(2) At the outset they also declared coffee and similar drinks unlawful for themselves, although it appears that they later relaxed this ruling.

(3) The Wahhābīs, he continues, did not limit themselves to preaching alone; rather, they unsheathed the sword against those who opposed them, claiming that they were waging war on innovations—an evil that must be resisted—and that the duty to enjoin right and forbid wrong required such action.

(4) Whenever they gained a foothold in a village or a town, they would demolish the tomb-shrines there, leveling and ruining them.

(5) They became preoccupied with trifling matters that contain no trace of idolatry, nor do they lead to it, and publicly denounced them—photography, for example; their fatwas and treatises authored by their scholars bear this out.

(6) They expanded the meaning of innovation in an astonishing way, to the point that they claim hanging curtains over the Noble Rawḍah is an innovation; accordingly they prevented the curtains from being renewed. He adds: moreover, we find some of them who regard a Muslim’s saying “our master Muhammad” as an impermissible innovation, and they are extremely strict about it. He further remarks: it is evident that the Wahhābī scholars consider their own views infallible, allowing no possibility of error, while deeming the views of others erroneous beyond correction. Indeed, they hold that the practices of others—erecting tomb‐shrines and circumambulating them—border on idolatry.

This, then, is the end of what he said about the people he called Wahhābīs. It seems his breast had become filled with rancor, spite, and anger toward them, and he found relief by venting some of what he carried—yet Allah, exalted is He, is ever aware of every speaker’s tongue and heart: “He utters no word but there is with him an observer, ready” (Qāf 50:18).

Our reply to that consists of several points:
First: his statement that, in reality, they added nothing with respect to creed