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Religion / branch / eraPhase 4b · Caliphates, schools & sectsMajor figure

Salafi Movement (incl. the Najdi 'Wahhabi' reform)

السلفية

From 18th century CE (Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab, 1703-1792 CE); wider Salafism 19th-20th century

A reform movement calling for return to the Quran, Sunnah and the understanding of the early generations (salaf), opposing practices it considers shirk or bid'ah. Its Najdi form allied with the House of Saud in 1744 CE.

Biography

Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab, a Hanbali scholar of Najd, preached strict Tawheed against grave veneration and intercession practices, drawing on Ibn Taymiyyah. His pact with Muhammad ibn Saud (1744 CE) shaped the Saudi states. Opponents call the movement 'Wahhabi'; adherents prefer 'Salafi' or 'Ahl al-Tawhid'.

Wider modern Salafism includes quietist, activist and other trends, sharing an emphasis on hadith and rejection of strict madhhab adherence (though Saudi scholars often follow Hanbali fiqh).

Sources & explanation

۞ Qur'an

No specific verses cited for this node.

📜 Hadith verified on sunnah.com

  • Sahih al-Bukhari 2652 Sahih

    'The best of people are my generation, then those who follow them, then those who follow them.'

💬 Explanation Unverified

Engineer Muhammad Ali Mirza's perspective

Methodological note (not a direct quote): Engineer Muhammad Ali Mirza's widely known approach is to build narratives primarily on the Quran and Sahih Hadith, to set aside Israiliyat (Judeo-Christian lore absorbed into later tafsir) and weak or fabricated narrations, and to avoid sectarian framing. Applied to this node: Presented neutrally. Mirza's widely known slogan rejects sectarian labels including 'Wahhabi' (see the methodology node).

Empires in their lifetime

Further references

  • Historical consensus

Connections

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