A Guide to Saudi Arabia Politics: 5. Role of Islam in the government

Islam
has the major impact on the structure of the Saudi political system. The
country’s legal system and the political regime are based on Islamic law Sharia.
Quran is considered to be the Saudi constitution with the government’s role to
implement its main provision and adapt it to the modern world’s challenges. The
government does not have any legal protection of the freedom of religion
because Islam is the official religion in the country and requires its citizens
to be Muslims. The government takes an official position that supports
conservative version of Sunni Islam – Wahhabism.  All representatives of other Islamic
traditions (Shia Muslims) are severely persecuted and are not allowed into
politics (Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor)