European Powers' Reaction:

 

1. Europe's Concerns:

European powers, especially Britain and France, were concerned about the unity of Islamic states or the initiatives for Islamic reform, as this could pose a threat to their colonial plans.

Europeans, particularly the British, wanted to maintain their political and commercial dominance over the Arabian Peninsula.

They feared that if the Saudi state became powerful, their influence over oil and trade routes, especially in Mecca and Medina, would diminish, as these areas were key for Hajj-related trade and political transactions.

2. Response:

European countries considered the rise of the Saudi state as dangerous and feared it could lead to political instability.

The Europeans cooperated with Muhammad Ali Pasha, the ruler of Egypt, and supported the Ottoman Caliphate in suppressing the Saudi state.

Britain wanted to keep a closer watch on the Saudi state to maintain its influence over Saudi Arabia's oil and commercial routes.

It is clear that Ibn Abdul Wahhab's Tawhid movement and Muhammad Ibn Saud's rule created a new political and religious power, which was a significant threat to both the Ottoman Caliphate and European powers. However, after the fall of the first Saudi state in 1818, when the Saudi state was captured, a sense of relief came to both the Ottoman Caliphate and European powers.

1. Religious-Political Integration:

The unity between Ibn Abdul Wahhab's Tawhid movement and Muhammad Ibn Saud's monarchy became an uncomfortable issue for European powers.

Ibn Abdul Wahhab's main goal was to eliminate shirk (polytheism) and bid'ah (innovation) in Islam and establish Tawhid (monotheism). Although he portrayed his movement as a revival of Islam, Europeans saw it as religious instability and a new threat to Islamic unity.

European states, particularly Britain, saw the rise of such an Islamic power as potentially opposed to their colonial and commercial interests. Their trade, especially the Hajj trade in Mecca and Medina, as well as oil routes, could be endangered.

2. Economic and Commercial Concerns:

Among European countries, Britain and France had the most economic interests tied to the Arabian Peninsula. If the Saudi state were established, they could lose their commercial dominance over the region, as the Saudi state was fighting against shirk and bid'ah, which opposed some of the religious traditions associated with European powers.

Furthermore, the Saudi state started claiming authority over Islamic holy sites like Mecca and Medina, which could increase their political influence in the Muslim world and the Hajj trade. This posed a significant threat to European powers.

3. Political Response:

When the Saudi state occupied large territories, including Mecca and Medina, after the fall of the Abbasid Caliphate, it emerged as an opposing force to the Ottoman Caliphate. European powers such as Britain, France, and Russia saw this with fear, as this force, especially the Saudi state, could work for Islamic unification, which would obstruct their colonial plans and full control over the holy Islamic sites.

Britain, France, and Russia each helped Muhammad Ali Pasha, the Egyptian general, to destroy the Saudi state. In 1811, the Egyptian forces came to suppress the Saudi state, and in 1818, after capturing Dir'iyyah, the first Saudi state fell.

4. Post-Unity International Response:

The 1744 unity and the establishment of the Saudi state created another uncomfortable situation for European powers. Europeans viewed the Saudi state as a force for Islamic unification and strengthening, which was against their commercial and imperial plans.

Many European powers considered this kind of Islamic political unification and power consolidation as dangerous because it represented the rise of a strong and dominant power in the Muslim world, which could work against their financial and commercial interests.

Conclusion:

 Power Response Details    

Ottoman Caliphate Suppression of Saudi State Strong response against the Islamic reform movement and Tawhid propagation    

Europe Concerned The rise of the Saudi state and Islamic reform was against European commercial and political interests. They sent Egyptian forces to suppress the Saudi state.  

The unity between Ibn Abdul Wahhab and Muhammad Ibn Saud posed a significant political and economic challenge for European powers. European powers, especially Britain and France, were alarmed by the strengthening of the Saudi state and the possibility of Islamic unification. They considered it a threat as it could disrupt their economic interests and commercial dominance. In response, European powers supported the Ottoman Caliphate in suppressing the Saudi state, leading to the fall of the first Saudi state in 1818.