Religion and Politics in Saudi Arabia: Wahhabism and the State

Ayoob (international relations, Michigan State U.) and Kosebalaban (political science, Lake Forest College) and 10 contributors take issue with what appears to be a commonly-held belief that Wahhabism was the determining factor in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack and other acts of terrorist violence. Wahhabism, an extremely conservative version of Sunni Islam, promotes literal adherence to the Koran. The premise of this well-written and well-researched study contends that Wahhabism may have been a determining factor, but was certainly not the only nor even the primary determining factor. Topics include Wahhabism as a political movement and political ideology, Wahhabism and the contemporary Saudi state, religious revivalism and its challenge to the Saudi regime, and the impact of Wahhabi tradition.