Tammy Bah

Tammy Bah

Salafis in the Media

Associated Press writer Bouazza ben Bouazza contributed to this story.

On March 9th, 2012 the National Public Radio media organization (NPR) posted an article by The Associated Press touching on Tunisian Salafis. 

The article: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=148280087&sc=17&f=

The Associated Press provides information of the rise of Salafis in Tunisia which is an Islamic country in Northern Africa. On March 9th, hundreds of men and women demonstrated in Tunisia’s capital against what they had “perceieved” as insults to Islam. They accused the public television building of "sanitizing figures of the old regime" and calling for a purging of staff members who still promote the ideas of the old ruling party.”

Background:

In January 11th, 2011 former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was overthrown.

This lead to suprising and “Islam has blossomed in Tunisia in a way it wasn't allowed to do for half a century.” New religious freedoms developed for Salafis.

Since moderate Islamist won Tunisia’s first free elections, Salafis say that they are restoring rights long denied.

Mohammed Bedoui, a young supporter of the Liberation Party states that "The demonstrations are a response to the provocations of the secularists and the leftists, particularly the polemic against the niqab (face-covering veil) in universities.”

The demonstrations have become very serious. In one case, some of the protestors stalled an exan being taken at a university near Tunis, the captial of Tunisia, to protest a “a ban on female students wearing the niqab during exams.”

Unfortunatley, because of the outrage, things have become violent. “On Wednesday, fights broke out between leftist student union members and Salafis on the campus, resulting in five injured. At one point, a Salafi student tore down the Tunisian flag and replaced it with a black standard bearing the Muslim profession of faith.”

           

The Associated Press describes that these incidents are rare but Salafis in Tunisia have shown a tendency “toward bullying behavior, such as harassing women in smaller towns for not abiding by conservative dress.” It has also been reported that a secular intellectual and a newspaper editor were punched and kicked by a crowd of Salafis protesting.

The last words of this article say, "If you push these people, you are empowering them," this was said by Ferjani of Ennahda. He says this to further radicalize” the Salafis.

Wahhabis in the Media

On March 2nd, 2012 Khairll Azjhar released an article for The Jakarta Post. The title of this artice is “Religious conflict and sacrifice for Wahhabism.”

The article: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2012/03/02/religious-conflict-and-sacrifice-wahhabism.html.

Khairll Azjhar depicts the practice of Wahhabism in Saudi Arabia. In the article, Azjhar defines Wahhabism as “a radical Islamic school of thought.” Azjhar speaks of how Saudi Arabia is a “society dominated by men.”  He goes on to say that the followers of Wahhabism oppress women in a way that is contrary to what Allah has said in the Qur’an.

Azjhar also defines Wahhabism as a “dominant religious sect,” where “They [women] therefore must be put under men’s control if things are to be run on the straight path.”

Azjhar speaks of an accident that is fairly common in Saudi Arabia. In Saudi Arabia, small underage Wahhabi boys will drive cars while their moms sit beside them, they do this no matter who smart their mom is because women are not allowed to drive.

My thoughts on these two articles are that the media depictis the Salafis and the Wahhabis as being extremely radical and violent in their practice.

When reading, I feel as though there is no way to compromise at all with either sect. It also seems like both sects think that they are practicing “real” Islam, but in reality, they are contradicting the religion and using Allah’s name to justify radical acts. For example, in the article by Azjhar the men treat women in an unethical way, but in the Qur’an Allah speaks of the correct way to treat women, to treat women with adoration and respect.

Why would these men take Allah’s words in a wrong manner? There are many other ways to be heard without having to be dangerous and costing lives. Islam is supposed to join people of all races and regions in beleiving in one god and having Tawhid. I do not fully understand why these two sects want to separate themselves from other Muslims, if the goal of Islam is to submit to Allah, no matter where or who you are.

Although these articles portray certain sects of Muslims, I still believe for the average person, they will associated these sects as all Muslims. Which has and is done today.

In analyzing the Salafis and the Wahhabis, I wonder when these two sects will remember before all of the sects and divisions of the religion, that they are Muslims first or will they always remain seperated. Islam is to unify not to disconnect.