The Intellectual Trends of Salafiyya in Today's World

The idea of returning to the [era of ones] predecessors (salaf) is considerably welcomed by Muslim communities. In this respect, various trends have been created among the Salafis, which can be mentioned as the Saudi Takfīrī Salafis, the extremist Deobandi Salafis of Indian Subcontinent, the moderate Ikhwān al-Muslimīn Salafis of Egypt, and the Jihādī Salfiya of Sayyid Quṭb. Although Wahabi thoughts are not adopted from Salafiya and are merely born of thoughts of Ibn Taymiya and Muḥammad b. ‘Abd al-Wahāb, Wahabism in the Muslim World has introduced itself as Salafiya, presenting non-Islamic ideas as Salaf thoughts (i.e., belonging to the predecessors). This writing includes a historical review of the Salafi thinking trends in respect to its geographical dispersion throughout the world of Islam.