The Wahhabi and Salafist movements have become increasingly influential throughout the Middle East and the world. They have been an integral part of the dynamic religious conflict in the Middle East and have helped propagate the current terrorist movements throughout the world. To understand what makes these movements so popular, we must revisit the roots of Wahhabism and Salafism and their similarities and differences. Wahhabism was founded by Mohammed Ibn Abd al-Wahhab in the eighteenth century. Wahhabism “stresses the absolute sovereignty of God.” (1) It is an austere Islamic doctrine and religious movement that insists on a literal translation of the Koran that seeks to restore “pure” monotheistic views. Wahhabists seek to restore traditional …show more content…
They believe that their religion is the only true religion that God had intended for people to practice, and “ strict Wahhabis believe that all those who don’t practice their form of Islam are heathens and enemies.”(Doc 4) Some Wahhabists have a very strong hatred for those not in the Wahhabist community, especially those in the western world. Many of the Wahhabist beliefs are similar to those of the Salafists, but Wahhabism is rooted on teaching from the 18th century, where as Salafi islam is quite distinct. Wahhabism is a pared-down Islam that rejects modern influences, while Salafism seeks to reconcile Islam with modernism. They both reject traditional teachings on Islam in favor of direct, ‘fundamentalist’ reinterpretation. (Jamestown reference) Wahhabists are generally more inclined to violence whereas Salafists use more peaceful ways , such as preaching and education, to spread the branch of islam. Both Wahhabism and Salafism, however, are important to the foundation of many terrorist ideals, and both support fundamentalist views that give rise to organizations such as Al-Qaeda and ISIS. Wahhabism and Salafism have gained a tremendous amount of support in the past few decades through the educational systems of Saudi Arabia, terrorist organizations, and the infiltration into areas such as Syria and Iraq, takinging reign due to their governmental