al-Dawa al-Islahiyya fi Bilad Najd ala Yad al-Imam Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab wa Alamaha min Badihi
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- Dar al-Tadmuriyyah
al-Da'wa al-Islahiyya fi Bilad Najd 'ala Yad al-Imam Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab wa A'lamuha min Ba'dih (The Reformist Call in the Land of Najd at the Hands of Imam Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab and Its Leading Figures After Him) is an academic treatise by Abdullah ibn Muhammad ibn Abd al-Muhsin al-Mutawwa on the history, foundations, and key figures of the religious reform movement in Najd and the wider Arabian Peninsula .
Background and Purpose
The book originated as a compilation of university lectures delivered by the author to seventh-level students at the College of Usul al-Din in Riyadh, corresponding to the curriculum on the reformist call taught across various departments of Imam Muhammad ibn Saud Islamic University .
The author wrote the work to defend the Salafi reformist movement, clarify misconceptions, and refute the specious arguments (shubuhat) raised against it . It also aims to document the historical and religious impact of the movement, affirm its adherence to the Quran, the Sunnah, and the way of the early generations (Ahl al-Sunna wa-l-Jama'a), and highlight the contributions of the rulers and scholars who supported its continuity .
Structure and Contents
The treatise is organized into thematic sections and chapters:
- Introductory Chapter (al-Fasl al-Tamhidi): Defines the reformist movement as the efforts undertaken by Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab to correct the religious and social conditions prevailing in twelfth-century AH Arabia . It explores the geographical boundaries and religious status of the Arabian Peninsula, outlines the linguistic and technical definitions of Islamic propagation (da'wa), and discusses its significance and virtues .
- Pre-Reform Conditions (al-Fasl al-Awwal): Examines the political and religious state of the Muslim world during the twelfth century AH prior to the emergence of the movement, detailing the widespread prevalence of theological deviations, ignorance, and innovation .
- Supporters of the Call (al-Fasl al-Rabi'): Focuses on the prominent figures who aided the movement, categorizing them into two groups: rulers from the House of Saud who protected and propagated it through their governance, and scholars who reinforced it through teaching and writing . This includes profiles of rulers from the First Saudi State, such as Muhammad ibn Saud, and the Second Saudi State, such as Turki ibn Abd Allah, alongside prominent scholars such as Abd Allah ibn Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab .
Reception
The work received a foreword by Salih ibn Fawzan al-Fawzan, a member of the Council of Senior Scholars and the Permanent Committee for Scholarly Research and Ifta, dated 10 Sha'ban 1420 AH . Al-Fawzan commended the book as a valuable assessment of the reformist call and an effective refutation of the doubts raised by its detractors .
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