Muhammad bin Abdul-Wahhab was an 18th-century Islamic scholar from the Najd region in what is now Saudi Arabia. Born around 1703 in the village of Uyayna, he is best known for founding Wahhabism, a reformist movement within Islam.
Muhammad bin Abdul-Wahhab sought to purify Islam by returning to what he considered the original principles of the faith as practiced by the Prophet Muhammad and his early followers. He rejected various practices and beliefs that he saw as innovations or deviations from true Islam, including the veneration of saints, the use of talismans, and the worship of graves.
He established a following in the Najd region, where he gained significant influence. His movement eventually merged with the political ambitions of the Saud family, leading to the formation of the First Saudi State in the mid-18th century. This alliance helped Wahhabism spread and gain political power, laying the groundwork for the later formation of the modern Saudi state.
Muhammad bin Abdul-Wahhab’s ideas have been highly controversial. Supporters view him as a reformer who sought to return Islam to its purest form, while critics argue that his teachings led to a rigid and exclusionary interpretation of Islam. His influence continues to be felt today, particularly in Saudi Arabia, where Wahhabism is closely associated with the state’s official religious practices.
To really understand ISIS, we need to look at Wahhabism—what it is, where it came from, and who started it. This paper will only touch on these points briefly, but we encourage detailed research into extreme Wahhabism. Understanding Wahhabism is crucial to understanding ISIS. The book Confessions of a British Spy reveals how British intelligence is believed to have created Wahhabism, which is now the basis for ISIS.
Confessions of a British Spy tells the story of a British agent named Hempher, who was sent to Turkey in 1710. His mission was to create trouble and weaken the Ottoman Empire from the inside. Hempher pretended to be a devout Muslim, learning the Quran and studying the differences between Sunni and Shiite Muslims. He was told by British Intelligence to stir up conflict among Muslims to help bring down the Ottoman Empire.
While in Basra, Iraq, Hempher met Muhammad bin Abdul-Wahhab of Najd, a key figure in the creation of Wahhabism. Hempher saw that Wahhab was against traditional Islamic teachings and decided to influence him. He praised Wahhab, promising that he would renew and spread Islam.
Hempher explains that he and Wahhab created a new interpretation of the Quran, which was different from what was traditionally taught by early Muslim scholars. This new interpretation aimed to mislead and radicalise Wahhab.
Hempher’s plan included several goals:
- Labeling Muslims as disbelievers: Justifying their killing, taking their property, and enslaving their women.
- Attacking the Kaaba: Encouraging its destruction and attacking pilgrims.
- Undermining the Caliphate: Instigating revolts and preparing armies against the Ottoman rulers.
- Destroying sacred sites: Proposing the demolition of important religious sites.
- Spreading chaos: Promoting rebellions and unrest.
The document suggests that Wahhabism, which ISIS follows, was created by British intelligence. While the Saudi government has moved away from these extreme ideas, ISIS still adheres to them. The paper argues that today’s violence and extremism are rooted in British-backed Wahhabism.
It claims that Wahhabism, wrongly labelled as Sunni Islam, is a British creation. The paper calls for better understanding between Muslims and Christians, criticises Islamophobic attitudes, and urges governments to rethink their approach to Islam.
The article concludes with a call to work together against Wahhabism and its violent offshoots. It suggests that by understanding Islamic values better, we can counter extremism more effectively and promote peace.
ISIS, or the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, is a militant Islamist group known for its extreme interpretation of Islam and its brutal tactics. Formed around 2013, ISIS aimed to establish a caliphate—an Islamic state governed by strict Sharia law—in territories across Iraq and Syria.
The group gained widespread notoriety for its acts of terrorism, including large-scale attacks on civilians, beheadings, and the destruction of cultural heritage sites. It also employed sophisticated propaganda and social media campaigns to recruit fighters and spread its ideology.
ISIS emerged from the remnants of al-Qaeda in Iraq and rapidly expanded its influence through violent insurgency and control of key cities. Though it has lost much of its territorial control due to military defeats by a coalition of international forces and local troops, it continues to pose a security threat through its global network of affiliates and inspired lone-wolf attacks.
