Imam of Masjid al-Masih Isa(Jesus) in Korea

My Reflections as a Korean Muslim on Mohammed Hijab’s Controversy Concerning “Wahhabism” As I observe the recent controversy caused by Mohammed Hijab’s discussion of “Wahhabism,” I feel, as a Korean Muslim, that the greater problem is not merely a theological disagreement, but the manner and attitude with which he addresses the subject. I do not deny that Mohammed Hijab has contributed to defending Islam through his debates with atheists and Christian apologists. However, the fact that someone has done beneficial work in the past does not justify everything he says or does in the present. 1. The problem of using the vague term “Wahhabism” The term “Wahhabism” is used very broadly without a precise theological definition. Some use it to refer to the da’wah of Shaykh Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab. Others use it to describe the religious tradition of Saudi Arabia, while others use it to condemn Salafi Muslims as a whole. Some even label as “Wahhabis” anyone who affirms the names and attributes of Allah without distortion, opposes grave worship and religious innovations, and seeks to follow the Qur’an and the Sunnah according to the understanding of the early righteous generations. Therefore, when an influential caller to Islam uses this term, he must first explain exactly what he is criticizing. He should specify which book of Shaykh Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab he is criticizing, which statement he considers problematic, and which aspect of creed he believes to be incorrect. If the term “Wahhabism” is repeatedly used without making these distinctions, it can become not a scholarly criticism, but an inflammatory expression intended to plant a negative image in people’s minds. 2. The problem of combining different matters into one target The religious teachings of Shaykh Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab, the scholars of Saudi Arabia, Saudi history and society, and contemporary Salafi Muslims are not all one and the same thing. When all of these are grouped together under the single term “Wahhabism,” it becomes impossible to discuss specific facts and claims accurately. To criticize a particular scholar, one must present that scholar’s actual words. To criticize a particular book, one must quote its precise contents. To criticize a particular creed, one must provide evidence from the Qur’an, the authentic Sunnah, and the statements of the early scholars. Placing different eras, people, scholars, and social phenomena under one label and attacking them together cannot be regarded as precise religious discussion. 3. The problem of collectively provoking Saudi people What concerns me most is that such statements may ultimately be received by ordinary Saudi Muslims as an insult and an expression of hostility toward them. Saudi people do not all share one thought or one tendency. There are many different scholars, students of knowledge, and ordinary Muslims among them. Nevertheless, when scholars and religious traditions long respected by Saudi people are attacked with provocative language, many may perceive it not as an academic criticism, but as an attack on their religion, history, and social identity. When a well-known outsider repeatedly creates provocative disputes directed at Saudi people, it may appear less like sincere religious advice and more like an attempt to use a particular country and its people as a source of controversy in order to expand his own influence. A Muslim should not use people’s ethnicity or country of origin to generate hostility and division. When a religious discussion causes the people of a particular country to feel collectively insulted and targeted, the method must be reconsidered. 4. The impression of using controversy and anger to increase fame In my view, one of the greatest problems with Mohammed Hijab is that he deals with highly sensitive matters not through calm teaching or serious academic study, but in a way that maximizes confrontation and reaction. Of course, I cannot make a definitive judgment about what is in his heart. Allah alone knows a person’s true intention. However, his manner of expression and the way he develops these controversies can create the impression that he knowingly chooses provocative subjects, despite anticipating strong reactions from Saudi people and Salafi Muslims, in order to place himself at the center of attention. Online, calm and precise explanations often receive less attention than anger, conflict, and response videos. When a famous person uses a controversial term, both his supporters and opponents share his content. The conflict among Muslims grows, while the person who initiated the controversy gains greater visibility and influence. An influential caller to Islam should therefore ask himself: Is this statement truly intended to provide Muslims with knowledge they need? Does this controversy bring Muslims closer to the truth? Or does it merely provoke anger and reactions that spread his name and content more widely? A person who seeks to explain the truth and a person who seeks to remain at the center of controversy may sometimes look similar, but their methods and results are clearly different. 5. The problem of confusing debating skill with religious expertise Mohammed Hijab is skilled in debate and public speaking. However, being skilled in debate is not the same as being qualified to judge Islamic history, creed, scholarly writings, and the religious traditions of a particular region. Having a large public following does not make someone an authority in every field of Islamic knowledge. To criticize Shaykh Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab and his da’wah, one must carefully study his books and letters, the historical conditions of Najd at that time, and the original writings of the scholars who supported or opposed him. A religious da’wah and scholarly tradition spanning centuries should not be defined through short videos and forceful rhetoric. In particular, when criticizing a book such as The Three Fundamental Principles, which has been taught throughout the world as an introductory text in creed, one must clearly identify which exact statement is believed to contradict the Qur’an and the Sunnah. If the name of an author or a book is mentioned provocatively without sufficient scholarly evidence, it may appear less like academic criticism and more like agitation designed to attract public attention. 6. The problem of intensifying old conflicts among Muslims The Muslim community already suffers from many internal conflicts. Salafis, Ash’aris, Sufis, and various movements and organizations attack one another, while their supporters engage in endless online disputes. In such an environment, when an influential caller uses a vague term to provoke an entire group, he only deepens existing divisions and wounds. Moreover, in many places, the term “Wahhabi” is used as an insulting label to brand someone as an extremist or an ignorant person without examining what that person actually believes or says. When such labels are repeated, people no longer try to understand the actual beliefs or arguments of the other side. They simply label others as “Wahhabis,” condemn them, and end the discussion. This is neither the method of Islamic knowledge nor the method of fair and sincere advice. My perspective as a Korean Muslim I am a Korean Muslim. In Korea, many new Muslims still struggle to find systematic education in Korean on tawhid, the Sunnah, basic creed, and even the fundamentals of worship. When sectarian and emotionally charged controversies created by famous English-speaking callers are translated into Korean, new Korean Muslims may begin learning how to hate certain scholars, countries, ethnic groups, and Muslim communities before they have even learned the foundations of Islam. “Wahhabis are bad.” “Saudi scholars are all wrong.” “Salafis cannot be trusted.” These simplistic slogans are what remain. Yet people do not learn why a particular claim is allegedly wrong, what the Qur’an and the authentic Sunnah actually say, or how the early righteous generations understood the issue. What Korean Muslims like me need is not the direct importation of disputes created by famous personalities in the English-speaking world. What we need is accurate Islamic knowledge and systematic education in the Korean language. We must first learn what tawhid is, what the Sunnah is, how to believe in and worship Allah, and how to treat other Muslims with fairness and good manners. Whoever is criticized, the criticism must be accurate and fair. The teachings of one scholar should not be distorted in order to attack every scholar and student associated with him. The actions of some individuals should not be attributed to the entire population of a country. The conduct of some extreme individuals should not be connected to every Muslim who seeks to follow tawhid and the Sunnah. If Mohammed Hijab truly seeks to correct religious errors, he should not hide behind the vague and provocative label of “Wahhabism.” He should speak specifically. Which sentence in which book is wrong? Which aspect of creed contradicts the Qur’an and the Sunnah? Which statement of which scholar is he criticizing? What evidence from the Qur’an, the Sunnah, and the early scholars supports his criticism? If he does not do this, but instead groups Saudi people, the scholars they respect, Salafi Muslims, and Shaykh Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab together and creates public turmoil around them, it will inevitably appear less like scholarly advice for the Muslim community and more like content created for division and fame. The role of a caller to Islam is not to make people focus on him. His role is to direct people toward the words of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger. If someone repeatedly provokes a particular Muslim country, its people, its scholars, and its religious tradition in order to increase his own fame, this is not da’wah. It may become an act that spreads distrust and hostility among Muslims. As a Korean Muslim, I do not want this turmoil to be translated and imported into the Korean Muslim community, causing people to learn hatred and prejudice before they learn knowledge. May Allah correct all of our intentions and enable us to speak with knowledge and fairness, rather than with emotion and a desire for fame.

Do Not Stop Reading the Qur’an, Even a Little Every Day Even one page is enough. Even a few verses are enough. Do not cut your connection with the Qur’an, even on busy days, tired days, or difficult days. Small daily reading becomes a great mountain over time. The Qur’an gives life to the heart, strengthens faith, and guides a person back to Allah. So make a simple promise to yourself: “No matter how busy I am, I will read at least a few verses of the Qur’an today.” May Allah make us among the people of the Qur’an and make the Qur’an the spring of our hearts, the removal of our worries, and the relief of our sadness. Ameen.

As soon as he criticizes the 18th century reformist Ibn Abd al-Wahhab for his massacres against Muslim, he Mohammed Hijab is attacked with thousands of posts for being ignorant (despite an Azhar degree), a non-Arab (despite being Egyptian), a deviant or a kafir, a n--ger slave (because Egypt is in Africa, and some of his ancestors are black), and his ancestors are slandered for sexual misconduct And the insults faced by Hijab are similar to what is faced by other critics of Wahhabism who are not Gulf Arabs, such as those of South Asian, Sub-Saharan African, Turkish and Persian descent.      This is part of a broader phenomenon. Contemporary Wahhabism has developed into a deviant Arab ethnonationalist ideology, which is why Wahhabis constantly ally with Arab ethnonationalist deviants like Rabbi Hotha¸ Jewmas, Tallhaberg and others.

Mohammed Hijab and Hotha did an Arabic competition 😭