Saudi Arabia Is Redefining Islam for the World's Largest Muslim Nation

THE ATLANTIC: King Salman's historic visit to Indonesia is the culmination of a long campaign for influence.

When Saudi Arabia’s King Salman landed in Indonesia on Wednesday, he became the first Saudi monarch to visit the world’s largest Muslim-majority country since 1970. Officials in Jakarta had hoped the visit would help them strengthen business ties and secure $25 billion in resource investments. That’s largely been a bust—as of Thursday, the kingdom has agreed to just one new deal, for a relatively paltry $1 billion.

But Saudi Arabia has, for decades, been making investments of a different sort—those aimed at influencing Indonesian culture and religion. The king’s current visit is the apex of that methodical campaign, and “has the potential to accelerate the expansion of Saudi Arabia’s cultural resources in Indonesia,” according to Chris Chaplin, a researcher at the Royal Netherlands Institute of Southeast Asia. “In fact, given the size of his entourage, I wouldn’t be surprised if there will be a flurry of networking activity amongst Indonesian alumni of Saudi universities.”

Since 1980, Saudi Arabia has devoted millions of dollars to exporting its strict brand of Islam, Salafism, to historically tolerant and diverse Indonesia. It has built more than 150 mosques (albeit in a country that has about 800,000), a huge free university in Jakarta, and several Arabic language institutes; supplied more than 100 boarding schools with books and teachers (albeit in a country estimated to have between 13,000 and 30,000 boarding schools); brought in preachers and teachers; and disbursed thousands of scholarships for graduate study in Saudi Arabia. All this adds up to a deep network of Saudi influence. » | Krithika Varagur | Thursday, March 2, 2017

Saudi Arabia Quietly Spreads Its Brand of Puritanical Islam in Indonesia

VOICE OF AMERICA: JAKARTA — When Ulil Abshar-Abdalla was a teenager in Pati, Central Java, he placed first in an Arabic class held at his local madrasa. The prize was six months of tuition at the Institute for the Study of Islam and Arabic (LIPIA), a Jakarta university founded and funded by the Saudi Arabian government. At the end of six months, LIPIA offered him another six. He stayed on.

After that, it offered him four more years of free tuition to obtain a bachelor’s degree in Islamic law, or shariah. He accepted that too. In 1993, after five years at LIPIA, he was offered a scholarship to continue his studies in Riyadh. He finally said no. » | Krithika Varagur | Tuesday, January 17, 2017

German Intelligence Chief Warns about Growing Number of Salafi Muslims in His Country

LOS ANGELES TIMES: The number of Salafi Muslims in Germany, adherents of an ultra-conservative school of thought within Sunni Islam, has been growing rapidly and is boosting the ranks of jihadist recruits, the country’s intelligence chief said Wednesday.

Hans-Georg Maassen, president of the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, said that there are 9,200 Salafis in Germany, up from 8,900 in June and about 5,500 three years ago. His remarks came a day after three young Syrian militants posing as refugees were arrested on suspicion of planning terror attacks.

Salafis, who the German government says want to overturn democracy and install a system based on Islamic law, make up only a small proportion of Germany’s total Muslim population of more than 4 million. But, security officials say, they join jihadist groups at a much higher rate than others.

“The unchecked growth in the number of Salafis is expanding the pool of recruits for jihadists,” Maassen said. » | Erik Kirschbaum | Reporting from Berlin | Wednesday, September 14, 2016

The True Origins of Isis Ideology (Wahhabism/Salafism)

Islamist Preacher in Germany Arrested over Terror Links

Islamist preacher Sven Lau delivers a speech during
a pro-Islam demonstration

THE TELEGRAPH: Convert Sven Lau suspected of recruiting volunteers and providing money and equipment a jihadist group with links to al-Qaeda

An Islamist preacher who set up his own “sharia police” in Germany has been arrested on suspicion of links to jihadists in Syria.

Sven Lau, a 35-year-old convert to Islam, is notorious in Germany for the “sharia police” incident, in which he and a group of vigilantes patrolled the streets of Wuppertal in high-visibility vests trying to stop people drinking and listening to music.

He escaped punishment over the episode last week when a court ruled the group had not broken any laws.

But Mr Lau, who is also known as Abu Adam, now faces much more serious charges of supporting a foreign terrorist organisation.

He is suspected of recruiting volunteers and providing money and equipment for Jaish al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar (JMA), a jihadist group with links to al-Qaeda. » | Justin Huggler in Berlin | Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Verwandt »

Germany: Salafists on the Rapid Increase

ARUTZ SHEVA: Salafist fundamentalist Islam is rising strongly in Germany, according to German security services.

Salafism – a form of fundamentalist Islam – is on the rise in Germany, according to a survey commissioned by German security services.

Clarion Project - which is committed to "challenging extremism [and] promoting dialogue," according to its website - says the reports shows that over the first half of 2015, the number of German Muslims identifying themselves as Salafists has risen 25%. In the past, this number has risen approximately 3% over six-month periods.

Though the numbers are still small, the rapid growth is attracting interest. In June of this year, 7,900 people are estimated to be Salafists, as opposed to 6,300 in January.

Salafism is a form of Islam that itself is roughly divided into three groups: Those who don't get involved in politics, those who do, and Jihadist Salafists. All three seek to return the practice of Islam to its original form as delineated by Muhammed 14 centuries ago. They are also all in favor of a global caliphate and sharia (Islamic) law.

Clarion notes that Salafists believe that democracy must be eradicated. ISIS (the Islamic State), al-Qaeda and most of the world’s Islamist terror organizations practice Salafist Islam. » | Hillel Fendel | Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Saudis Spreading Radical Ideology, Causing Mass Murder, Destroying States: Ex-Iraqi Defense Minister

The 2003 invasion of Iraq is widely considered to have been a mistake, even by many policy makers in the US. But despite that recognition, the lesson was not learned and the pattern of catastrophic interventions in the region continued in subsequent years. How can the international community tackle the product of that chaos - the Islamic State, and could an all-encompassing regional agreement bring stability to the troubled region? Oksana is joined by Dr Ali Allawi, an Iraqi Cabinet Minister from 2003 to 2006, to analyse these issues.

Islamic Extremists 'Trying to Recruit Syrian Refugees in Germany'

German Salafist preacher Pierre Vogel

THE TELEGRAPH: Islamic extremists in Germany are trying to recruit Syrian refugees to their cause, warns country’s domestic security service

Islamic extremists in Germany are trying to recruit Syrian refugees to their cause, the country’s domestic security service has said.

The warning came as one of Germany’s best known Islamist preachers published a list of suggestions for his followers on how best to approach refugees.

Pierre Vogel, a former boxer and convert to Islam who has been described as “Germany’s most influential Salafist preacher”, a puritan branch of Sunni Islam, called on his followers to seek out new recruits at government refugee shelters.

The preacher told his followers to take gifts and donations with them, and to volunteer to help staff with the influx. If the offer was refused, they should seek out newly arrived refugees at nearby mosques where they would go to pray, he said. » | Justin Huggler in Berlin | Thursday, September 10, 2015

How Saudi Arabia Exports Radical Islam

THE WEEK: Saudi Arabia has spent billions promoting its extremist version of Islam. What has it wrought? Here's everything you need to know:

Why do the Saudis proselytize?

To combat the spread of Shiite Islam and ensure that the Islamic world is primarily Sunni. In recent years, the ancient Sunni-Shiite conflict in Iraq, Yemen, and throughout the Middle East has grown more overt, bitter, and violent. Now that Iran has agreed to rein in its nuclear program in return for the lifting of international economic sanctions, Riyadh fears a newly enriched Tehran will be more aggressive in spreading its Shiite doctrine and promoting Shiite-led revolutions. A trove of Saudi diplomatic documents covering 2010 to 2015, recently released by WikiLeaks, shows a Saudi obsession with Iranian actions and Iranian influence. Saudi government agencies monitor Iranian cultural and religious activities, and try to muzzle Shiite influence by shutting down or blocking access to Iranian-backed media. Saudi diplomats keep close tabs on Iranian involvement everywhere, from Tajikistan, which has strong historical Persian ties, to China, where the tiny, beleaguered Uighur population — which is Muslim — is growing more religious.

How do the Saudis promote their religious views? By investing heavily in building mosques, madrasas, schools, and Sunni cultural centers across the Muslim world. Indian intelligence says that in India alone, from 2011 to 2013, some 25,000 Saudi clerics arrived bearing more than $250 million to build mosques and universities and hold seminars. "We are talking about thousands and thousands of activist organizations and preachers who are in the Saudi sphere of influence," said Usama Hasan, a researcher in Islamic studies. These institutions and clerics preach the specifically Saudi version of Sunni Islam, the extreme fundamentalist strain known as Wahhabism or Salafism. » | Staff | The Week | Saturday, August 8, 2015

Austere Brand of Islam On Rise in Europe, Stirring Concerns

YAHOO! NEWS: PARIS (AP) — Its imams preach austere piety, its tenets demand strict separation of sexes — and some of its most radical adherents are heeding the call of jihad. Salafism, an Islamic movement based on a literal reading of the Quran, is on the rise in France, Germany and Britain, security officials say, with Salafis sharply increasing their influence in mosques and on the streets.

The trend worries European authorities, who see Salafism as one of the inspirational forces for young Europeans heading to Syria or Iraq to do battle for the Islamic State group. Experts, however, point out that the vast majority of Salafis are peace-loving.

In Germany, there are currently about 7,000 Salafis in the country — nearly double the 3,800 estimated four years ago, the Interior Ministry said last month. About 100 French mosques are now controlled by Salafis, a small number compared to the more than 2,000 Muslim houses of worship, but more than double the number four years ago, a senior security official told The Associated Press. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to discuss the matter publicly. France does not do head-counts by religious practices or origins.

In Britain the numbers are on the rise, too. Seven percent of Britain's 1,740 mosques are run by Salafis, according to Mehmood Naqshbandi, an expert on Britain's Muslims and counter-extremism adviser to the British government who keeps a database of the various currents of Islam in Britain. He says those numbers are steadily growing, especially among young people — and that a quarter to half of British Muslims under 30 "accept some parts or all of the Salafi theology." » | Elaine Ganley | AP | Sunday, June 21, 2015

Why Farhan Left Islam?

Farhan is an American born to a Muslim Pakistani family, he started as an Ahmadi Muslim, then he found out that Ahmadiyya is just a sect far from the main stream Islam. He left Ahmadiyya to be a Sunni Muslim. His journey continued when he found out that Islam is not what Muslims in the west claim it to be; it is not “the religion of peace”, he left Islam, now he is agnostic.

Egypt Strikes Islamic Texts from Schools, Angering Salafists

AL MONITOR: CAIRO — The decision of Egypt’s Ministry of Education to remove some content from primary and secondary school curricula has sparked wide controversy in the country.

While the state views the decision — which will omit some religious texts and passages on historical Islamic figures — as a way to counter radical ideologies and fight extremism, the Salafist movements have deemed it a war on Islam.

Egypt’s Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab announced the decision in a press statement following a meeting he headed with the Curriculum Development Committee on April 11. He said, “We will not allow any academic textbooks that would instill myths and superstition in the minds of students.”

The Curriculum Development Committee was formed March 4 to review curricula and remove any outdated texts that incite violence. » | Ayah Aman | Undated

What Is Salafism and Should We Be Worried by It?

THE WEEK: Salafi violence is on the rise across the Arab world - and may be gaining a dangerous foothold in Europe

In the days after the attacks on Charlie Hebdo and a Jewish supermarket in Paris, attention has focused on the rise of Salafism in Europe.

Salafism is described as "the fastest-growing Islamic movement in Europe" by Soren Kern of the New York Daily News. He accuses European leaders of failing to confront the rise of a dangerous ideology on their own turf.

Germany's intelligence chief, Hans-George Maassen, says the number of active Salafists in his country has grown from 3,800 to 6,300 in three years, according to Deutsche Welle.

Maassen says that most recruits are men aged from 18 to 30, with families from migrant backgrounds who have struggled to adjust to their new home. Salafism provides them with a sense of belonging and purpose, he said, "giving the impression that they will go from being underdogs to top dogs".

What is Salfism?

Salafis are fundamentalists who believe in a return to the original ways of Islam. The word 'Salafi' comes from the Arabic phrase, 'as-salaf as-saliheen', which refers to the first three generations of Muslims (starting with the Companions of the Prophet), otherwise known as the Pious Predecessors. » | Monday, January 19, 2015

Salafism Spreads as Europe Fiddles

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS: "In terms of effectiveness in the fight against terrorism, the effect is zero.”

The jihadist attack on the offices of Charlie Hebdo, a French magazine known for lampooning Islam, has cast a glaring light on the growing problem of Muslim radicalization in Europe.

While there are millions of European Muslims who worship in peace and pose no threat whatsoever to others, increasing numbers of Muslims on the continent are embracing a radical form of Islam and its call to wage violent jihad against all nonbelievers for the sake of Allah.

The trend can be seen in the increasing appeal of Salafism, the fastest-growing Islamic movement in Europe.

Salafism takes its name from the Arabic term salaf, which means predecessors or ancestors. Salafists trace their roots to Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Muhammad, and glorify an idealized vision of what they claim is the true, original Islam practiced by the earliest generations of Muslims, including Muhammad and his companions and followers, in the 7th and 8th centuries.

The aim of Salafism is to re-create a pure form of Islam in the modern era. » | Soren Kern | New York Daily News | Friday, January 09, 2015

Fundamentalist Islam and the Roots of Terrorism

HUFFINGTON POST – THE BLOG: After witnessing the Islamic Republic of Iran violate human rights, persecute other religions, adopt sharia law, murder dissenters, and compel the judiciary to serve the Ministry of Intelligence, I am now convinced that the worst thing that can happen to a free Western country is to allow Islamic fundamentalists to have a say in government.

Most of the world's 1.6 billion Muslims pray in Arabic, but they do not speak Arabic as their mother tongue; that includes most Iranians. Yet the problem isn't in the translation, rather the problem rests with bad ideology.

Fifteen of the nineteen 9/11 hijackers were Saudi Arabian, two more were from the United Arab Emirates, one was from Egypt, and one from Lebanon. They were all from Arabic-speaking countries, and presumably the terrorists read Islamic scripture in the original Arabic. Muslim scholars did not unite to protest this act of terrorism. Instead, many celebrated a victory, because the Quran permits violence to expand Islam.

Most so-called Muslims are peace-loving, because they do not follow the rules. They practice Islam à la carte, a new religion. » | Janet Tavakoli * | Tuesday, November 11, 2014

* Janet Tavakoli is the author of Unveiled Threat: A Personal Experience of Fundamentalist Islam and the Roots of Terrorism, a newly-released non-fiction book about the current negative implications of Islamic fundamentalism for the United States.

Convert to Islam Tests Boundaries of Germany’s Terror Laws

Islamist preacher Sven Lau talks during a rally in July
in Hamburg, Germany.

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: Standoff between Islamist preacher Sven Lau and German security agents shows the difficulty of drawing a clear line between opinion and sedition.

WUPPERTAL, Germany—Fundamentalist Islamic preacher Sven Lau claims he has a simple test to separate undercover officers from passersby. He gives them the finger. If they don’t respond, he said, “they’re intelligence agents.”

German authorities have spent at least eight years monitoring Mr. Lau, a 34-year-old ex-firefighter from a Catholic family who now practices a strict form of Islam known as Salafism.

Officials say Mr. Lau is one of the most prominent Islamic preachers in Germany, with a charismatic message that lures young Germans into radical Muslim circles. The head of Germany’s domestic intelligence agency called Mr. Lau one of the country’s “best-known propagandists.” Authorities allege Mr. Lau inspired some of his followers to join Islamic militants in Syria and Iraq, and fear they will eventually spawn terror attacks in Germany and the West. Read on and comment » | Anton Troianovski | Sunday, November 02, 2014

Germany: Spread of Radical Islam Propaganda Sparks Concerns

FOCUS : Our correspondents in Germany have been investigating a surge in ultra-conservative Islam, which ranges from so-called "sharia patrols" who pressure Muslim women to wear veils, to salafists who travel abroad to join extremist fighters. Jessica Saltz and Anne Maillet report on how their words and actions are a worry to moderate Muslims and authorities alike.

Salafists Form 'Sharia Police' In Order To Enforce Sharia Law in Germany

RIA NOVOSTI: MOSCOW, Ekaterina Blinova - Eleven members of the self-proclaimed "Sharia Police," which were allegedly trying to "influence and recruit" German youths, were stopped by local police on Wednesday, September 3, in Wuppertal, a city of 350,000.

"These people's intention is to provoke and intimidate and force their ideology (upon others)," claimed Peter Jung, Wuppertal's mayor, adding that Wuppertal has always been an "open and tolerant city, which is proud of the fact that people of different religions and convictions live together in peace," as cited by Deutsche Welle.

The followers of Salafism, a fundamentalist form of Islam were seen on Wednesday, September 3, dressed in orange traffic safety vests with the words 'Sharia Police' on their backs, 'patrolling' the streets of Wuppertal. The Salafi volunteers have declared the nightlife areas of Wuppertal to be a 'Sharia Controlled Zone,' and persuaded young people "to refrain from alcohol, drugs, gambling, attending concerts, watching pornography or visiting prostitutes," the media source notes. » | Saturday, September 06, 2014

From Prison to Jihad: Islamists Seek Supporters among German Inmates

Muslim prison chaplain Husamuddin Meyer
visits a jail in Wiesbaden, Germany, several
times a week as he attempts to connect with
prisoners and prevent them from adopting more
extremist forms of Islam, like Salafism.

SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: Radical Islamists have found a new place for recruiting fresh followers: German prisons. In some jails, Muslim chaplains are successfully promoting a more moderate approach to the faith, but many more of them are needed.

The evening sun shines through the barred windows onto the 18 men. They're wearing ruby-colored T-shirts and black pants. Some nudge each other's shoulders out of sheer boredom, while others linger in groups at the corner of the sparse room. The men speak Turkish, Arabic and German. One keeps glancing out the window into the prison yard.

A man with a full beard and violet-colored turban strides before the prisoners, his colorfully striped linen robe flowing behind him. Husamuddin Meyer rolls out his prayer rug and begins to pray. Swaying back and forth, he seems almost to be singing the Arabic verses.

The men stand silently in two rows in front of Meyer, backs straight and eyes staring straight ahead. They then kneel, lowering their heads until their foreheads touch the ground. They repeat this four to five times before chanting, "Allahu akbar," God is great. Meyer gestures with his hand and the prisoners form a semi-circle around him to listen to him telling a story from the Koran. Nobody interrupts.

Meyer is a Muslim chaplain; he wears a beard, a turban and a ring on his finger as prescribed by the Sunna. He also walks with a wooden cane, whose thud announces his arrival when he swiftly makes his way through the prison corridors. He visits the correctional facility in the central German city of Wiesbaden three times each week, where he prays together with Muslim prisoners and provides them with religious counseling.

Meyer is hoping to show the prisoners the path to Allah. More importantly, though, he is seeking to sway the faithful away from more radical interpretations of the Koran. He warns in particular against Salafism, the fundamentalist stream of Islam that is currently enjoying growing popularity among young men. When he discusses the issue, his generally pleasant voice suddenly hardens. "Salafism is like a disease," Meyer says. "Once somebody has it, they start infecting others." » | Lisa Schnell | Wednesday, July 02, 2014

Salafists Want to Destroy the Sphinx and Pyramids (2012)