Why Dr Yasir Qadhi’s Revisionist History Fails

Part 1 of a series examining the theories of Dr Yasir Qadhi related to Salafiyyah. The scholars and historians who were mentioned and their books displayed included: One: The Najdian historian, al-’Allāmah ’Uthmān bin ’Abdullāh bin Bishr ash-Shaqrāwī al-Hanbalī as-Salafī (1210-1290 AH/1795-1873 CE). He also authored as-Suhayl fī Dhikr il-Khayl. Shaykh ’Abdullāh al-Bassām stated about his book ’Unwān ul-Majd: !It is the most valuable, comprehensive, trustworthy and just of all that has been classified from the histories of Najd.! For his biography refer to ’Ulama Najd, vol.5, pp.115-126; al-Mustadrak ’ala’s-Suhub il-Wābilah, p.709; al-A’lām, vol.4, p.209; Mu’jam ul-Muallifeen, vol.2, p.363. They put the year of his death at 1288 AH. Two: The noble Shaykh, Sālih bin ’Abdul’Azeez bin ’AbdurRahmān bin ’Uthaymeen (1320-1412 AH/1902-1991 CE), he studied with the ’Ulama of his land Buraydah and then travelled to India where he studied and gained ijāzah. He then resided in Makkah al-Mukarramah. For a biography of him refer to ’Ulama Najd, vol.2, pp.488-494 and Takmilat Mu’jam ul-Muallifeen, p.238. Three: Al-’Allāmah ’AbdurRahmān bin Muhammad bin Qāsim al-’Āsimī al-Qahtānī (1319-1392 AH/1901-1972 CE), he was the one who compiled the fatāwā of the Imāms of guidance and of the Salafi da’wah such as Shaykh ul-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah. He also annotated works such as al-Ājrūmiyyah and ar-Rawd al-Murabbi’. For his biography refer to ’Ulama Najd, vol.3, pp.202-208. Four: Shaykh ’AbdurRahmān bin ’AbdulLateef bin ’Abdullāh bin ’AbdulLateef bin ’AbdurRahmān bin Hasan (1332-1406 AH/1914-1986 CE). He was an encyclopaedia of knowledge of Sharee’ah, Arabic language and history. He resided in Makkah al-Mukarramah where he later died. For his biography refer to ’Ulama Najd, vol.3, pp.83-87 and Takmilat Mu’jam ul-Muallifeen, p.682. Five: The scholar and Faqeeh, Ibrāheem bin Muhammad bin Sālim bin Duwayyān (1275-1353 AH/1859-1934 CE). He was a man of zuhd and wara’ who possessed superb handwriting and thus copied many books by hand in his library. He authored Raf’ un-Niqāb ’an Tarājim il-As-hāb and Manār us-Sabeel fī Sharh id-Daleel. For his biography refer to Mashāheer ’Ulama Najd, p.222; ’Ulama Najd, vol.1, pp.403-410; Rawdat un-Nādhireen, vol.1, pp.48-50 and al-’A’lām, vol.1, p.72. Six: The respected scholar and famous scholar Ibrāheem bin Sālih bin ’Īsā al-Qadā’ī (1270-1343 AH/1854-1924 CE). He used to document everything he encountered and did not tire from writing and he corresponded with the ’Ulama. He was also well-versed in fiqh, farā’idh, hadeeth, Arabic linguistics and was a reference point for literature, history and knowledge of lineages. He authored ’Aqd ud-Durar fīmā waqa’a fī Najd min al-Hawādith fī Awākhir al-Qarn ath-Thālith ’Ashar wa Awā’il ar-Rābi’ ’Ashar [The Pearled Necklace Around the Events in Najd During the End of the 13th Century and the Beginning of the 14th]. He also authored Tārīkh Ba’dh il-Hawādith al-Wāqi’ah fī Najd [The History of Some Events that Occurred in Najd]. For a biography of him refer to ’Ulama Najd, vol.1, pp.318-331; Rawdat un-Nādhireen, vol.1, pp.44-46; al-’A’lām, vol.1, p.44. Seven: The Shaykh and historian, Muhammad bin ’Umar bin Muhammad bin Hasan bin Fākhir al-Musharrafī al-Wahbī at-Tameemī (1186-1277 AH/1772-1860 CE). He was a scholar, writer and historian, he authored a treatise on the history of Najd which became a source reference for those historians who came after him such as Ibn Bishr and Ibn ’Īsā. For a biography of him refer to Rawdat un-Nādhireen, vol.2, pp.207-208; ’Ulama Najd (Old Print), vol.3, pp.922-923; Mu’jam ul-Mu’allifeen, vol.3, p.564; al-Mustadrak ’ala’s-Suhub il-Wābilah, vol.3, p.1023; the introduction to Tāreekh Ba’dh il-Hawādith al-Wāqi’ah fī Najd, pp.8-9, 20. Shaykh ’Abdullāh al-Bassām also wrote a biography of him in ’Ulama Najd (Newer Print), pp.246-248. Eight: Shaykh, al-Qādī Sulaymān bin ’AbdurRahmān bin Muhammad Āl Hamdān (1322-1397 AH/1904-1977CE) a teacher at Masjid ul-Harām. With all his zuhd and worship he was still stern on his opposers and frank in presenting his views without flattering anyone (Mujāmalah), this led to some difficulties that he experienced from other scholars during his time. He authored ad-Durr an-Nadeed Hāshiyat Kitāb ut-Tawheed and Hidāyat ul-Areeb il-Amjad fī Ma’rifat ar-Ruwāt ’an al-Imām Ahmad. For a biography of him refer to: ’Ulama Najd, vol.2, pp.295-300; Rawdat un-Nādihreen, vol.1, pp.149-151 and Takmilat Mu’jam ul-Muallifeen, p.216. His student was al-’Allāmah Bakr Abū Zayd (rahimahullāh) wrote a lengthy biography of him in the introduction to Hidāyat ul-Areeb il-Amjad, pp.’J’-‘M’. As for the opposers who wrote much against Imam Muhammad bin 'AbdulWahhab and his students, then some of the most prominent were Ahmad bin Zayni Dahlaan, a partisan Shafi'i-Sufi Qadi from Makkah (d.1304 AH/19 CE); Ibn 'Afaaliq from al-Ahsa (d. 1163AH/1750 CE) and Ibn Fayrooz (d.1216AH/1801 CE).