Differences between Salafist groups abound and some of the groups seem to contradict the others as far as their ideas are concerned.
Nonetheless, the discourse of all Salafist groups is
almost the same. They all also pose the same danger to society. The Salafists
are dangerous in that they are ready to change their tactics and loyalties
every now and then, as they see fit or to suit the change in conditions around
them.
Ansar al-Sunna al-Mouhammadia Group, for example,
views democracy as a "sacrilege". Nevertheless, the same group does
not mind fielding candidates in elections. By doing this, it believes it can
avoid the harm that those who believe in democracy can cause to it.
This group also believes in teamwork. It, however,
does not believe in political parties. Al-Jamiyya al-Sharia, another leading
Salafist group, also shares the same thoughts. Al-Jamiyya al-Sharia has hundreds of thousands
of followers.
This group believes in the importance of
organizational teamwork. Nonetheless, it refuses to work within the framework
of state institutions. It considers these institutions to be non-Islamic.
Al-Jamiyya al-Sharia is a world on its own: it has
branches, leaders and a strict work mechanism. The group is led by Mohamed
Abdel Fattah Abu Idriss and Saeed Abdel Azeem. Almost all preachers who appear
on Egyptian TV from time to time belong to this group.
Operational Salafists, observers say, are the most
dangerous group of Salafists. These are Salafists, they add, who refuse to form
their own entities, but encourage their followers to cooperate with all
Salafist and Islamist groups, including al-Qaeda itself.
Most of the militants who were arrested in Egypt in
the past years confessed that they were disciples of Mohamed Abdel Maqsoud and
Fawzi al-Saeed, both leaders of this strand of Salafists, which calls for
violent action against the government.
The group led by Oussama al-Qousi, widely known as
Madkhali Current, stands in contrast with all other Salafist groups. Al-Qousi
had previously called for assassinating Mohamed el-Baradie, the former head of
the International Atomic Energy Agency. Al-Qousi's group calls for total
obedience to political leaders and bans revolt against them. It says a Muslim
ruler has to be obeyed, even if he is corrupt.
The strange thing still was that al-Qousi sanctioned
demonstrations after the January 25 revolution which took place in 2011. He
even apologized for the youths who staged the revolution against longstanding
president Hosni Mubarak. Leading Salafist preacher Mahmud Lutfi Amer said he
would run in the subsequent presidential elections.
Soon after the revolution, a huge number of Salafist
groups appeared, each of which has its own distinctive nature. These groups
were followed by hundreds of thousands of people. Some of them hammered out
alliances with the government. Other groups went into conflicts with this
government and even called its members a "bunch of infidels".
Third Current
This current emerged after the January 25 revolution.
It is an umbrella for a wide range of Salafist groups and organizations,
including the Salafist Front, the Sharia Students Movements and the New Islam
Current. These groups came together to confront what they described as the
"pragmatism of the Muslim Brotherhood and the Salafists".
Traditional Salafism continued to exist. This is the
type of Salafism that cares only about asking people to adhere to the teachings
of the Islamic religion. It also focuses on Islamic upbringing. This type of
Salafism rejects to be involved in politics.
The Reformist Salafism differs in that it sanctions
involvement in politics. It even accepts democracy.
Jihadist Salafism approves revolt against rulers and
governments.
Post revolution Salafists
Before the revolution, most Salafists were affiliated
to institutions, including al-Jamiyya al-Sharia, an organization that focused
on social activities.
Nevertheless, after the revolution, a large number of
Salafist institutions turned to politics. Al-Jamiyya al-Sharia formed al-Nour
Party on June 13, 2011. Another Salafist group formed the al-Fadila Party. This
group was followed by other Salafist groups that formed their own parties too.
Jamaa Islamiyya formed the Construction and
Development Party and fielded candidates in the parliamentary elections that
followed the revolution. It failed, however, in winning a large number of
seats.
Jihadists formed the Safety and Development Party, but
they did not make a lot of success. Other Salafist groups, meanwhile, only
stood idly by and watched what was happening on the political stage.
