Saudi Wahhabism displaced Arab secular nationalism after the 1973 war

Evidence

The crushing of secular nationalism in 1967 and Nasser’s death a few years after created an opening for Faisal. The war of 1973 further bolstered Saudi Arabia’s image in the Arab world. The Saudi-led oil embargo that followed the war elevated its prestige to such an extent that it was able to seize the initiative from secular nationalism and put its homegrown brand of Islam, Wahhabism, on the map. Wahhabism is an ultra-conservative interpretation of Sunni Islam which has functioned historically to sanction the rule of the al-Saud family. — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 235

Categorization

• DEFINE: Provides a working definition of Wahhabism as the al-Saud family’s sanctioning ideology — key for tracing which material interest the Saudi religious project protects.
• XREF: connects to: Ibn Taymiyya’s doctrines link Wahhabism and ISIS through takfir — Asena Karipek, Portrayals of Jihad: A Cause of…, 71; Saudi economic influence after 1973 hardened religious politics and toppled Bhutto; The 1967 Six-Day War destroyed Arab nationalism’s political legitimacy — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 328 (+7 more)

Broader Connections

• Arab regimes in the 1970s deliberately backed Islamists against secular nationalists and the left #corroborates (0.70) — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 372
• The 1967 Six-Day War destroyed Arab nationalism’s political legitimacy #qualifies (0.60) — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 328
• Islamism rose from secular nationalist failure, left weakness, and economic crises #corroborates (0.60) — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 323
• Arab nationalism failed concretely on unity, Palestine, and economics #expands (0.55) — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 329
• Political Islam’s rise depended on the collapse of secular nationalism #corroborates (0.50) — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 312