The Impact of Salafi-Wahhabi Ideology on Contemporary Extremist Groups (ISIS)

In the history of Islam, extremist ideologies such as Wahhabism, under the influence of violence and extremism, have consistently labeled others as heretics and pagans. They have consistently been trying to expand their realms through waging war, bloodshed and plundering. The contemporary extremist groups share great similarities with Wahhabism in terms of ideology and demonstration of violent behaviors. Today, The ISIS and Al-Qaeda which operate under such ideologies are primarily run by Egyptian and Saudi nationals and as such these individuals have Muslim Brotherhood-Wahhabi convictions. Relying on Wahhabism with roots in Ibn Taymiyyah and Muslim Brotherhood, their followers have drawn upon extremist ideas of Sayyid Qutb and have joined hands to make a bitter concoction from Islam. Contemporary researchers generally refer to contemporary extremist groups as Wahhabi-Takfiri, Salafi or extremist (radical) Wahhabi. Employing historical and available resources as well as utilizing historical and comparative methodologies, this research attempts to recognize Salafi-Wahhabi theoretical and practical similarities among the contemporary extremist groups.