Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab (1703–1792) was an Arab Muslim scholar, theologian, preacher, activist, religious leader, jurist, and reformer from Najd in the Arabian Peninsula. He is recognized as the founder of the Wahhabi movement, which aimed to purify Islam by returning to the original teachings of the Quran and Sunnah as practiced by the Prophet Muhammad and his early followers. Influenced by the Hanbali school of Islamic law and the writings of Ibn Taymiyya, Ibn Abd al-Wahhab emphasized the concept of tawhid (strict monotheism), denouncing practices he considered innovations or idolatrous, such as shrine worship, saint veneration, and certain folk customs prevalent in Najd.
In 1744, he formed a pivotal alliance with Muhammad bin Saud, the local ruler of Diriyah, creating a politico-religious partnership that provided the ideological foundation for the Saudi state’s expansion. This alliance combined Ibn Abd al-Wahhab’s religious reformist agenda with Ibn Saud’s military ambitions, leading to the establishment of the First Saudi State and the spread of the Wahhabi doctrine across much of the Arabian Peninsula.
Ibn Abd al-Wahhab’s teachings sparked conflicts with neighboring tribes and rulers, resulting in lasting political and religious influence in the region. His seminal work “Kitab al-Tawhid” remains a foundational text for the Wahhabi movement. Despite controversies, his legacy profoundly shaped Islamic thought and practice, particularly within Sunni Islam and modern Salafism.