The appeal of Salafism

Netherlands: Salafism's simple message appeals to Muslim youth

The fundamentalist Islamic movement Salafism is spreading rapidly around the world via Internet. With its simple message, it exerts a strong attraction on identity seeking Muslim youths both in the Islamic world and in the west.
...
According to critics of Islam such as Somali-born former Dutch MP Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Dutch scholar Hans Jansen, Salafism represents the only 'pure' Islam.

The Salafists themselves will of course readily agree with this. Their opponents in the Islamic world, however, point out that Salafism is based on a doctrine rejected by the majority of Muslims.

The doctrine of takfir - which plays such an important role in Salafism - has its origin in the Kharijite movement, an extreme sect that was rejected by the orthodox majority in the first centuries of Islam.

Bernard Haykal thinks that, even from a scientific point of view, Salafism can in some respects be viewed as a revival of Kharijism:

"The Salafists distance themselves from the Kharijites, who are known as a heterodox movement. But what the Salafists claim does indeed come extremely close to Kharijism."

As I stated in an earlier post, Sunni Pledge of Mutual Respect and Cooperation, my concerns about the movement continue to grow, not recede.

In the meantime, you might be interested to know that I have written extensively on most of the issues raised by the article above.

• For more information on Salafism's relationship with the Internet, read my earlier piece, ...Online!
• For details on why militants love Salafism, see Why militants love Islam and Usama bin Laden's bedtime story.
• For the latest strategies adopted by ideological Islam, visit The Great Commission of Mussulman and Urban myths that bear repeating.