Wahhabism and the Muslim Brotherhood represent two distinct, often rivalrous, strains of conservative Sunni Islam that have historically influenced Saudi Arabia and Pakistan in different ways.
Wahhabism and Saudi Arabia
Wahhabism is a puritanical, revivalist movement named after 18th-century scholar Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab. It formed a foundational politico-religious alliance with the House of Saud in 1744, providing the ideological basis for the creation and expansion of the Saudi state.
- State Ideology: For over 250 years, Wahhabism was the official creed of Saudi Arabia, shaping its judicial, educational, and social policies.
- Global Propagation: Utilizing vast oil revenues, the Saudi government and private donors have funded the global spread of Wahhabi/Salafi ideology through mosques, schools, and charities since the 1970s.
- Recent Shifts: Since 2017, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has initiated reforms that have curbed the power of the religious establishment, leading to a "post-Wahhabi era" domestically, though its global influence continues.
The Muslim Brotherhood
Founded in Egypt in 1928, the Muslim Brotherhood is a pan-Islamic, political, and social movement that seeks to mold society based on Islamic principles and often opposes hereditary monarchies.
- Historical Alliance: The Wahhabi establishment and the Muslim Brotherhood were ideological allies during the Cold War, united by their opposition to Western culture, secular nationalism (like Nasser's in Egypt), and communism.
- Saudi Repression: In the 1960s, Saudi Arabia granted asylum to Muslim Brotherhood ideologues fleeing persecution in Egypt and Syria, and they took influential positions within the Saudi educational system. However, the relationship later soured due to the Brotherhood's revolutionary political ideals that challenged the Saudi monarchy's legitimacy. Saudi Arabia officially designated the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization in 2014.
Influence in Pakistan
Pakistan, which historically had a tolerant, Sufi-infused Islamic tradition, saw the rise of conservative Saudi-exported Wahhabi/Salafi Islam in recent decades.
- Saudi Funding: The 1970s oil boom and the Soviet-Afghan war provided a backdrop for extensive Saudi funding of mosques and madrasas (religious schools) in Pakistan, which helped spread the conservative ideology.
- Political Islam: Influential Pakistani Islamist scholars, such as Syed Abul A'la Maududi of the Jamaat-i Islami party, made common cause with Wahhabi and Muslim Brotherhood ideologues, adopting a shared approach to political Islam.
- Sectarianism: The influx of Wahhabi influence and ideological rivalry with post-revolution Iran has contributed to increased sectarian violence and the rise of hard-line Islam in Pakistan.
To add to this is the Indian/Pakistani/Afghan version of Wahhabism
Deobandism is a conservative Islamic revivalist movement within Sunni Islam that originated in the late 19th century in British India. It is named after the town of Deoband in Uttar Pradesh, where its founding seminary, Darul Uloom Deoband, was established in 1866.
Core Meaning and Origins
Revivalist Purpose: The movement was founded by scholars like Maulana Muhammad Qasim Nanautavi and Maulana Rashid Ahmad Gangohi as a reaction to British colonialism. Its goal was to preserve Islamic traditions and identity from Western secular influence.
Theological Identity: Deobandis identify as followers of the Hanafi school of jurisprudence and the Maturidi school of theology.
Scholastic Focus: It emphasizes rigorous education in the Quran, Hadith (prophetic traditions), and Fiqh (Islamic law).
Key Beliefs and Characteristics
Strict Orthodoxy: Deobandism advocates for a "pure" form of Islam, strictly adhering to Sharia law and rejecting what it considers "innovations" (bid'ah) or non-Islamic cultural practices.
Stance on Sufism: While many Deobandi founders were Sufis, the movement rejects certain devotional practices common in South Asian Sufism, such as the veneration of saints at shrines (mazars) and celebrating the Prophet's birthday (Mawlid).
Anti-Colonial Legacy: Historically, it was deeply involved in the Indian independence movement, often supporting a vision of "composite nationalism" where Muslims and Hindus would live together in a free India.
Global Influence
South Asia: It is one of the most influential movements in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan.
Madrassa Network: The movement spread through thousands of independent seminaries (madrasas) worldwide, including significant presences in the United Kingdom and South Africa.
Political and Social Offshoots: The Tablighi Jamaat (a global missionary organization) is a major non-political offshoot. Conversely, the movement's strict interpretations influenced political groups like the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind and the religious ideology of the Taliban.
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