Salafis and Democracy: Between Doctrinal Commitment and Political Pragmatism

Abstract This article examines the complex relationship between Salafi thought and democracy, highlighting the contradiction between its doctrinal rejection and practical use. It shows that Salafism, which rejects democracy for contradicting God’s sovereignty (ḥākimiyya), resorts to it as a tactical tool (“doctrinal pragmatism”) to achieve political gains and spread its proselytization (da’wa), especially following the Arab Spring. By comparing parties like Al-Nour in Egypt and Al-Islah in Tunisia, the research reveals Salafi participation remains formal and stripped of pluralistic tenets, employing mechanisms like elections while rejecting foundational philosophy based on popular sovereignty. Thus, democracy in Salafi representation remains a temporary “tool of empowerment,” not an adoptable value, creating a perpetual identity crisis between textual constants and political modernity.