Wahhabis

The Wahhabis today represent an ultraconservative, orthodox interpretation of Islam that is characterized by belief in and adherence to absolute monotheism (tawhid), giving particular attention to ritual correctness and the centrality of Shari'a (Islamic law). Although the heartland of Wahhabism remains Saudi Arabia, the use of the kingdom's tremendous financial resources for missionary activity (da'wah) has resulted in global influence.

Wahhabism was originally founded in central contemporary Saudi Arabia by the 18th-century religious and legal scholar Muhammad Ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab as an Islamic revival (tajdid) and reform (islah) movement. The original movement called for a return to the Qur'an and Hadith (records of the sayings and deeds of Prophet Muhammad) for the purpose of historical and thematically contextualized reinterpretation (ijtihād) and rediscovery of their either specific or universal meaning, as opposed to the then current practice of imitation of past scholarship (taqlid). Ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab preached a program of invitation (da'wah), in which preaching and a gradual educational process were intended to lead to social transformation and consideration of public welfare (maslahah). Jihad was therefore limited in both scope and importance in Ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab's writings and was to be used only in the defense of a Muslim community under military attack or the threat of imminent military attack.

Wahhabism entered its political phase through the formation of an alliance between Ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhab and Muhammad Ibn Saud in 1744, a relationship that remains at the core of the contemporary Saudi state. The original alliance demarcated the boundaries between religion and politics, as the imam was responsible for the religious leadership, instruction, and guidance of the state, while the emir was responsible for political and military leadership. Following the death of Ibn Saud in 1767, the state usurped a portion of the imam's prerogative, embarking on a program that used religion, specifically the command to promote virtue and prevent vice, to justify state consolidation and the establishment of national unity. The addition of the teachings of the medieval scholar and jurist Ibn Taymiyya to the Wahhabi tradition by the early 19th century further placed religion at the service of the state through its justification of jihad as holy war against those deemed to be state opponents or those failing to live according to the Wahhabi interpretation of Islam.

Defined by its emphasis on tawhid, which does not permit association of anyone or anything with God (shirk), Wahhabis across history have confronted and sometimes engaged in conflict with other sects or trends in Islamic thought considered to be engaged in associationism, most notably Shi'is and Sufis, through accusations of their being unbelievers (takfir). This takfiri ideology was developed into a jihadist trend by certain extremists in the 20th century, purportedly justifying jihad as holy war against any individual or state accused of failure to abide by their interpretation of Islam.

[Page 1370]Particularly since 9/11, the Saudi religious establishment and independent shaykhs have emphasized the differences between jihadist trends and the Wahhabi tradition, sometimes referred to as Salafi. Alongside those who seek to maintain the religious status quo, there are a plurality of voices calling for greater empowerment for religious scholars outside the religious establishment (notably the Sahwis) and for reinterpretation and reform of Islamic thought and practice within the kingdom, including by encouraging interfaith dialogue, cooperation, and coexistence.

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