Nationality Pakistani Jurisprudence Hanafi Occupation Islamic preacher Movement Tablighi Jamaat | Religion Islam Name Muhammad Wahhab Denomination Sunni | |
Born January 1, 1923 (age 101) ( 1923-01-01 ) Delhi, British India | ||
Haji Muhammad Abdul Wahhab (Urdu: حاجی محمد عبد الوہاب, Ḥājī Muḥammad ‘Abdul-Wahhāb; born January 1, 1923) is an Islamic preacher and the Ameer of Tablighi Jamaat in Pakistan.
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Early years and education
Muhammad Abdul Wahhab was born in Delhi, British India, in 1922. He originally hails from Karnal District. He attended Islamia College, Lahore. After graduation he worked as a tehsildar in pre-partition India. In his youth he also worked for Majlis-e-Ahrar-e-Islam, and was influenced by Abdul Qadir Raipuri (1878–1962).
Tabligh Jamaat
Abdul Wahhab joined the Tabligh Jamaat during the life of its founder, Muhammad Ilyas Kandhlawi. He arrived at Nizamuddin markaz on the 1st of January 1944. He got the sohbah of Maulana Ilyas for six months. He left his job to devote his time and effort to the Jamaat, and he was one of the first five people in Pakistan who offered their entire life for doing Tabligh work. He was a direct companion of Maulana Muhammad Ilyas Kandhlawi, Yusuf Kandhlawi, and Inamul Hasan Kandhlawi.
Muhammad Shafi Quraishi (1903–1971) was the first regular amir of the Tablighi Jamaat in Pakistan; he was succeeded by Haji Muhammad Bashir (1919–1992). Abdul Wahhab succeeded Bashir as the third regular amir for Pakistan. He is based at Raiwind Markaz, the movement's headquarters in the country, where he heads a shura (council). He is also a member of the movement's alami shura (world council) based in Nizamuddin, Delhi, India.
Negotiations with Pakistani Taliban
In October 2013 it was reported that the name of Haji Abdul Wahhab was suggested to head a Loya Jirga in preparation for peace talks with the Pakistani Taliban. In February 2014 it was reported that during consultations with a committee, TTP commanders of different factions recommended that the names of Haji Abdul Wahhab, Maulana Sami'ul Haq, Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan, and other leaders be added in the government peace committee.
Reception
As of the 2014/2015 issue, he is ranked #10 in The Muslim 500, a list of the 500 most influential Muslims in the world, due to his worldwide influence as a leading figure of the Tablighi Jamaat.