| Writing about Wahabism and Salafi-Islam, could fill | | | | the rule of Allah....Allah ordered his Prophet to |
| many books. I will however in this article, try to | | | | execute the commands given to him and forbade |
| make clear why it is of tremendous importance in | | | | him to follow the emotions of the nation, the |
| our time. Both movements are considered as the | | | | masses, and the people." |
| origin of Islamic terrorism. A lot of recent Islamic | | | | 2. "Democracy is the rule of the masses or the |
| terrorists such as Osama Bin Laden, Ayman | | | | rule of paganism, which is conducted according to |
| Al-Zawahiri, and Abu Musab Al Zarqawi, have been | | | | a constitution and not according Allah's |
| inspired by Wahabism. | | | | laws....Democracy has become the mother of laws |
| Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab (1703 - 1792 ) was | | | | and is considered by as a holy book. The religion |
| an Arab theologian born in Saudi Arabia and can | | | | of democracy has no relation to Quranic verses |
| be considered as the founder of Wahabism. | | | | or the Prophet's way of life and it is not possible |
| Wahab is considered by many to be a great | | | | to legislate according to them unless they are |
| reformer of Islam, and at the same time as the | | | | compatible with the holy book (the constitution)." |
| "father of Islamic terrorism. Iwill not go deeply | | | | 3. "Democracy is an outcome of despicable |
| into his teachings, but expose the teachings of | | | | secularism and its illegitimate daughter, since |
| two of his contemporary followers. | | | | secularism is a heretical school striving to separate |
| Salman bin Fahed al-Auda, in his book "The End of | | | | religion from state and government." |
| History", asserts that the solution to Islamic | | | | Al-Maqdisi concludes: "Democracy is a religion that |
| distress , that may bring about the fall of America | | | | is not Allah's religion....It is the rule of paganism...it is |
| and the Western world, "exists in one word which | | | | a religion which includes other gods in its belief...the |
| is Jihad". According to al-Auda, the meaning of | | | | people represented in the religion of democracy |
| jihad is much broader than fighting with a sword. | | | | by its delegates in the parliament...who are actually |
| Appealing to Muslims throughout the world, he | | | | standing idols and false gods placed in their chapels |
| wrote: "We should not simplify this issue and | | | | and their pagan fortresses, namely, their legislative |
| narrow its meaning to a restricted military battle | | | | councils. They and their followers rule according to |
| in one of the Islamic regions or even to an all-out | | | | the religion of democracy and the constitution's |
| war against the West, which is possible and | | | | laws upon which the government is based, and |
| predicted and we assume is arriving... Life as a | | | | according to the paragraphs of their |
| whole is a battlefield. The weapons are not only | | | | legislation....Their master is their God, their big idols |
| the rifle, the bullet, the airplane, the tank, and the | | | | who approve or reject legislation. He is their emir, |
| cannon. Not at all! Thinking is a weapon, the | | | | their king, or their president |
| economy is a weapon, money is a weapon, water | | | | Wahabism (together with the related |
| is a weapon, planning is a weapon, unity is a | | | | Salafi-movement), is not representing the |
| weapon, and so there are many types of | | | | majority of Islam. Actually, it is however the |
| weapons." In "The End of History", al-Auda | | | | most aggressive teaching and it act as if it |
| concluded that the West by itself was already in | | | | represents all Muslims. Many terrorist groupings |
| an advanced state of decay: "T!he West, and | | | | such as Hamas, the Egyptian Islamic Jihad, Al |
| above all the United States, and Western culture, | | | | Quaida, Abu Sayyaf...,are followers of Wahabism |
| in general are undergoing a historical process that | | | | (or Salafi). Enormous quantities of money are |
| is deterministic. This process leads to its total | | | | funneled through Charity organisations to these |
| collapse, sooner or later." His jihad was intended to | | | | terrorist groups. Most of the money is distributed |
| accelerate that collapse. During the 1990's, he was | | | | by the Saudi Monarchy. The U.S. has already |
| regarded as the most influential preacher in Saudi | | | | blocked many of these channels. New ways for |
| Arabia and Osama Bin Laden often cites out of | | | | financing the radicals, will however always be |
| his work. | | | | found. |
| Abu Muhammad al-Maqdisi, lin his book | | | | The only way to stop terrorism is eradicating its |
| "Democracy is a Religion", denies the traditional | | | | roots and these roots are the teachings of |
| protection given by Islam to Jews and Christians. | | | | Wahabism and the Salafi movement.These |
| For al-Maqdisi, democracy is a prohibited innovation | | | | intolerant teachings have to be stopped. The |
| that contradicts Islamic values and embodies a | | | | House of Saud that has been connected to |
| new heretical religion. Its followers are "infidels" | | | | Wahabism since Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab, |
| and "polytheists," even if they consider | | | | must with the help of the moderate Muslims, |
| themselves as Jews or Christians by religion. | | | | renounce and forbid the Wahabi teachings and if |
| Al-Maqdisi based his claim on the following | | | | necessary, banish the terror-preaching clergy. This |
| arguments: | | | | is however an internal Muslim problem. The |
| 1. "Democracy gives legitimacy to the legislation of | | | | question is: has the moderate Muslim-world the wil |
| the masses or to the despotic regime. It is not | | | | and the strenght to realize this. |