To understand the book, one must first understand its author. The work is attributed to (1816-1886 CE / 1232-1304 H). He was not an obscure writer; he held the highest religious offices in the most sacred city of Islam. Serving as the Grand Mufti of the Shafi`i school and the Syaikhul Haram (chief teacher) at the Masjidil Haram in Mecca, his position was arguably one of the most influential in the Ottoman Empire.
The book was written during the Ottoman era to document the emergence of the Wahhabi movement and its theological differences with mainstream Sunni Islam of that time. Key Themes: Critique of the movement's approach to (excommunication). Defense of traditional practices such as
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), Malay, and Urdu, reflecting its popularity in Southeast Asian and South Asian traditionalist circles. Digital Archives
Dahlan dedicates significant portions of the text to defending traditional practices that the Wahhabi movement categorized as shirk (polytheism) or bid'ah (reproachful innovation). These include:
As the Mufti of Mecca, Ahmad Zayni Dahlan witnessed the geopolitical and theological upheavals caused by the expansion of the first and second Saudi states. He wrote Fitnatul Wahabiyah as a direct theological and historical critique to defend traditional Sunni practices against the doctrines of the reforming movement. Core Themes and Theological Arguments
Understanding Kitab Fitnatul Wahabiyah: Context, Content, and Legacy
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He was a Sayyid, tracing his ancestry directly back to the Prophet Muhammad through Imam Hasan ibn Ali.
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