Saudi Arabia’s Web of Hate Is Spreading One of the Worst Forms of Islam
Douglas Murray
Its roots lie in the Middle East and its web of hate spreads across the globe. But it is also here in Britain - and growing.
Since Wednesday's carnage we have learned that 52-year-old Khalid Masood is believed to have converted to one of the worst forms of ‘Islam.'
Whether during his time in prison, or the years he spent in Saudi Arabia, Masood adopted Wahhabism.
This misinterpretation of Islam grew up in the 18th century. It is a Middle Eastern movement similar to Calvinism.
A return to the strictest version of the religion. A joyless, unforgiving and hate-filled worldview. But in the 20th century this horrible worldview got lucky.
The House of Saud who ruled Saudi Arabia after its creation liked this form of Islam. And the Saudis had something the world increasingly wanted - oil.
And after the Arab oil embargo of 1973, the Saudis increasingly had the West held hostage. We needed Saudi oil, and they were happy to sell. But it was a devil's bargain.
For the Saudis used their oil money for many things. They enriched themselves, living playboy lifestyles in London and Dubai.
But at the same time these hypocrites spread their harsh version of Islam around the globe. While rich Saudis drank, danced and smoked in Knightsbridge, the ideology they pushed taught another message.
At Wahhabi schools - known as madrasas - in the UK paid for by the Saudis, students are taught to hate the modern liberal West.
They are taught to despise and look down on us and our freedoms. The same message is taught at Wahhabi mosques across the world. The Saudis pay for the buildings and appoint the clerics.
Today across Europe there are thousands of such institutions of education and religion which exist because they are paid for by the Saudis.
In 2007 it was estimated that there were around 70 Wahhabi mosques in Britain. By 2015 the number had risen to 110.
In 2015 the flow of money to UK mosques was reported to have reached a record high. It is the same story almost everywhere in the world you go.
Wahhabism grows fast because it has deep pockets. The Saudis spend billions every year exporting this ideology.
An undercover investigation in 2007 found that Wahhabi mosques in the UK were encouraging the physical abuse of women who refused to cover their hair.
A more recent Channel 4 probe in January revealed mosques in Derby and Birmingham were preaching hardline messages.
Followers of Wahhabism include Lee Rigby murderer Michael Adebolajo, shoe bomber Richard Reid, 7/7 ringleader Mohammad Sidique Khan, and hate preacher Anjem Choudary.
There may be little we can do to stop this poison spreading around the world.
But there is a lot we can do to stop it at home.
We should have stopped the Saudis being allowed to spread their hatred here a long time ago. But a combination of greed for oil and fear of false charges of "Islamophobia" have stopped any British government to date from confronting this.
Last Wednesday we were reminded of where this disgusting ideology can lead. Perhaps now we can finally face it down. For all our sakes.
Source: The Sun, Edited by website team
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