Reading time : 3 minutes
- Mohd Modassir Ashrafi
Kitab al-Tawheed (The Book of Monotheism), authored by Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab in the 18th century, is a seminal text in Wahhabi ideology, emphasising a strict, literalist interpretation of tawheed (Islamic monotheism). It is revered in Salafi circles as a revivalist canon, leading to its direct linkage with ideological foundations of violent extremist groups like ISIS and Al Qaeda.
This article explores how Kitab al-Tawheed has been co-opted and manipulated to justify radicalism, violence, and the recruitment of young Muslims groups mentioned above and plethora of their spin-offs.
Kitab al-Tawheed and Wahhabi Doctrine
Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab’s doctrine emerged in response to what he perceived as widespread religious “innovations” (bid’ah) and deviations from pure Islamic monotheism. It was the era of Ottoman caliphate and veneration of sufi saints and assemblies at their shrines or khanqahs was widespread, as it is even today and seen as a soft and traditional form of Islam. Abd al-Wahhab professed abolishment of such practices as they, according to him, contradicted the principle of tawheed (oneness of God and supremacy of his sole authority). His doctrine deemed approaching sufis as seeking intercession between man and God – he labelled it as shirk (polytheism or accepting an equal authority to God).
Visitation of shrines, in his views, was as if paying homage at the threshold of false gods or idol worship.
Wahhab’s ideas first gained currency among Arab tribals and soon gained political power through his alliance with Muhammad ibn Saud, a tribal lord, leading ultimately to the creation of the Saudi state. It was then the institutionalization of Wahhabi ideology tokk shape. The uncompromising dualism in Kitab al-Tawheed dividing Muslims into true monotheists and heretics laid fertile ground for takfiri ideologies that excommunicate fellow Muslims. Takfiris believe that once Muslims veer away from original Islamic principles, they turn into enemies and thus subject to be annihilated.
Doctrinal Rigidity and the Takfiri Mindset
One major flaw in Kitab al-Tawheed is its doctrinal rigidity. Even on short of research, it nevertheless sets a discourse which appears like a long fatwa, or edict. It contains numerous unauthentic reference texts and misinterpretations that categorize deviations from pure tawheed as major acts of disbelief, often punishable by death. This binary in worldview has been foundational in the takfiri logic employed by ISIS. Takfir in simple terms is the act of declaring another Muslim an apostate (out of Islam’s periphery) and then condemn him to death. This dangerous doctrine is central to ISIS ideology and has been used to justify the killing of traditional Muslims, Sufis, secular Muslims, and anyone who opposes ISIS, let alone non-Muslims.
The text’s emphasis on “loyalty and disavowal” (al-wala’ wa-l-bara’) — loyalty to monotheists and disavowal of polytheists — has been interpreted by radicals as a divine mandate to wage war against all perceived “deviants”. This absolutist conviction erases room for pluralism and facilitates ideological radicalisation.
From Theology to Violence: How ISIS Uses Kitab al-Tawheed
ISIS, in its propaganda and training literature, often quotes Kitab al-Tawheed and other Wahhabi treatises to legitimise its violence. The book’s interpretations are presented to recruits as evidence that killing apostates and heretics is not just allowed but required to purify the ummah. For instance:
Targeting Sufis and Traditional Sunnis: ISIS attacks on Sufi shrines and Sunni mosques have been justified using Wahhabi condemnation of shrine reverence and saint veneration, which are labeled as unforgivable acts of shirk in Kitab al-Tawheed.
Recruitment Rationale: Young Muslims being unfamiliar with the diversity of Islamic traditions are indoctrinated using simplified versions of Kitab al-Tawheed. Its strong anti-pluralist messages are packaged as heroic resistance against Western imperialism and internal corruption.
Destruction of Heritage: ISIS’s destruction of ancient religious sites result from radical Wahhabi views that such places are physical symbols of “idolatry” and must be erased. This iconoclasm is rationalised through the same verses and text cited in the book.
Ideological Monopolisation and Rejection of Diversity
The danger of Kitab al-Tawheed lies not in its existence but in its weaponization. When presented as the sole legitimate interpretation of Islam, it fosters an exclusionary mindset. Traditional Sunni and Sufi scholars have historically emphasised tawheed while maintaining a broader and inclusive jurisprudence that accommodates differing schools of thought. ISIS, however, rejects this legacy entirely, using Kitab al-Tawheed as theological bedrock to dismantle centuries of Islamic diversity.
Digital Salafism and Radicalization of Indian Youth
In recent years, the rise of digital Salafism has profoundly impacted certain segments of Indian Muslim youth. Online platforms like YouTube, WhatsApp, and Telegram are facilitating the extensive distribution of Wahhabi-inspired content, which includes accessible translations of Kitab al-Tawheed. These materials frequently advocate for a narrow and exclusionary interpretation of Islam, categorising traditional practices such as the veneration of Sufi saints and visits to shrines as un-Islamic or even polytheistic. Consequently, a significant number of young Muslims are distancing themselves from India’s rich and diverse Islamic heritage, resulting in a sense of identity confusion, increasing sectarian divisions, and a rise in intolerance towards other Muslim sects. This transformation in ideology, propelled by externally financed networks and unregulated digital material, presents a significant challenge to our society. To tackle this issue, Sufi institutions should enhance their outreach efforts and reinvigorate an education that is spiritually inclusive and deeply rooted in Indian traditions.
Radical Impact on Indian Muslim Youth and How Indian Sufi Islam Can Counter It
In recent years, the ideological influence of Kitab al-Tawheed has increasingly reached Indian Muslim youth through translated literature, online sermons, and foreign-funded Salafi institutions. Among segments of Indian Muslim youth, Kitab al-Tawheed has contributed to a growing rejection of the country’s rich Islamic traditions. It has alienated them from their cultural and spiritual roots, promoting a black-and-white worldview. This has led to increased sectarianism, identity confusion, and, in some cases, susceptibility to online radical content and extremist narratives. The reduction of Islam to rigid dogma also diminishes the emphasis on ethics, compassion, and communal harmony — values which are deeply rooted in Indian Islam.
In contrast, Indian Sufi Islam offers a spiritually enriching, pluralistic, and peace-centered path. Rooted in centuries of coexistence, Indian Sufi traditions celebrate love for God, service to humanity, and respect for all faiths. Sufi saints like Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, Nizamuddin Auliya, Imam Ahmed Raza and Shah Meena preached an inclusive message that integrated Islamic teachings with local culture, fostering harmony and devotion rather than division.
To counter the radical impact of Wahhabi literature, Indian Sufi institutions must become more proactive in engaging youth. Through khanqahs, spiritual education, digital outreach, and community service, they can offer young Muslims a balanced Islamic identity, one that is rooted in Indian soil, aligned with Islamic ethics, and resistant to ideological extremism.
In this ideological battle, Indian Sufi Islam is not just a cultural legacy, it is a vital shield against the rise of extremism among the youth.
(Author is the National President of Muslim Students Organisation of India)
Bahutkhoob huq farmaya lekin soofi संतों की पूजा, जुमला ग़लत है। उनके मानने वाले कभी उनकी पूजा नहीं करते।