And I could hear the call of the sellers and buyers...

And I could hear the call of the sellers and buyers, a sound which hummed like the buzz of the bee. One (of them) would say, “I sold (my goods)”, and the other (one) would say, ‘I bought (something)’.”[^4] Of course, Ibn Bishr had not given an account as to how and from where such an enormous wealth had been amassed.

But the trend of history indicates that it had been accumulated by attacking the Muslims of other tribes and cities (on the charge of not accepting his beliefs) and by plundering and taking as booty their properties. With regard to the war booties which Shaykh Muhammad took (from the Muslims of that region), his policy was to spend it in any way he desired. At times, he granted unto only two or three people all the war booties which amounted to a very large amount.

No matter what the booties were, they were in the possession of the Shaykh, and the Emir of Najd could have a share of the booties on permission of the Shaykh. One of the biggest flaws during the Shaykh's life was the fact that he treated Muslims who did not follow his notorious beliefs as infidels deserving to be fought against. He maintained no esteem for their life or property.

In short, Muhammad ibn ’Abd al-Wahhab called (the people) to tawhid ( monotheism ) but an erroneous tawhid which he created himself, not the real tawhid promulgated by the Qur’an. Whoever adhered to it would have immunity as far as his life and property were concerned, else (the dissolution of) his life and property would, like that of the infidels, be religiously lawful and permissible.

The wars which the Wahhabis waged in Najd and outside Najd such as in Yemen, Hijaz, the vicinity of Syria and Iraq were on this basis. Any city which they conquered by war and domination was religiously lawful for them. If they could, they would establish it as their own possession, otherwise they would be content with the booty they had taken.[^5] Those who adhered to his beliefs and hearkened to his call had to pledge allegiance to him.

If anyone rose up in rebellion, he was killed and his property divided. On the basis of this policy, for instance, they killed three hundred men from a village called al-Fusul, located in the city of al-‘Ahsa and pillaged their property.[^6] Shaykh Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab died in the year 1206.[^7] After the demise of Shaykh Muhammad, his followers also pursued this policy and kept alive his innovation and misguidance.