Sectarianization of Identity and Nation Building in Saudi Arabia

Year 2019, , 114 - 141, 01.06.2019

Zeba Khan

https://doi.org/10.1080/00263209808701231?needAccess=true

Abstract

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was founded on 23rdSeptember 1932 by the strategic amalgamation of dual kingdoms of Hejaz and Najd under Ibn Saud. Like all nation building paradigms, there are some prominent nation building tenants of the Saudi Kingdom as well. This paper is an analysis of the historical foundation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as a nation and locates the role of sectarianization of identity in hindering the recent initiatives of rebuilding the Saudi nation state, by modernizing its economy and cultural space. The study is a brief examination of how the sectarian political biases were exercised in the country’s formative years, and the departure point of sectarianization in Saudi Arabia. The article also takes a case study of one of the sects in Saudi Arabia; the Ismailis of Najran and it moves on to briefly explain the international norms and standards making thorough reflections on sectarian discrimination inside the country. Lastly, the article also delves into the consequences of sectarian politics as a roadblock in nation building in Saudi Arabia

Keywords

Sectarianization, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Nation Building, Ismailis of Najran

Suudi Arabistan’da Kimlik ve Ulus İnşasının Mezhepselleşmesi

Abstract

Suudi Arabistan Krallığı 23 Eylül 1932’de Hicaz ve Necid ikili krallıklarının İbn Suud liderliğinde stratejik olarak birleştirilmesiyle kurulmuştur. Bütün ulus inşası paradigmaları gibi, Suudi Krallığı’nın da bazı önemli ulus inşa mutasarrıfları bulunmaktadır. Bu makale, bir millet olarak Suudi Arabistan Krallığının tarihî kuruluşunu incelemekte ve kimliğin mehzepselleşmesinin, ekonomik ve kültürel alanda modernizasyona giden Suudi ulus devletinin son süreçte yeniden inşa girişimlerinin engellenmesindeki rolüne odaklanmaktadır. Çalışma, mezhepçi siyasi önyargıların ülkenin oluşum yıllarında nasıl uygulandığının ve Suudi Arabistan’daki mezhepselleşmenin çıkış noktasının kısa bir incelemesidir. Makale ayrıca Suudi Arabistan’daki tarikatlardan biri olan Necran İsmailileri üzerine vaka incelemesi yapmakta ve daha sonra ülke içindeki mezhepsel ayrımcılığa ışık tutarak uluslararası norm ve standartları kısaca açıklamaktadır. Son olarak, makale ayrıca, Suudi Arabistan’daki ulus inşasının önünde bir engel olarak mezhepçi siyasetin sonuçlarını da ortaya koymaktadır.

Keywords

Mehzepselleşme, Suudi Arabistan Krallığı, Ulus İnşası, Necran İsmailileri

References

• Kaileh, Salameh, and Shams, Victorios. January 2014. “What is Sectarianism in the Middle East?” Open Democracy. https://www.opendemocracy.net/north-africa-west-asia/ salameh-kaileh-victorios-shams/what-is-sectarianism-in-middle-east
• Dodge, Tody. 2014. “Seeking to Explain the Rise of Sectarianism in the Middle East: the Case study of Iraq,” Islam in the Changing Middle East, The Gulf’s Escalating Sectarianism POMEPS (Project on Middle East Political Science).
• Louër, Laurence. 2001. “The State and Sectarian Identities in the Persian Gulf Monarchies: Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait in Comparative Perspective”, Sectarian Politics in the Persian Gulf, ed. Lawrence G Potter, London, Hurst Publishers, p. 117-142.
• Al-Rashidi, Mawadi. November 2013. “Saudi Arabia’s Domestic Dectarian Politics,” Norwegian peacebuilding resource centre (NPRC), p.1. https://www.files.ethz.ch/ isn/168350/c7a41915bdbc6948f29bd81333b587d7.pdf
• Enat, Kemal. 2016. “What is Sectarian Politics?” The New Turkey. http://thenewturkey. org/what-is-sectarian-politics/
• Burdett, P. 1970. “Records of Saudi Arabia: 1966-1971.” vol.5, p.512.
• Louër, Laurence. 2005. Interview with Muhammad Taqi al-Mudarrisi on the TV Show Fulan al-Fulani on al-Sharqiyya TV, Iraq, p.165.
• Hegghammer, Thomas; and Lacroix, Stephane. 2007. “Rejectionist Islamism in Saudi Arabia: the Story of Juhayman al-Utaybi Revisited,” International Journal of Middle East Studies, vol. 39, no. 1, p.103-22, 112, 119.
• Matthiesen, Toby. 2010. “Hizbullah al-Hijaz: A History of The Most Radical Saudi Shi’a Opposition Group,” Middle East Journal.
• Jones, Toby Craig. May, 2006. “Rebellion on the Saudi Periphery: Modernity, Marginalization, and the Shiʿa Uprising of 1979,” International Journal of Middle East Studies, Vol. 38, No. 2, pp. 213-233. https://www.jstor.org/stable/3879971
• Furtig, Henner. 2002. Iran’s rivalry with Saudi Arabia between the Gulf Wars, UK: Ithaca Press, p.3408.
• Louër, Laurence. 8 January 1980. “Transnational” OIRAP also started to broadcast its statements on radio Tehran FBIS, p.181
• Laessing, Ulf; Reed Stevenson; Michael, Roddy. 21 February 2012. “Watching Bahrain, Saudi Shi’ites Demand Reform,” Thomas Reuters. (now defunct).
• Nicola, Slawson. 2016. “Saudi Execution of Shia Cleric Sparks Outrage in Middle East,” The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/02/saudi-exe- cution -of-shia-cleric-sparks-outrage-in-middle-east
• Hemeid, Salah. 2005. Al-Ahram Weekly. https://www.revolvy.com/topic/Nimr%20 al-Nimr&item_type=topic
• Press TV. 24 January 2012. “Saudi Cleric Warns Al Saud regime” http://www.bfnews. ir/prtb99bs.rhbgzpe4ur.html
• Al- Jazeera. 5 May 2006. The Breakup of the Third Protest of Saudi Shia in Support of Hizbullah, (Tafriq thalith muzahar li-shi ‘at al-su ‘udiyya da ‘man li-hizb Allah). al-Jazeera.net.
• Matthiesen, Toby. 2015. The Other Saudis- Shiism, Dissent and Sectarianism, New York: Cambridge University Press, p.201.
• IRFR. 24February 2010. “Unprecedented Arrests Campaign in Al-Hassa,” Rashid English, International Religious Freedom Report: Saudi Arabia, www.rasid.com
• Dar al-Mutlaqa. 2009. Hamza al-Hasan, al-wataniyya hawajis al-wahda wa-l-infisal fi al-su‘udiyya (Nationality: Thoughts about Unity and Separatism in Saudi), Dar al-Multaqa, www.moltaqaa.com (now defunct)
• Human Rights Watch, September (HRW). 2008, https://www.hrw.org/ world-report/2008
• Ghanem, Isam. 3 August 1990. “The Legal History of ‘A Sir (Al-Mikhlaf Al- Sulaymani),” Arab Law Quarterly, vol. 5, no. 3, pp. 211- 214.
• Halm, Heinz. 1988. Die Schia, Darmstadt: Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft, pp.234-243
• Daftary, Farhad. 1996. Al-Qadi al-Nu’man and Isma’ili jurisprudence, ed., Mediaeval Isma’ili History and Thought, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 117-114.
• International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD).1969. adopted December 21, 1965, G.A. Res. 2106 (XX), annex, 20 U.N. GAOR Supp. (No. 14) at 47, U.N. Doc. A/6014 (1966), 660 U.N.T.S. 195, entered into force January 4, 1969. Article.1.
• Al-Fandy, Mamoun Hamza. 1993. “State Islam and State Violence: The Case of Saudi Arabia”, Ph.D Thesis, Southern Illinois University, p.32.
• Al- Haram. 1981. Intifada: the uprising of the sanctuary, London: Munazzamat al-Thawra al-Islamiyua fi al-Jazira al-Arabiyya, Al-Ibrahim and Al-Sadiq. 2008. Note.Interview with a former member of Hizbullah al-Hijaz, al-Hirak al-shi‘i fi al- su ‘udiyya, Beirut, August 2008, p.161.
• Burdett, P. 1970. Records of Saudi Arabia 1966-1971, vol.5, p.512.
• Convention on the Rights of the Child. November 20 1989, “G.A. Res. 44/25, annex, 44 U.N. GAOR Supp. (No.49) at 167, U.N. Doc. A/44/49 (1989),” entered into force September 2, 1990.
• Human Rights Watch September 2006, https://www.hrw.org/legacy/wr2k6/
• Louër, Laurence. 2005. Interview with Muhammad taqi al-Mudarrisi on the TV Show Fulan al-Fulani on al-Sharqiyya TV, Iraq, p.179.
• Mohan, C. Raja. 19 February 2019, “Raja Mandala: Nationalism comes to Saudi raja-mandala-nationalism-comes-to-saudi-arabia-pub-78391 Carneige India,”
• https://carnegieindia.org/2019/02/19/
• OHCHR. 1981. Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief, G.A. res. 36/55, 36 U.N. GAOR Supp. (No. 51) at 171, U.N. Doc. A/36/684 (1981). Art.3 and Art.5.2, https://www.ohchr. org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/ReligionOrBelief.aspx
• Rihani, Ameen. 1928. Ibn Sa’oud of Arabia, His People and His Land, London, p.39 (Al- Sharq al-Awsat, 22 August 1993 King Fahd’s speech).
• SPGGSR. 2012. Sectarian Politics in the Gulf-Working Group Summary Report, Centre for International and Regional Studies, Georgetown university school of Foreign Service in Qatar, p.3.
• UN Report. 1978. Declaration on Race and Racial Prejudice, E/CN.4/Sub.2/1982/2/ Add.1, annex V (1982). Adopted and proclaimed by the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization at its twentieth session, on 27 November 1978, Art.3.
• UN Report. 1993. Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious or Linguistic Minorities, G.A. res. 47/135, annex, 47 U.N. GAOR Supp. (No. 49) at 210, U.N. Doc. A/47/49 (1993).
• UNTS. 1962. Convention against Discrimination in Education, 429 U.N.T.S. 93, ente- red into force May 22, 1962.