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The Sindhi connection of Wahhabism

xairhossi

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In the 18th century, Muhammad ibn Abd al Wahab of Najd, present day Saudi Arabia, founded the Islamic sect of Wahhabism as well as helping Muhammad Al Saud found the first Saudi state, the Emiriate of Diriyah. One of his principal teachers/guides was Muhammad Hayya Al-Sindhi, an ethnic Sindhi from Ghotki, Northern Sindh.

burningbloggerofbedlam-muhammad-bin-abdul-wahab-a.jpg

Muhammad ibn Abd al Wahab

Muhammad Hayyat ibn Ibrahim al-Sindhi(Arabic: امام الشيخ محمد حياة بن ابراهيم السندي‎) (died 3 February 1750) was a Islamic scholar during the period of Ottoman Empire.[2] He is most noted as the teacher and shaikh of the proponent of the so called Wahhabi movement, Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab.[1][3]

Contents
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Early life
He was Muhammad Hayat as-Sindhi was born in Adilpur, Sind, in present day Pakistan.[3] His lineage can be traced back to the tribe of Jaajur, a people from the inhabitants of Sind that used to live in the outskirts of Adilpur.

The biographical accounts do not mention the date or year in which he was born. Rather, all that is stated is that he was born and raised in the outskirts of Adilpur. When he grew up, he moved to the city of Thatta, the capital of Sind. After this, he migrated to present day Saudi Arabia, and took residence in Madinah.

Education and scholarship

After leaving Sind, Muhammad Hayat bin Ibrahim As-Sindhi learned under Shah Waliullah Dehlawi and studied closely under Muhammad Main bin Muhammad Amin At-Tattawi As-Sindi.

Then he migrated to Madinah and studied closely with Ibrahim al-Kurani and his son Muhammaad Tahir al-Kurani.

Amongst his other notable teachers were:

  • Muhammad Main bin Muhammad Amin At-Tattawi As-Sindi (d. 1161H)
  • Abul-Hasan Muhammad bin Abdil-Haadi As-Sindi Al-Madani (d. 1138H)
  • Abdullaah bin Saalim bin Muhammad bin isaa Al-Basri Al-Makki (d. 1134H)
  • Abu Taahir Muhammad bin Ibraahim Al-Kurdi Al-Madani (d. 1145H)
  • Shaikh Abul-Asraar Hasan bin Ali Al-Ujaymi Al-Makki Al-Hanafi (d. 1113H)
  • Shah Waliullah Dehlawi
Notable students
The most notable among his students was Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab, whom he met in 1136 Hijri.[2][3] It was Abdullah ibn Ibrahim ibn Sayf who introduced him to Hayyat al-Sindhi.[5]

Ibn Bishr records that one time Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhaab was at the tomb of Muhammad and he saw people prostratin in front of his grave. When he saw al-Sindi coming and he said to him, “What do you say about these people?” Al-Sindhi responded with a verse from the Quran:[6]“[Moses said,] ‘Verily, these people will be destroyed for that which they are engaged in (idol-worship). And all that they are doing is in vain” (al-Araaf 139).[6]
Among his other students include:

  • Muhammad bin Ismail al-Amir al-Kahlani Al-San'ani (d. 1182H) [1]
  • Imaam Muhammad bin Ahmad As-Safaarini
  • Abul-Hasan Muhammad bin Muhammad Saadiq As-Sindi (d. 1187H)
  • Ahmad bin Abdir-Rahmaan As-Sindhi
  • Muhammad Said bin Muhammad Safar (d. 1192H)
  • Alim-ud-Din bin Abdir-Rashid Al-Abbaasi Al-Lahori, who is buried in Damascus, Syria (d. 1168H)
  • Khair-ud-Din bin Muhammad Zaahid As-Soorati
  • Muhammad Faakhir bin Yahyaa Al-Abbaasi Al-Ilaah Abaadi
  • As-Sayyid Ghulaam Ali Azaad Al-Balkaraami (d. 1200H)


Views
Although trained in Hanafi fiqh, he was also a scholar of the Hanbali school,[5] he was opposed to the canonization of the schools of law, that was historically a feature of the Ẓāhirī school (of Ibn Ḥazm, d. 456H). This lead him to influence al-Ṣanʿani (d. 1182),Muhammad ash-Shawkani, Siddiq Hasan Khan and Nasiruddin Albani.[1]

Al-Fullaani said in Iqaadh Himam Ulil-Absaar (pg. 70): The teacher of our teachers, Muhammad Hayaat As-Sindi said: The requirement upon every Muslim is that he strive hard to understand the meanings of the Quraan and to sik after the Ahaadith, understanding their meanings and extracting rulings from them. If he is not able to do this, then it is upon him to blind-follow the scholars without restricting himself to one particular madh-hab because this may resemble taking him (i.e. the Imaam of the madh-hab) as a prophet. He is also required to take the most cautious and safest view from each madh-hab (school of thought). And he is permitted to abide by the allowances (rukhas) in cases of emergency. But as for times in which there is no emergency, then it is better to leave it off.

As for what the people of our time have introduced from making it required to stick to one particular madh-hab, and that it is not permissible to change from one madh-hab to another madh-hab, this is ignorance, innovation and deviation. And we have indid sin them abandoning authentic ahaadith that are not even abrogated and instead clinging on to their madh-habs without any support. Verily, to Allaah we belong and to Him we will return.

He also took stances against the Hanafi shaikhs from the people of his homeland..An example of this was his authoring of a treatise called Ad-Durrah fi Idhhaar Ghish Naqd-is-Surrah (The Pearl in Exposing the Fraud: A Criticism of The Prize) in which he refutes Shaikh Muhammad Haashim bin Abdil-Ghafoor As-Sindi Al-Hanafi in his treatise Dirham-u-Surrah fi Wad-il-Aydi tahta as-Surrah [The Prize in Putting the Hands below the Navel]. In this treatise, he professes the view that it is from the Sunnah to place the hands upon the chest during prayer, acting upon the ahaadith that were mentioned in this regard, even though this view contradicts what the Hanafis are upon. This is why when he authored his treatise Ad-Durrah, Shaikh Muhammad Haashim replied to him in two treatises. This lead Shaikh Muhammad Hayaat As-Sindi to once again reply to him, so he wrote his famous treatise: Fath-ul-Ghafoor fi Wad-il-Aydi alaas-Sudoor [The Victory of the Most Forgiving on Placing the Hands on the Chest in Prayer] [13]

Death and legacy
He died on 26 Safar, 1163H (3 February 1750) in Medina, and was buried in the Jannat al Baqi.

Reception

Al-Muraadi said in Silk-ud-Durar (4/34): The Muhaddith, the one with dip understanding, carrier of the flag of the Sunnah in Madinah, chief of mankind and jinn.

Al-Qinnawji said in Abjad-ul-Uloom (3/169): He was from the well-versed scholars and the great Muhaddithin.

In another place (3/188), he said: The Haafidh, the Authority.

Ibn Bishr Al-Hanbali said in Unwaan-ul-Majd (1/41): He had an extensive expertise in knowledge of the Hadith and its narrators.

Abdul-Hayy Al-Kitaani said in Fahras-ul-Fahaaris (1/356): He was the Muhaddith of Al-Hijaaz.

Muhammad bin Jafar Al-Kitaani said: He was the bearer of the flag of the Sunnah in Madinah.

The great historian of India, the noble scholar, Abdul-Hayy Ibn Fakhr-ud-Din Al-Hasani, said in Al-Ilaam biman fi Taarikh-il-Hind min al-Alaam (815): "The Shaikh, the great Imaam, the Muhaddith, Muhammad Hayaat bin Ibrahim As-Sindi Al-Madani, one of the well-known scholars."

Notable Works
  • Tuhfat-ul-Muhibbin fi Sharh al-Arbain [A Gift to the Beloved in Explaining An-Nawawis 40 Hadith]
  • An Explanation of At-Targhib wat-Tarhib of Al-Mundhiri in 2 volumes
  • Tuhfat-ul-Anaam fil-Amal bi-Hadith an-Nabi alayhis-Salaatu was-Salaam (A Gift to Mankind: Acting on the Prophets Hadith) A book in which he discusses the obligation of following the Sunnah and not blindly-following one of the four madh-habs, whilst bringing many narrations from the four Imaams about this.
  • Fath-ul-Ghafoor fi Wad-il-Aydi alaas-Sudoor A treatise on placing the hands on the chest in prayer
  • An Abridgement (Mukhtasar) of Imaam Ibn Hajr Al-Haytamis famous book of sins, Az-Zawaajir
  • Al-iqaaf alaa Sabab-il-Ikthilaaf A treatise on the reasons for differing
  • Muqaddimah fil-Aqaaid[An Introduction to the Beliefs of Crid]
  • Al-Junnah fi Aqaaidi Ahlis-Sunnah [The Beliefs of Ahlus-Sunnah]
  • Hukm Ifaa-ul-Liha (The Ruling on Leaving the Beard to Grow]
  • Sharh al-Arbain Li-Ali Al-Qaari [Explanation of 40 Hadith compiled by the great scholar Ali Al-Qaari]
It must be noted that some historians, such as Umar Ridaa Kahaalah, author of the book "Mujam-ul-Mualifin" (9/275), counted the book Irshaad-un-Nuqaad ilaa Taysir-il-Itiqaad as being from among As-Sindis writings. However, in reality, it is one of the writings of one of his students, Imaam Muhammad bin Ismaail As-Sanaani (d. 1182H). Perhaps, this notion came about due to the fact that As-Sanaani included large amounts of quotes from As-Sindis book Tuhfat-ul-Anaam in his book Irshaad-un-Nuqaad.

Further reading
  • Muḥammad Ḥayyā al-Sindī and Muḥammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab: An Analysis of an Intellectual Group in Eightinth-Century Madīna, John Voll. Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, Vol. 38, No. 1 (1975), pp. 32–39. Cambridge University Press on behalf of School of Oriental and African Studies. Stable URL:http://www.jstor.org/stable/614196
  • ' The non-Wahhabi Hanbalis', 277-91.
  • Aziz Ahmad, ' Political and religious ideas of Shah Wali-ullah of Delhi ', Muslim World, LII, 1, 1962, 22.
  • G. W. J. Drewes, 'Indonesia: mysticism and activism', in G. E. von Grunebaum (ed.), Unity and variety in Muslim civilization, Chicago, 1955, 290-1.fdaafg
  • Saint-Prot, Charles.Islam. L'avenir de la tradition entre révolution et occidentalisation(Islam. The Future of Tradition betwin Revolution and Westernization). Paris: Le Rocher, 2008.
  • Salaah-ud-Dins verification of Tuhfat-ul-Anaam [Ghiraas Publishing 2003]
  • TaHa Busrihs verification of Tuhfat-ul-Anaam [Dar Ibn Hazm 1993]
  • Abdul-Majid Jumahs verification of Hukm Ifaa-ul-Lihaa, Maktabah Al-Haafidh Adh-Dhahabi, 2004.
  • Muhammad Shaayib Sharifs verification ofTuhfat-ul-Muhibbin fi Sharh al-Arbain, Dar Ibn Hazm, 2005.
http://research.omicsgroup.org/index.php/Mohammad_Hayya_Al-Sindhi

Full text of "Muḥammad Ḥayyā al-Sindī and Muḥammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab: An Analysis of an Intellectual Group in Eightinth-Century Madīna, John Voll. Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, Vol. 38, No. 1 (1975), pp. 32–39. Cambridge University Press on behalf of School of Oriental and African Studies. ":


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Momal Ji Mari fort in Ghotki district, Hayya Al-Sindhi's hometown
 
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These days i am reading a book about Islamic history covering the Umayyad and Abbasid periods. I can understand why many link Wahabis, Alqaida, Daesh, Taliban etc with Khawarij sect of early days. This hadith is very interesting ;

Narrated by Ibn 'Umar

The Prophet said, "O Allah! Bestow Your blessings on our Sham! O Allah! Bestow Your blessings on our Yemen." The People said, "And also on our Najd." He said, "O Allah! Bestow Your blessings on our Sham (north)! O Allah! Bestow Your blessings on our Yemen." The people said, "O Allah's Apostle! And also on our Najd." I think the third time the Prophet said, "There (in Najd) is the place of earthquakes and afflictions and from there comes out the side of the head of Satan." .... Volume 9, Book 88, Number 214

https://www.sahih-bukhari.com/Pages/Bukhari_9_88.php
https://sunnah.com/bukhari/92/45
 
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Interesting, thanks for sharing this.

These days i am reading a book about Islamic history covering the Umayyad and Abbasid periods. I can understand why many link Wahabis, Alqaida, Daesh, Taliban etc with Khawarij sect of early days. This hadith is very interesting ;

Narrated by Ibn 'Umar

The Prophet said, "O Allah! Bestow Your blessings on our Sham! O Allah! Bestow Your blessings on our Yemen." The People said, "And also on our Najd." He said, "O Allah! Bestow Your blessings on our Sham (north)! O Allah! Bestow Your blessings on our Yemen." The people said, "O Allah's Apostle! And also on our Najd." I think the third time the Prophet said, "There (in Najd) is the place of earthquakes and afflictions and from there comes out the side of the head of Satan." .... Volume 9, Book 88, Number 214

https://www.sahih-bukhari.com/Pages/Bukhari_9_88.php
https://sunnah.com/bukhari/92/45

Seems to be quite a well accepted Hadith as well.
 
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Interesting, thanks for sharing this.



Seems to be quite a well accepted Hadith as well.
This incident/encounter in particular seems to have a big part in the formation of Wahhabism

"Ibn Bishr records that one time Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhaab was at the tomb of Muhammad and he saw people prostrating in front of his grave. When he saw al-Sindi coming and he said to him, “What do you say about these people?” Al-Sindhi responded with a verse from the Quran:[6]“[Moses said,] ‘Verily, these people will be destroyed for that which they are engaged in (idol-worship). And all that they are doing is in vain” (al-Araaf 139)."
 
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May Allah grant these scholars of Islam a higher place in jannah as they destroyed a major form of Shirk the grave worship from Arabia and brought the Muslims towards true Tawheed without which nobody can enter jannah and will be thrown into hell for ever. Ameen!!
Lights of Shah Waliullah Dehlawis work has reached far corners of Muslim world and enlightened them. He was also the one who wrote a letter to Ahmed Shah Abdali and request him to help the Muslims from Maratha repressions.
 
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There is no such thing as wahabbism. In Saudi Arabia everbody calls themselves Sunni Muslims
 
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There is no such thing as wahabbism. In Saudi Arabia everbody calls themselves Sunni Muslims

Very true. In fact, many would consider them to be purest of Sunni Muslims, though on the very conservative side. Interesting to note that Pakistan's ties to the Saudis get deeper with each new study.
 
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May Allah grant these scholars of Islam a higher place in jannah as they destroyed a major form of Shirk the grave worship from Arabia and brought the Muslims towards true Tawheed without which nobody can enter jannah and will be thrown into hell for ever. Ameen!!
Lights of Shah Waliullah Dehlawis work has reached far corners of Muslim world and enlightened them. He was also the one who wrote a letter to Ahmed Shah Abdali and request him to help the Muslims from Maratha repressions.

You seem to be much concerned about Shirk and the damage these so called Scholars caused to the Islamic Heritage. Although i never knew kissing Imperial a** was also the part.
 
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