Concerns and bigotry against Muslims didn’t start today. The stage was set on September 11, 2001, after the twin towers of the World Trade Centre in New York were bombed by terrorists.
Islam, just like any other religion, is diverse. Some divisions of Islam are more conservative and each division believes its branch of Islam is more superior and should be the real way the religion is practised (this is not exclusive to Islam as many other religions also subscribe to this idea). The conflict in the Middle East has not only given rise to humanitarian concerns, it has also brought attention to the intricate diversity of Islam and what part their differences might play in the conflict. Salafism is one branch of Islam that has raised many questions and has been constantly branded as a ‘terrorist and extremist’ movement.
Soren Kern of the New York Daily described Salafism as “the fastest-growing Islamic movement in Europe.” He went ahead to accuse European leaders of failing to confront the rise of a hazardous ideology.
In reality, Soren might be right, but in objectivity, he might be wrong, as there are good Salafists. But their conservativeness is a problem to modern states that are mostly secular and do not subscribe to their norms.
What is Salafism?
Salafism is a movement that stresses close obedience to the model of the Salaf or ‘predecessors’. They preach a form of Islam whereby the behaviour of Muslims must absolutely reflect that of Prophet Mohammed (Purity). They also oppose religious innovation and their opposition to western ideologies encircles economics, education, morals, and politics.
Salafists have no interest whatsoever in politics. In some countries, Salafi leaders have instructed their followers to not participate in democratic elections. Salafists criticise political groups for being distracted by modernity and not focused enough on what they regarded as the “purification” of doctrine. But after the Arab Spring, some Salafists began to subscribe to the doctrine they despised (political involvement).
Salafism encompasses a wide range of beliefs–from non-violent religious devotion on one hand to Salafi Jihadism on the other. Osama bin Laden and his followers are Sunni Muslims of the Salafi branch. In Egypt, for example, Salafists have been at the forefront of violent attacks against Christians. Ancient scholars whom Salafist look to as guardians, such as Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn Qudamah, and Ibn Qayyim, were advocates of Jihad and the political dominance of Muslims over non-Muslims. This doctrine is openly acknowledged and fully endorsed by some Salafi leaders.
A German intelligence report defined Salafism as a political ideology whose followers view Islam not only as a religion, but as a legal framework that regulates all areas of life: from the state’s role in organising relations between people to the private life of the individual. This is accurate as Salafism does not subscribe to separating religion from the state–something that is evidenced by their prescription of the adoption of Sharia Law by states. This explains why the doctrines of modern states which encompass gender equality and sexual freedom in their laws clash with Salafist ideologies.
Salafism is volatile as terrorist groups have almost the same doctrine as they do–which is to kick against westernisation and embrace a fundamentalist approach to Islam. In Central Europe, Salafism is already a blanket for extreme and violent interpretations of Islam. There have even been various crackdowns on Salafist Islam in countries like Germany, which banned Salafi organisations known as “True Religion” or “Read!”—whose purpose was to distribute copies of the Koran. This outlook on Salafism is not exclusive to Europe. China has a small amount of Salafist Muslims but has kept a close eye on them since 9/11.
However, Salafists make up only a small amount of the Muslim community in Europe and around the world, but this hasn’t stopped authorities from being worried that many of those attracted to Salafist ideology are vulnerable young Muslims who may be perpetrating terrorist acts in the name of Islam.
Skepticism with the right mix of tolerance
It is understandable that people are skeptical about Salafism as they look to guard against insecurity. But while skepticism is needed, tolerance is also important. The strict border rules upheld by most countries in light of the Middle East crisis and the bigotry against Muslims broadcasted by people like Donald Trump are simply because of the past and present realities of extreme Salafists (terrorist groups like ISIS and Al-Qaeda which subscribe to Salafist ideologies), but their actions should not lead to the alienation of a whole group (of Muslims) who have also suffered the consequences of extremism by a few.
