Connection with the outside Wahhabism

the kingdom of saudi arabia after unification in 1932

in bid join muslim mainstream , erase reputation of extreme sectarianism associated ikhwan, in 1926 ibn saud convened muslim congress of representatives of muslim governments , popular associations. 1950s, pressures on ibn saud of controlling regions of hejaz , al-hasa – outside wahhabi heartland – , of navigating currents of regional politics punctured seal between wahhabi heartland , land of idolatry outside.

a major current in regional politics @ time secular nationalism, which, gamal abdul nasser, sweeping arab world. combat it, wahhabi missionary outreach worked closely saudi foreign policy initiatives. in may 1962, conference in mecca organized saudis discussed ways combat secularism , socialism. in wake, world muslim league established. propagate islam , repel inimical trends , dogmas , league opened branch offices around globe. developed closer association between wahhabis , leading salafis, , made common cause islamic revivalist muslim brotherhood, ahl-i hadith , jamaat-i islami, combating sufism , innovative popular religious practices , rejecting west , western ways deleterious of muslim piety , values. missionaries sent west africa, league funded schools, distributed religious literature, , gave scholarships attend saudi religious universities. 1 result izala society fought sufism in nigeria, chad, niger, , cameroon.

an event had great effect on wahhabism in saudi arabia infiltration of transnationalist revival movement in form of thousands of pious, islamist arab muslim brotherhood refugees egypt following nasser s clampdown on brotherhood (and similar nationalist clampdowns in iraq , syria), staff new school system of (largely illiterate) kingdom.

the brotherhood s islamist ideology differed more conservative wahhabism preached loyal obedience king. brotherhood dealt in 1 author (robert lacey) called change-promoting concepts social justice , anticolonialism, , gave radical, still apparently safe, religious twist wahhabi values saudi students had absorbed in childhood . brotherhood s hands-on, radical islam , jihad became practical possibility today , not part of history.

the brethren ordered saudi clergy , government not attempt proselytize or otherwise involved in religious doctrinal matters within kingdom, nonetheless took control of saudi arabia s intellectual life publishing books , participating in discussion circles , salons held princes. in time took leading roles in key governmental ministries, , had influence on education curriculum. islamic university in medina created in 1961 train – non-saudi – proselytizers wahhabism became haven muslim brother refugees egypt. brothers ideas spread throughout kingdom , had great effect on wahhabism – although observers differ whether undermining it

or blending it.