Islam in Saudi Arabia: the Homogeneous Portrayal and Heterogeneous Reality
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Liberty University School of Divinity Islam in Saudi Arabia: The Homogeneous Portrayal and Heterogeneous Reality A Thesis Submitted to The Faculty of the School of Divinity in Fulfillment for the Degree of Master of Arts in Global Studies by John Rogeberg Athens, GA April, 2017 TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................................................................... 2 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 4 1.1 Introduction To The Problem .......................................................................................................... 4 1.2 Purpose For Thesis Topic ................................................................................................................. 6 1.3 Need For Research ............................................................................................................................ 8 1.4 Literature Review ............................................................................................................................. 9 1.4.1 Wahhabi/Salafi Sources ............................................................................................................... 9 1.4.2 Non-Wahhabi/Salafi Muslim Sources ........................................................................................ 11 1.4.3 Non-Muslim Sources ................................................................................................................. 12 1.4.4 Uniqueness Of This Research .................................................................................................... 13 1.5 Questions Addressed And Limitations .......................................................................................... 15 1.6. Chapter Summaries ....................................................................................................................... 16 CHAPTER 2: THE PATH OF MUHAMMAD FROM A WAHHABI PERSPECTIVE ................... 19 2.1 Qur’an And Sunnah : Revealing Paths To Stay Within The Folds Of Islam ............................. 19 2.1.1 Tawhid , Shirk & Bid’ah ............................................................................................................. 23 2.2 The Companions Of The Prophe t .................................................................................................. 26 2.3 Ahl Sunnah Wa’l Jama’ah .............................................................................................................. 28 2.4 Schools Of Fiqh ............................................................................................................................... 31 2.5 Hanbal .............................................................................................................................................. 33 2.6 Ibn Taymiyyah ................................................................................................................................ 36 2.7 Chapter Summary .......................................................................................................................... 40 CHAPTER 3: DEVELOPMENT AND DEFINING OF WAHHABISM ......................................... 42 3.1 Muhamad Ibn Abdul Al-Wahhab- Range Of Interpretations . ....................................................... 42 3.1.1 British Creation .......................................................................................................................... 42 3.1.2 Horn Of Shaytan ........................................................................................................................ 45 3.1.3 Mujaddid .................................................................................................................................... 47 3.2 The Life Of Al-Wahhab .................................................................................................................. 48 3.3 Core Teachings Of Al-Wahhab ..................................................................................................... 51 3.4 Defining Wahhabism ...................................................................................................................... 57 3.5 Salafi ................................................................................................................................................. 62 3.5.1 Scholars ...................................................................................................................................... 65 2 3.6 Chapter Summary .......................................................................................................................... 68 CHAPTER 4: SAUDI ARABIA GOVERNMENT- ORGANIZATION AND ENFORCEMENT .... 70 4.1 Founding .......................................................................................................................................... 70 4.1.1 Law ............................................................................................................................................ 72 4.2 Religious Authority In Saudi Arabia ............................................................................................ 73 4.2.1 The Allegiance Of Wahhabis To The Royal Family .................................................................. 76 4.2.2 Al-Ash Shaykh ........................................................................................................................... 78 4.2.3 Fatwas ........................................................................................................................................ 79 4.3 What The Saudi Government Is Protecting ................................................................................. 82 4.3.1 Grave Smashing ......................................................................................................................... 83 4.3.2. CPVPV And Its Enforcement ................................................................................................... 86 4.4 Chapter Summary .......................................................................................................................... 88 CHAPTER 5: RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY IN SAUDI ARABIA .......................................................... 90 5.1 Represented By Wahhabism .......................................................................................................... 90 5.2 Folk Islam ........................................................................................................................................ 92 5.3 Specific Cases In Saudi Arabia Of Folk Islam ............................................................................. 94 5.4 Hidden World ................................................................................................................................ 100 5.4.1 Jinn ........................................................................................................................................... 100 5.4.2 Sihr ........................................................................................................................................... 106 5.5 Healing ........................................................................................................................................... 109 5.6 Chapter Summary ........................................................................................................................ 111 CONCLUSION ....................................................................................................................................... 112 BIBLIOGRAPGHY ................................................................................................................................ 116 3 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Introduction To The Problem When questioned on how to offer a proper response to someone who labels a Muslim a Wahhabi, Shaykh Abdur Raheem Green, chairman of the Islamic Education & Research Academy (IERA), states that his response is, “What is a Wahhabi?” To those who are attempting to pinpoint the label he adds: “most of the time do not know and have no idea. They have just learned this term to throw at you when they hear certain things. So, most of the time they have no idea what a Wahhabi is.” 1 Shaykh Green’s response sheds light on the reality that Wahhabi is a term loosely thrown around by most without proper knowledge and is the target of multiple, often conflicting, interpretations regarding the beliefs, practices, and affiliations of practicing Muslims. Adding to the problem of properly identifying Wahhabism is the inseparable relationship of the Saudi royal family and Wahhabi clerics’ interwoven rule in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Furthermore, Saudi Arabia portrays itself unified under the Islamic interpretation of Wahhabism. However, the recent development of new agencies, such as Anti-Witchcraft Units, within the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (CPVPV) to address prohibited behaviors, along with the rise of secularism and terrorism within the Kingdom, exhibit a country that is divided religiously from within. To illuminate the divergent spectrum of perspectives regarding life in Saudi Arabia, simultaneously the Kingdom has remained a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) under the International Religious Freedom Act for severe violations of religious freedom. 2 Yet, according to Gallup International Research polls, in 2015, Saudi 1 “If someone labels you