﷽
الحمد لله رب العالمين، وصلى الله وسلم على نبينا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه أجمعين، أما بعد
| ! This article is written in defense of the Salafī daʿwah of Shaykh Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Wahhāb رحمه الله and to clarify historical realities concerning the misuse of the term “Wahhābism” and the true foundations of Salafiyyah. It does not constitute approval of sins, unlawful practices, or actions that contradict the Sharīʿah—whether committed by rulers, governments, organizations, or individuals, in Saudi Arabia or elsewhere. Ahl al-Sunnah love for the sake of Allāh that which Allāh loves, and they hate for the sake of Allāh that which Allāh hates. Truth is accepted from whoever brings it, and falsehood is rejected from whoever commits it—upon justice, balance, and adherence to the principles of the Qurʾān and the Sunnah. And Allāh knows best. |
Introduction
Among the most misused terms in modern journalism—often borrowed from Islāmophobic narratives and from those historically hostile to Islāmic monotheism (التَّوْحِيدُ), the Salafī daʿwah, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia—is the label “Wahhābism.”
It is commonly deployed as a derogatory label to portray Salafiyyah—true adherence to the teachings of the Companions of the Prophet Muḥammad (ﷺ),—as an “extreme” ideology, and to distance Muslims from a daʿwah whose substance is nothing other than the Qurʾān, the authentic Sunnah, and the understanding of the Salaf al-Ṣāliḥ.
This article presents clear and documented statements from King ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz ibn Saʿūd (1876–1953 CE) رحمه الله, the founder of the modern Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (the Third Saudi State) and the father of King Salmān ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz Āl Saʿūd, as well as statements from King Salmān ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz Āl Saʿūd. In these statements, both explicitly refute the misuse of the term “Wahhābism,” defend the Salafī daʿwah of Shaykh Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Wahhāb (1703–1792 CE),رحمه الله and clarify that this daʿwah is nothing more than a return to the Book of Allāh and the Sunnah of His Messenger ﷺ upon the understanding of the Ṣaḥābah (رضي الله عنهم).
These statements further affirm the Sharʿī foundations of the Saudi state, which were established upon adherence to Islām as revealed.
| King ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz ibn Saʿūd (رحمه الله) said in his address to the pilgrims during Ḥajj in 1347 AH (1929 CE), as published in Umm al-Qurā (issue no. 229):[1] «يُسَمُّونَنَا الوَهَّابِيِّينَ، وَيُسَمُّونَ مَذْهَبَنَا بِالوَهَّابِيِّ بِاعْتِبَارِ أَنَّهُ مَذْهَبٌ خَاصٌّ، وَهٰذَا خَطَأٌ فَاحِشٌ نَشَأَ عَنِ الدِّعَايَاتِ الكَاذِبَةِ الَّتِي كَانَ يَبُثُّهَا أَهْلُ الأَغْرَاضِ. نَحْنُ لَسْنَا أَصْحَابَ مَذْهَبٍ جَدِيدٍ، وَلَا عَقِيدَةٍ جَدِيدَةٍ، وَلَمْ يَأْتِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الوَهَّابِ بِشَيْءٍ جَدِيدٍ، فَعَقِيدَتُنَا هِيَ عَقِيدَةُ السَّلَفِ الصَّالِحِ، الَّتِي جَاءَتْ فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ وَسُنَّةِ رَسُولِهِ (ﷺ) وَمَا كَانَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَفُ الصَّالِحُ، وَنَحْنُ نُحْتَرِمُ الأَئِمَّةَ الأَرْبَعَةَ، وَلَا فَرْقَ عِنْدَنَا بَيْنَ مَالِكٍ وَالشَّافِعِيِّ وَأَحْمَدَ وَأَبِي حَنِيفَةَ، كُلُّهُمْ مُحْتَرَمُونَ فِي نَظَرِنَا.» “They call us ‘Wahhābīs’, and they describe our madhhab (creed) as ‘Wahhābism,’ treating it as though it were a distinct juristic school. This is a fāḥish (gross and grave) error that arose from false propaganda spread by people of ulterior motives. We are not proponents of a new madhhab, nor of a new creed, and Shaykh Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Wahhāb (رحمه الله) did not bring anything new. Rather, our belief and practice are the belief and practice of the righteous Salaf, as conveyed in the Book of Allāh and the Sunnah of His Messenge ﷺ and as adhered to by the Salaf al-Ṣāliḥ. We respect the Four Imāms, and there is no distinction with us between Mālik, al-Shāfiʿī, Aḥmad, and Abū Ḥanīfah -May Allah have mercy on the all- All of them are respected in our view.” «هٰذِهِ هِيَ الْعَقِيدَةُ الَّتِي قَامَ شَيْخُ الْإِسْلَامِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْوَهَّابِ يَدْعُو إِلَيْهَا، وَهٰذِهِ هِيَ عَقِيدَتُنَا، وَهِيَ عَقِيدَةٌ مَبْنِيَّةٌ عَلَىٰ تَوْحِيدِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، خَالِصَةٌ مِنْ كُلِّ شَائِبَةٍ، مُنَزَّهَةٌ مِنْ كُلِّ بِدْعَةٍ.» “This is the creed to which Shaykh al-Islām Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Wahhāb رحمه الله rose to call, and this is our creed. It is a creed founded upon the oneness of Allāh, the Mighty and Majestic—pure from every blemish and free from every innovation (bidʿah).” «يَقُولُونَ إِنَّنَا وَهَّابِيُّونَ، وَالْحَقِيقَةُ أَنَّنَا سَلَفِيُّونَ مُحَافِظُونَ عَلَىٰ دِينِنَا، نَتَّبِعُ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَسُنَّةَ رَسُولِهِ ﷺ» “They say that we are ‘Wahhābīs,’ whereas the truth is that we are Salafīs, preserving our religion and following the Book of Allāh and the Sunnah of His Messenger ﷺ.” |
King ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz: We are Salafīs, and our daʿwah is Salafiyyah
| King Abdulaziz ibn Saud رحمه الله—said in the address he delivered in Minā on the Day of ʿĪd al-Aḍḥā during the Ḥajj of the year 1365 AH:[2] « إِنَّنِي رَجُلٌ سَلَفِيٌّ، وَعَقِيدَتِي هِيَ السَّلَفِيَّةُ الَّتِي أَمْشِي بِمُقْتَضَاهَا عَلَى الْكِتَابِ وَالسُّنَّةِ» “Indeed, I am a Salafī man, and my creed is Salafiyyah, according to which I proceed upon the Book and the Sunnah.” «يَقُولُونَ إِنَّنَا (وَهَّابِيَّةٌ)، وَالْحَقِيقَةُ أَنَّنَا سَلَفِيُّونَ، مُحَافِظُونَ عَلَى دِينِنَا، وَنَتَّبِعُ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَسُنَّةَ رَسُولِهِ ﷺ، وَلَيْسَ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ إِلَّا كِتَابُ اللَّهِ وَسُنَّةُ رَسُولِهِ ﷺ.» “They say that we are ‘Wahhābīs,’ but the reality is that we are Salafīs, preserving our religion and following the Book of Allāh and the Sunnah of His Messenger ﷺ. There is nothing between us and the Muslims except the Book of Allāh and the Sunnah of His Messenger ﷺ.” «أَنَا دَاعِيَةٌ لِعَقِيدَةِ السَّلَفِ الصَّالِحِ، وَعَقِيدَةُ السَّلَفِ الصَّالِحِ هِيَ التَّمَسُّكُ بِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ وَسُنَّةِ رَسُولِهِ، وَمَا جَاءَ عَنِ الْخُلَفَاءِ الرَّاشِدِينَ.» “I am a caller to the creed of the righteous Salaf, and the creed of the righteous Salaf is adherence to the Book of Allāh, the Sunnah of His Messenger ﷺ, and that which has come from the Rightly Guided Caliphs.” |
Statement of King Salmān ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz Āl Saʿūd: Clarifying the Salafī Daʿwah of Shaykh Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Wahhāb رحمه الله and Refuting the Label “Wahhābism”
In response to a series of articles published by journalists in the London daily Al-Ḥayāh, which repeatedly employed the misleading and polemical label “Wahhābism,” King Salmān ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz Āl Saʿūd personally intervened to clarify the matter. Rejecting the claim that the issue was merely one of terminology, he authored a detailed article explaining that the daʿwah associated with Shaykh Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Wahhāb رحمه الله was nothing other than a call to Islām as revealed in the Qurʾān and the Sunnah. This article was published in Asharq al-Awsaṭ (London) on March 17, 2010.
| King Salmān ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz Āl Saʿūd,— may Allāh preserve him — said: «أَيْنَ الْجَدِيدُ أَوِ الِاخْتِرَاعُ فِي هَذِهِ الدَّعْوَةِ حَتَّى يُطْلَقَ عَلَيْهَا أَشْنَعُ الْأَلْقَابِ وَالصِّفَاتِ، وَيُصِمَهَا الْبَعْضُ بِأَنَّهَا تَتَضَمَّنُ أَشْيَاءَ غَرِيبَةً خَارِجَةً عَنِ الدِّينِ الْإِسْلَامِيِّ؟!» “Where is the novelty or invention in this daʿwah that it should be given the most repulsive labels, and that some should brand it as containing strange matters outside the religion of Islām?” «وَالْقَوْلُ بِأَنَّ وَصْفَهَا بِالْوَهَّابِيَّةِ شَيْءٌ طَبِيعِيٌّ لَيْسَ صَحِيحًا، لِأَنَّ أَسَاسَ تِلْكَ التَّسْمِيَةِ فِي الْغَالِبِ انْطَلَقَ لِأَجْلِ التَّشْوِيهِ وَالْإِسَاءَةِ» “The claim that describing it as ‘Wahhābism’ is something natural is not correct, because the basis of that designation, in most cases, originated for the purpose of distortion and abuse.” «اطَّلَعْنَا عَلَى مَا نَشَرَتْهُ صَحِيفَةُ (الْحَيَاةِ) فِي أَعْدَادِهَا، وَحَيْثُ تَنَاوَلَتْ تِلْكَ الْمَقَالَاتُ سَبَبَ تَسْمِيَةِ دَعْوَةِ الشَّيْخِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْوَهَّابِ بِالْوَهَّابِيَّةِ، فَإِنِّي رَأَيْتُ أَنْ أُوَضِّحَ أَنَّ بَعْضَ الْكِتَابَاتِ تَخْلِطُ بَيْنَ وَصْفِ الدَّعْوَةِ بِالْوَهَّابِيَّةِ وَبَيْنَ مُصْطَلَحَاتٍ أُخْرَى، اعْتِقَادًا بِأَنَّ الْأَمْرَ يَتَعَلَّقُ بِالْمُصْطَلَحِ فَقَطْ، بَيْنَمَا الْحَقِيقَةُ أَنَّ دَعْوَةَ الشَّيْخِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْوَهَّابِ، الَّتِي أَيَّدَهَا وَنَاصَرَهَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سُعُودٍ، وَاسْتَمَرَّ عَلَى ذَلِكَ أَبْنَاؤُهُ وَأَحْفَادُهُ إِلَى يَوْمِنَا هَذَا، إِنَّمَا هِيَ دَعْوَةٌ لِلْعَوْدَةِ إِلَى مَبَادِئِ الدِّينِ الْإِسْلَامِيِّ كَمَا جَاءَتْ فِي الْكِتَابِ وَالسُّنَّةِ» “We have examined what the newspaper Al-Ḥayāh published in its issues. Since those articles addressed the reason for naming the daʿwah of Shaykh Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Wahhāb V as ‘Wahhābism,’ I deemed it necessary to clarify that some writings conflate describing the daʿwah as ‘Wahhābism’ with other terms, on the assumption that the matter concerns terminology alone. Whereas the reality is that the daʿwah of Shaykh Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Wahhāb رحمه الله— which Muḥammad ibn Saʿūd رحمه الله supported and championed, and upon which his sons and descendants have continued to this very day — is nothing but a call to return to the principles of the religion of Islām as they came in the Book of Allāh and the Sunnah.” |
King Salmān: On the false comparison with the four schools of fiqh
| King Salmān ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz Āl Saʿūd,— may Allāh preserve him — said: « أَمَّا مَا ذَكَرَهُ الْكَاتِبُ خَلِيلُ الْخَلِيلِ مِنْ أَنَّ مُصْطَلَحَ (الْوَهَّابِيَّةِ) يُمَاثِلُ مَا نُسِبَ إِلَى الْمَذَاهِبِ الْأَرْبَعَةِ، فَهَذَا فِي رَأْيِي غَيْرُ صَحِيحٍ، لِأَنَّ الْقَوْلَ بِذَلِكَ يَعْنِي أَنَّ مَا جَاءَ بِهِ الشَّيْخُ هُوَ مَذْهَبٌ جَدِيدٌ، فِي حِينِ أَنَّ الشَّيْخَ يَسْتَنِدُ فِي فَتَاوَاهُ وَآرَائِهِ إِلَى الْمَذَاهِبِ الْأَرْبَعَةِ» “As for what the writer Khalīl al-Khalīl mentioned—that the term ‘Wahhābism’ is comparable to what is attributed to the four schools—this, in my view, is incorrect. For asserting this implies that what the Shaykh brought constitutes a new school, whereas the Shaykh, in his legal rulings and opinions, relies upon the four schools.” |
King Salmān: The Term “Wahhābī” Was Coined and Propagated by the Enemies of Saudi Arabia and the Enemies of al-Tawḥīd
| King Salmān ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz Āl Saʿūd,— may Allāh preserve him — said: «الْبَعْضُ يَقُومُ بِإِطْلَاقِ مُصْطَلَحِ (الْوَهَّابِيَّةِ) عَلَى تِلْكَ الدَّعْوَةِ، لِتَنْفِيرِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ مِنْ هَذِهِ الدَّوْلَةِ وَمَبَادِئِهَا الصَّحِيحَةِ» “Some people apply the term ‘Wahhābism’ to that daʿwah in order to alienate Muslims from this state and from its sound principles.” |
King Salmān: On Direct Verification from the Shaykh’s Own Writings
| King Salmān ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz Āl Saʿūd,— may Allāh preserve him — said: «وَبِإِمْكَانِ أَيِّ مُنْصِفٍ أَنْ يَطَّلِعَ عَلَى رَسَائِلِ الشَّيْخِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْوَهَّابِ وَكِتَابَاتِهِ، لِيَتَبَيَّنَ لَهُ عَدَمُ وُجُودِ جَدِيدٍ فِي تِلْكَ الدَّعْوَةِ يُخَالِفُ الْكِتَابَ وَالسُّنَّةَ، وَيُخَالِفُ مَنْهَجَ السَّلَفِ، وَمَا هِيَ إِلَّا دَعْوَةٌ إِلَى الْعَوْدَةِ إِلَى الْأُصُولِ الصَّحِيحَةِ لِلْعَقِيدَةِ الْإِسْلَامِيَّةِ الصَّافِيَةِ الَّتِي هِيَ أَسَاسُهَا وَمُنْطَلَقُهَا» Any fair-minded person can examine the letters and writings of Shaykh Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Wahhāb رحمه الله, and it will thereby become clear to him that there is nothing new in that daʿwah which contradicts the Book of Allāh and the Sunnah, nor anything that opposes the methodology of the Salaf. It is nothing but a call to return to the correct foundations of the pure Islāmic creed, which constitute its very basis and point of departure.” «أَنَا أَدْعُو الْجَمِيعَ إِلَى الْعَوْدَةِ إِلَى تُرَاثِ الشَّيْخِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْوَهَّابِ، وَالْبَحْثِ فِي ثَنَايَاهُ عَنْ أَيِّ شَيْءٍ يُخَالِفُ الْكِتَابَ وَالسُّنَّةَ النَّبَوِيَّةَ الْمُطَهَّرَةَ، وَلَنْ يَجِدُوهُ» “I call upon everyone to return to the legacy of Shaykh Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Wahhāb رحمه الله and to search within it for anything that contradicts the Book of Allāh and the purified Prophetic Sunnah—and they will not find it.” |
King Salmān: Labeling “Wahhābism” as a Form of Salafiyyah Is Erroneous
| King Salmān ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz Āl Saʿūd,— may Allāh preserve him — said: «وَمَا ذَكَرَهُ الْكَاتِبُ مِنْ أَنَّ (الْوَهَّابِيَّةَ) أَصْبَحَتْ وَجْهًا آخَرَ لِلسَّلَفِيَّةِ فَهَذَا غَيْرُ صَحِيحٍ أَيْضًا، لِأَنَّ السَّلَفِيَّةَ الصَّحِيحَةَ هِيَ مَا كَانَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَفُ الصَّالِحُ مِنْ مَنْهَجٍ مُلْتَزِمٍ بِالْكِتَابِ وَالسُّنَّةِ،وَدَعْوَةُ الشَّيْخِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْوَهَّابِ هِيَ عَوْدَةٌ إِلَى ذَلِكَ الْمَنْهَجِ، وَلَمْ تُسْتَخْدَمِ السَّلَفِيَّةُ لِأَغْرَاضٍ حِزْبِيَّةٍ أَوِ اسْمِيَّةٍ كَمَا شَاعَ فِي عَصْرِنَا الْحَدِيثِ، لِلْأَسَفِ الشَّدِيدِ» “As for what the writer stated—that ‘Wahhābism’ has become another face of Salafism—this too is incorrect. This is because true Salafism is the methodology upon which the righteous predecessors were: a methodology firmly committed to the Book of Allāh and the Sunnah. The daʿwah of Shaykh Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Wahhāb رحمه الله was a return to that very methodology, and Salafism was not employed for partisan purposes or as a mere label, as has unfortunately become prevalent in our modern era.” |
King Salmān: How Can We Demand Changes to the Foundations of Islām?
| King Salmān ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz Āl Saʿūd,— may Allāh preserve him — said: «كَيْفَ نُطَالِبُ بِتَعْدِيلِ مَضَامِينٍ وَمَضَامِينُهَا هِيَ ذَاتُهَا مَا جَاءَ بِهِ الْقُرْآنُ الْكَرِيمُ وَالسُّنَّةُ النَّبَوِيَّةُ؟» “How can we demand changes to messages whose content is identical to what has come in the Noble Qurʾān and the Prophetic Sunnah?” « إِنَّ دَعْوَةَ الشَّيْخِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْوَهَّابِ لَيْسَتْ مَنْهَجًا جَدِيدًا، وَلَا فِكْرًا مُسْتَحْدَثًا، وَإِنَّمَا هِيَ دَعْوَةٌ لِلْعَوْدَةِ إِلَى مَبَادِئِ الدِّينِ الْإِسْلَامِيِّ كَمَا جَاءَتْ فِي الْكِتَابِ وَالسُّنَّةِ.» “The daʿwah of Shaykh Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Wahhāb رحمه الله is neither a new methodology nor a newly invented ideology; rather, it is a call to return to the principles of the religion of Islām as they came in the Qurʾān and the Sunnah.” |
There is today well-documented pressure exerted by Western governments, policy institutions, and intelligence agencies upon Muslim countries—particularly the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia—to alter Islāmic curricula and religious foundations so as to conform to liberal secular frameworks.
These pressures include calls for the promotion of ideological concepts such as unrestricted religious pluralism, moral permissiveness, and the redefinition of long-established ethical boundaries under the banners of “tolerance,” “coexistence,” and “respect for revealed faiths,” alongside demands for “modernization” that seek to subordinate divine revelation to secular norms.
A clear manifestation of this modernist trajectory may be observed in certain regional initiatives—such as the so-called “Abrahamic Faiths” project promoted in Dubai—where a mosque, a church, and a synagogue have been deliberately placed within a single compound and presented as symbols of religious harmony.
From a theological perspective, however, such framing reflects a flattening of religious distinctions that obscures the fundamental differentiation between al-Tawḥīd and disbelief (kufr), recasting Islām as merely one expression within a shared “Abrahamic” religious identity.
Such an approach departs from the orthodox understanding of Islām transmitted by all the Prophets and Messengers (عليه الصلاة والسلام), upheld by the Companions (رضي الله عنهم) and the Salaf, which affirms justice and peaceful coexistence with non-Muslims while maintaining absolute clarity regarding al-Tawḥīd and the distinction between truth and falsehood.
This clarity is explicitly affirmed in the statement of Allāh Azzawajalla
﴿مَا كَانَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ يَهُودِيًّا وَلَا نَصْرَانِيًّا وَلَٰكِن كَانَ حَنِيفًا مُّسْلِمًا وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ﴾ [ آل عمران: 67]
“Ibrāhīm was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he was a ḥanīf, a Muslim, and he was not among the polytheists.” (Qurʾān 3:67)
Thus, the Qurʾān itself establishes that the legacy of Ibrāhīm (عليه الصلاة والسلام) is one of pure al-Tawḥīd. These developments exemplify political and cultural pressures aimed at reshaping Islām into a value-neutral faith compatible with secular liberalism. By contrast, the Salafī methodology firmly rejects such reconfiguration and insists upon preserving Islām as it was understood and practiced by the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ and his Companions (رضي الله عنهم), without dilution, reinterpretation, or ideological compromise.
The Legitimacy and Honor of the Saudi State: Preserving the Daʿwah of al-Tawḥīd and Salafiyyah as the Source of Its Strength and Continuity
| King Saʿūd ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz Āl Saʿūd (1902–1969), رحمه الله (may Allāh have mercy upon him) said on the occasion of the opening of the first session of the Council of Ministers in Riyāḍ: «لَقَدْ كَانَ هَمُّنَا، مُنْذُ تَوَلَّيْنَا مَقَالِيدَ الْأُمُورِ، أَنْ نَعْتَصِمَ بِكِتَابِ اللَّهِ، وَنَهْتَدِيَ بِهَدْيِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، وَسُنَّةِ خُلَفَائِهِ مِنَ السَّلَفِ الصَّالِحِينَ» “Our concern, since we assumed the reins of authority, has been to hold firmly to the Book of Allāh, to be guided by the guidance of the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ, and by the way of his successors among the righteous Salaf.” |
| King Fayṣal ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz Āl Saʿūd (1906–1975), رحمه الله (may Allāh have mercy upon him) said at the event hosted by Queen Elizabeth II in London on 9 May 1967: «إِنَّنَا يَجِبُ عَلَيْنَا – جَمِيعًا – أَنْ نَتَمَسَّكَ بِعَقِيدَتِنَا الْإِسْلَامِيَّةِ، وَأَنْ نُوَحِّدَ صُفُوفَنَا؛ لِخِدْمَةِ دِينِنَا وَأُمَّتِنَا وَوَطَنِنَا؛ لِأَنَّ شَرِيعَتَنَا الْإِسْلَامِيَّةَ فِيهَا – وَلِلَّهِ الْحَمْدُ – مِنْ مُقَوِّمَاتِ الْعَدْلِ، وَالدِّفَاعِ عَنِ الْحَقِّ، وَإِثْبَاتِ الْحُقُوقِ، وَالْحُرِّيَّةِ، وَالتَّقَدُّمِ، وَالْبِنَاءِ فِي جَمِيعِ الْمَجَالَاتِ» “We must all adhere firmly to our Islāmic creed and unite our ranks in service of our religion, our Ummah, and our homeland. For within our Islāmic Sharīʿah—praise be to Allāh—are the foundations of justice, the defense of truth, the affirmation of rights, freedom, progress, and constructive advancement in all fields.” |
| King Khālid ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz Āl Saʿūd (1913–1982), رحمه الله (may Allāh have mercy upon him) said, as published in Umm al-Qurā, issue no. 2790: «وَمُنْذُ أَنْ مَنَّ اللَّهُ عَلَىٰ جَلَالَةِ الْمَلِكِ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ ـ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ ـ بِنِعْمَةِ تَوْحِيدِ هٰذِهِ الْمَمْلَكَةِ، وَجَمْعِ شَتَاتِهَا، تَحْتَ رَايَةِ: لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ، مُحَمَّدٌ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ، وَضَعَ نُصْبَ عَيْنَيْهِ إِقَامَةَ الْعَدْلِ، وَنَشْرَ الْأَمْنِ وَالرَّخَاءِ، وَالدَّعْوَةَ إِلَى اللَّهِ، وَالسَّيْرَ عَلَىٰ نَهْجِ الرَّسُولِ الْعَظِيمِ ﷺ، وَالسَّلَفِ الصَّالِحِ؛ مُعْتَمِدًا فِي ذٰلِكَ عَلَىٰ إِيمَانِهِ بِاللَّهِ، وَالْجِهَادِ فِي سَبِيلِهِ، وَنُصْرَةِ كَلِمَتِهِ» “And since Allāh bestowed upon his majesty king ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz رحمه الله (may Allāh have mercy upon him) the blessing of unifying this Kingdom and gathering its scattered parts under the banner of: ‘Lā ilāha illā Allāh, Muḥammad Rasūl Allāh,’ (‘There is no deity worthy of worship except Allah; Muḥammad is the Messenger of Allah,’) he placed before his eyes the establishment of justice, the spread of security and prosperity, calling to Allāh, and proceeding upon the path of the noble Messenger ﷺ and the righteous Salaf—relying in all of that upon his faith in Allāh, striving (jihād) in His cause, and supporting His Word.” |
| King Fahd ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz Āl Saʿūd (1921-2005), رحمه الله (may Allāh have mercy upon him) said in his speech at King Saud University in Shaʿbān 1403 AH: «نَحْنُ فِي هٰذِهِ الْبِلَادِ نَفْتَخِرُ وَنَعْتَزُّ بِأَنَّنَا مُتَمَسِّكُونَ بِعَقِيدَتِنَا الْإِسْلَامِيَّةِ، وَسَوْفَ نُدَافِعُ عَنْهَا بِالنَّفْسِ وَالنَّفِيسِ، وَسَوْفَ نَجْعَلُهَا هِيَ الْقُدْوَةَ، سَوَاءً كَانَ ذٰلِكَ فِي شَرِيعَتِنَا، أَوْ فِي تَنْظِيمَاتِنَا فِي مُخْتَلِفِ حَاجَاتِنَا لِلتَّنْظِيمِ، أَوْ فِي حَيَاتِنَا الْيَوْمِيَّةِ أَوِ الشَّهْرِيَّةِ أَوِ السَّنَوِيَّةِ. هِيَ عَقِيدَةٌ تَجْمَعُ جَمِيعَ الْفَضَائِلِ، وَتُبَاعِدُ الْإِنْسَانَ عَنْ جَمِيعِ الرَّذَائِلِ، وَلِذٰلِكَ نَحْنُ فَخُورُونَ بِعَقِيدَتِنَا، وَسَنَلْتَفُّ حَوْلَهَا، وَنَبْقَى مُدَافِعِينَ عَنْهَا، مَهْمَا كَانَتِ الظُّرُوفُ وَالْأَسْبَابُ» “In this country, we take pride and honor in our adherence to our Islāmic creed. We will defend it with our lives and our wealth, and we will make it our model—whether in our laws, our administrative systems addressing our various needs, or in our daily, monthly, and yearly affairs. It is a creed that gathers all virtues and distances a person from all vices. Therefore, we are proud of our creed; we will unite around it, and we will remain its defenders, whatever the circumstances or causes may be.” |
| King ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz Āl Saʿūd (1924-2015), رحمه الله (may Allāh have mercy upon him) said: «لَقَدْ أَعَزَّ اللَّهُ هٰذِهِ الدَّوْلَةَ؛ لِأَنَّهَا أَعَزَّتْ دِينَ اللَّهِ، وَسَارَتْ عَلَىٰ نَهْجٍ ثَابِتٍ، يَتَوَارَثُهُ خَلَفٌ عَنْ سَلَفٍ، وَسَوْفَ تَبْقَىٰ عَزِيزَةً لَا يَضُرُّهَا مَنْ عَادَاهَا؛ مَا دَامَتْ تَرْفَعُ رَايَةَ التَّوْحِيدِ، وَتَحْكُمُ شَرْعَ اللَّهِ.» “Allāh has honored this state because it honored the religion of Allāh and proceeded upon a firm path, inherited by successor from predecessor. It will continue to remain honorable and will not be harmed by those who oppose it, so long as it raises the banner of al-Tawḥīd and governs by the law of Allāh.” |
| King Salmān ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz Āl Saʿūd حفظه الله (may Allāh preserve him) (1935–present) said: «إِنَّ بَقَاءَ هَذِهِ الدَّوْلَةِ وَاسْتِمْرَارَهَا إِنَّمَا هُوَ بِالْمُحَافَظَةِ عَلَى دِينِهَا، الَّذِي هُوَ سَبَبُ عِزَّتِهَا وَنُصْرَتِهَا» “Indeed, the survival and continuity of this state rest solely upon preserving its religion—the very source of its honor and its victory.” «إِنَّ شَرْعِيَّةَ هَذِهِ الدَّوْلَةِ هِيَ فِي مَنْهَجِهَا وَتَارِيخِهَا الطَّوِيلِ، الَّذِي بَدَأَ بِبَيْعَةٍ شَرْعِيَّةٍ لِلِالْتِزَامِ بِالدِّينِ الصَّحِيحِ مَنْهَجًا وَمَسْلَكًا، فِي الْحُكْمِ وَالْبِنَاءِ السِّيَاسِيِّ وَالِاجْتِمَاعِيِّ، وَلَيْسَ فِي حَوَادِثِ الْفِكْرِ الْمُسْتَوْرَدِ أَوِ الْفَوْضَى الْفِكْرِيَّةِ.» “Indeed, the legitimacy of this state resides in its methodology and its long history, which commenced with a legitimate pledge to uphold the sound religion as its governing method and path in political and social construction—not in the passing currents of imported ideologies nor in intellectual chaos.” |
All of the rulers of Saudi Arabia have consistently affirmed this principle: that the legitimacy, honor, and continuity of the Saudi state are inseparably tied to its preservation of the religion—al-Tawḥīd, the Sunnah, and the Salafī methodology. This reality is clearly articulated in the statements of King Salmān ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz Āl Saʿūd حفظه الله.
From this same principle arises the state’s long-standing support for the major Salafī scholars of the Ummah, granting them authority, space, and protection to teach, clarify, and defend the creed of Ahl al-Sunnah.
The recent action of King Salmān ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz Āl Saʿūd حفظه الله —upon the request of Crown Prince Muḥammad ibn Salmān حفظه الله —in appointing and honoring the leading scholar of Salafī daʿwah of our time, Shaykh Ṣāliḥal-Fawzān حفظه الله, the Muftī of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represents a continuation of this established path.
Likewise, the establishment of Islāmic universities, the provision of free religious education, and the global support extended to the daʿwah of al-Tawḥīd and Ahl al-Sunnah stand as clear and public evidence of this enduring commitment.
Imām Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal (died 241H) رحمه الله (may Allāh have mercy upon him) said:
«قُبُورُ أَهْلِ السُّنَّةِ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْكَبَائِرِ رَوْضَةٌ، وَقُبُورُ أَهْلِ الْبِدَعِ مِنَ الزُّهَّادِ حُفْرَةٌ، فُسَّاقُ أَهْلِ السُّنَّةِ أَوْلِيَاءُ اللَّهِ، وَزُهَّادُ أَهْلِ الْبِدَعِ أَعْدَاءُ اللَّهِ.»
“The graves of the people of the Sunnah—even those among them who committed major sins—are gardens [of delight], whereas the graves of the people of innovation—even those who were ascetics—are pits [of fire].
The sinful ones among the people of the Sunnah are allies of Allāh, while the (pious) ascetics among the people of innovation are enemies of Allāh.” (Tabaqaat al-Hanaabilah, 1/184.)
We ask Allāh to forgive the rulers of the Muslims for their shortcomings, errors, and sins, and to reward them for what they have upheld of the truth and supported of the Sunnah.
We likewise ask our Muslim brothers and sisters to adhere to the unity commanded in the Book of Allāh and the Sunnah—after the call to al-Tawḥīd—to support the people of truth, to abandon all means of discord and disunity within the Ummah, and to pardon us for our shortcomings. And Allāh knows best.
Clarification on Nāʾif’s Tweet:
I agree with Nāʾif on one essential point: there is a fundamental distinction between the methodology of the Salaf and certain contemporary movements that operate under the banner of “Jamʿiyyath Salaf” in the Maldives.
The methodology of the Salaf (manhaj al-Salaf) is rooted in adherence to the Book of Allāh and the Sunnah upon the understanding of the Companions (رضي الله عنهم) and those who followed them in excellence. It is characterized by clarity in creed, justice in conduct, restraint in speech, and avoidance of partisan alignment (taḥazzub).
It should also be noted that just as some individuals have described the daʿwah of Salafiyyah using the polemical label “Wahhābism,” others have likewise resorted to branding Salafi Dawah of Ahl al-Sunnah with derogatory terms such as “Madkhalism” or “Jāmism,” thereby seeking to distance people from the truth and from its people.
By contrast, what has at times been presented locally under that banner “Jamiyyath Salaf” has reflected tendencies that appear politically inclined and organizationally driven, and which critics have described as influenced by ḥizbī or Ikhwānī orientations. Among the concerns raised are instances of harsh rhetoric toward Salafī scholars, the casual use of labels such as “Madkhaliyyah” or “Jamiyyah,” and public statements in which certain scholars have been characterized as misguided or associated with deviant sectarian classifications.
If such practices occur, they warrant careful reassessment in light of the principles of the Salaf, who emphasized justice, precision in speech, and avoidance of unwarranted tabdīʿ (declaring innovation) or taḍlīl (declaring misguidance).
Concerns have also been raised regarding sympathy toward revolutionary Ikhwānī narratives, agitation against Muslim states, and rhetoric that conflicts with well-established Salafī principles of patience, reform through knowledge, and the prohibition of khurūj (rebellion) against Muslim rulers. Added to this are calls for armed confrontation and unfounded claims of jihād promoted by state and non-state actors, including groups such as al-Qāʿidah and similar factions—particularly during times of weakness and instability. Such positions stand in opposition to the Salafī methodology, which is founded upon wisdom, patience, obedience to legitimate authority in what is lawful, and the preservation of Muslim lives.
This also includes the praise or legitimization of takfīrī, Khārijite, or Ikhwānī figures whose ideologies conflict with the call of the Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ, his Companions (رضي الله عنهم), and the Salaf, and whose doctrines violate foundational creedal principles of Islām. Likewise included are calls to travel to lands of fitnah—such as Syria—without the permission of Muslim rulers, thereby contravening a foundational principle of Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamāʿah: that offensive jihād is not initiated except by the authority of the legitimate ruler. Such calls open the door to chaos, rebellion, and extremist deviation, all of which are clearly warned against in the Qurʾān, the Sunnah, and the statements of the early scholars.
These approaches directly oppose the foundational call of Shaykh al-Islām Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Wahhāb رحمه الله, as clearly set out in his tremendous treatise al-Uṣūl al-Sittah—particularly the principle warning against division, partisanship, rebellion against Muslim rulers, and opposing the truth.
He رحمه الله said:
إِنَّ مِنْ تَمَامِ الِاجْتِمَاعِ السَّمْعَ وَالطَّاعَةَ لِمَنْ تَأَمَّرَ عَلَيْنَا وَلَوْ كَانَ عَبْدًا حَبَشِيًّا، فَبَيَّنَ اللَّهُ هَذَا بَيَانًا شَافِيًا كَافِيًا بِوُجُوهٍ مِنْ أَنْوَاعِ الْبَيَانِ شَرْعًا وَقَدَرًا، ثُمَّ صَارَ هَذَا الْأَصْلُ لَا يُعْرَفُ عِنْدَ أَكْثَرَ مَنْ يَدَّعِي الْعِلْمَ، فَكَيْفَ الْعَمَلُ بِهِ.
“Indeed, from the completion of unity (al-jamāʿah) is hearing and obeying the one who took power [of authority] over us, even if it be an Abyssinian slave. So Allāh explained this with a clear, broad, and sufficient explanation, through many aspects of various types of explanation, both legislatively and through decree. (Meaning, through lessons and wisdoms regarding this affair by way of history, by what of what He willed to occur.)
Then this foundation became unknown to many of those claiming knowledge, so how then could it be acted upon?” (Translation by Shaykh Abū ʿIyāḍ Amjad ibn Muḥammad Rafīq حفظه الله) [3]
Opposition to the clear and manifest manhaj of the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions (رضي الله عنهم) warrants firm criticism and correction and cannot bejustified under the name of Islām, the Sunnah, the Salaf, or Salafiyyah.
However, it is neither just nor accurate to label such deviations as “Wahhābism” (الْوَهَّابِيَّةِ), nor to extend this historically false and polemical term to the daʿwah of al-Tawḥīd and Salafiyyah itself.
Errors and deviations must be addressed precisely and honestly, by their correct descriptions—not by reviving terminology originally crafted to discredit the Salafī creed as a whole.
Justice in speech is obligatory, whether one speaks about those close to us or those with whom we disagree.
It is also evident that certain framings of these issues reflect modernist and rationalist influences that entered local discourse during earlier political periods and were later reinforced through contemporary secular-political thought. Such intellectual currents are foreign to the orthodox understanding of Islām as transmitted by the Salaf.
Disagreement with ḥizbī movements does not justify mislabeling the Salafī methodology itself, just as opposition to extremism does not excuse the distortion of religious terminology. Islām obligates accuracy, justice, and calling matters by their proper names.
We ask Allāh to grant us, our rulers, and those under their authority success in adhering to the path of the Salaf and in following that which pleases our Lord (azawajalla).
Imām Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728H) رحمه الله (may Allah have mercy upon him) said:
“As for the Legislated, Muḥammadan, Salafī, Sunnī, Prophetic way (الطريقة النبوية السنية السلفية المحمدية الشرعية), then only he debates them by way of it who is well-versed in it and in the statements that contradict it.” (Dar al-Ta’aarud 1/164)
“And there is combined in those who turn away from the Prophetic Salafī Way (الطريقة النبوية السلفية) both this and this, following alluring desires and misguiding tribulations. Thus, there is misguidance and allurement within them to the extent of their departure from the way Allāh sent His Messenger with.” (Dar al-Ta’aarud 1/166)
“So everyone who turns away from the Divine, Legislated, Prophetic, Salafī Way (الطريقة السلفية النبوية الشرعية الالهية), then he will—by necessity—go astray, contradict himself, and remain in ignorance, whether simple or compound.” (Dar al-Ta’aarud 2/8) (Translation by Shaykh Abū ʿIyāḍ Amjad ibn Muḥammad Rafīq حفظه الله) [4]
وصلى الله وسلم وبارك على نبينا محمد، وعلى آله وصحبه اجمعين. غفر الله لوالدي ولجميع المسلمين، ورحم الله والدي رحمة واسعة، واسكنه فسيح جناته. ووفقنا الله واياكم لما يحب ويرضى.
14th Feb 2026
26th Shabaan 1447
Ismāʿīl ibn Rafīq Muḥammad @ismaaeelmv
[1] خطاب الملك عبد العزيز في موسم حج سنة 1347هـ https://salafcenter.org/1594/
[2] السلفية لحكام الدولة السعودية شعار ودثار منذ أول تأسيسها
[3] THE SIX PRINCIPLES of Shaykh al-Islām Muḥammad bin ʿAbd al-Wahhāb https://islamtees.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/abu_iyaad_six-principles.pdf
[4] Refuting Yasir Qadhi and the Orientalists: Ibn Taymiyyah on ‘Salafiyyah’ Being the Prophetic Way
