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Introduction
One of the countries affected by terrorism and extremism on a global scale is Saudi Arabia. Radical ideologies have always been a vital part of society because of numerous institutions, including religion and education (Borum, 2011). According to Al Nafjan (2012), religious fanaticism and religious extremism have always existed in human civilization. Fanaticism and extremism, which have been present in the area for many generations, have recently increased to an unprecedented level, causing significant property damage and fatalities. However, Saudi Arabia has launched a significant antiterrorism campaign in an effort to address the global issue and enhance its reputation (Chirot, 2017). The most important initiatives, according to Gambetta and Hertog (2017), were put into place following the terrorist attack on the United States on September 11, 2001. It is still unknown whether the government can successfully eradicate extremism linked to Islamic curricula in the country and the Arab area, despite the efforts of several researchers to explore this relationship, identify the scale of the issue, and offer solutions.
The Relationship Between Saudi Arabia’s Islamic Curriculum and Religious Extremism
Major terrorist attacks across the globe have raised concerns about the quality of education provided in Islamic societies like Saudi Arabia. The challenge also has to do with how Islam shapes Muslims’ perceptions of non-Muslims. A tiny number of people who were taught fanaticism and are currently lecturing in madrasas in “remote outposts” were thought to be the main source of militant extremism. However, researchers like Chirot (2017) have shown that the problem is widespread across the country, including in mainstream education, particularly in Islamic religious studies. Despite the complexity of the conversation about Islam in Muslim education, research already in existence shows the impact of education on the emergence of extremists and terrorists…
