DUSHANBE, July 30, 2008, Asia-Plus  -- Tajikistan’s public should resist activity of the Islamic group of the Salafi sect, which activating in the country lately, in order avoid use of its adherents by destructive forces, Mahmadali Shafoatov, an aide to the interior minister, told journalists in Dushanbe on July 29.  

According to him, activity of this group “is continuation of activities of other religious movements based on alien views.”  “Salafis are disseminating their views and lifestyle among the population and have not yet committed any illegal actions,” said the aide.  “However, they are posing threat to the national security because they are actively recruiting new members from Tajik youth.”

Shafoatov noted that the Coordination Council at the Prosecutor-General’s Office is currently thoroughly studying activity of Salafis in the country.  

We will recall that in a report released at a press conference in Dushanbe, Tajik chief prosecutor Bobojon Bobokhonov said on July 11 that the Prosecutor-General’s Office may apply to the Supreme Court for banning the unregistered Islamic group of the Salafi sect as extremist “if involvement of Tajik Salafis in anti-constitutional activity is established.”    

According to unofficial data, the Salafi sect in Tajikistan now numbers more than 20,000 members and their leader is Muhammad Rahmatullo   

Salafism is a Sunni Islamic school of thought that takes the pious ancestors (Salaf) of the patristic period of early Islam as exemplary models. 

Salafis view the first three generations of Muslims, who are Muhammad''s companions, and the two succeeding generations after them as examples of how Islam should be practiced.  This principle is derived from the following Sunni hadith by Muhammad: The people of my generation are the best, then those who follow them, and then those who follow the latter (i.e. the first three generations of Muslims)

The principal tenet of Salafism is that Islam was perfect and complete during the days of Muhammad and his companions, but that undesirable innovations have been added over the later centuries due to materialist and cultural influences.  Salafism seeks to revive a practice of Islam that more closely resembles the religion during the time of Muhammad.  S alafism has also been described as a simplified version of Islam, in which adherents follow a few commands and practices.

Salafism is often used interchangeably with “Wahhabism”.  Adherents usually reject this term because it is considered derogatory and because they believe that Muhammad ibn Abd-al-Wahhab did not establish a new school of thought nor self-describe themselves as such.