HOMO JIHADICUS

the ranks of militant Islamic organisations 13 which paradoxically are hostile
towards Hizb ut-Tahrir, as it criticises jihad and uses peaceful methods 14 .
2. Salafism in the post-Soviet area
Salafism is the most important and the most dynamically growing current
of independent Islam in the post-Soviet area. It is an extreme current inside
Sunni Islam, its characteristics include far-reaching puritanism and legalism
(all actions must be justified by the Koran and Hadith), as well as a rejection of
traditions, i.e. superfluities to the pure, primary Islam, which the Salafis refer
to. Salafism is negatively or even hostilely viewed by the authorities of the
post-Soviet states, and similarly it is in conflict with both the traditional folk
Islam 15 and official Islam 16 .
The rise of Salafism in the post-Soviet area was possible due to several factors:
a partial reintegration of this area with the Islamic world, the emergence of religious
leaders educated abroad and possessing the necessary religious knowledge,
and also fast and simple access to the information on Salafism. Salafism’s
growth was also facilitated by several social factors: the identity crisis of the
post-Soviet societies, the lack of a real and available religious alternative 17 , the
poor socio-economic situation, the weakness of the state and, finally, the injustice
and corruption of the authorities. At the level of individual and small local
communities, Salafism works as an instant remedy for some of these problems.
Post-Soviet Salafism is therefore a result of the internal social processes and
authentic considerations, rather than of an external inspiration. It is a form
of substituting the mechanisms of state and society, neither of which function
properly in the post-Soviet reality. It is also important to bear in mind how
13
Statements of the IMU members, who formerly where Hizb ut-Tahrir members and served
prison sentences for that can serve as proof of this. After being released they joined the
IMU. Based on materials published by the IMU, available at: http://www.jundurrahmon.
biz/index.php/filmlar
14
Based on statements of Tahir Yuldashev in IMU’s release Obrashcheniya 1, available at:
http://www.jundurrahmon.com/jundulloh_filmlar/rus_tili/obrashenie_1.avi
15
First of all with Sufi Islam, extremely severe conflict (often in the form of violence and terrorist
attacks) can be seen in Dagestan. For example the murder of the Sufi Sheikh Said
Afandi Chirkawi in August 2012.
16
Official Islamic institutions, endorsed by the authorities, exist in all the former USSR states.
17
Official Islam still remains under the strict control of the authorities, which in post-Soviet
settings means that the official Islamic institutions are engaged in anti-Salafist propaganda,
surveillance of independent groups and the corruption linked with organising the pilgrimages
to Mecca (the cost of the pilgrimage reach several thousand dollars).
PRACE OSW REPORT OSW 09/2012 09/2015
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