A Comparison Between the Attitude to the Concept of Jihad in Salafism and New Salafism and Its Impact on Political Transformations in the Middle East

With the hypothesis of the influence of Jihad on the emergence of Jihadist new Salafism, the present study attempts to compare the concept of Jihad in the ideology of Salafists and new Salafists and its impact on the political transformation in the Middle East. This research seeks an answer to this question that what is the impact of change in the concept of Jihad from Ijtihadi Salafism to Jihadist new Salafism on transformations in the Arab Middle East. This study applied the methodology of historical sociology and documentary research method based on document (library) data. The results showed that Jihad along with other religious duties in the ideology of old Salafism used to be defined as hostile measures against nonbelievers (Kuffar), false Muslims (Munafiqin), and idolaters (Mushrikin) for achieving Islamic goals. However, Jihad for new Salafists is even more important than other prayers such as Namaz, fasting, and Hajj. The results of this conceptual change have led to the transformation of invitation to Jihad as practical Islam to new Salafism and juxtaposition between monotheism and heretical innovation and idolatry, heretical innovation in Muslim societies, idolatry (Shirk) in non-Muslim societies, increasing violence in Muslims societies specially the Middle East and also non-Muslim societies in forms of reactional conflicts, ideological conflicts against Muslims, and denominational conflicts inside Muslim countries and bipolarization. The above results have prepared the context for the presence of trans-regional powers, the geopolitical change of power in the Middle East and in general lack of integrity in the Muslim World.