The Role and Status of Muttawwia in Stabilization of Saudi's First, Second and Third States

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Abstract

Emergence of Wahhabi thought as an important phenomenon in modern Islamic history, had a great impact on political and religious evolutions of Middle East. This faction which founded by Muhammad Ibnabd Al-wahhab in Najd and expanded after making an alliance with Muhammad Ibn Saud has had a long and specific history. In that context, several contacts between religious and political sides of Saudi government have been attractive for researchers on wahhabism. Religious side needs protection of political side, and political side needs religious side for legitimization and acceptability for their actions. On that basis, a large group of religious scholars and Ibnabd al-wahhab’s followers and pupils took charge in adjustment of contacts between political and religious sides. That group which named by their voluntary action as “Muttawwia”, has been sent to conquered areas for call of Wahhabism. Despite of the ups and downs of Mutawwia’s role in history of Wahhabism, they had a great impact on emergence and stabilization of Saudi governments. This research studied their role in contacts between political and religious sides in the context of Saudi-Wahhabi rule in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

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