Canadians for Justice and Peace in the Middle East (CJPME) published on August 26, 2016 an article entitled “Saudi Arabia and Wahhabism”.
According to CJPME, “This factsheet explores the origins of Wahhabism in the Arabian Penninsula and how it rose to political prominence in Saudi Arabia. The factsheet also explores how the state of Saudi Arabia promotes Wahhabi ideology, and how Wahhabism influences extremist movements around the world.”
Here are excerpts from CJPME’s article (CJPME Factsheet 201):
Wahhabism is a radical, exclusionist form of puritan Islam that emerged in mid-18th century central Arabia… Wahhabism revolves around an unchanging doctrine of tawheed, which translates as the “oneness/unity of God” as the sole creator of the universe and object of worship. Any violation of tawheed is viewed as polytheism or idolatry that deserves to be punished by death…
There is no direct political or religious link between Wahhabism and other extremist Muslim movements. Nevertheless, the movements are driven by similar inspiration, ideologies and practices…
There are many ideological similarities between Wahhabism and extremist groups such as ISIS…
Today, Wahhabism in Saudi Arabia is far from a revolutionary jihadist movement. While the radical doctrine is still deeply embedded in the core of the Saudi state, today Wahhabism is practiced as a puritanical theology used to perpetuate an institution that is now loyal to the house of Sa’ud and the King’s absolute power…
ISIS and similar groups, on the other hand, should be viewed as a re-assertion of traditional Wahhabi teachings, combined with anger toward Western interventionist policies in the Middle East…
While the Canadian government would prefer to view Saudi Arabia as a bulwark of stability in an ever-changing region, it ignores the ideological and financial connection between Saudi Arabia and jihadist militant groups. Canada chooses to view Saudi Arabia solely as a wealthy, stable ally that exercises significant regional influence…
The Canadian government should note that rather than protecting the rights of all Saudis through a constitution, the Saudi legal system is the Qur’an.
Canada should also be reminded that in 2009, Saudi Arabia’s highest religious authority declared all Shias as apostates, and Freedom House’s 2016 report declared Saudi Arabia one of the five “worst of the worst” human rights abusers. As such, Canadian leaders would be well advised to reconsider the true nature of Canada’s relationship with this religiously conservative, authoritarian monarchy.