Saudi Arabia’s Wahhabi reform and Limitations

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is currently embracing daring changes under the tutelage of the crown prince MBS. While speaking to international investors in Riyadh back in October 2017, MBS stated that “We are returning to what we were before - a country of moderate Islam that is open to all religions and to the world”. The recent months pronounced drastic changes such as lifting the women driving ban, allowing women to participate in sports, opening of cinemas, the Saudi National Day 2017 celebrations at Tahlia Street spoke volumes regarding the changes in power of the Saudi religious police.  Several questions are being raised on how Saudi Arabia would tackle the blow back effects of these changes, from the conservative segments of society. It is believed that the ‘reformist’ prince aspires to loosen the Saudi-Wahhabi nexus. During an interview with the Washington Post in March 2018 while answering a question on the Saudi-funded spread of Wahhabism; the prince stated that investments in mosques and madrassas overseas were rooted in the Cold War, when allies asked Saudi Arabia to use its resources to prevent inroads in Muslim countries by the Soviet Union. Successive Saudi governments lost track of the effort, he said, and now we have to get it all back. Funding now comes largely from Saudi-based foundations rather than from the government.

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