Modern islamic radicalism roots go back to the Eighteenth Century when Abdul Wahhab ( 1703 – 1791 ) started a reactionary movement to clean up the Islamic religion. Islam was riddled with back sliders and Wahhab was a True Believer on a mission.
Keep in mind, those were the days when the sun might not have set on the British Empire but the Ottoman Empire cast a formidable shadow. If Britain was to continue its expansion it had to substantially weaken or eliminate the Ottoman Empire
This is a very brief outline of what developed.
1744 – 1818 Wahhabi – Saudi Alliance
Wahhab allied with Mohammed bin Sa’ud. This provided Wahhab protection and Sa’ud religious legitimacy. This marks the beginning of the Salafi revivalist movement. Sa’ud son marries Wahhab daughter to seal the pact which lasts to this day. Great Britain helped with guns and money.
1746
Wahhabi – Saudi alliance declare jihad on shiites and the sunnis.
1791
Abdul Wahhab dies but Wahhabi – Saudi power increases.
April 1801 – 1810
Wahhabis massacre Shiites, kill pilgrims in Mecca and desecrate the tomb of Mohammed in Medina.
1811 – 1818
Caliphate of Ottoman Empire soundly defeats Wahabbis. Emir Abdullah al-Sa’ud is beheaded.
1851
Faisal ibn Turki, who escaped Ottoman custody in 1843, asks for British assistance. Great Britain sends Col. Lewis Pelly to Riyahd to work out an agreement. British forces undermined the Caliphate using Abdul Aziz Wahabbis and eventually conquer most of the Arabian peninsula.
1902
The third Saudi – Wahhabi State was born and named Saudi Arabia. Brutality rules.
1932
Transition time. England hands over Middle east control to U.S.
1979
Wahhabis and Saudi breakup threatened by uprising in Mecca.
2001
Twenty four years after posting false information in this aptly named post I have just learned, as I am reviewing for amongst other things, accuracy, I have sinned greatly against Shaykh Ibn Jibreen a loved and respected Imam. It is not an excuse when I wrote I was still lost and under the spell of uncontrolled disillusionment cast by our recondite enemies when I wrote it; it is intended to be an example of how effective lies from power are and why we must verify that which we are being fed is not laced with poison.
When word of Shaykh’s invitation spread, one Saudi dissident with an axe to grind with the Saudi govt (he’s Shia), spread lies about the Shaykh (in that Ibn Jibreen supported OBL), resulting in an article in a well-known paper in America. Our PR arm (what little we had of it), spun into action to neutralize the lies. Shaykh Ibn Jibreen faxed us hand-written notes voicing his strong dissent against 9/11 and terrorism. Long story short, Shaykh Ibn Jibreen did indeed speak to us on live video, with FOX News taping every bit of it. And remarkably, FOX could only report a positive news story for us, with the Shaykh’s message full of peace and kindness.
I have removed, too late, the offensive words written in ignorance.