A seeker wrote, On the issue of the Shaykh Muhammad ibn Abd Al Wahhab,
I find various aqwaal amongst the akabir e Deoband.

Ashrafiya replied,

We follow Hakim al Umma rehmatullah aleh. This is what he said
http://www.ashrafiya.com/2008/12/13/wahabi/

the view point of Shaykh Maulana Rasheed Ahmed al Gangohi (Allah have mercy on him) was different as you say. However, it was historically incorrect as pointed out by Mufti Mehmood al Hasan Gangohi (Allah have mercy on him) in his fatawa.

The seeker inquired, Was he a mujaddid or was he somebody who misunderstood the deen.

Ashrafiya replied, To the best of my knowledge none of our akabir considers him to be a mujaddid.
A ‘mujaddid’ is an individual who’s teachings are indispensable for his times and for the generations coming after him. None can escape his faiz (benefiting spiritually from him).

At the most he was a sincere overzealous reformer. (viewpoint of Maulana Manzoor Nomani (Allah have mercy on him) in particular)

Neither do we read his books nor his teaching are mentioned in our talks. We do not take deen from him or his followers.

It is a shame that people only blame him and do not tell what was the condition of lay people in belief and practice during his times. Ignorance was rampant in Arabs. People did not know and practice the basics of deen but indulged in the customary rituals and practices with zeal and passion. Prostrating to the graves, including that to the blessed grave of our mastet Prophet salAllaho aleh wasalam is well documented. “Sunni” ulema of that time condoned it with their husun e zan and taweel.

Islahi emails: NS

Ajman 🇦🇪