Is Islam Easy to Understand or Not?: Salafis, the Democratization of Interpretation and the Need for the Ulema

Abstract

Both in the modern period and historically, Salafism has been associated with autodidacticism and an assertion that Islam’s scriptures are clear and accessible to ordinary Muslims without the mediation of the ulema. Indeed, Salafi writings often confirm this impression. In contrast, however, both in the pre-modern and modern settings, in both their writings and lessons, leading scholars associated with Salafism have insisted on the need for the Muslim laity to turn to a scholarly class to offer accurate understandings of their religion. This article investigates this apparent tension, arguing that what seem to be Salafi anticlericalism or calls for a democratization of interpretation are rhetorical tactics employed in debates with mainstream Sunni ulema rather than substantive prescriptions.

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