Figure 1.--. |
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The extremnely conservative Whhabis in Saudia Arabia have become very important in the Islamic world because of because of the country's vast oil wealth.
Whhabism was founded IN sAUDI aRABIA by Mohammed ibm Abd Wahhab. He sought in the 18th century to purge Islam of all foreign influences and to return to the "purity" of the Prophet.
The Wahhabis may be the most puritanical sect of the Sunnis, at least among sects that do not endorse jihad with the West. The are fundamentalists that believe in strictly adhering to the Koran and in literally interpreting Koranic texts. Wabbais promote an aestetic life style. They are stringly opposed on equal rights for women and desire to limit the role of women in public life.
Wahhabis beliefs have been taken to even greater extreem by Osama bin Laden who literaly wants to return to the 7th century and who castigate even the cosevative Wahhabis as traitors to Islam. The Taliban in Afghanistan was also influenced by the Wahhabis. The extremnely conservative Whhabis in Saudia Arabia have become very important in the Islamic world because of because of the country's vast oil wealth. This has been accomplished through religious charities and support of Medrassas in many Islamic countries.
The Wahhabis are the single most important support for the Saudi monarchy.
Following the Arab rebellion against the Ottomon Turks, modern Saudi Arabia was founded by King Abdul Aziz ibn Saud in 1932. King Abdul based the law code of the Kingdom on the Koran. The warriors which supported the King were infused with Wahhabism. The Saudi state was ruled by King Abdul's family, but religious matters were put in the hands of the Wahhab's descensents--the Sheik family. [Ottaway] The Sheik family in Saudi Arabia is in many ways like a parallel government, similar to the role the Communist Party played in the Soviet Union.
The Grand Mufti and the Minister of Islamic Affairs are drawn from the Sheik famiky. The Sheik family anf thus the Wahhabis dominate Saudi religious life. As Saudi law is based on the Koran, this also means they control the Saudi legal and justice system. The Grand Mufti influences the Council of Senior Islamic Scholaes which uissue edicts (fatwas) on a wide range of cultural, legal, and religious matters. These edicts are enforced by the Committee for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice which has 5,000 turbaned mutaween which zeaoudly patrol Saudi cities. Wahhabis through the Ministry os Islamuic Affairs controls 50,000 mosques in virtually every neighborhood of Saudi Arabia. The Wahhabis through control of the Ministry of Judstice also control Saudi law courts. The Sheik family dominates the appointed Shura Couincil. This 120-member body is purely advisort, but influential in the Kingdom. The Sheik family also controlled important Saudi charities, a human rights commission, and until recently the agency responsible for women's education. The Sheik family and their Whhabi allies are concerned that reforms currently being discussed are the fitst step in diminidhing their role in Saudi Arabia. {ottaway]
One concern of the Wahhabis is modern communications. Satellite television and the internet have given Saufdis access to different interpretations of the Koran. It is unclear what the long-term imosct of this will be. Some reformers believe that Wahhabism in the Kingdom is only impotant because of the support of the House of Saud. By the same token some believe that the Saudi monarchy would not be able to contuinue to contol the country without the sypport of the Wahhabis.
The Saudi Government first jolted by the fact that most of the 9-11 hijckers were Saudis and then by the alQaeda attacks within the Kingdom have acted to reign in the most extreme Wahabbis. The Goverment has purged 2,000-3,000 of the 50,000 Wahhabi clerics who they determined were too extreme or hostile to the monarchy. The Government has also launched public formums in an effort to influence the Wahhabi clergy. The current debate in Saudi Arabia is mosr intently focused on eucation and the role of women. There have been some changes in Saudi textbooks which contined outrageous statements about Jews and some hateful statements about Christians as well. There is currently an intense debate on the education and role of women in Saudi society.
There is a religious and cultural debate in Saudi Arabia. Libreral reformers are demanding a voice in the Kingdom. Woimen are also demanding a greater role and more freedom. Polls show that many Saudis favoir political and social reforms. Ironically a vast majority do not look favorably on liberal reformers at a time that many do look favorably on bin-Laden. It is not lost on most Americans that 15 of the 19 9-11 hijackers were Saudis, a fact that most Saudis simply denied and many still do. (Some believethat the hijackers were Jew trying to give Islam a bad name.)
Ottaway, David B. "Pressure builds on key pillar of Saudi rule," The Washington Post June 8, 2004, p. A18.
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