Islam in Saudi Arabia

Islam is the state religion of Saudi Arabia,^[1] officially known as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which is located in the Arabian Peninsula.

It is the place where the Qur'an (Muslim holy book) was revealed to Prophet Muhammad, and it is where he lived and died.^[2] Saudi Arabia is the place of pilgrimage (a journey made by followers of a religion) for Muslims across the world.^[3] It is where two Islamic holy cities exist, called Mecca and Medina.^[4]

After the death of the Prophet Muhammad many Islamic empires ruled over Arabia, from Umayyad Caliphate until the Ottoman Empire^[5][6].

The unification of Saudi Arabia was declared by King Abdulaziz Al-Saud in September 1932.^[7] The unification of the two main sections of Arabia, the Nejd and the Hejaz, was helped by a political alliance between an Islamic scholar called Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab and the House of Saud.^[8] The doctrine of Abd al-Wahhab is still the official doctrine of Saudi Arabia today.^[9] However, the current Crown Prince, Muhammad bin Salman Al-Saud, has recently attempted to remove ties between the Saudi state and the religious movement.^[10]

Current challenges within the country include the aim to transform and modernise the Hajj, which is the pilgrimage that all Muslims are required to go on at least once in their lives, if they are physically and financially able to.^[11] These include the building of a metro system to facilitate the mass transport of pilgrims to Medina.^[12]

The vast majority of Saudi Arabia's population are Muslim, at 94%. 85-90% of these Muslims are Sunni Muslims. 10-12% of these are Shi'a Muslims. Other religions are also represented in the Saudi demographic, including Christians and Hindus.^[1]

The constitution of Saudi Arabia is based on Sharia law (which are the rules and laws given to Muslims by God) and the Sunna (the traditions based on the lifestyle of the Prophet Muhammad).^[13]

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Cite error: The named reference :2 was used but no text was provided for refs named (see the help page).
2. ↑ Klein, Konstantin KleinKonstantin (2018-03-22), "Muhammad the Prophet", The Oxford Dictionary of Late Antiquity, Oxford University Press, doi:10.1093/acref/9780198662778.001.0001, ISBN 978-0-19-866277-8, retrieved 2024-05-23
3. ↑ Esposito, John L. EspositoJohn L. (2022-05-19), Esposito, John L. (ed.), "Hajj", The Islamic World: Past and Present, Oxford University Press, doi:10.1093/acref/9780195165203.001.0001, ISBN 978-0-19-516520-3, retrieved 2024-05-23
4. ↑ "Saudi Arabia", World Encyclopedia, Philip's, 2004, doi:10.1093/acref/9780199546091.001.0001, ISBN 978-0-19-954609-1, retrieved 2024-05-23
5. ↑ Esposito, John L. EspositoJohn L. (2022-05-19), Esposito, John L. (ed.), "Saudi Arabia", The Islamic World: Past and Present, Oxford University Press, doi:10.1093/acref/9780195165203.001.0001, ISBN 978-0-19-516520-3, retrieved 2024-05-23
6. ↑ Kerr, Anne KerrAnne; Wright, Edmund WrightEdmund (2015-07-23), Kerr, Anne; Wright, Edmund (eds.), "Ottoman empire", A Dictionary of World History, Oxford University Press, doi:10.1093/acref/9780199685691.001.0001, ISBN 978-0-19-968569-1, retrieved 2024-05-23
7. ↑ "History | The Embassy of The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia". www.saudiembassy.net. Retrieved 2024-05-21.
8. ↑ Esposito, John L. EspositoJohn L. (2022-05-19), Esposito, John L. (ed.), "Saudi Arabia", The Islamic World: Past and Present, Oxford University Press, doi:10.1093/acref/9780195165203.001.0001, ISBN 978-0-19-516520-3, retrieved 2024-05-23
9. ↑ DeLong-Bas, Natana J. DeLong-BasNatana J. (2008-01-01), "Wahhabism", The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Modern World, Oxford University Press, doi:10.1093/acref/9780195176322.001.0001, ISBN 978-0-19-517632-2, retrieved 2024-05-23
10. ↑ Barmin, Yury. "Can Mohammed bin Salman break the Saudi-Wahhabi pact?". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2024-05-23.
11. ↑ "Hajj", World Encyclopedia, Philip's, 2004, doi:10.1093/acref/9780199546091.001.0001, ISBN 978-0-19-954609-1, retrieved 2024-05-23
12. ↑ Cite error: The named reference :4 was used but no text was provided for refs named (see the help page).
13. ↑ Cite error: The named reference :5 was used but no text was provided for refs named (see the help page).