The Wahhabi-Salafi reform movement was founded in 1744 by Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab in central Arabia, in alliance with Muhammad ibn Saud. This movement aimed to purify Islam by returning to what its founders considered the original teachings and practices of the faith, rejecting innovations and superstitions. The Wahhabi movement would later play a crucial role in shaping the modern state of Saudi Arabia and influencing Islamic thought and practice across the Muslim world.

The Wahhabi movement's austere theology rejected devotional poetry (particularly Sufi verse); its clash with the rich Sufi literary tradition of Arabia and South Asia created a fault line that shaped Islamic literary culture for centuries. This tension influenced poets to either embrace or resist the Wahhabi ideals, leading to a rich diversity of poetic expression in the region.