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Wahhabism is a form of Islam founded by Muhammad ibn Abd al Wahhab (1703 - 1792). It is a fundamentalist movement of the Sunni form of Islam and has become an object of surging interest because it is the major sect of the government and society of oil-rich Saudi Arabia, and claimed to be the sect of Saudi Arabian-raised Osama bin-Laden.
Tenets of Wahhabism
Wahhabism's basic text is the Kitab at-tawhid (Arabic, "Book of Unity"). Members of this form of Islam call themselves muwahhidun (the 'united'), some of them also refer to themselves as the salafi (the 'pious'); Non-Muslims, and many non-Wahhabi Muslims refer to followers of the sect as Wahhabis (after its founder). Some Wahhabis claim that the label "Wahhabi" is blasphemous and offensive, as it assigns one of the 99 names of Allah to a group of people.
Wahhabism claims to restore Islam from what its adherents view as innovations, deviances, heresies and idolatries. In its founder's view, by following his theology and practice, a Muslim would return to the original form of Islamic faith that Allah originally had intended all of mankind to follow.
Adherents insist on a literal interpretation of the Qu'ran, not unlike many Christian fundamentalists' approach to interpreting the Bible, and a doctrine of predestination that is no stricter than traditional Calvinism. The aim of Wahhabism, to give it its common designation, is the purification of Islam of accumulated practices perceived by the sect as counter to the strictest interpretation of the Qu'ran and the law of Shariah, which derives its authority from the Qu'ran alone.
Wahhabi teachings are strict, often referred to with reservations as 'puritannical'. They are partly based on the 14th century Muslim theologian, scholar and jurist. Ibn Taymiyya (1263 – 1328), and the Islamic Shariah espoused by them is based on the rulings of the Hanbali school of law, the strictest of the four schools generally recognised by Sunni Muslims.
Closely related to the Wahhabi movement is the Deobandi movement originating from pakistan, they however follow the rulings of the Hanafi school of law in matters of Shariah. Osama bin Laden, a Wahhabi, was long protected by the Taliban, a Deobandi movement.
Wahhabism is the official practice of Islam in Saudi Arabia. Wahhabis consider Wahhabism to be the true form of Islam. They do not regard Shi'as as true Muslims, and are particularly hostile to Sufism: indeed Wahhabis condemns as illegal and un-Islamic the practice of invoking any prophet, saint, or angel in a prayer, and of venerating or visiting tombs of holy men. They are less open to non-Muslim religions than other branches. Wahhabism has sought to completely dominate traditional Sunni Islam.
It is sometimes claimed by other Sunnis that Wahhabis are not really Sunnis because their literalistic aqidah allegedly contains elements of anthropomorphism.
The Muslim Brotherhood, an Egyptian Islamist organization, received financial support from the Saudis in the 1950s, in order to act as a counterweight to the secular Arab nationalism of Egypt's leader Abdul Nasser.
Currently, Wahhabis claim that many Muslim Brotherhood scholars are corrupted by innovations. The Muslim Brothers Sayyed Qutb, and Yusuf al-Qaradawi are all condemned by the Wahhabi movement. Wahhabis claim that Osama bin Laden is not a Wahabi, but a Qutbee (follower of Sayyed Qutb).
Osama bin Laden himself has said of Wahhabi scholars "An idol to be worshipped aside from God."
Most Wahabis ban pictures, photographs, musical instruments, singing, video, suicide bombings, and celebrating Prophet Muhammed's birthday, amoung many other things.
Many contend that Wahhabism is or has become a dominant form of Islam through proselytization driven by Saudi funding; others contend that its influence is less widespread and that the practice and observance of Wahhabism and the political manifestations that flow therefrom are more nuanced than its most doctrinaire interpretations.
The spread of Wahhabism has also reached the Balkans and the Caucasus. Wahhabist efforts have been directed especially towards groups of Muslims who feel threatened by groups of non-Muslims (Yugoslav Muslims, Chechnyans, Palestinians). Wahhabi influence can be found in the Russian republic of Chechnya.
There have been many attempts to spread Wahhabism among the Muslims in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro (esp. Kosovo) and FYR Macedonia, but the majority still continue to follow their own traditions.
See also Totalitarian religious group.
Early history of Wahhabism
( NPOV text needed) Modern spread of Wahhabism
In 1924 the Wahhabist al-Saud dynasty conquered the holy cities of Makkah and Medina, creating the Saudi state. The spread of Wahhabi Islam has been facilitated by Saudi oil revenues; Saudi laypeople, government officials and clerics have donated many tens of millions of dollars to create Wahhabi-oriented religious schools, newspapers and outreach organizations.External links
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