talking about women.. and "Abd al-Wahhab's" features softened, and he confided in him that, like all young men.. he desired women.. but that he could not marry while far from his family and without their permission; because that was a disgrace in their custom.. and at the same time he did not want to disobey God in a forbidden relationship.
Here "Hempher" whispers to him like Satan.. and asks him to marry in a temporary marriage, since he was a student of religion far from his family.. but "Abd al-Wahhab" refuses absolutely.. and tells him that Umar ibn al-Khattab, may God be pleased with him, forbade temporary marriage.. and he recounted to him Umar's saying: "Two forms of temporary marriage existed in the time of the Messenger of God, and I forbid them both and punish for them."
So "Hempher" objected to "Abd al-Wahhab's" words.. and told him that since he was exercising independent reasoning in opposition to "Umar," may God be pleased with him, in all matters of religious law, why did he cling to this particular issue? So "Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab" fell silent, hesitant.. and here.. "Hempher" began to pound his ears more and more.. to convince him of the matter.
And "Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab" began to waver.. and "Hempher" asked him to do as he always did.. and go by his opinion based only on the Quran and the Sunnah as he saw them.. so "Abd al-Wahhab" nodded his head.. and took to his bed to sleep in the utmost confusion and bewilderment.
And in the morning, it was the time of the periodic report to the Colonial Office.. so "Hempher" went to his officer.. handed him the report and informed him of everything that had happened.. and he asked him to go to the house of a beautiful woman.. named "Safiya".. from Azerbaijan.. and marry her to Sheikh "Muhammad" in a temporary marriage if he agreed.
And "Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab" goes with "Hempher" to "Safiya's" house, hesitant.. putting one foot forward and holding the other back.. and "Hempher" says in his memoirs: "I went about encouraging him with religious narrations and hadiths, which I fabricated on the spot.. and he would sometimes reject my words irritably.. and sometimes agree with me.. and his hesitation decreased little by little".. until they reached "Safiya's" house.
And "Safiya" was nothing other than an English spy exactly like "Hempher".. and there was no one else in the house.. and she dazzled Sheikh "Muhammad" utterly.. and he admired her beauty immensely.. and he offered her a dowry.. and wrote with her a temporary marriage contract lasting a week.
And for the first time.. beyond verbal opinions.. "Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab" commits a blatant violation of the commands of religious law, under the cover of independent reasoning and independence of opinion.
And this was a stage of great superiority and triumph for "Hempher," who decided to move on after that to the next stage.
And this stage we will speak of later.
And there remains more to be said.
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(Note: The religious opinions in the post are from "Hempher's" memoirs.. and from the references that will be recounted in the final part.. and are not the personal opinions of the writer).
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1 - http://bit.ly/30anGpF