Wahhabi

[ wuh-hah-bee, wah- ]

noun

, Islam.

, plural Wah·ha·bis.

1. a follower of ʿAbd al-Wahhab (1703–1792), who stringently opposed all practices not sanctioned by the Quran. The Wahhabis, founded in the 18th century, are the most conservative Muslim group and are today found mainly in Saudi Arabia.

Wahhabi

/ wəˈhɑːbɪ /

noun

1. a member of a strictly conservative Muslim sect founded in the 18th century with the aim of eliminating all innovations later than the 3rd century of Islam

Derived Forms

• Wahˈhabism, noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of Wahhabi¹

First recorded in 1800–10; from Arabic, equivalent to ʿAbd al- Wahhab + -ī a suffix indicating relationship or origin

Example Sentences

The Helpers of God party militia, or the Houthis, arose among the Zaydi Shiites of northern Yemen in the 1990s as a backlash against the inroads that neighboring, wealthy Wahhabi Saudi Arabia had made.

From Salon

But things have moved slower in Saudi Arabia, once dominated by ultraconservative Wahhabi religious leaders before the rise of Prince Mohammed.

From Seattle Times

A strict interpretation of Sunni Islam, including by the kingdom's traditional Wahhabi doctrine, reserves the power of creation to God, banning statues and other art expressions that create an image of a human being.

From Reuters

Rigid limits on alcohol are a fact of life in this conservative Muslim nation on the Arabian Peninsula, which follows the same strict Wahhabi interpretation of Islam as its neighbor Saudi Arabia.

From Washington Times

Extremists have exploited Wahhabi organizations receiving Saudi funding as well.

From Seattle Times