Author’s-Note:
Allah states, within His Noble-Book: “And, hold-on to the Rope of Allah altogether. But, do not divide/splinter-off (from) one another.”.(Noble-Qur’ān: Chpt.3, V.103)…regardless to how clear this verse from the Qur’an is, sadly, we, as Muslims (mainly stemming from our natural negative-quality of ingratitude), pathologically yearn to do the opposite of what Allah advises/commands us to do. And, here’s where we get these Sectarian-Groups, that Muslims foolishly invent, that we’re not only prohibited from inventing (Noble-Qur’ān: Chpt.6, V.159), but also are informed about Nations (specifically/especially the Children of Israel & the Jews & Christians) who came before us, who splintered themselves, by making sects between themselves & were punished/destroyed.(Noble-Qur’ān: Chpt.98, V.4 & 5) Ironically, no Sectarian-Group manifests this stubbornness & willingness to be sectarian more than the members of the Salafī-Movement, who are granted the full-support of the Saudi Kingdom, to attempt to enact religious dominance all throughout the Muslim-World, while blatantly being one of the leading causes of Sectarian-Division amongst fellow Muslims.
The Salafī-Movement is no different/better than the Catholic-Church: instead of Vatican City, they have Riyadh…instead of the College of Cardinals, they have the Permanent-Committee of Islāmic-Jurists…instead of a Pope, the reigning Monarchs of the Gulf-States (Saudi Arabia & Co.) are the Desert-Pontiffs of this “Saved-Group/Saved-Sect”. Basically, these Rulers/Royals of the sands of the Arabian-Peninsula can waste the wealth of the Believers on unnecessary-extravagance, be Substance-Abusers, Fornicators/Adulterers, Homosexuals…Pimps…Prostitutes…Drug-Dealers…Human-Traffickers, investors in interest-based Financial-Institutions, the whole nine-yards-Their names are not mentioned at all in any Scholarly works, nor on any social-media outlets, nor on Salafī (religious) internet-tabloids (Salafi Publications being the tip-of-the-spear Salafī-Tabloid). Yet, ironically, when a brother takes his wife to a damn movie, the whole Salafī-World seems to just helplessly fall face-first off of it’s Sectarian-Axis…There are so many ironically hypocritical nuanced/blatant, elements, of this, along with so many/too many other Sectarian-Groups among the Muslims.
The History of the Salafī-Movement, the Saudi-Kingdom, and how Saudi Arabia mimics the State of Israel almost identically:
The History of the Salafī-Movement-
This movement, that everyone across the Muslim-World, who adheres to it, calling it “al-Firqat-un-Nājiyah (The Saved-Group/Saved-Sect)”, “The Haqq/Truth”, “The Minhāj/Manhāj”, etc., really don’t know the True-Story behind how this movement started and/or evolved into what it has become today. Likewise, the opponents of the Salafī-Movement very unfairly attribute the founding of this movement to the wrong persons…don’t worry, I’ll explain. Now, in all fairness, most People, who know about the Salafī-Movement, either through name only, actually being Salafī, Former-Salafīs (such as myself), etc., don’t know who’s actually the brain-child of it, they don’t know the true historical-architects of this movement.
So, here we go: whenever the origins of the Salafī-Movement are spoken about, the name Muhammad ibn `Abd-il-Wahhāb always (unjustly/unfairly) pops up. Now, why do I say “unjustly/unfairly”? Because, historical-records clearly show (both religious & universal) that this man wasn’t the founder of this movement. But, I’ll get into, later, why he’s been branded falsely as the movement’s founder a lil’ later on. For now, let’s dig a lil’ deeper to the actual Founders/Influencers of it during the 1860’s, C.E.: Muhammad `Abduh, Jamāluddīn al-Afghānī, Rashīd Ridhā…3-Men, originally from Egypt, had enormous influences on the original intent of the Salafī-Movement of that time, which was a political-movement, with religious-elements: the political-elements were meant to simply dispel the growing, uncontrollable tyranny of the failing Ottoman-Empire, which was 7-Decades after the Death of Muhammad ibn `Abd-il-Wahhāb…the religious-elements were geared towards reforming the general understanding of Islāmic-Teachings based upon the example of as-Salaf/the Ancestors (the 1st 3-Generations of Muslims, following the revelation of the Qur’ān: as-Sahābah/the Companions [Muhammad] & at-Tābi`ūn/the Followers [of as-Sahābah]).(Muslim) Both Muhammad `Abduh & Rashīd Ridhā lived & were religio-socially/religio-politically active during a very hotbed period in the history of the Ottoman-Empire: this was a time that the Ottomans were showing the very first blatant signs of internal bureaucratic-decay & the Middle-East was a prize for European-Powers, ever since the Crusade-Era.(Encyclopedia Britannica) And, also, as a result of the degeneration of the Ottoman-Empire, the Arabs (mainly) started to faction-off & pick sides in what would be the precedents of long drawn-out conflicts, that would have dynamic & also disastrous results for the entire Muslim-World, more specifically the Arab-World, in the centuries, decades, to come, longer after the deaths of people like those whom I’ve mentioned.
You absolutely cannot speak about the history of Saudi Arabia, without first speaking about the leading causes for its inception. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, basically, evolved into 3-waves, the 1st 2-waves only limited Bani-Sa`ud (the ancestral clan of the current Saudi Royal-Family) to dominance over an-Najd, the central-region of the Arabian-Peninsula. Now, here’s where it gets interesting: Muhammad ibn `Abd-il-Wahhab, a native of an-Najd, who was a Muslim-Scholar, beginning his Islamic-Education very young, began to see the necessity to rid his people of the many long-practiced innovative practices which directly mimicked classic Pagan-Arab idolatry. So, of course, him being so young, so uncompromising in his convictions, he receives opposition rather swiftly, forced from his native hometown, `Uyaynah, into the interior of an-Najd, which is how he and the adherents to his religious-teachings began to be called Wahhabiyyun/Wahhabis (literally meaning: the Followers of Muhammad ibn `Abd-il-Wahhab…now, ironically, this term “Wahhabi” is made synonymous with the term “Salafi”). It is here that one of the most-important religio-political alliances ever forged in Human-History took place. Muhammad ibn-Sa`ud ibn-Muhammad ibn-Mijrin had agreed to protect Muhammad ibn `Abd-il-Wahhab, on the condition that he become the leading religious-figure of Al-is-Sa`ud/the House of Sa`ud (which of course he agreed to): here lies the pavement of the Saudi yellow-brick road, which led to the land of Sa`ud, some 2-centuries later, known forever as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia…for those who claim that Muhammad ibn `Abd-al-Wahhāb Founded the Salafi-Movement are actually, Historically-False/Dishonest. One of the Historical-Proofs that he wasn’t the Founder of the Movement is exactly what I’ve previously mentioned, concerning Muhammad `Abduh & Rashīd Ridhā. Also, there were People within the Indian-Subcontinent who were teaching the exact same things which Muhammad ibn `Abd-il-Wahhāb were & they never met one another, they are Ahmad ibn-`Abd-ir-Rahīm, better known as “Shah Waliyyullah” & Muhammad Isma`īl, better known as “Shah Isma`īl Shahīd”.(Encyclopedia Britannica)
Now, we’ll jump to about 2-centuries later: `Abd-ul-`Azīz ibn `Abd-ir-Rahmān (commonly referred to as “ibn-Sa`ūd”) of Āl-is-Sa`ūd (Family/House of Sa`ūd: later commonly known as simply the Saudi Royal-Family), one of many ancestors of the current Arab-World Monarchs, rebelled against the Ottoman-Empire, much like the rest of his Geo-Political Peers in the Region, exclusively because the Ottomans were Non-Arabs (yes: contrary to popular opinion the Rebellion of the Arabs against the Turks was exclusively racially-motivated & subsequently fueled by the support of the Allied-Powers). They felt ways about being ruled over by Non-Arabs.
Allah states: “The Arabs are closest to Disbelief&Hypocrisy.”.
(Noble-Qur’ān: Chpt.9, V.97)
Muhammad (Peace be upon them) stated: “Whomever trusts the Word of a Sorcerery, or an Astrologer, has denied whatever revealed to Muhammad.”…
…`Alī ibn-`Imrān (May Allah be pleased with them) stated: “The Astrologer is a Sorcerer & the Sorcerer is a Disbeliever.”.
(al-Kabā’ir/The Major-Sins, adh-Dhahabī)
So, with the help of the Allied-Powers, who were fighting the Central-Powers (which the Ottoman-Empire was a part of), anyway, they succeeded in destroying the last (globally) recognized Islamic ruling-body of the Muslim-World, al-Khilāfah, which has resulted in about 90% percent of all of the atrocities that have plagued the Muslim-World for the past two centuries (both the 1900’s & the 2000’s). ibn-Sa`ūd was one of (as a result of demolishing his Arab-Competition within the Arabian-Peninsula) the main boots-on-the-ground military-commanders of the entire duration of the armed-opposition against the Ottoman-Empire, in the Middle-East, which made it easier for the Allied-Powers to flank the Forces of the Ottomans, as well as further weaken the strength of the other Central-Powers, during World War I. ibn-Sa`ud was a shrewd politician, who manipulated & maneuvered people at will. One of the proofs of this is the fact that he was able to convince the members of the Religious-Wing of his Regime: Āl-ush-Shaykh/the Family/House of the Shaykh (`Ulamā’/Religious-Scholars, mainly Relatives/Descendants of Muhammad ibn `Abd-il-Wahhab from Banī-Tamīm: the most powerful Tribe within Saudi Arabia after Āl-is-Sa`ūd), to issue Fatāwā/Edicts (sing. Fatwā) against fellow Muslims in the Ottoman-Army, as well as the Muslims in the region, loyal to the Khilāfah, to justify fighting against them, killing them, in favor of supporting the agenda of the Allied-Powers, that he may acquire their support of his domain in the Arabian-Peninsula. He established a military-wing of his regime, specifically for this purpose, to decimate his political-opponents in the Arabian-Peninsula: al-Ikhwān/The Brotherhood was a desert-military, made-up of Arab-Tribesmen loyal to Al-is-Sa`ūd. Then, after the consolidation of his power in the Arabian-Peninsula was completed, he turned on his own army, raising another army to crush al-Ikhwān, because they wanted to shed more blood of fellow Muslims in the region, like in modern-day Kuwait, and because, he had decided that the fighting was over, that wasn’t good enough for them. He then sought the necessity to destroy al-Ikhwān, in order to maintain order in the Arabian-Peninsula, as to not allow al-Ikhwān to tamper with the very fragile/delicate alliances that he was able to establish with other future Arab kingdoms of the Peninsula.(Encyclopedia Britannica, War in the Desert) And, after the formation of the (official) Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Al-us-Sa`ud decided to (basically) hijacked the Salafī-Movement (they completely converted this movement, turned it inside-out, and made it something completely different from the intent of its founders & early influencers). From the founding of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia & onward, this movement changed direction in a 180-Degree Perspective: instead of the Salafī-Movement remaining a Political-Movement with Religious-Agendas, it became a Religious-Movement with Political-Agendas. The Salafī-Movement converted from having almost exclusively a Political-Identity to a Religious-Identity, that is reliant upon the Good-Favor of its political-patrons (Saudi&Co.), to continue to support this movement financially. Likewise, this movement is also the most influencial Element in maitaining the Psuedo-Legitimacy of Saudi Arabia (existing as a nation-state), religiously giving Āl-as-Sa`ūd the Religious-Greenlight to rule the Arabian-Peninsula, and (by default) be the deFacto Puppet-Masters of the other Arab-Kingdoms/Gulf-States, via immense political, military, financial, influence/dominance.
Now, the last-time that I checked, Islāmically, the killing of anyone, especially a fellow Muslim, is a serious Major-Sin; yet, ibn-Sa`ūd (like any/all Arab-Leaders of his Generation within the Arabian-Peninsula) was purely driven by al-`Asabiyyah/Xenophobia & the pursuit of absolute-power, to not only help abolish a legitimate Islāmic Ruling-Body, but, to establish a Kingdom, which isn’t even based upon any Islāmic-Precepts, because there’s no Allowances (Islāmically: relative to the Revelation given to Muhammad) for Muslims to make themselves Leaders/Rulers, based upon Man-Made Political-Concepts (like Kingdoms). And, there’s no Islāmic-Allowances for Muslims to rebel against Muslims in Power. Moreover, there’s no Islāmic-Allowances, to side politically and/or militarily with Non-Muslims, against other Muslims.(al-Kabā’ir/The Major-Sins, al-Walā’ wal-Barā’/Loyalty & Disloyalty, Nawāqidh-ul-Islām/Nullifications Of Islām) The Natural-Resources (namely Petroleum) found in the Arabian-Peninsula were later appropriated, based upon National-Boundaries carved out by Agreements between the newly-founded Arab-Kingdoms of the Persian-Gulf Region & Great Britain/America, who guaranteed to protect them militarily (so long as the Oil keeps flowing from underneath the Deserts of these Sand-States), among the future Kingdoms of this Region and became tightly controlled by the Elites of these Kingdoms (mainly the Royal-Families themselves, and those in their financial, military, political, religious, inner-circles).
There’s a KSA/Saudi-Cheerleader via Online, by the Name of Shamsi Bensafi. They’re on Video pontificating/claiming that MBS: Muhammad ibn-Salmān (Son of Salmān ibn `Abd-il-`Azīz: 7th-King of Saudi Arabia) is a “Salafī”. Now, as per Saudi-Kalām/Rhetoric: anyone whom incites/encourages al-Jihād (Resistance, Protest, etc.) against the “Muslim-Ruler” has committed al-Khurūj/Rebellion against the “Muslim-Ruler” & thereby being a Khārijī (Religio-Extremists: Religio-rebel against the “Muslim-Ruler”). Well…the Grandfather of MBS, the 1st-King of Saudi Arabia has literally done everything which Salafism constitutes as “Khurūj”. `Abd-ul-`Azīz & almost every Muslim-Arab Leader of their Generation (via the Middle-East) committed “Khurūj” against the al-Khilāfah/Islāmic-Governance via the Ottoman-Empire (which ruled the Middle-East) during World-War I. So, by default/definition: the Entire KSA Royal-Family are a Bunch-O-Khārijīs. So…how could anyone like MBS possibly be “Salafī”?!!! Make that Goofy-Shit make Sense.
KSA & Israel are 2-Wings of the Same-Bird, as per Religio-Politics. And, their Geo-Political Come-Ups result from the exact same Historical-Realities. Both Saudi Arabia & Israel evolved from the Direct-Collapse of al-Khilāfah/Islāmic-Governance, during World-War-Muslim-Arabs aided Non-Muslim Governments, Western-Powers, etc. to fight against the Ottoman-Empire, thereby eliminating Islāmic-Authority over the Arabian-Peninsula & Palestine.
Regarding Human-Rights…
…Saudi Arabia is notoriously known to not fully comply with the minimum standards of anti-trafficking enforcement & are currently not any making significant efforts to do so. Saudi Arabia is a destination for both Men & Women, from South East Asia & East Africa, to be trafficked for the purpose of Labor-Exploitation. Also, Children, from Countries like Yemen & Afghanistan, have very often been trafficking victims, for forced begging. Hundreds-Of-Thousands of Low-Skilled Workers from Places like India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Kenya migrate travel to Saudi Arabia, some fall into conditions of involuntary servitude, suffering from (Physical and Sexual) Abuse, non-payment or delayed payment of Wages, withholding of (Identification & Traveling) Documents, restrictions on their Freedom to travel within Saudi itself and (Non-Consensual) Contract-Alterations. According to International-Organizations, such as the Ansar Burney Trust, Children from Bangladesh and India are also smuggled into Saudi Arabia, to be used as Camel-Jockeys. These Children are underfed, to reduce their Weights, in order to lighten the Load on the Camels used for Racing. Saudi Arabia has been classified as having a Human-Trafficking Tier-3 status, since 2005.
In Israel (according to the World Health Organization), Men and Women are trafficked & often used for Forced-Labor and Commercial-Prostitution. Low-Skilled Workers from China, Romania, Turkey, Thailand, The Philippines, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and India flock to Israel for Contract-Labor in the Construction, Agriculture, and Healthcare Industries. Israeli migrant-workers are often confronted with terrible conditions of Forced-Labor. Many Labor-Recruitment Agencies in Israel charges Fees ranging from $1,000 to $10,000. This causes Migrant-Workers in Israel to become highly vulnerable to Human-Trafficking once in the Country, and in some Cases, Situations of Debt-Bondage are ever prevalent. Israel is also a Destination-Country for Women being trafficked from Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Uzbekistan, Belarus, China, South Korea and possibly the Philippines, for the exclusive purposes of Sexual-Exploitation. In addition, NGO’s note an increase in the Human-Trafficking of Israeli-Nationals, for Sexual-Exploitation, and report new instances of Human-Trafficking of Israeli-Women abroad to Canada, Ireland, and the United Kingdom.
Regarding Iran: both Saudi Arabia & Israel are equally-concerned about the political-relevance & military-superiority of Iran. It sends a clear message to both nations, and their benevolent geo-political big-brothers (the United States & the United Kingdom) that there has to be some type of Mutual-Alliance between the Zionist State of Israel and the Salafī-Patron state of Saudi Arabia. The only issue is that while both countries need an Alliance against Iran, they’re not the best of friends either, for obvious reasons, namely, the fact that Palestine is under the Foot of the Israeli-Regime, which is largely unpopular all across the Muslim-World, especially within the Middle-East & also that the State of Israel has dominance over the Mosque known as Masjid-il-Aqsa, the third most Sacred-Mosque in al-Islām, behind al-Masjid-il-Harām/the Sacred-Mosque in al-Makkah & al-Masjid-in-Nabawī/the Prophetic-Mosque in al-Madīnah, Present-Day Saudi Arabia. So, now, what both nations must do is to consolidate, put aside, their obvious Religio-Political Differences, at the risk of upsetting their very important in-house National Power-Bases, to come to some type of Agreement that as long as Iran stands strong, they’ll have to stand together.
Now, there’s a lot of Hypocrisy here:
The state of Israel, with the outlandish support of the U.S., U.K., and basically the whole damn World, has been given the greenlight to do with the Palestinian-People what they will, without any serious, realistic, international intervention or prevention of the Atrocities that occur on a day-to-day basis. Does anyone aside from me, whom is a Muslim, find it ironic that a nation like Saudi Arabia, which promotes/sponsors the establishment al-Islām, based upon the Salaf, is willing to consort/ally with a nation like Israel, that is very overtly Islāmophobic, known for its atrocities against People, more specifically fellow Muslims, against another Muslim-Country, like Iran? The last time that I checked, siding with Non-Muslims against fellow Muslims is a serious crime & can even take someone outside of the Boundaries of al-Islām, according to the work, “Nawāqidh-ul-Islām/The Nullifications of Islam”, authored by Muhammad ibn `Abd-il-Wahhāb. Honestly, I’m truly surprised that this book, Nawāqidh-ul-Islām isn’t banned in Saudi Arabia, because when studying this work, by a man whom is so revered in Saudi & amongst the Salafīs generally/especially, it’s so easy to see that at least 1/2 of all of the Points mentioned in this particular work apply directly to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, bureaucratically. And, in spite of all this: Salafism is still marketed as though Muhammad ibn `Abd-il-Wahhāb incepted/invented it. Also, as well, it’s used to maintain Religio-Social Order via Saudi Arabia. However, as KSA has evolved over Time: they’ve begun to rely less upon Salafism to keep a Grip upon their Subjects…Religio-Social Modernization in KSA has become a Significant-Force to make Salafism via KSA less relevant.
(www.newlinesmag.com/argument/the-conscious-uncoupling-of-wahhabism-and-saudi-arabia)
So, in conclusion, don’t give your loyalty to any Sectarian-Groups, no matter how much glamorous & glittery their sectarian-presentation…”Everything that glitters is not Gold.”
Gareth Bryant 