Saudi Arabia — As the Al Saud regime attempts to rebrand itself through diplomatic outreach to the Islamic Republic of Iran, the dark and bloody legacy of its Wahhabi religious establishment is being dragged into the light. For years, state-sponsored clerics and muftis weaponised faith to manufacture sectarian divisions, transforming Riyadh’s political insecurities into a devastating regional conflict.
In a scathing critique, Yemeni media analyst Mohsen Ali Al-Jamal recently exposed the role of Saudi religious preachers in fanning the flames of anti-Iran hysteria. According to Al-Jamal, the Saudi religious establishment did not merely support the state’s geopolitical ambitions; they provided a twisted theological justification for it.
By issuing disgraceful fatwas and utilizing vile sectarian rhetoric—including the Takfiri labeling of Iranians as “Majus”—these state-aligned muftis sought to frame Riyadh’s political rivalry with Tehran as a fundamental battle for the faith. This calculated strategy portrayed hostility toward the Islamic Republic not as a question of state policy, but as a binding religious obligation for Muslims.
Today, however, the Al Saud regime’s sudden pivot toward dialogue and détente with Tehran has unmasked the profound hypocrisy of this approach. Critics and observers are now asking a critical question: If diplomatic engagement with the Islamic Republic is entirely viable today, why were years of bloodshed, sectarian polarisation, and religiously charged demonisation actively encouraged by the kingdom’s top clerics?
For the believers and the masses, the answer is clear. The Wahhabi establishment was never defending the faith; they were defending the throne. Disagreements with Iran were deliberately cloaked in sectarian terms to prevent any public appetite for diplomacy, framing political compromise as an act of heresy.
The Devastating Human Cost in Yemen
The most tragic consequences of this manufactured sectarian war were felt far beyond the borders of Saudi Arabia, particularly in Yemen. The aggressive Takfiri messaging and sectarian slogans emanating from Riyadh’s pulpits created a toxic environment where regional rivalries were fused with religious identity.
Al-Jamal highlights that this toxic ideology was used to manipulate and radicalise the youth, particularly in southern Yemen. Driven by state-sponsored sectarian hysteria, young men were dragged into a brutal war against their fellow Yemenis and the legitimate Ansarullah government.
The human toll of these muftis’ fatwas is immeasurable. Thousands of young lives were extinguished, and countless families were left grieving loved ones sacrificed on the altar of Riyadh’s geopolitical games. The devastation left behind—shattered communities, grieving mothers, and a fractured society—represents a heavy burden that will outlast the Al Saud regime’s fleeting political manoeuvres.
The Enduring Scars of Takfiri Rhetoric
Governments may revise their foreign policies when strategic interests shift, but the social and psychological scars inflicted by sectarian messaging do not heal overnight. Years of religiously framed hostility have deeply embedded mistrust and division within the Ummah. A mere handshake or diplomatic agreement cannot instantly erase the poison poured into the hearts of the masses by corrupt clerics.
The contrast between yesterday’s virulent anti-Iran fatwas and today’s diplomatic overtures serves as a damning indictment of those who use the minbar to serve kings. When religious figures surrender their pulpits to political masters, they turn the Ummah’s differences into bloodbaths.
As the Axis of Resistance continues to champion genuine Islamic unity and Palestinian liberation, the exposure of this Wahhabi hypocrisy offers a vital lesson. While the regimes may shift their alliances, the painful legacy of their sectarian warmongering remains a stark reminder of the true cost of allowing tyrants to dictate the faith.
Reference: ABNA24