For Muslims, is Wahhabism practised only in Saudi Arabia?

Question

Or is it a sect of Islam that has a large following?

Answer 1

As far as I know, wahabism is spread over the globe like the other sects but the only reason it has dominated Saudi Arabia and why Saudi Arabia is affiliated with it in the Islamic world is because the Saudi royal family is a very strict follower of wahabism. So you can imagine that being the resident caretaker of two of the most holiest sites in Islam, the Saudi royal family doesn't get taken lightly in the Islamic world. That's why it also makes Muslims nervous that there are ten thousand American soldiers stationed there.

The Saudi royal family hsd also taken some specific tasks upon themselves such as being the model Muslim nation in the world and spreading the word of Islam to as many people as possible. The Saudi embassies and consulates all over the world all carry free copies of the Koran which are personally commissioned by the king himself. They are translated into almost all of the languages and then published. They are then handed out wherever they are absolutely free of charge. You can just go there and pick one up or you can just call them or write them and they will be glad to send you one.

The Saudi royal family also commissions (or very heavily donates money) to have mosques built around the world including several here in the USA.

The Saudi royal family also takes care of everyone who goes to the city of Mecca (and then Medina) for pilgrimage, specifically in the times of Ramadan (when we fast) and the two eids (like our Christmas and Easter, one of the eids is when we sacrifice animals to follow the tradition set by Abraham). If you go to Mecca, you never need to buy any food nor water. In the month of Ramadan, it is most impressive. There are just huge piles of food everywhere and you can go and sit wherever you want and eat whatever you want to break the fast. They spend a lot of money to have ice cold water available everywhere for everyone. In the days of Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca), they spend a lot money to have food, water, air conditioned shelter for everyone, and transportation (because the city of Jeddah is the closest city from both Mecca and Medina and both Mecca and Medina are no fly zones, no planes are allowed to go over them so there are no airports in Mecca and Medina. Saudis are not big on trains either so the only way to get to both of the cities is by road. Jeddah has the closest airport.)

They believe that their wealth (which mainly comes from the oil, of course) is a gift from God (because some of the biggest oil fields run right under the cities of Mecca but obviously no drilling is done there) so at least some of it must be spent to spread His word.

Answer 2

It's spread all over the world. The Saudi government devotes a huge amount of money to "foreign aid" a large part of which consists of building mosques to preach Wahhabi Islam in other countries -- there's a real big one in LA -- named the King Fahd mosque after a king of Saudi Arabia.

Answer 3

There is no such a thing 'Wahabism'.
People are habitual to put every thing in a compartment.
Muhammad bin Abdul Wahab was a great scholar of the islam who did devoted his life fully for the islam and tracking muslims on the right track. He said 'every thing beyond quran and sunnah is not allowed in islam and he has been very strict with this.
May Allah the Almighty bless his soul.
This is the foundation of islam that every thing beyond quran and sunnah should not practice in a muslim's life. This is not Wahabism but true islam and not limited to Saudia Arabia but in every muslim's faith and belief.
No muslim has second opinion in this regards.

Answer 4

There is nothing as Wahabism in Islam. The Saudi are Sunnis. The truth is that Wahabism is referred to Abdul Wahab who as the Arab Scholar who has writen book the most famous is The Book of Tawhid which simply is his teachings not to follow all the hadiths. Worship One God.

You can read that his book does not teach any kind of terrorism in the name of Islam.

URL:http://islamicweb.com/beliefs/creed/abdulwahab/

Answer 5

I don't think they even call themselves Wahabbis and they are against sectarianism. Therefore you can call them Puritanic Sunni Muslims who doesn't follow any of the four school of jurisprudence.It seems to me much more logical. I don't think the Salafis differ much from them and there is a large following of them in the Indian Subcontinent also.

Answer 6

No, wahabism has spread throughout the world under the guise of Salafi Islam.

Answer 7

Not really. It is the main ideology underpinning Al Qaeda - and so has spread, and is the main philosophy behind the Sunni insurgency in Iraq.

Answer 8

Nope .. Saudi Arabia is sunni muslim

Answer 9

nope

Answer 10

http://www.thewahhabimyth.com/