Eurasia Review
05 April 2018
- RSIS
- Media Mentions
- Labelling Islamic State Fighters: Khawarij, Not Jihadi-Salafis – Analysis
Labelling Islamic State Fighters: Khawarij, Not Jihadi-Salafis – Analysis
The term ‘Jihadi-Salafis’ was first used by the French scholar Gilles Keppel in 2002 to describe a hybrid ideology in the anti-Soviet Afghan war. The event of September 11 saw this term widely used to refer to those Muslims who believe in using violence in the name of Jihad. They include members of Al-Qaeda and the so-called Islamic State (IS).
The use of this term is inaccurate and problematic as it does not reflect the actions and characteristics of the true Jihadis or Salafis in traditional Islam. In fact, their indiscriminate violent actions go against the spirit of the teachings of Islam itself. A more accurate term to describe them is probably ‘Khawarij’, ‘Neo-Khawarij’ or ‘Modern-Day Khawarij’.
… Mohamed Bin Ali is Assistant Professor with the Studies in Inter-Religious Relations in Plural Societies (SRP) Programme, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. He is also a counsellor with the Religious Rehabilitation Group (RRG).
SRP / Online
Last updated on 06/04/2018
