Editing Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab (section)

== Death ==
After his departure from public affairs, Ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab would remain a consultant to [[Abdulaziz bin Muhammad Al Saud|'Abd al-Azeez]], who followed his recommendations. However, he withdrew from any active military and political activities of the Emirate of Diriyah and devoted himself to educational endeavours, preaching, and worship. His last major activity in state affairs was in 1202/1787; when he called on the people to give ''[[bay'ah]]'' (allegiance) to [[Saud bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (1748–1814)|Suʿūd]], ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz's son, as heir apparent.

Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab fell ill and died in June 1792 C.E or 1206 A.H in the lunar month of [[Dhu al-Qadah|Dhul-Qa'dah]], at the age of eighty-nine. He was buried in an unmarked grave at [[Al-Turaif District|al-Turayf]] in al-[[Diriyah|Dir'iyya]].<ref name="Crawford 2014 47–48"/><ref name="Abu alrub 2013 92"/><ref>{{Cite book|last=J. Delong-Bas|first=Natana|title=Wahhabi Islam:From Revival and Reform to Global Jihad|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=2004|isbn=0-19-516991-3|location=New York|pages=39–40}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=M. Bunzel|first=Cole|title=Manifest Enmity: The Origins, Development, and Persistence of Classical Wahhabism (1153-1351/1741-1932)|publisher=Princeton University|year=2018|location=Princeton, New Jersey, USA|page=254}}</ref> He left behind four daughters and six sons. Many of his sons became clerics of greater or lesser distinction. The descendants of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab are known as the [[Al ash-Sheikh|Aal Ash-Shaykhs]] and they continued to hold a special position in the Saudi state throughout its history, which still continues.

A clear separation of roles between the [[House of Saud|Saudi family]] and the Wahhabi clerics had begun to emerge during the interval between Ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab's retirement from front-line politics in 1773 and his death in 1792. Although the [[Al ash-Sheikh|Aal Ash-Shaykhs]] did not engage in politics, they comprised a significant part of the [[Ahl al-hall wal-aqd|designating group of notables]] who gave allegiance (''bay'ah'') to a new ruler and acclaimed his accession. After Ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab, his son [[Abdullah bin Muhammad Al Sheikh|'Abd Allah]], recognised by his critics as moderate and fair-minded, would succeed him as the dominant Wahhabi cleric. The Wahhabi cause would flourish for more than two decades after Ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab's death; until the defeat of the First Saudi State in the [[Ottoman-Saudi war]]. 'Abd Allah would spend his last days as an exile in [[Cairo]], having witnessed the [[Siege of Diriyah|destruction of Dirʿiyya]] and the execution of his talented son [[Suleiman bin Abdullah Al Sheikh|Sulayman ibn 'Abd Allah]] in 1818.<ref>{{Cite book|last=M. Bunzel|first=Cole|title=Manifest Enmity: The Origins, Development, and Persistence of Classical Wahhabism (1153-1351/1741-1932)|publisher=Princeton University|year=2018|location=Princeton, New Jersey, USA|pages=254–255}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Crawford|first=Michael|title=Makers of the Muslim World: Ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab|publisher=One World Publications|year=2014|isbn=978-1-78074-589-3|location=London|pages=48, 99, 104–105}}</ref>