PC/WI: Saudi King declares himself Caliph

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What's the plausibility of a Saudi King some time between 1920 to Present Day declaring himself as caliph, among his other titles?

And in doing, what would be the potential ramifications domestically and internationally?
 
I'm not sure it would have been that accepted by western powers : Banu Hashim didn't took back the title after their first tentative, maybe because it would have been seen as a risk of pan-islamism for colonial powers.

I may be analysing on it too hard, but if it's the case, then Saudi rulers may not have wanted to create a possible tension.

Furthermore, are Banu Saud Sayyids? If they do not descend from Muhammad's family, it may be a more important, more direct reason to not claim the Caliphate for a Sunni dynasty.

Eventually, the lack of legitimacy would certainly plague a Saudi Caliphate : it's not like it wasn't contemplated by (maybe more technically legit candidates, but too much under colonial thumb to be really plausible) Alawiyyads and Alawites (respectivly Egyptian and Morrocean dynasties).

I could see a Saudi (but it could be against Wahabit teaching, I'm not sure) ruler claiming being Amir al-Mu'minin, while not Caliph tough.

Anyhow, I think a Saudi Caliphate would have little to no influence outside the kingdom, probably increasing tension within the peninsula and the "Caliphate", being more or less frowned upon by Britain, etc.

If they hold on this, I wonder if Wahabits would be actually able to get the influence they gained on worldwide Islam and particularily the growing reaction since the 70's in several places.

John7755 يوحنا would probably know about this.
 
The Saudi royal family doesn't have any Sayyid ancestry as far as I know, there ancestry hails from the ancient North Arabian Rabi'ah confederation, either from the Banu Hanifa or Banu Annizah.

As for the WI, I think the declaration would not be accepted by most members of the Hanafi school of thought, let alone non - Sunnis. However if it were to be a king who would receive the most recognition as Caliph I can see it being King Faisal, who already OTL supported Pan-Islamic policies. The reluctance of various Islamic nations such as Turkey (due to their own history with the title) to accept Saudi Arabia as the Caliphate would lead to some souring of international contention, as well the royal families of the Middle East who have a better genealogical claim to the title. However I can possibly see certain western powers friendly to Saudi Arabia willing to support the decision, believing it to be a useful form of social control for more unruly parts of the Islamic world.

I can see the Ulama of most Hanbali following nations being willing to accept the declaration, and the support of the learned ones are a necessary part of becoming Caliph I believe.

The Caliph would be pressured into championing many pro-Islamic or even Pan - Islamic causes, such as the Palestine movement, perhaps supporting Muslims in Yugoslavia and the USSR. It would be very interesting to a see a 20th century Cold War world with a Caliphate mixed in.
 
As a Kuwaiti, I know a lot if this is to happen. First of all, they have enemies in all sides, Kuwait, the Trucial States, Oman, Yemen, Aden and Britain to an extent. Sure they own Mecca and Medina by then, but that doesn't justify anything. They will not get any support and get immediately attacked by the Other Muslim States immediately

Secondly, They are not Sayyids, As in no lineage to the Hashemites, They are from the Al Enezi Tribe, which coincidentally I am a part of as well but in another branch, the Dahamsha Branch. They have no claim at all.

Lastly, they would not do it anyways. They are Wahhabis, they are "pure" as they would call themselves. So the only Caliph MUST be Al Mahdi, no questions. That's how they believe it.
 
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