Saudization. How Saudi Arabia Spreads Wahhabism (PDF)

Seminar paper from the year 2020 in the subject Politics - International Politics - Region: Near East, Near Orient, grade: 4.00, Wayne State University, language: English, abstract: After the Bosnian genocide, Saudi aid swept into the country, reforming the Muslim institutions already in place, essentially Wahabifying the region. Workers in Saudi Arabia bring over Saudi culture, including the black face-veil and Wahabi thought into their home countries. Many mosques in the United States are funded by Saudi Arabia, as are many masjids in the world. Controlling Islamic websites and dominating the Sunni world, Muslims have fallen into more and more of a Saudized Islam.

The spread of Wahabism destroys Sufism, saint shrines, and tries to counter liberal Islam. By controlling the mass Islamic religious media through the internet and controlling the two holiest cities in Islam, Saudi Arabia has been able to command its place in society. Through oil and partnership with the United States in its secular state and through asserting its spiritual prowess in social media, Saudi Arabia has taken root in the modern psyche. This study looks at how Saudi Arabia affects the global Muslim world by funding Islamic institutes, Islamic websites, and media. Discovering whether or not the Saudi influence spreads extremism, religiosity, or creates a more cohesive Muslim community.