Main content

Islam, People and Power: The Salafis

Wahhabi Islam is more correctly called salafism. Safa al Ahmad finds that, post the Arab uprisings, the salafis are split between jihadists, democrats and apolitical pietists.

Wahhabism is the most misunderstood brand of Islam. It is more correctly called Salafism and is a fundamentalist interpretation of the faith, often associated with Saudi Arabia. The salafis have long been split between jihadists who justify violently overthrowing their rulers and quietists who believe that even oppressive governments should be obeyed. Since the Arab uprisings, two new groups – salafi democrats and salafi revolutionaries – have come to the fore too.

Presenter Safa Al Ahmad talks to representatives of all positions in the current debate within salafi Islam about the relationship between religion and politics.

(Photo: Saudi Arabia's Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz al-Sheikh. Credit: Hassan Ammar/AFP/Getty Images)

Available now

23 minutes

Broadcasts

  • Thu 24 Nov 2016 02:06GMT
  • Thu 24 Nov 2016 03:06GMT
  • Thu 24 Nov 2016 04:06GMT
  • Thu 24 Nov 2016 05:06GMT
  • Thu 24 Nov 2016 07:06GMT
  • Thu 24 Nov 2016 09:06GMT
  • Thu 24 Nov 2016 15:06GMT
  • Thu 24 Nov 2016 20:06GMT
  • Thu 24 Nov 2016 21:06GMT
  • Thu 24 Nov 2016 21:32GMT
  • Sat 26 Nov 2016 03:32GMT
  • Sun 27 Nov 2016 09:06GMT
  • Wed 19 Apr 2017 02:32GMT
  • Wed 19 Apr 2017 03:32GMT
  • Wed 19 Apr 2017 04:32GMT
  • Wed 19 Apr 2017 06:32GMT
  • Wed 19 Apr 2017 12:32GMT
  • Wed 19 Apr 2017 21:06GMT
  • Sun 23 Apr 2017 08:06GMT

The Documentary Podcast

The Documentary Podcast

Hear more documentaries from the 91Èȱ¬ World Service

Podcast