Indeed, it goes to the heart of the Saudi state’s authority, owing to the Al Saud royal family’s reliance on Wahhabi Islam to legitimate its rule. Since the Wahhabis consider the Shi’a apostates, the challenge from the Shi’a – both within and without Saudi Arabia – represents a mortal threat.
什叶派对沙特政府的威胁是意识形态上的。确实，由于沙特王室依靠瓦哈比伊斯兰来使其统治合法化，这就切中了沙特国家政权的要害。由于瓦哈比认为什叶派是变节者，因此，来自沙特内部和外部的什叶派威胁构成心腹之患。