The Mission and the Kingdom : Wahhabi Power Behind the Saudi Throne

The history of the Wahhabis' close, loyal alliance with the ancestors of the present Saudi royal family has been recounted in fascinating and persuasive detail by David Commins. His conclusion is no less startling than it is important, that Wahhabi hegemony over regional religious culture is in jeopardy; its credibility debased, possibly no longer able to buttress the Saudi dynasty's legitimacy. Whatever their future, the story of the Wahhabis has been told with authority and clarity by Commins in this absorbing book.' ## David Waines, Professor of Islamic Studies, Lancaster University 'David Commins' careful, comprehensive and erudite account of Wahhabism in Saudi Arabia could not have come at a more opportune time. After so many tendentious and uninformed treatments of the subject in recent years, it is a pleasure to read a real historian's account, based upon original Arabic sources. Everyone involved in the public debate about Saudi Arabia's role in the Muslim world should read this book.' ## F. Gregory Gause, University of Vermont 'David Commins' work makes major contributions toward understanding the historical development of Wahhabism, particularly in the nineteenth century. His analysis of nineteenth-century Wahhabi thought demonstrates the interplay between religion and politics during this critical time, setting the stage for the twentieth-century founding of the contemporary Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.' "In the wake of September 11th instant theories have emerged that try to root Osama Bin Laden's attacks on Wahhabism. Muslim critics have dismissed this conservative interpretation of Islam that is the official creed of Saudi Arabia as an unorthodox innovation that manipulated a suggestible people to gain political influence. David Commins' book questions this assumption. He examines the debate on the nature of Wahhabism, and offers original findings on its ascendance in Saudi Arabia and spread throughout other parts of the Muslim world such as Afghanistan and Pakistan. He also assesses the challenge that radical militants within Saudi Arabia pose to the region, and draws conclusions which will concern all those who follow events in the Kingdom. The Wahhabi Mission and Saudi Arabia is essential reading for anyone interested in the Middle East and Islamic radicalism today."--Bloomsbury Publishing Cover Title Copyright Dedication Contents List of Illustrations Preface to the new edition Preface to the paperback edition Preface Acknowledgements Map of Arabia Introduction 1. Islam Began as a Stranger and Will Return as a Stranger 2. Holding Fast Against Idolatry 3. Abd al-Aziz ibn Saud and the Taming of Wahhabi Zeal 4. Wahhabism in a Modern State 5. The Wahhabi Mission and Islamic Revivalism 6. Challenges to Wahhabi Hegemony Conclusion Al al-Sheikh Chronology Glossary Notes Bibliography Index