Muslim Modernities: Interdisciplinary Insights Across Time and Space1

Islam, violence and the ‘four dogmas of Orientalism’

“…99 It is no surprise, then, that many studies focused on Muslim attitudes to violence have found 'selfdescribed Salafis' to be 'among the most hostile to radical Islamic movements'. 100 In fact, jihad as armed resistance has, for the most part, been 'characteristic of charismatic, mystical and heretical movements, often messianic in nature, located at the peripheries of Islamic power and authority' and far from the cautious legalism of Salafism. 101 Hassan al-banna (whose work has been described as 'a starting point for contemporary Islamic fundamentalism'), for instance, was inspired by the Persian Naqshbandi master, Muhammad al-Ghazali (Lav), 102 while Sayyid Qutb, despite being 'generally considered to be the spiritual father of al-Qaeda' (Hansen and Kainz), 103 'displayed a Sufi-like disposition' during his time within the brotherhood (Calvert).…”