al-Bayan «Muqaddima wa Khatima» li-Kitab Kashf al-Shubuhat
- Author died
- 1415 AH
- Editions
- Mu'assasat al-Nur li-l-Tiba'ah wa-al-Tajlid
al-Bayan «Muqaddima wa Khatima» li-Kitab Kashf al-Shubuhat (Arabic: البيان «مقدمة وخاتمة» لكتاب كشف الشبهات, The Clarification: Introduction and Epilogue to the Book 'Removal of Doubts') is a theological treatise and edited arrangement of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab's work Kashf al-Shubuhat, prepared by Ali al-Hamad al-Salihi (d. 1415 AH / 1994–1995 CE) with an epilogue by Abd al-Rahman al-Muhammad al-Dawsari (d. 1399 AH / 1978–1979 CE).
Content and Structure
The book is structured into three main parts: an opening treatise by al-Salihi, a pedagogical division and annotation of Ibn Abd al-Wahhab's original text, and a concluding treatise by al-Dawsari.
Introduction by Ali al-Hamad al-Salihi
In the introduction, al-Salihi contrasts ancient polytheism (shirk) with modern deviations. He states that while ancient polytheism primarily consisted of venerating deceased righteous figures, modern forms often manifest as the worship of living, corrupt individuals through uncritical obedience to man-made legislation that opposes Islamic law.
Al-Salihi enumerates five characteristics of tyranny (taghut) associated with those who legislate contrary to divine revelation:
- Ruling by other than what Allah revealed.
- Calling people to obey and worship them.
- Being pleased with this obedience.
- Emulating Iblis in misleading and deceiving people.
- Implicitly claiming knowledge of the unseen by asserting absolute insight into human welfare and justice.
He cites Quranic verses, such as اتَّخَذُوا أَحْبَارَهُمْ وَرُهْبَانَهُمْ أَرْبَابًا مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ ("They took their rabbis and monks as lords besides Allah"), and the explanation reported from 'Adi ibn Hatim regarding the worship of religious leaders through following them in altering lawful and prohibited matters.
Arrangement of Kashf al-Shubuhat
Al-Salihi formatted the core text of Kashf al-Shubuhat by dividing it into sixteen separate chapters (fasl) to facilitate study for students, appending biographical background and explanatory annotations to specific passages.
Epilogue by Abd al-Rahman al-Dawsari
The epilogue (khatima or tadhyil), authored by al-Dawsari, examines contemporary socio-political concepts, including secular nationalism (qawmiyya), patriotism (wataniyya), materialism, and modern educational trends, describing them as a "new idolatry" (wathaniyya jadida) and a form of apostasy. Al-Dawsari ties these contemporary issues back to the principles of tawhid al-uluhiyya (the oneness of God in worship) established in Ibn Abd al-Wahhab's original text, arguing that elevating national or human-made allegiances over divine commandments violates the core premise of the testimony of faith (la ilaha illa Allah).
Publication History
The work was published as a single volume of 72 pages by Mu'assasat al-Nur in Riyadh in 1383 AH (1963–1964 CE).
Answer updated