Ali Mohamed Mattar (Arabic: ‫ )علي مطر‬is a salafist Bahraini MP who represents Asalah in the

Chamber of Deputies.

Mattar is one of Asalah's most active MPs, and is seen as carving out a niche for himself in
parliamentary life with legislative proposals that have been described by supporters as ‘bold’. In
January 2006, he proposed legislation to ban sorcery, telling parliament “It's becoming more
popular for people in Bahrain to turn to fortune tellers and sorcerers to find out what their future
holds or to act as mediums to harm others or make people fall in love with them. There are many
homes around the country that are known to be practicing black magic and if you drive past them
a large number of cars from around the GCC would be found parked outside." [1] This created
consternation among the Kingdom's magicians and fortune tellers, with soothsayer Dina,
responding: "I can understand the MPs' feelings because there are fraudsters out there, but it's not
fair for those who truly have the gift of seeing the future and dealing with the supernatural." [2]

In February 2006, Mattar proposed the introduction of Sharia Law, saying that the removal of
thieves’ hands would address rising crime, particularly burglaries. Explaining the move, Mattar
said: “Thieves should feel the agony of their victims and this would be a permanent lesson to
them”. [3] Continuing his campaign to introduce amputations, in April 2006 he compared
Bahrain's jails to 'five star hotels' and said that a recent prison inspection by the Bahrain Human
Rights Society is "something I really feel awkward about, considering that the criminals did not
treat others fairly when they stole from them." [4]

Mattar's proposals for Sharia Law led to a clash with Bahrain's government when he tried to
amend Article 342 of the Penal Code so that those who kill someone in an accident will have to
pay blood money to the victim's family or lose their own lives. Determining the blood money
would be at the discretion of the victim's family (as reported by the Bahrain Tribune, 4 January
2006). The move was opposed by a majority of Bahrain's MPs.

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Current members of the Council of Representatives of Bahrain

Speaker: Khalifa Al Dhahrani
 Ali Mattar
 Ghanem Al Buainain
Asalah
 Abdulhalim Murad

Al-Menbar  Mohammed Khalid

Islamic  Ali Ahmed Abdulla
Society  Ali Ahmed
 Ali Al Asheeri
  Mohammed Ismail Al Ammadi

 Jassim Al Saeedi
 Adel Mouwda (formerly of Al-Menbar)
 Lateefa Al Gaood
 Adel Assoumi
 Abdulrahman Bumajeed
 Abdul Hameed Al Meer
 Mahmood Al Mahmood
 Isa Al Kooheji
 Othman Sharif
 Hassan Al Dossari
 Adnan Al Maliki
 Isa Al Qadhi
 Ali Zayed
 Abdullah Huwail
 Ahmed Al Mulla
 Abdullah Al Dossari
 Khamis Al Rumaihi
 Ahmed Qarata
Independents
 Ibtisam Abdulrahman Ahmed
 Ali Shamtoot
 Hassan Bukhammas
 Abdulhakeem Al Shemri
 Jamal Abdullah
 Abbas Ali Maadhi
 Ali Hassan Ali
 Sawsan Taqawi
 Ali Al Dirazi
 Salman Hamad Al Shaikh
 Khalid Al Malood
 Mohammed Bu Qais
 Khalid Abdulaal
 Samia Al Jowder
 Ahmed Al Saati
 Osama Mihna
 Jawad Hassan

Elected in the 2010 parliamentary election

The Salafi movement, also called the Salafist movement, Salafiyya and Salafism, is a reform[1]
branch[2][3][4] movement within Sunni Islam.[5] The name derives from advocating a return to the
traditions of the "ancestors" (salaf), the first three generations of Muslims said to know the
unadulterated, pure form of Islam. Those generations include the Islamic prophet Muhammad
and his companions (the Sahabah), their successors (the Tabi‘un), and the successors of the
successors (the Taba al-Tabi‘in). Practically, Salafis maintain that Muslims ought to rely on the
Qur'an, the Sunnah and the 'Ijma (consensus) of the salaf, giving them precedence over the later
Islamic hermeneutic teachings.[6]

The Salafist doctrine is based on looking back to the early years of the religion to understand
how contemporary Muslims should practice their faith.[7] They reject religious innovation or
bid'ah and support the implementation of sharia (Islamic law).[8] The movement is sometimes
divided into three categories: the largest group being the purists (or quietists), who avoid politics;
the second largest group being the activists, who maintain regular involvement in politics; and
the third group being the jihadists, who form a minority and advocate armed struggle to restore
the early Islamic movement.[8] In legal matters, the Salafi are divided between those who, in the
name of independent legal judgement (ijtihad), reject strict adherence (taqlid) to the four Sunni
schools of law (madhahib) and others who remain faithful to these, chiefly the Saudi scholars,
who follow the Hanbali Madhab.[9]

Contents
 1 Etymology
 2 Tenets
o 2.1 Views on Taqlid (adherence to legal precedent)
o 2.2 Scholarly Hierarchy
o 2.3 Differences from Kalam Theology
o 2.4 Teachings of Ibn Taymiyya
 3 History
o 3.1 Origins
o 3.2 Evolution
 3.2.1 Late nineteenth-century
 3.2.2 Post-WW1 Era
o 3.3 Contemporary era
 4 Trends within Salafism
o 4.1 Purists
o 4.2 Salafi activists
o 4.3 Salafi jihadists
 5 Regional groups and movements
o 5.1 Saudi Arabia
o 5.2 Indian subcontinent (Ahl-i Hadith movement)
o 5.3 Egypt
o 5.4 Yemen
o 5.5 Tunisia
o 5.6 Turkey
o 5.7 China
 o 5.8 Vietnam
o 5.9 Qatar
 6 Statistics
 7 Other usage
o 7.1 Modernist Salafism
 7.1.1 Influence on Contemporary Salafism
o 7.2 In the broadest sense
 8 Criticism and Support
o 8.1 Western Opposition
o 8.2 Islamic opposition
o 8.3 Innovation
o 8.4 Support
 9 Prominent Salafis
 10 Ex-Salafis
 11 See also
 12 References
 13 Further reading

Etymology
Salafis consider the hadith that quotes Muhammad saying, "The best of my community are my
generation, the ones who follow them and the ones who follow them."[10] as a call to Muslims to
follow the example of those first three generations, known collectively as the salaf,[11] or "pious
Predecessors" (‫ السلف الصالح‬as-Salaf as-Ṣāliḥ). The salaf are believed to include Muhammad
himself,[12] the "Companions" (Sahabah), the "Followers" (Tabi‘un), and the "Followers of the
Followers" (Tabi‘ al-Tabi‘in).[13] Historically, the term Salafi as a proper noun and adjective had
been used during the classical era to refer to the early theological school of Ahl al-Hadith.[14]

Tenets
Part of a series on:

Salafi movement

Sab'u Masajid, Saudi Arabia

Theology and Influences

 Ahl al-Hadith
 Ahmad ibn Hanbal
 Ibn Hazm
 Ibn Taymiyyah
 Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya
 Ibn Kathir
 Al-Dhahabi
 Ibn Abd al-Hadi
 Ibn Muflih
 Muhammad Hayaat Al-Sindhi
 Ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab
 Shah Waliullah Dehlawi
 Al-Shawkani

Founders and key figures

 Syed Nazeer Husain

 Siddiq Hasan Khan
 Jamal al-Din Qasimi
 Sayyid Muhammad Rashid Ridha
 Abd ar-Rahman Al Mu'allami
 Muhammad Bahjat al Baytar
 Muhammad Al-Amin al Shanqeeti
 Muhammad ibn Ibrahim Al ash-Sheikh
 Abd al-Aziz ibn Baz
 Ibn al Uthaymeen
 Nasiruddin Albani
 Badi' ud-Din Shah al-Rashidi al-Sindhi
 Zubair Ali Zai
 Ameenullah Peshawari
 Muhammad Ibn Salih al-Munajjid
 'Abd al Aziz al-Ťarifi
 Muhammad Musa Al-Sharif
 List of Salafi scholars

Notable universities

 Umm al-Qura University

 Islamic University of Madinah

Related ideologies
  Ahl-i Hadith movement
 Islamism
 Islamic fundamentalism
 Madkhalism
 Qutbism
 Sahwa movement
 Salafi jihadism
 Wahhabism
o International propagation
o by country/region
o Hazimism

Associated organizations

 Al-Nour Party
 Authenticity Party
 People Party
 Takfir wal-Higra
 Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
 al-Qaida

 Politics portal

 Islam portal
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According to Bernard Haykel, "temporal proximity to the Prophet Muhammad is associated with
the truest form of Islam" among many Sunni Muslims.[15]

Salafis are first and foremost religious and social reformers who are engaged in creating and
reproducing particular forms of authority and identity, both personal and communal. They define
[their] reformist project first and foremost through creedal tenets (i.e., a theology). Also
important in its Manhaj (Ar:‫ منهج‬i.e. Methodology) are certain legal teachings as well as forms of
sociability and politics.[16]

The Salafi da'wa is a methodology, but it is not a madh'hab in fiqh (jurisprudence) as is

commonly misunderstood. Salafis can come from the Maliki, Shafi'i, Hanbali, Hanafi or Zahirite
law schools of Sunni Fiqh. In theology, Salafis are highly influenced by Hanbali doctrines.[17]
The followers of Salafi school identify themselves as Ahlul Sunna wal Jama'ah and are also
known as Ahl al-Hadith.[18][19][20] The Salafiyya movement champions this early Sunni school of
thought, also known as traditionalist theology.[21]

Salafis place great emphasis on practicing actions in accordance with the known sunnah, not
only in prayer but in every activity in daily life. For instance, many are careful always to use
three fingers when eating, to drink water in three pauses, and to hold it with the right hand while
sitting.[22]

Views on Taqlid (adherence to legal precedent)

See also: Taqlid

The Salafi thought seeks the re-orientation of Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence) away from Taqlid
(adherence to the legal precedent of a particular madhab) and directly back to the Prophet, his
Companions and the Salaf. This preferred return to the pure way of the Prophet is termed "Ittiba"
(following the Prophet by directly referring to the Scriptures).[23] In legal approach, Salafis are
divided between those who, in the name of independent legal judgement (ijtihad), reject strict
adherence (taqlid) to the four schools of law (madhahib) and others who remain faithful to these.
[9][24][25]

Scholars of the Wahhabi movement of Saudi Arabia tend to follow the Hanbali madhab and
generally permit Taqlid to Imams in following Fatwas (juristic legal opinions) and encourages
following one of the four madhabs. While they doctrinally condemned Taqlid and advocated
Ijtihad, historically the Wahhabi legal practice was grounded mostly within the confines of the
Hanbali madhab, until recently. The doctrinal rejection of Taqlid by Wahhabis would lead to
subsequent emergence of prominent Wahhabi ulema such as Sa'd ibn 'Atiq, Abd Ar-rahman Ibn
Nasar As Sa'adi, Ibn 'Uthaymin, Ibn Baz, etc.; who would depart significantly from Hanbali law.
[9][26][27][28][29]

Other Salafi movements, however, believe that taqlid is unlawful and challenge the authority of
the legal schools. In their perspective, since the madhabs emerged after the era of Salaf al-Salih
(pious predecessors); those Muslims who follow a madhab without directly searching for
Scriptural evidences would get deviated.[30][31] These include the scholars of Ahl-i Hadith
movement, Muhammad Nasir Al-Din al-Albani (d.2000), Muḥammad Ḥayāt al-Sindhī (d. 1163),
Ibn 'Amir al-Ṣanʿānī (d. 1182), al-Shawkānī (d. 1250), etc.; who completely condemn taqlid
(imitation), rejecting the authority of the legal schools, and oblige Muslims to seek religious
rulings (fatwa) issued by scholars exclusively based on the Qur’an and Hadith; with no
intermediary involved.[32][33][27] The Ahl-i Hadith ulema would distinguish themselves from the
Wahhabis who followed the Hanbali school while they considered themselves as following no
particular school.[34] In contemporary era, Albani and his disciples, in particular, would directly
criticise Wahhabis on the issue of Taqlid due to their affinity towards the Hanbali school and
called for a re-generated Wahhabism purified of elements contrary to doctrines of the Salaf.[35][36]
[32]

Other Salafi scholars like Sayyid Rashid Rida (d. 1935) follow a middle course, allowing the
layperson to do Taqlid only when necessary, obliging him to do Ittiba when the Scriptural
evidences become known to him. Their legal methodology rejects partisanship to the treatises of
any particular schools of law, and refer to the books of all madhabs. Following Ibn Taymiyya
and Ibn Qayyim, these scholars accept the rich literary heritage of Sunni Fiqh and consider the
literature of the four Sunni law-schools as beneficial resources to issue rulings for the
contemporary era.[37][27] At the far end of the spectrum, some Salafis hold that adhering to taqlid
is an act of shirk (polytheism).[38]

Contemporary Salafis generally discard the practice of adhering to the established rulings of any
particular madh'hab, condemning the principle of Taqlid (blind imitation) as a bid'ah(innovation)
and are significantly influenced by the legal principles of the Zahirite school, historically
associated with anti-madhhab doctrines that opposed the canonization of legal schools. Early
Zahirite scholar Ibn Hazm's condemnation of Taqlid and calls to break free from the interpretive
system of the canonized schools by espousing a Fiqh directly grounded on Qura'n and Hadith;
have conferred a major impact on the Salafiyya movement.[39] Salafi legalism is most often
marked by its departure from the established rulings (mu'tamad) of the four Sunni madhahib, as
well as frequently aligning with Zahirite views mentioned by Ibn Hazm in his legal compendium
Al-Muhalla.[40][27]