Salafi

Word of the Day

Salafi (Salafiya)

A reform movement initiated by Jamal Al Din Afghani and Muhammad Abduh in the nineteenth century. One of the major goals was to show that the original message and teachings of Islam could be reconciled with knowledge developed by contemporary science and thought. Appealing to the tradition of the "elders" at the beginning of Islam, they "argued" for a return to what they perceive to be a spirit of openness and dynamic interpretations. In due course, however, among some of their followers, these ideas have been extended to emphasize the "normativeness" of the original tradition and to show a lesser regard for the historical contexts and development that govern muslim practices and beliefs.

Reference "Dictionary of Islam" by Azim Nanji - Penguin Reference Library