Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab
Masa'il al-Jahiliyya
- Author died
- 1206 AH
- Editions
- Masa'il al-Jahiliyya
Masa'il al-Jahiliyya (Issues of the Pre-Islamic Era) is a theological treatise by the Najdi scholar Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab (1115–1206 AH / 1703–1792 CE) that enumerates specific practices, beliefs, and customs of pre-Islamic peoples rejected by Islamic teachings .
Purpose and Theme
The treatise identifies matters wherein the Prophet Muhammad opposed the ways of pre-Islamic populations (ahl al-jahiliyya), encompassing both scriptuaries (al-kitabiyyun) and unlettered polytheists (al-ummiyyun) . The author frames the necessity of studying these traits around the principle that "opposites reveal the beauty of their counterparts, and by their opposites things become clear" (فالضد يظهر حسنه الضد، وبضدها تتبين الأشياء) . He emphasizes that the greatest danger lies in the lack of conviction regarding the Prophet's message, warning that approving of pre-Islamic customs leads to spiritual ruin, citing the Quranic verse: وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِالْبَاطِلِ وَكَفَرُوا بِاللَّهِ أُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْخَاسِرُونَ ("And those who believe in falsehood and disbelieve in Allah, it is they who are the losers" [al-Ankabut: 52]) .
Structure and Content
The text is arranged as a consecutive list of numbered points without division into formal chapters or thematic sections . Its style is characterized by extreme brevity, presenting concise formulations alongside scriptural citations from the Quran and hadith without detailed commentary .
The opening matter highlighted in the treatise is the practice of associating righteous figures with God in prayer and worship to seek their intercession, under the belief that God and the righteous favor such mediation . The author cites verses such as وَيَعْبُدُونَ مِنْ دُونِ اللَّهِ مَا لا يَضُرُّهُمْ وَلا يَنْفَعُهُمْ وَيَقُولُونَ هَؤُلاءِ شُفَعَاؤُنَا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ ("And they worship besides Allah that which neither harms them nor benefits them, and they say, 'These are our intercessors with Allah'" [Yunus: 18]) and وَالَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا مِنْ دُونِهِ أَوْلِيَاءَ مَا نَعْبُدُهُمْ إِلاَّ لِيُقَرِّبُونَا إِلَى اللَّهِ زُلْفَى ("And those who take protectors besides Him [say], 'We only worship them that they may bring us nearer to Allah in position'" [al-Zumar: 3]), describing this as the central point of contention over which humanity divided between belief and disbelief . Subsequent points address religious factionalism and the Jahili view that insubordination toward rulers was a virtue while obedience was humiliation, which the Prophet countered by commanding obedience, patience with unjust leaders, and sincere counsel .
Number of Issues
The total count of issues recorded in the treatise varies across manuscript transmissions and scholarly citations:
- Abd al-Rahman ibn Hasan stated in Fath al-Majid that his grandfather's treatise comprised 120 issues .
- Mahmud Shukri al-Alusi noted in the introduction to his commentary that the copy available to him contained around 100 issues .
- Later printings and contemporary commentaries, including that of Salih al-Fawzan, record 128 issues .
Commentaries and Supplements
The concise nature of the work led several later scholars to write explanations and additions:
- Mahmud Shukri al-Alusi wrote an extensive commentary titled Fasl al-Khitab fi Sharh Masa'il al-Jahiliyya, explaining its phrasing, elaborating its textual proofs, and connecting its topics to contemporary contexts .
- Salih al-Fawzan delivered mosque lectures commenting on the text, which were transcribed and published under the title Sharh Masa'il al-Jahiliyya .
- Abdullah al-Duwaysh authored a supplementary treatise titled Zawa'id Masa'il al-Jahiliyya, adding 211 further points drawn from the Quran and Sunnah that were not included in the original text .
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