Ideological Rift in Persian Gulf: UAE Figure Launches Blunt Critique of Wahhabism

DID Press: Tensions between Saudi Arabia and UAE—previously visible across political, military, and economic arenas—have taken on an ideological dimension following sharp criticism of Wahhabism by a figure close to the UAE leadership.

Abdulkhaleq Abdullah, a political scientist and informal adviser to Mohamed bin Zayed, described Wahhabism as “extremist” in a post on X, alleging that the current has regained influence in Saudi Arabia and is deliberately targeting the UAE’s model of religious tolerance and governance.

He further claimed that coordinated rhetoric in Saudi official media and on social platforms has contributed to legitimizing extremism, creating space for groups such as Islamic State, Al-Qaeda and Muslim Brotherhood, while amplifying anti-Western and antisemitic narratives.

The remarks prompted strong backlash from Saudi social media users, with critics accusing the UAE of destabilizing regional theatres, maintaining close ties with Israel, and serving as a hub for illicit financial flows and smuggling.

While most Sunnis in the UAE follow the Maliki school of jurisprudence, Saudi Arabia’s religious establishment is historically rooted in Hanbali-Wahhabi doctrine. Wahhabism, founded in the 18th century through the alliance between Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab and the House of Saud, has long provided the theological underpinning of the Saudi state. Despite reforms under Mohammed bin Salman that have curtailed clerical authority, the movement remains structurally embedded in the kingdom’s political order.