American interest in Wahhabism — a form of Islam practiced in Saudi Arabia — peaked after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, said speakers at a conference on campus this weekend. The event addressed the religion and its impact on foreign relations.

"Islam, yeah, but Wahhabism, who cares?" said Gregory Gause, director of the Middle East Studies Program at the University of Vermont, who spoke at the conference Saturday. "After 9/11, Wahhabism began to be an issue on the American side. What is this Wahhabism? Why do they hate us so much?"

Fifteen of the 19 hijackers involved in the attacks were Saudi Arabian.

Wahhabism is based on a literal translation of the Quran, said David Commins, a professor at Dickinson College and a speaker at the conference.

International relations Distinguished Professor Mohammed Ayoob organized the conference to "demystify Wahhabism and what it's all about."

"Islam is often used as synonymous with Wahhabism, and it has been equated with terrorism," Ayoob said. "So the attempt is to have a dispassionate analysis of all these issues."

Andrew March, a James Madison College professor who spoke at the conference, said devout followers of Wahhabism place an intense emphasis on their religion.

"There's an absolute focus on God and duties and nothing else," he said. "There's a rejection for everything non-Muslim."

But he said Wahhabism — as well as the Saudi Arabian government, which practices the religion — condemns violence.

Rachel Bronson, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations who spoke at the conference, said to explain the impact of Wahhabism on Saudi Arabia, an understanding of politics is crucial.

"This is a political story," she said. "If one can't understand politics, one can't understand where we are today, how we got there and where we're going in the future."

Thomas Lippman, an adjunct scholar at the Middle East Institute in Washington, D.C., said although the United States might not agree with some of the practices of Wahhabism and its entanglement with the Saudi government, economic reasons override any criticism.

Lippman added that during a discussion session later that there are still debates between Saudis on whether to accept a more globalized society in turn for a more relaxed religious environment.

"There's an equivalent of Wal-Mart in every town," he said. "You have this matched against a society that very much wishes to retain religious practices and family relationships."