Force and Fanaticism: Wahhabism in Saudi Arabia and Beyond

by Simon Ross Valentine

Wahhabism is an Islamic reform movement found mainly in Saudi Arabia. Closely linked to the Saudi monarchy, it enforces a strict code of morality and conduct monitored by mutawa (religious police), and governs every facet of Saudi life according to its own strict interpretation of Shariah, including gender segregation. Wahhabism also prohibits the practice of any other faith (even other forms of Islam) in Saudi Arabia, which is also the only country that forbids women from driving.
But what exactly is Wahhabism? This question had long occupied Valentine, so he lived in the Kingdom for three years, familiarizing himself with its distinct interpretation of Islam. His book defines Wahhabism and Wahhabi beliefs and considers the life and teaching of Muham-mad ibn Abd'al Wahhab and the later expansion of his sect. Also discussed are the rejection of later developments in Islam such as bid'ah; harmful innovations, among them celebrating the prophet's birthday and visiting the tombs of saints; the destruction of holy sites due to the fear of idolatry; Wahhabi law, which imposes the death sentence for crimes as archaic as witch- craft and sorcery, and the connection of Wahhabism with militant Islam globally.
Drawing on interviews with Saudis from all walks of life, including members of the feared mutawa, this book appraises of one of the most significant movements in contemporary Islam.

Genres: Religion, Nonfiction

256 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2015

Reviews

[Abdullah Alrebh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ziauddin Sardar provides a brief foreword introducing the author Simon Ross Valentine and his experience in Saudi Arabia, highlighting somehistorical points of the Arabian monarchy. The author provides a useful glossary of the most important Arabic terms used in this book. Followingthat, the author introduces his book with a highly negative section about Wahhabism as fanatic intolerant sect. Valentine justifies this attitude byreporting that all what he found about Wahhabism in the literature he is aware off before visiting Saudi Arabia. He describes Wahhabism as"extreme, intolerant, ..., very strict, literal interpretation of Islam" (p. 3) which will give the audience a very negative attitude before even startingthe book., He reports that he could not find any positive things written about Wahhabism by non-Wahhabis. The next part of the introductiondescribes Valentine's personal experiences in Saudi Arabia. Generally, the book provides a mixture of an auto-ethnography and literature written about KSA. Valentine uses his personal observations of different parts of Saudi Arabia to bring his audience the most recent aspects of Saudi daily life (the study claims to cover up to 2013). On one hand,it is an in-depth analysis of the political and social concepts of the kingdom, providing a fair background for those studying the Monarchical Sunni-Islamic theocracy. On the other hand, the author could not escape his negative attitude toward Wahhabism. As he uses the term "fanaticism" in the title, the book represents a negative view of theocracy in the Middle East. The auto-ethnographic part of the book, where the author brings theactual life of Saudis is the most important addition of this book.

[Mai Abdulwahab]

Doesn’t deserve any star shallow book nothing new !