Review of Wahhabi Islam (Natana DeLong-Bas)
Natana DeLong Bas’ Wahhabi Islam: From Revival and Reform to Global Jihad is not a bad book, but it is not a particularly helpful book either. One of its strong points is how adroitly DeLong-Bas eases the reader into topics. This is no small feat since the protagonist is Muhammad ibn Abdul Wahhab (d. 1792) [...]
Why Wahhabism fails in Southeast Asia
Most Indonesians- and Southeast Asians, for that matter- are not afraid to identify the threat that confronts them. I am speaking, more specifically, about the source of extremist behavior within their societies. In the west, Wahhabism is often seen as a devious concoction by so-called Western Islamaphobes. A lot of Muslims believe that. In numerous [...]
Sunni concerns over rising Shi’i influence
MEMRI: Saudi-Jordanian Summit Discusses Iranian Influence In Region
During their meeting in Riyadh, Saudi King Abdallah bin Abd Al-’Aziz and Jordan’s King Abdullah II discussed advancing Arab cooperation in order to deal with “the external dangers.”
Wahhabi enforcers sacked
Major reshuffle in Saudi Arabia
King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has sacked two powerful religious officials in a wide ranging shake-up of the cabinet and other government posts.
One of the dismissed men was the head of the controversial religious police force. The other was the country’s most senior judge.
We can only hope that more of this [...]
Dancing in Saudi Arabia- Sheikh Obaikan’s view
Saudi sheikh in wedding dance row A prominent Saudi cleric (al-Obaikan) has publicly criticised religious hardliners after it was suggested he behaved improperly when he danced at a wedding. … The Sheikh confirmed to an Arabic newspaper that he did take part in the dance but quoted many stories of the Prophet’s life to argue that there was [...]
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