Changes

Saudi Arabia is known as the birthplace of [[Islam]], which in the century following [[Muhammad]]'s death in 632 A.D. spread west to [[Spain]] and east to [[India]]. Islam obliges all Muslims to make the [[Hajj]], or pilgrimage to [[Mecca]], at least once during their lifetime if they are able to do so. The cultural environment in Saudi Arabia is highly conservative; the country adheres to a strict interpretation of Islamic religious law (Shari'a). Cultural presentations must conform to narrowly defined standards of ethics. Men and women are not permitted to attend public events together and are segregated in the workplace.  

Saudi Arabia is known as the birthplace of [[Islam]], which in the century following [[Muhammad]]'s death in 632 A.D. spread west to [[Spain]] and east to [[India]]. Islam obliges all Muslims to make the [[Hajj]], or pilgrimage to [[Mecca]], at least once during their lifetime if they are able to do so. The cultural environment in Saudi Arabia is highly conservative; the country adheres to a strict interpretation of Islamic religious law (Shari'a). Cultural presentations must conform to narrowly defined standards of ethics. Men and women are not permitted to attend public events together and are segregated in the workplace.  

Most Saudis are ethnically [[Arab]]. Some are of mixed ethnic origin and are descended from Turks, Iranians, Indonesians, Indians, Africans, and others, most of whom immigrated as pilgrims and reside in the Hijaz region along the Red Sea coast. Many Arabs from nearby countries are employed in the kingdom. There also are significant numbers of Asian expatriates, mostly from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and the Philippines. There are fewer than 100,000 Westerners in Saudi Arabia.

Most Saudis are ethnically [[Arab]]. Some are of mixed ethnic origin and are descended from Turks, Iranians, Indonesians, Indians, Africans, and others, most of whom immigrated as pilgrims and reside in the Hijaz region along the Red Sea coast. Many Arabs from nearby countries are employed in the kingdom. There are also significant numbers of Asian expatriates, mostly from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and the Philippines. There are fewer than 100,000 Westerners in Saudi Arabia.

{{Anchor|House of Saud}}

{{Anchor|House of Saud}}

The agreement with the [[Nuclear arms|nuclear-armed]] [[South Asia]] in-state comes a week after [[Gulf states]] — traditionally reliant on the US as their security guarantor — were deeply rattled by Israel's [[missile]] strikes targeting [[Hamas]]'s [[political]] leaders in [[Qatar]].

The agreement with the [[Nuclear arms|nuclear-armed]] [[South Asia]] in-state comes a week after [[Gulf states]] — traditionally reliant on the US as their security guarantor — were deeply rattled by Israel's [[missile]] strikes targeting [[Hamas]]'s [[political]] leaders in [[Qatar]].

"We hope it will reinforce our deterrence — aggression against one is aggression against the other," A senior Saudi official told the [[UK]] ''[[Financial Times]]''. "This is a comprehensive defence agreement that will utilise all defensive and [[military]] means deemed necessary depending on the specific threat."<ref>https://archive.ph/g0rpK#selection-1885.0-1889.123</ref>

"We hope it will reinforce our deterrence — aggression against one is aggression against the other," a senior Saudi official told the [[UK]] ''[[Financial Times]]''. "This is a comprehensive defence agreement that will utilise all defensive and [[military]] means deemed necessary depending on the specific threat."<ref>https://archive.ph/g0rpK#selection-1885.0-1889.123</ref>

===Military===

===Military===

The Saudi state began in central Arabia in about 1750. A local ruler, Muhammad bin Saud, joined forces with an Islamic reformer, Muhammad Abd Al-Wahhab, to create a new political entity. Over the next 150 years, the fortunes of the Saud family rose and fell several times as Saudi rulers contended with Egypt, the [[Ottoman Empire]], and other Arabian families for control on the peninsula.  

The Saudi state began in central Arabia in about 1750. A local ruler, Muhammad bin Saud, joined forces with an Islamic reformer, Muhammad Abd Al-Wahhab, to create a new political entity. Over the next 150 years, the fortunes of the Saud family rose and fell several times as Saudi rulers contended with Egypt, the [[Ottoman Empire]], and other Arabian families for control on the peninsula.  

===Wahhabi===

===Wahhabi===

[[Wahhabi]] fundamentalism originated with [[Syria]] the jurist Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab (1703–92), but was hounded by the more moderate leaders of the [[Ottoman Empire]].  In the early 19th century, alarmed by the increasing influence of Wahhabism in Saudi-controlled Arabia, the Ottoman Empire urged its Egyptian vassal Muhammad Ali Pasha (1769-1849) to mount an armed attack on the movement, which was considered anti-Turkish. Muhammad Ali began operations in 1811, and bitter fighting ensued on and off, with several cease-fires and impermanent peace agreements being tried until Egypt finally seemed to have succeeded (with the help of some Bedouin tribes that also objected to the stern religious views of Wahhabism) in subduing Arabia by 1818. However, Egypt had to concentrate on insurrections at home, and the Saudi Wahhabists eventually recovered their strength in the 1830s. They were confined to Arabia but Abdul Aziz ibn Saud (1876-1953), the founder of modern Saudi Arabia in 1924, was faithful to the Wahhabi sect, as are his hundreds of sons and grandsons who still rule the country.  Once they gained oil money they used it to spread the sect. Wahhabism's explosive growth outside Arabia began in the 1970s when Saudi charities started funding Wahhabi schools (madrassas) and mosques from Pakistan to California.

[[Wahhabi]] fundamentalism originated with [[Syria]]n jurist Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab (1703–92), but the [[Ottoman Empire]]'s more moderate leaders sought to curb it.  In the early 19th century, alarmed by the increasing influence of Wahhabism in Saudi-controlled Arabia, the Ottoman Empire urged its Egyptian vassal Muhammad Ali Pasha (1769-1849) to mount an armed attack on the movement, which was considered anti-Turkish. Muhammad Ali began operations in 1811, and bitter fighting ensued on and off, with several cease-fires and impermanent peace agreements being tried until Egypt finally seemed to have succeeded (with the help of some Bedouin tribes that also objected to the stern religious views of Wahhabism) in subduing Arabia by 1818. However, Egypt had to concentrate on insurrections at home, and the Saudi Wahhabists eventually recovered their strength in the 1830s. They were confined to Arabia but Abdul Aziz ibn Saud (1876-1953), the founder of modern Saudi Arabia in 1924, was faithful to the Wahhabi sect, as are his hundreds of sons and grandsons who still rule the country.  Once they gained oil money they used it to spread the sect. Wahhabism's explosive growth outside Arabia began in the 1970s when Saudi charities started funding Wahhabi schools (madrassas) and mosques from Pakistan to California.

===Modern state===

===Modern state===