사우디 개방개혁 정책과 탈(脫)와하비즘 가능성 연구

The Study on Saudi Reform Policies and the Possibility of Post-Wahhabism

Since the announcement of ‘Saudi Vision 2030’ in 2016 and the ‘Moderate Islam’ policy in 2017, Saudi Arabia has been distancing itself from Wahhabism, the puritanical ideology on which it was founded. Through various reforms, the ultra-conservative Saudi society is gradually opening up. The recent establishment of ‘Founding Day’ on February 22 as a national holiday also signals a shift from the Saudi-Wahhabi pact, suggesting an effort to erase Wahhabism’s influence on the kingdom's founding myth, which dates back to the 1744 alliance. This study explores whether the 275-year-old relationship between the Wahhabi religious establishment and the ruling Saudi family is coming to an end, and whether the kingdom is moving toward a post-Wahhabism era. Often viewed as a monolithic ideology, Wahhabism has actually evolved and differentiated into various forms over time in response to political circumstances. Considering this diversity, the research focuses on which version of Wahhabism the regime is distancing itself from under MbS’s reform policies. The conclusion suggests that while Saudi Arabia’s reforms appear to aim at post-Wahhabism, they are more likely part of MbS’s strategy to neutralize internal opposition from Wahhabism rather than a complete departure from the ideology itself.