the religious establishment in saudi arabia, led by the al ash-sheikh, which influences almost every aspect of social life, is deeply involved in politics. it has long been fractured into at least two distinct groups, with the senior ulema closely tied to the political agenda of the house of saud. a younger generation of ulema, who are less firmly established and more radical in tone, have openly criticized the senior ulema and the government in the past. fractures between the government and this younger generation deepened in may 2003, when riyadh fired or suspended thousands of them. many were to be "re-educated," while others were simply ousted from the religious establishment. the move did little to endear the government to an already frustrated and religiously radical cadre of clerics.the islamic legitimacy of the modern saudi state has been questioned by many radical islamist groups and individuals including al-qaeda.