The horns of the Satan

The devilry anticipated by the prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessing be Upon Him)

Cartoon by MohammadReza Kordian

In 1157 AH (1744 CE) Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab made Bay'ah (oath of allegiance) with Muhammad ibn Sa'ud where it was agreed to hold the political power in the hands of the clan of Aal al-Saud (House of Saud, Royal family) and the religious leadership in the hands of the clan of Aal al-Sheikh (Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab and his generations) and this power division has been kept until now. This event (the oath) is written in the book of Unwan al-Majd fe Tarikh al-Najd, Vol. 1, Page 41 , which was written and printed in Saudi Arabia.

Let's have a look at the origin of these two clans.

The origin of Al-Saud

The book titled Tarikh al-Bilad al-Arabia al-Saudia by al-Ostaz al-Doctur Munir al-Ijlani , the first chapter named 'al-Daulate al-Saudia al-Awla' and the first section, 'the tradition of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab and Da'wa and tradition of Muhammad ibn Saud wa Haruba' is a very reliable source.
In the page 67 of this book, the origin of al-Saud is explained as:
Muhammad ibn Saud ibn Muqran ibn Markhan ibn Ibrahim ibn Musa ibn Rabi`a ibn Maane'...
All of Wahhabi authors agree that the origin of al-Saud is from Rabi`a ibn Nazar ibn Ma'd ibn Adnan.

Tarikh al-Bilad al-Arabia al-Saudia, page 67

In the next page, it says that al-Saud originated from Anzah ibn Asaad ibn Rabi`a.

Zahr al-Adaab fe Maa'refa al-Insaab wa Mafakhir al-Arab

In the same page, it discusses about the people who acknowledged that al-Saud originated from Anzah ibn Asaad.

1. Hamd ibn Ibrahim al-Haquil, the author of the book of "Zahr al-Adaab fe Maa'refa al-Insaab wa Mafakhir al-Arab" acknowledges that al-Saud is from Anzah ibn Asaad ibn Rabi`a.

2. Amin Sa'eed, the author of the book "Tarikh Dawlat al-Saudi", who is a Wahhabi as well, acknowledges that "Sheikh Maane' al-Muridi al-Anizi" is the founder of the clan of Saud and one of grandees of clans of Anzah ibn Asaad.

3. The author of the book "Ihsaa'" says that the parentage of al-Saud goes toward Anzah ibn Asaad.

Moluk al-Arab

There is something interesting in the following page: 'If you ask many of the grandees of al-Saud that from which clan their family has originated, they respond, "from Anzah tribe"'. Sometimes they repeat the words of Malik Abdu al-Aziz, the founder of Saudi government, who said "We are from Anzah clan".

Then, the statement of Moluk al-Raiyhani from the book of "Moluk al-Arab" is quoted:
Imarat and Rula are two tribes from Anzah clan living in Najd particularly in Qasim area. Their main families are Bani Hathal and Bani Sha'lan. The people of Bani Sha'lan are the cousins of al-Saud and their vassals as well. We used to hear from Malik Abdu al-Aziz that these Bani Sha'lan people are our cousins and they are also originated from Anzah.


The book of "Moluk al-Arab", published by Daar al-Jail Beirut, is quite a reliable history book of Saudi Arabia and the Arab states of the Persian Gulf. This issue is acknowledged in this book and also in the book of Unwan al-Majd fe Tarikh al-Nejd, in page 99 of the first volume, Abdu al-Rahman ibn Abdu al-Latif ibn Abdullah al-Sheikh who is one of grandchildren of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab writes in the footnote as:
"They are from the clan of Anzah ibn Asaad ibn Rabi`a which was from Nazaar tribe connected to the prophet's descendant in Adnan."

Unwan al-Majd fe Tarikh al-Nejd, page 99

What kind of clan is Anzah ibn Asaad?
The book of "Al-Mukhtasar fe al-Akhbar al-Bashar" known as Tarikh abi al-Fida' is one of the most well-known Sunni books in history which is written by Imaad al-Din ibn Ismael abi al-Fida' and published by Daar al-Maarifah Beirut. In the first volume of this book in page 105, the following statement is reported:

Anzah ibn Asaad ibn Rabi`a are actually the Jews of Khyber castle. These are the guys who were defeated by Ali ibn Abi Talib (Peace be Upon Him) in the battle of Khyber.

Al-Mukhtasar fe al-Akhbar al-Bashar (known as Tarikh abi al-Fida'), page 105

The book of Subh al-asha, in 4th section, page 290 discusses about Khyber and tells about who were the inhabitants of this castle:

It was a city of sons of Anzah which is from Jewish tribes.

Subh al-asha, 4th section, page 290

The book of Umdat al-qari fe sharh Sahih Bukhari is written by Al-Imam al-Allamah Badr al-Din abi Muhammad Mahmud ibn Ahmad al-A'ini (died in 855 AH), and published by Daar al-kitab al-Ilmiya Beirut. This book in its 11th volume in page 330 acknowledges that Khyber was actually the city of bani Anzah and tells about its geographical information and mentions that Khyber was a Jewish castle which was conquered by Ali ibn Abi Talib (PBUH)

Umdat al-qari fe sharh Sahih Bukhari, page 330

The origin of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab

In the book titled, Tarikh al-Bilad al-Arabia al-Saudia, the first section on page 176 discusses in detail about the parentage of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab.
According to this book, the family of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab was known as aal Musharraf. In their era they were known by this name and the origin chain is as follows: Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab ibn Sulaiman ibn Ali ibn Muhammad ibn Ahmad ibn Rashid ibn Barid ibn Muhammad ibn Barid ibn Musharraf.
Since their great grand father was Musharraf, they were known as the aal Musharraf (family of Musharraf)
On the other hand, their greater grand father was Mr. Wahib and their family was knows as the family of al-Wahaba.
If these people are called Wahhabi, it is not because of the name of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab but because of the name of the family of al-Wahaba. Their parentage is from a person called Musharraf ibn Umar ibn Mo'zaad ibn Ra'is ibn Zakhir ibn Muhammad ibn Ulwa ibn Wahib.

Tarikh al-Bilad al-Arabia al-Saudia, page 176

In the next page of this book, it is reported that the origin of the family of al-Wahaba comes from a tribe called Zeid ibn Manat ibn Tamim. Therefore, the family of al-Wahaba is originated from Bani Tamim (the sons of Tamim).
In the same page, it discusses about the difference between the parentage of the prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and the parentage of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab: All of genealogists agree on the fact that the origin of Bani Tamim tribe (the one Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab is from) finally ends up to Ilias ibn Mudar.

Tarikh al-Bilad al-Arabia al-Saudia, page 177

The book of Munhij al-Imam Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab fe Mas'ala Takfir is a comprehensive book which is written by professor Nasir ibn Abd al-Karim al-Aql and published in Saudi Arabia, Riadh.
It says that in the chain of origin of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab these names are involved: Musharraf, Wahib, Zeid ibn Manat ibn Tamim and Ilias ibn Mudar ibn Nazar ibn Ma'ad ibn Adnan.

Also in the book of al-Sheikh Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab written by Dr. Aminah Muhammad Nasir, published by Daar al-Shrouq, page 26 in the part discussing abut Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab, the same chain of origin is mentioned which is aal Musharraf, Wahib and Tamim.
It is continued in the following page saying that it is Ilias ibn Mudar ibn Nazar ibn Ma'ad ibn Adnan.

One of the descendants of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab is the researcher of the book of Unwan al-Majd fe Tarikh al-Nejd.. In the first volume of this book, page 180, in the footnote the chain of origin of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab is written. In that chain these names are included: Musharraf, Wahib, Tamim, and Ilias ibn Mudar ibn Nazar ibn Ma'ad ibn Adnan.

Unwan al-Majd fe Tarikh al-Nejd, page 180

Thus it is proved that the origin of aal al-Saud is Rabi`a tribe and the origin of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab is Mudar tribe.

Now, let's have a look at a number of relevant narrations (hadith) from the book of Sahih Bukhari:

Sahih al-Bukhari hadith number 3302:

Allah's Messenger (PBUH) pointed with his hand towards Yemen and said, "True Belief is Yemenite (i.e. the Yemenite, had True Belief and embraced Islam readily), but sternness and mercilessness are the qualities of those who are busy with their camels and pay no attention to the Religion * from where the two sides of the head of Satan will appear.* Such qualities belong to the tribe of Rabi`a and Mudar."

Sahih al-Bukhari hadith number 3302

Also here (the online reference): http://sunnah.com/bukhari/59/110
This narration is mentioned in some other parts of Sahih Bukhari. Hadith number 4387 and 5303:

The Prophet (PBUH) beckoned with his hand towards Yemen and said, "Belief is there." The harshness and mercilessness are the qualities of those farmers etc, who are busy with their camels and pay no attention to the religion (is towards the east) from where the side of the head of Satan will appear; those are the tribes of Rabi`a and Mudar.

http://sunnah.com/bukhari/64/410
http://sunnah.com/bukhari/68/52

What did the prophet (PBUH) mean by "the head of Satan"?
The book of Umdat al-Qari Sharh Sahih Bukhari, published by Daar al-Kotob al-Ilmia Beirut, in page 264 says:
The prophet (PBUH) meant that in this side of the east, Satan will be severely dominant and spreads infidelity intensively.

Umdat al-Qari Sharh Sahih Bukhari, page 264

The conclusion is that Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab is from Mudar tribe and Muhammad ibn al-Saud is from Rabi'a tribe. Moreover, The prophet (PBUH) said that the two sides of the head of Satan will appear from the tribes of Rabi`a and Mudar and obviously his words certainly are true and that's what followed. As we can see today, the head of Satan has risen and has led to a huge disaster in the Islamic society.

There is another narration in Sahih Bukhari in which the prophet (PBUH) predicts this situation. The hadith number 3344:

After a battle won by the Muslims, the Prophet (PBUH) distributed gifts among four tribes who had recently converted to Islam while he gave nothing to most of the other Muslims. Then, there came a man with thick beard and clean-shaved head, and said, "O Muhammad! Be afraid of Allah!" The Prophet (PBUH) got sad and said, "Who would obey Allah if I disobeyed Him? (Allah). He trusts me over the people of the earth, but you do not trust me?" A man from the people gathered there asked for permission to kill him, but the Prophet (PBUH) prevented him to do so. When the man went away, the Prophet said, "Out of the offspring of this man, there will be people who will recite the Quran but it will not go beyond their throats, and they will leave Islam just as an arrow leaves the bow, and they will kill the Muslims and leave the idolators.

In another hadith, the Prophet (PBUH) instructed about these people:

Should I live till they appear, I would kill them as the Killing of the nation of 'Ad."
(In another narration instead of nation of 'Ad the nation of Thamud is mentioned)

http://sunnah.com/bukhari/60/19

This narration is mentioned here as well:
http://sunnah.com/bukhari/97/59

In the hadith no. 3610 the same narration is repeated including the name (title) of this person:

While we were with Allah's Messenger (PBUH) who was distributing (i.e. some property), there came Dhu-l- Khuwaisira, a man from the tribe of Bani Tamim and said, "O Allah's Messenger (PBUH)! Do Justice."...

Sahih al-Bukhari hadith number 3610

Also here (the online reference):http://sunnah.com/bukhari/61/117

It is not clear as if what was the actual name of "Dhu-l- Khuwaisira" since this is a tittle, however, the important point is the the prediction of the great Prophet (PBUH) that from the descendants of this man of Bani Tamim tribe, there will the people who recite the Quran but it will not go beyond their throats, and they will go out of Islam as an arrow goes out of the bow, and they will kill the Muslims and leave the idolators.