Is Wahhabism a distinct religious sect or a misunderstood label for Islamic reform?
In short: Often branded as a source of global extremism, the term Wahhabism is rejected by its own adherents. They prefer to be called Muwahhidun or Salafi, viewing their movement as a return to pure monotheism. Discover the complex history of this 18th-century reform movement and its shifting relationship with the Saudi state.
Founded in the 18th century by the Hanbali scholar Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab, the movement emerged in the central Arabian region of Najd. Its core mission was the restoration of pure monotheistic worship by denouncing practices deemed polytheistic, such as the veneration of saints and pilgrimages to shrines. Ibn Abd al-Wahhab, heavily influenced by the medieval scholar Ibn Taymiyya, advocated for a return to the practices of the first three generations of Muslims, or salaf, while rejecting later innovations known as bid'a.
The movement’s political trajectory was cemented in 1744 through a historic pact between Ibn Abd al-Wahhab and the local leader Muhammad bin Saud. This alliance provided the religious movement with political and military protection, fueling the expansion of the Saudi state across the Arabian Peninsula. For over two centuries, these teachings served as the official creed of the Saudi state, though the term 'Wahhabi' itself was an exonym, likely coined by the founder's brother, Sulayman ibn Abd al-Wahhab, to criticize the movement.
In recent years, Saudi Arabia has undergone a significant shift. Since 2017, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has implemented policies that have curtailed the influence of the religious establishment, leading to what some observers call a 'post-Wahhabi era.' The state has increasingly emphasized a nationalist narrative, exemplified by the 2022 commemoration of the 1727 founding of the Saudi state, which effectively de-emphasized the 1744 pact. Today, the label remains a subject of intense debate, with critics often using it as a blanket term for various forms of Islamic conservatism, while supporters maintain that their practices are indistinguishable from the foundational tenets of Sunni Islam.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Wahhabism
- Also: Wahhabi | Beliefs, Movement, & History | Britannica
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