Center for Democracy and Human Rights in Saudi Arabia, CDHR, Washington DC

September 12, 2014

Commentaries and Analysis

Islamic State and Wahhabism, Impact of Regime’s Policy on Society, Including Royals

IS: Deviants or an Extension of Wahhabism?

CDHR’s Commentary: Like the Saudi system's operators, the newly established Jihadi state’s tyrants interpret and use the Quran and the Shariah as a lethal tool to justify their beheading spree, destruction of shrines and sanctuaries they consider un-Islamic (according to their interpretation) and to reduce their opponents to subhuman levels. Instilling fear of religious and political authorities in peoples’ hearts and minds as the best means of control is not new to Islamic movements, such as Salafi Wahhabism.

It’s paradoxical that the Saudi religious and political rulers decry the barbarity of the IS terrorists at a time when they themselves  beheaded 17 people  in a two week period in Saudi Arabia. Don’t the Saudi autocrats understand that their actions not only send a green light to those who are in the business of killing, but render the Saudi Salafi practitioners scorned hypocrites in the eyes of their people and other Muslims and non-Muslims? IS and other homicidal groups use Saudi Arabia as a role model to justify their savagery. After all, Saudi Arabia is the birth place of Islam, home to its holiest shrines and is ruled by self-proclaimed (“Custodians of the Holy Mosques”) leaders of the Muslim World.

It’s being argued that the homicidal operatives of the newly established Islamic State, IS, are an extension of the 18^th century’s Saudi/Wahhabi religious and ethnic cleansing movement. Both claim that they are following in the 6^th century “Dark Age” footsteps of Prophet Mohammed, “purifying” people by converting them to Salafi (original) Islam and eliminating those who refuse. Given this history, how do those (Muslims and some non-Muslims) who continue to insist that Islam is a non-violent religion explain IS’s actions-the rampant enslavement and rape of mostly non-Muslim women and burying their husbands and sons alive-to those who argue that Islam has been a repressive and violent religion from its inception?

Additionally, critics, including increasing numbers of Muslims, argue that Muslims’ actions, as exemplified by the current butchery in Arab countries, continue to prove that Islam is inherently incompatible with peaceful co-existence, freedom of expression, respect for human rights and for the individual’s right to choose.

It’s deceitfully ironic that some of the most outspoken critics of IS are the Saudi Mufti, the highest religious authority and King Abdullah. The Saudi Mufti declared recently that the IS is Islam’s ‘enemy number one,’ when in reality IS’s policies and practices are identical to those of the Wahhabi movement whose philosophy forms the basis of the Saudi state.  It is no secret that intolerance of religious, social and political differences is part of Saudi schools’ curricula, mosques’ sermons and state policy. Like the Wahhabis who swept to power on a tide of violence in the 18^th, 19^th and 20^th centuries, IS is using cruel methods to achieve the same objec tives. The differences between the IS’s practices and the Saudi/Wahhabi movement are only in degree, not in substance. The current Saudi system still uses some of the methods for which they condemn IS: beheadings, flogging, child marriages, marginalization of women, the male guardian and four wives systems, intolerance of non-Muslims and their beliefs as well as severe discrimination against religious minorities.

Now that the Saudi oligarchs and their zealot clerics feel threatened by the IS, King Abdullah has appealed to the West to destroy the Muslim “Jihadis” because, according to him, harming the West is next on the terrorists’ list of things to do. Appealing to the West to invade and kill Muslims (terrorists or not) stands in stark contrast to the Saudis’ habitual scornful refrain accusing the West of invading Muslim lands and killing their inhabitants. It looks like the Saudi regime has concluded that its absolute rule is endangered by no one other than Salafi Muslims, many of whom share the Saudis’ unbending doctrine, Wahhabism. Not only does IS share the Saudi philosophy, but many of its members were armed and financed by Saudis and sent to destabilize other regimes and societies that the regime deems unfriendly or a potential threat to its security and hegemony.

Mirroring their pleas to the West to “cut the head of the snake” (Iran), the Saudi King, his Mufti and a throng of royals and their lobbyists are appealing to the West to eradicate Jihadis, the IS and the likes. The Saudis foster protégés who turn against them with a vengeance, such as Al-Qaeda, the Muslim Brotherhood and now the formidable and lethal IS. The latter may prove the biggest challenge to the Saudi royals not only physically, but strategically and religiously.

One might ask why the absolute Saudi ruling princes are appealing to the West to save them from dangers that they helped create. This is because the Saudis do not want to risk getting involved in a situation that could mobilize more challengers who harbor tremendous loathing for the Saudi ideology and interference in their affairs. Furthermore, the Saudis have become accustomed to the West’s defending them against external and internal threats because the West myopically believed that the Saudi rulers represented their best interests in the Middle East.

However recent events, starting with the 9/11 attack on the US by mostly Saudi nationals, proved that the Saudi dogma has not only created an environment hostile to peaceful coexistence in Arab and Muslim societies, but poses a dire threat to Western democratic values and way of life. Additionally, the West has become more informed that Islam is a value system which controls every aspect of its adherents’ lives, perceptions and actions, as opposed to a benign non-Muslim voluntary belief system which affects only peoples’ spirituality.

Despite the West’s increased awareness of Islam, its restrictive nature and its incompatibility with democratic values, Western governments continue to employ a diplomatic approach of compromise and appeasement toward Arab and other Muslim regimes. However, the repeated failures of this approach, which is interpreted as weakness by Arab regimes and extremists alike, have forced Western governments to use military might to defend their societies and values against increasing threats currently posed by rising Sunni Arab radicals and their sympathizers. The use of brute force by Western governments may deal an immediate blow to terrorists like IS, but unless the root causes of Muslim terrorism are eradicated, military action will only address the symptoms. This strategy will allow lethal ideologues to revive their movements and continue their quest for the destruction of Western civilization. The root causes of Muslim Arab (and other Musllims’) violence and intole rance lie in their religious texts and in the manner that ruling autocracies use religion to suppress their populations and   to perpetuate their absolute regimes.

Confronting and defeating lethal Arab ideologues, their breeders and financiers is not only in the West’s best interests, but more so in the best interest of the Arab people, especially the aspiring youth population, women, Christians, Muslim minorities and the rising numbers of liberal leaning groups.

However, without the Arab people’s understanding of the depth and consequences of Islamists’ neo-fascism and without their support for the West’s military campaign against the revival of lethal religious totalitarianism, the latter will not be defeated soon because its root causes remain intact. The Arab people have a gargantuan stake in defeating the IS and the likes. Not only are they its primary targets, but they will pay the price if the international community determines that only major military campaigns against Arabs and other Muslims will defeat Muslim terror groups.

“Grand Mufti Laments: Saudis Kill Each Other in Wars Abroad”

CDHR’s Commentary: The Saudi Mufti, Abdul Aziz Al-Alsheikh, laments the sale of young Saudis to terrorist groups. The top cleric is quoted saying that ‘These men are taken to market places and sold to these groups {terrorists} like slaves.’ He is right in saying that young Saudis who roam the world looking for homicidal employment is tragic, but what’s more tragic are the reasons that make terrorism a tempting career for many Saudi youth. Religious indoctrination in schools and mosques which the Mufti and his zealot religious establishment control is mostly responsible for turning increasing number of innocent Saudi youth into cold-blooded killers.

From childhood until death, Saudis, men and women, are constantly reminded of Islam’s supremacy and hate for non-Muslims and for Muslims of other brands and sects of Islam. The Mufti attributed young Saudis’ attraction to death and destruction to their concern for Muslims’ sufferings worldwide. ‘We are all upset about the plight of Muslims around the world, but this should never lead us to joining the wrong forces.’ The Mufti called on Saudi ‘…scholars, preachers and judges to help…’ dissuading Saudi youth from joining terror groups. This is hypocritical at best.

The question the Mufti should be asked is: Aren’t the entities he is calling on to discourage Saudi youth from embracing terrorism the same groups in charge of the institutions that indoctrinate young Saudis into believing that Islam is under attack and it’s the duty of every Muslim to defend their faith? Not only that, but the Mufti and other top Saudi officials and clerics continue not only to insist that Islam is the religion of peace, justice and tolerance of differences, but is the only religion that can save humans from continuing to stray into darkness. The Mufti does not seem to understand that most Muslims and non-Muslims can read and see the gross contradictions between what he says and Muslims’ brutality against each other and against religious minorities. They quote the Quran, Shariah and Hadith to justify their cruel and inhumane actions.

It is admirable of the Mufti to condemn those who commit heinous crimes against innocent people, but how do the actions of those he condemns differ from what he and likeminded Saudi clerics had exhorted them to do? He has publicly advocated destruction of Christian sanctuaries, as well as those of Muslim  minorities, such as Shi’a, Ahmadis and others. Isn’t this what the Jihadis (ISIS) are doing in Syria and Iraq and threatening to spread to Saudi Arabia and annihilating his powerbase?

One Lucky Prince

CDHR’s Commentary: A prominent “Saudi Prince Abdul Aziz Bin Fahd fell victim to a spectacular armed raid in Paris, losing 250,000 euros ($335,000) in the process.” Given his royal position and wealth, it’s hard to believe that the Saudi prince was not kidnapped and only robbed of small pocket change, by Saudi royal standards. Given what seemed to be an “inside job” regarding the Prince’s movement and well-executed interception of his heavily armed convoy, Prince Abdul Aziz is lucky to be alive. The Prince could also been held hostage for millions/billions of dollars and/or political payback by a group of his family’s many enemies in and out of the country.

Regardless of the motives behind the attack and irrespective of how and who brazenly intercepted and commandeered Prince Abdul Aziz’s heavily armed convoy, this intrepid ambush of a powerful and high priced member of the large Saudi ruling tribe may have brought an end to the Saudi royals’ relatively free movement in and outside of their increasingly isolated, threatened and unstable kingdom. For the Saudi men and women royals, this event must be daunting given their frequent and lavish global travels on their gold-plated jets, yachts and luxuriously fitted motor vehicles.

Prince Abdul Aziz is the youngest and reportedly the favorite son of his late multibillionaire father, King Fahd. Because of this royal association, he too is a multibillionaire  and was awarded undeserved and unearned official positions. He was appointed minister of state and a member of the royal cabinet (or cabinet of ministers) at an early age before he was demoted by his uncle, King Abdullah in 2014. Like his father and many of the large ruling family, Prince Aziz is well-known for his lavish spending of appropriated public revenues on his extravagant lifestyle and “… globetrotting playboy reputation.”

Prince Abdul Aziz’s ambush and loss of token money is a royal first, but will more likely be followed by more attacks on royals, not only by money seeking thugs (if that were the reason he was ambushed), but by one of the many anti-royal groups, including millions of disenfranchised Saudi citizens who have given up hope for peaceful political reforms and social justice. Future attacks and kidnappings may involve more prominent and well-placed members of the thousands of the Saudi princes and princesses.

One would think that the Saudi rulers would re-evaluate their outdated methods of ruling and precarious position domestically, regionally and globally and embark on radical political, social, economic and religious reforms that will give the majority of their disenfranchised, increasingly restless population a stake in the State and the system, which will make them less susceptible to anti-royal movements. Instead, despite the regime’s unpopularity at home, multiple threats and declining influence in the region and around the world, the Saudi ruling family is intensifying its repressive policies and wasting of public wealth to secure its absolute rule and to tighten its grip on power.

Global Resentment Toward Saudis

CDHR’s Commentary: The Saudi regime and its heavy-handed religious establishment ought to take the global (Muslims and non-Muslims) resentment seriously and transform their dysfunctional system before it’s too late, if it’s not already. The overwhelming majority of Muslims, especially women, religious minorities and the unprecedented burgeoning social media users, are realizing the damage that the Saudi brand of Islam, Wahhabism, is doing and has done to their societies. Saudi Arabia is more isolated, threatened and loathed today than at any time in its history. The regime is totally responsible for this bleak reality. The Saudi/Wahhabi absolute clans thought that by terrorizing and marginalizing their citizens and by buying foreign protection they could secure their positions forever (domestically and globally) even though all indications are that the opposite is true.

Your contributions to CDHR’s efforts to address tough issues, invoke thought-provoking discourse and suggest peaceful solutions are crucial. We need to continue our educational outreach worldwide. CDHR is a 501 (c) 3 tax exempt educational organization.

Please go to our website www.cdhr.info and click on donate.

Or send checks to this address:

Center for Democracy and Human Rights in Saudi Arabia, CDHR

1050 17 St. NW, Suite 1000

Washington, DC 20036