Suudi Arabistan’daki Alim ve Yöneticiler Arasındaki Sembolik Bağlantı

What is it about?

This research can be considered within the framework of legal and political anthropology and the study topic centres around the effects of an alliance between Saudi ‘ulamā’ (the religious scholars) and ’umarā’ (the political leaders) in contemporary Saudi Arabia. The objective of this paper is to investigate to what extent the Wahhabī interpreted religious discourses are used to shape the political atmosphere of today’s kingdom. The paper will explain in more detail the continuing relationship between the ’ulamā’ and ’umarā’ in light of the Wahhābī doctrine of siyāsa shar‘iyya (a fundamental legal doctrine that establishes the relationship between the regime and its subjects in an Islamic state), while focusing on the historical ebbs and flows between the ’ulamā’ and ’umarā’.

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Why is it important?

The focus of the paper centres around the questionable character of relationship between the theoretical statements of scholars and political practice of rulers in contemporary Saudi Arabia. The chronological changes within the Saudi religious understanding and the reflection of this perceptual shift over the political sphere will be explained in detail. After briefly giving information concerning the practice of issuing religious opinions (iftā’) in the Saudi politico-legal area, this article identifies the alliance between the ‘ulamā’ and ’umarā’. The broad explanation related to the role and position of Saudi scholars and rulers exemplifies the operative function of the iftā’ mechanism, which assists controlling the public understanding of religion and politics. This article just focuses upon the application of the practice of iftā’ within the politico-legal area. Although fatwās are traditionally identified as non-binding Islamic legal opinions, the active role of the practice of iftā’ within the socio-legal area provides this practice with a kind of authoritative role in Saudi Arabia.