The Introduction of Sheikh Ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab's Doctrine in Qatar: Religion and Politics in the Writings of Sheikh Qassim Al-Thani

The history of doctrinal affiliations in the Gulf countries is one of the scarcely studied topics. In a time when religion and politics were deeply entwined Qatar adopted Wahhabism since the inauguration of its Sheikhdom and yet maintained a separate orientation in politics from the Saudi state. This study aims to explore the adoption of Wahhabism in Qatar through tracing early Saudi-Wahhabi attempts of expanding towards Qatar in the late eighteenth century until the time of its adoption by the founding Sheikh Qassim in the mid-nineteenth century. This adoption shall be studied through the vein of the private social, political, and economic context of that time period. The study also aims to define this adoption by Sheikh Qassim by examining a body of his formal and intimate writings, including his correspondence, poetry, and will. Using this material, a study of the interaction between the religious and the political shall be conducted, keeping in mind the Sheikh's adherence to Wahhabism and its interaction with his political practices and alliances.