A Poem about ‘Wahhabism’ by an Iranian Athari scholar

By Ebn HusseinShaykh Imran b. Ali al-Harithi al-Shafi’i ( للعَلاَّمة عِمْرَانَ بْنِ عليِّ بْنِ رِضْوَانَ الحارثيِّ الشَّافِعيِّ الفَارِسِيِّ اللِّنْجِيِّ) was an Athari-Shafi’i scholar of Arab-Persian descent from the beautiful south of Iran, Hormozgan, the city of Bandar Lengeh (a Shafi’i stronghold in Iran to this very day).

The Shaykh lived during the 13th after Hijrah (beginning of the 19th century CE) and was a judge in Bandar Lengeh, Hormozgan, Iran. He was known for his eloquence in the Persian and the Arabic language and wrote many poems, including in defense of the Sunni-Athari creed.

One of the most famous lines of poetry covers the ‘Wahhabi’ accusations by the enemies of the Salafi-Athari da’wah. Like the early Najdis, he used the term ‘Wahhabi’ in a boastful manner (common in poetry), in defiance of the opponents of Ahl al-Sunnah. He named the poem:

أنَا الْمُقِرُّ بِأَنَّنِي وَهَّابِي

“I attest that I am a Wahhabi”

Here is an excerpt:

إنْ كَانَ تَابِعُ أَحْمَدٍ مُتَوهِّبًا … فَأنَا الْمُقِرُّ بِأَنَّنِي وَهَّابِي

أَنْفِي الشَّرِيْكَ عَنِ الإلَهِ فَلَيْسِ لِيْ … رَبٌّ سِوَى المُتَفَرِّدِ الوَهَّابِ

لا قُبَّةًٌ (معًا) تُرْجَى وَلا وَثَنٌ وَلا … قَبْرٌ لَهُ سَبَبٌ مِنَ الأسبَابِ

كَلا وَلا شَجَرٌ وَلا حَجَرٌ ولا … عَينٌ وَلا نُصُبٌ مِنَ الأنْصَابِ

*** If following Ahmad makes me a Wahhabi, then I attest that I am a Wahhabi ***

*** I negate everything that is worshipped besides God, so no Lord remains for me except the One, al- Wahhab (The Bestower, Allah Almighty) ***

*** No dome nor idol nor grave (i.e. the buried saints) can serve as a means for our needs ***

The poem continues with the condemnation of heresies (bid’ah) in the religion. He then proceeds to lambest heretics such as the Jahmiyyah and other mu’attilah (sifat deniers) who in his words label their opponents as ‘Wahhabis’ and Mujassimah (anthropomorphist) for affirming the attributes of Allah.

Note: I’ve seen some poor translations of this poem online, the above is my translation and I don’t dare to translate more than I already have as it is a task for advance students of knowledge and people who are proficient in the Arabic language.

Of course, only an ignoramus who doesn’t know the basics of the Arabic language and/or different arts of discoursesuch as rhetoric, would come to the conclusion that the author of the poem affirmed that there is a sect called ‘Wahhabism’ and that calling oneself ‘Wahhabi’ is unrestrictedly embraced by Salafis.

So yes, one may rub it in the face of the opponents and say: If being an Athari-Salafi makes me a Wahhabi, then praise Allah for ‘Wahhabism’ and being a ‘Wahhabi’!

This is called rhetoric, this is not to affirm a label that is used by the disbelievers and the grave worshippers from amongst the Rawafid and the Mutasawwifah who use this term to vilify Ahl al-Sunnah!

Rhetoric is often defined as the study and art of writing and speaking persuasively. Examples of rhetoric can often be found in literature and politics, and advertising for specific emphasis and effect-incorporating a variety of figurative language techniques depending upon the desired result.

The use of rhetoric has a long history amongst the scholars of Ahl al-Sunnah. Here is an example by Shaykh Bin Baz (may Allah have mercy upon him):

فإذا دعوت أحداً إلى التوحيد ونهيته عن الشرك فقال: الوهابية! قل: نعم أنا وهابي وأنا محمدي، أدعوكم إلى طاعة الله وشرعه، أدعوكم إلى توحيد الله، فإذا كان من دعا إلى توحيد الله وهابي فأنا وهابي، وإذا كان من دعا إلى توحيد الله ناصبي فأنا ناصبي، وإذا كان من دعا إلى توحيد الله شيعي فأنا شيعي، ا،

And when you call someone to Tawhid (monotheism) and forbid that person from Shirk (polytheism), he will say: say: ”Wahhabism!”

Yes, I am a Wahhabi and I am a Muhammadan, I call you to the obedience of Allah and his Shari’ah, I call you to the worship of Allah alone. Therefore, if calling to the worship of Allah alone makes one a Wahhabi, then I’m a Wahhabi! And if calling to the worship of Allah alone makes one a Nasibi, then I am a Nasibi! And if calling to the worship of Allah alone makes one a Shi’ite, then I am a Shi’ite!”

[Mirqah al-Mafatih by Mulla ‘Ali Qari, 8/147]

Again, only an absolute ignoramus would conclude from the above words that Shaykh Bin Baz (Shaykh al-Albani made similar statements, even stating that being a follower of al-Wahhab is praiseworthy, however, it is not a title of Ahl al-Sunnah) affirmed titles such as Wahhabi, Nasibi, and Shi’ite for himself. Of course, he rejected all those titles. All he did was responding to his opponents by rethorically embracing whatever label the opponents which to attach to the people of Tawhid.

A similar style of rhetorical speech is attributed to Shaykh al-Islam Abu al-Abbas ibn Taymiyyah:

يقول شيخ الإسلام رداً عليهم

إن كان نصباً حب صحب محمدٍ * * * فاليشهد الثقلان أني ناصبي

*** If loving the companions of Muhammad is Nasibism, then may mankind and jinkind testify that I am a Nasibi ***

Again, only a fool would come to the conclusion that Ibn Taymiyyah saw nothing wrong with calling oneself a Nasibi (who i.e. the Nawasib are heretics just like the Rawafid).

And finally another example of rhetorical speech in the form of poetry that is attributed to Imam al-Shafi’i (may Allah have mercy upon him):

إن کانَ رَفضاً حُبُّ آلِ مُحمَّدٍ

فَلیَشهَدِ الثَّقَلانِ أنّی رَافضِی

*** If love of the Prophet’s family means Rafidism, then let mankind and jinkind testify that I am a Rafidi ***

Only those deprived of a sound intellect would conclude from Imam al-Shafi’is words that he called himself a Rafidi in the literal sense. Well, the Rafidah actually claim that those words prove that he was a Rafidi. Of course this is due to their ignorance or their deception, as Imam al-Shafi’is verdicts on the Rafidah are known to every student of knowledge:

حدثنا إبراهيم بن زياد الابلي، سمعت البويطي يقول: سألت الشافعي: أصلي خلف الرافضي ؟ قال: لا تصل خلف الرافضي، ولا القدري، ولا المرجئ.
قلت: صفهم لنا.
قال: من قال: الايمان قول، فهو مرجئ، ومن قال: إن أبا بكر وعمر ليسا بإمامين، فهو رافضي، ومن جعل المشيئة إلى نفسه، فهو قدري

Yusuf ibn Yahya al-Buwayti said, ‘I asked al-Shafi’i (may Allah have mercy on him), ‘Can I pray behind a Rafidi?’ He said, ‘Do not pray behind the Rafidi, nor the Qadari, nor the Murji’i. I said: “describe them to me.” He said: “The one who says that Iman (belief) is statement [only], then he is Murji’i. And whosoever says that Abu Bakr and ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) are not the two Imams (of guidance), then he is a Rafidi. And whosoever places the Will for himself, then he is Qadari.

[Siyar A’lam al-Nubala’, 10/31]

And:

الإمام الشافعي رحمه الله
لم أر أحداً من أهل الأهواء أشهد بالزور من الرافضة – الخطيب في الكفاية .

Imam al-Shafi’i – may Allah have mercy upon him – said: “I have not seen among those who follow their whims (i.e. heretics) a people more severe in lying (lit. giving false testimony) than the Rafidah.”

[al-Khatib al-Baghdadi in his al-Kifayah]

And there are many more examples that can be given on how one can employ rhetoric in order to convey the point like in the form of embracing the labels given to one by one’s opponents: