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