Saudi Arabian researchers say they are trying to release the Salafi movement in Egypt from accusations of inciting the sectarian strife that Egypt has witnessed recently. Islamic Jihadists cannot be considered Salafi, and the Saudi researches believe Salafis are misinterpreted and the smear campaign against Salafism is unjustified. The researches said the recent smear campaign against the Salafi movement is a result of fear of civil, democratic Islam and the expansion of Islamic movements. The new episode of ‘Meet the Press,' presented by Daoud Sherian on Al-Arabiya channel, discusses Salafism with Dr.Abdulrahman bin Zayd al-Zenidy, a professor of Islamic Jurisprudence at Imam College; Muhammad bin Ibrahim al-Saidi, Professor of Fiqh of Umm Al-Qura University; and author and journalist Mashari al-Zayadi. Al-Zayadi said there is an urgent need for the clarification of the term ‘Salafi' and that the Muslim Brotherhood is keen to remain at a distance from Salafis, pointing out that Salafism should not be solely associated with Saudi Arabia. Al-Arabiya.net quoted al-Zayadi saying the Muslim Brotherhood (MB) struck a deal with the military junta in Egypt and that the recent sectarian strife, blamed on the Salafis, has only worsened the situation for Egypt's Salafis. Al- Zayadi said liberals in Egypt are seeking to create a new enemy, to undermine the MB's gains, and in the end the Salafis will side with whoever becomes leader of Egypt. Al-Arabiya quoted al-Zenidy as saying the Salafi ideology is not derived solely from the Quran and Sunnah. He said Salafis do not give priority to understanding texts from the Quran and believe in the teachings of all four main schools of Islamic thought. Al-Zenidy said there are differences in interpretation within Salafism and those with differences of opinion are still welcome to be part of Salafism. He denounced fact that it is misinterpreted as Jihadi. The teachings and versus of Jihad do not pertain to the Salafi movement, he said. Al-Zenidy discussed Salafism and its global presence. Its presence is not confined to Saudi Arabia although Saudi is the symbol of Islamist and Salafi thought. Al-Saidi said the sudden convergence of the Salafi and MB movements, particularly during Egypt's January 25 Revolution, is to blame for the smear campaign against the Salafis. Al-Saidi said the smear campaign is a result of Western fear adopted from Western media. Al-Saidi listed the differences between the MB and Salafis, pointing out that many of the MB leaders are Salafis. Unlike the MB, Salafi movements refuse to have any political partisanship.
