What on Earth is.............Wahhabism (Salafism)?

Wahhabism (also known as Salafism) is the dominant form of Sunni Islam in Saudi Arabia. It is a ultra conservative form of the religon. The main aspect of this sect of the Islamic faith is the focus that God is one being and that he alone is the only one worthy of worship.

This core belief has led to the destruction of early Islamic holy sites and the dismissing of religious teachers in an attempt to make God the sole focus of Islam. It is in a sense a movement to 'purify' Islam to its original form in the days of the Prophet Mohammed. Due to its ultra strict believes in monotheism the movement is very critical of both the Christian and Jewish religon and even the Shiite Branch of Islam.

Wahhabism first took a real hold in the Arabian peninsular during the early 20^th century when the powerful El Saud dynasty (who are still in power in Saudi Arabia) united the majority of the region under their rule. The Saudi government is currently a major exporter of the Wahhabi doctrine and within the country itself strict Wahhabi social practices are in place.

The Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice is an internal Saudi government agency, its secret religious police have the job of enforcing Sharia law throughout the country. This includes enforcing a strict dress code, the separating of males and females and the prohibition of worshipping any other religion. These police have been known to act violently and have committed numerous human rights abuses, it is important to add that they are directly commanded by King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia..

  Pictured top: Ex US President Bush and King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.

Pictured bottom: President Obama and King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.