Saudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia

And Muslim RadicalismAnd Muslim Radicalism

NajdNajd

Ibn Abd al-WahhabIbn Abd al-Wahhab

Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhab Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhab (1703-1787)(1703-1787) Discouraged tribal nature worship in Discouraged tribal nature worship in

NajdNajd No intercessionNo intercession No minaretsNo minarets No “innovations”No “innovations”

Group CoercionGroup Coercion

Male attendance at public prayers Male attendance at public prayers obligatoryobligatory

Beard may not be shavedBeard may not be shaved

Strict moral behaviorStrict moral behavior

Saudi AllianceSaudi Alliance

Ibn Abdul Wahhab studies in Iraq, Ibn Abdul Wahhab studies in Iraq, IranIran

Returns to Dar`iyah, NajdReturns to Dar`iyah, Najd

Authors Authors The Book of MonotheismThe Book of Monotheism

Takes refuge with Muhammad Ibn Takes refuge with Muhammad Ibn Saud (d. 1765)Saud (d. 1765)

BargainBargain

Agreement that Ibn Abdul Wahhab Agreement that Ibn Abdul Wahhab would be spiritual leaderwould be spiritual leader

Saudi family would be temporal Saudi family would be temporal rulersrulers

Sack of KarbalaSack of Karbala

1801 Wahhabi tribes invade 1801 Wahhabi tribes invade Ottoman IraqOttoman Iraq

Sack Shiite holy city of KarbalaSack Shiite holy city of Karbala LootLoot Consider Shiites idolatorsConsider Shiites idolators

2020thth Century Century

Saudi state in Najd Saudi state in Najd 1902-19321902-1932 Under Ibn Saud Under Ibn Saud ““Third Saudi State”Third Saudi State” Takes al-Hasa 1913Takes al-Hasa 1913 Takes Hijaz 1924Takes Hijaz 1924

IkhwanIkhwan

Ibn Saud establishesIbn Saud establishes Rural agricultural cooperativesRural agricultural cooperatives

Called “Brethren” or IkhwanCalled “Brethren” or Ikhwan Strict WahhabisStrict Wahhabis Tribal (bedouin), ruralTribal (bedouin), rural

Conflict with IkhwanConflict with Ikhwan

Ibn Saud makes treaties with BritishIbn Saud makes treaties with British

Accepts Hashimite Jordan & IraqAccepts Hashimite Jordan & Iraq

Ikhwan object, want conquestIkhwan object, want conquest

Are anti-ChristianAre anti-Christian

Ikhwan Revolt 1928-1930Ikhwan Revolt 1928-1930

Ikhwan rebelIkhwan rebel Protest taxesProtest taxes Protest ties to Christian PowerProtest ties to Christian Power Reject radioReject radio

Civil WarCivil War

Ikhwan DefeatedIkhwan Defeated

Ikhwan defeated 1930Ikhwan defeated 1930

Ibn Saud is helped by Saudi clerics Ibn Saud is helped by Saudi clerics (urban)(urban)

Supported by townspeopleSupported by townspeople

Basis of state now increasingly urbanBasis of state now increasingly urban

1932 Unification1932 Unification

Najd and Hijaz unitedNajd and Hijaz united

Into Kingdom of Saudi ArabiaInto Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Marks beginning of new stateMarks beginning of new state

No constitution – Islamic law is law No constitution – Islamic law is law of the landof the land

Relations with USRelations with US Discovery of Discovery of

petroleum in al-Hasa petroleum in al-Hasa in 1930sin 1930s

Leads to US interestLeads to US interest

1945 Ibn Saud 1945 Ibn Saud declares war on Nazi declares war on Nazi GermanyGermany

Joins United Nations, Joins United Nations, Arab LeagueArab League

PetroleumPetroleum Oil begins being Oil begins being

pumped 1941pumped 1941

Developed by Arabian Developed by Arabian American Oil Co. American Oil Co. (ARAMCO)(ARAMCO)

1950 deal by US gave 1950 deal by US gave Saudi Arabia 50% of oil Saudi Arabia 50% of oil profitsprofits

Rapid social, cultural Rapid social, cultural changechange

UrbanizationUrbanization

King Saud (r. King Saud (r. 1953-1964)1953-1964) Had ties to rural Had ties to rural

eliteelite urbanization of urbanization of

Riyad, JiddaRiyad, Jidda Made him Made him

irrelevantirrelevant Deposed 1964 by Deposed 1964 by

brother Faisalbrother Faisal With help of With help of

Wahhabi clergyWahhabi clergy

FaisalFaisal King Faisal (r. King Faisal (r.

1964-1975)1964-1975) Developed modern Developed modern

bureaucracybureaucracy Expanded educationExpanded education Fought Egypt in Fought Egypt in

Yemen 1960sYemen 1960s but allied with but allied with

Sadat in 1970sSadat in 1970s Assassinated 1975Assassinated 1975

assassin opposed assassin opposed introduction of introduction of televisiontelevision

Faisal’s Foreign PolicyFaisal’s Foreign Policy

Faisal opposed Soviet UnionFaisal opposed Soviet Union Also declared “holy war” on Israel in Also declared “holy war” on Israel in

19691969 ““The affair of Israel and usurped The affair of Israel and usurped

Palestine is neither political nor Palestine is neither political nor economic. It is an affair putting in economic. It is an affair putting in question the basics of Islam.”question the basics of Islam.” Mixed feelings of Saudis about PalestiniansMixed feelings of Saudis about Palestinians

Helped bring Egypt out of Soviet sphereHelped bring Egypt out of Soviet sphere

Oil NationalizationOil Nationalization

Organization of Petroleum Exporting Organization of Petroleum Exporting States founded 1960States founded 1960

Oil boycott during 1973 warOil boycott during 1973 war

Saudi Arabia begins gaining control of Saudi Arabia begins gaining control of own oil industry 1973own oil industry 1973

Oil boom of 1970s – price quadruplesOil boom of 1970s – price quadruples

Morals PoliceMorals Police

Organization for Enforcing Good and Organization for Enforcing Good and Forbidding EvilForbidding Evil Close down businesses for prayerClose down businesses for prayer Strike idle in street to drive them to Strike idle in street to drive them to

prayer in mosquesprayer in mosques Strike drunkardsStrike drunkards Enforce veiling, no driving rule on Enforce veiling, no driving rule on

womenwomen Faisal takes away right to make arrestsFaisal takes away right to make arrests

PilgrimagePilgrimage

Number of pilgrims rises from Number of pilgrims rises from 109,000 in 1950109,000 in 1950

To 1.5 million in late 1970sTo 1.5 million in late 1970s

Monarchy takes pride in roleMonarchy takes pride in role

Crisis Year: 1979Crisis Year: 1979

Khomeini Khomeini revolution in revolution in Iran declaresIran declares Islam Islam

incompatible incompatible with monarchywith monarchy

Shiite uprisings Shiite uprisings in al-Hasain al-Hasa

1979 Mecca Uprising1979 Mecca Uprising

Great Mosque Great Mosque taken overtaken over By Muslim militantsBy Muslim militants Expected mahdi or Expected mahdi or

promised onepromised one Juhaiman al-UtaybiJuhaiman al-Utaybi Supported by guest Supported by guest

workersworkers Put downPut down

Reagan AnticommunismReagan Anticommunism

Reagan Reagan administration administration Committed to rolling Committed to rolling

back Communismback Communism Dissatisfied with Dissatisfied with

mere containmentmere containment Willing to use Willing to use

paramilitariesparamilitaries Contra death squads Contra death squads

in Central Americain Central America Mujahidin in Mujahidin in

AfghanistanAfghanistan

Reagan & SaudisReagan & Saudis

Saudis sought Saudis sought sophisticated sophisticated weaponsweapons Including AWACs Including AWACs

aerial surveillance aerial surveillance jetsjets

stingersstingers Feared being Feared being

blocked by AIPACblocked by AIPAC

Saudi Arabia takes the Saudi Arabia takes the PlungePlunge

After period of negotiationAfter period of negotiation Offered to help fund Reagan’s Offered to help fund Reagan’s

paramilitariesparamilitaries Including ContrasIncluding Contras And Afghan Mujahidin & PakistanAnd Afghan Mujahidin & Pakistan

In return for stingers, other armsIn return for stingers, other arms

Turki and UsamahTurki and Usamah

Saudi Minister of Saudi Minister of Intelligence Turki Intelligence Turki bin Faisalbin Faisal Recruits Usamah Recruits Usamah

bin Ladenbin Laden To do fundraising To do fundraising

for mujahidinfor mujahidin

Gulf WarGulf War

Saudis support US Saudis support US Offer bases to help push Saddam out Offer bases to help push Saddam out

of Kuwaitof Kuwait

Turn down offer of help from Bin Turn down offer of help from Bin Laden, Afghanistan veteransLaden, Afghanistan veterans

KhobarKhobar

1996 bombing at Khobar Towers1996 bombing at Khobar Towers

Injured 370 personsInjured 370 persons

US indicts Saudi Hizbullah and IranUS indicts Saudi Hizbullah and Iran

Subsequent questions are raised Subsequent questions are raised about al-Qaeda insteadabout al-Qaeda instead

ConclusionConclusion Saudi form of Islam distinctive, Saudi form of Islam distinctive,

restrictiverestrictive

Population relatively smallPopulation relatively small

Oil wealth makes it enormously Oil wealth makes it enormously influentialinfluential

Reagan deals begin radicalization of its Reagan deals begin radicalization of its foreign policyforeign policy