Wahhabi, Wahhabism – The term has been used to refer to the reformist school against the prevalent practices of Sunni Islam, which originated in the 18th century in the Najd region of modern Saudi Arabia by the scholar Muhammad bin Abd al-Wahhab. The doctrine was at the time given political support by Muhammad bin Saud, the ancestor of the current House of Saud which rules Saudi Arabia. Descendants of Abd al-Wahhab in Saudi Arabia have historically been the recognised clergy of Saudi Arabia, referred to as Al-Asheikh. In more recent years, the House of Saud has emphasised that the doctrine does not exist, and they adhere to the Hanbali school of jurisprudence within Sunni Islam, and recent efforts have been made to have official wider inclusion of views across the spectrum of Sunni Islam. The term should be avoided as not only is it potentially offensive (Al-Wahhab is one of the names of God in Islam) but it has been overused, and should be replaced by a more precise specific description of the subject being referred to. If reference has to be made, referring to the school of ‘Sheikh Al-Najd’ would be accurate as it refers to the propagation efforts of Abd al-Wahhab, who is known as the Sheikh, or religious scholar, of the Najd region. The official school of Islam in Saudi Arabia should be described as Sunni Islam, though historic references can be made to the school of the Sheikh Al-Najd if appropriate, and a historic dominance of an interpretation of the Hanbali school of jurisprudence.
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Reuters: Referring to the official school of Islam in Saudi Arabia.
