Religious scholars: Blame Saudi Arabia for ISIS's theology

Religious scholars: Blame Saudi Arabia for ISIS's theology
(Image credit: CC by: Faris Algosaibi)

Just about every serious and influential Islamic authority has denounced Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) for its medieval theology and derided ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's self-proclaimed caliphate as a bloody, horrific vanity project. If you're interested in the finer points of the mainstream Islamic critique of ISIS's theology, 126 Islamic scholars and clerics (to date) have signed an "open letter to al-Baghdadi," explaining to him in 17 single-spaced pages exactly how and why he is wrong.

Late to the party have been the religious authorities in Saudi Arabia. It wasn't until Aug. 19, with a little apparent prodding from the Saudi King, that Sheikh Abdul Aziz al-Sheikh, the kingdom's grand mufti, publicly denounced ISIS as "enemy No. 1 of Islam." The delayed condemnation, suggests David D. Kirkpatrick in The New York Times, citing Muslim scholars, may be because ISIS's extremist theology is based on the Saudis' Wahhabi school of Islam.

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.