The Rise of Revolutionary Salafism in Post-Mubarak Egypt

Abstract

In Egypt, like in the other countries affected by the Arab Spring, Islamists were not in the vanguard of the revolution. It took the Muslim Brotherhood and its disciples only a few days to join the movement, whereas it took considerably longer for most Salafis to throw their support behind the protests. It was only on February 8, 2011 that the Salafi Call in Alexandria (al-da’wa al-salafiyya), the largest “mass” Salafi organization, officially authorized members to join the events in Tahrir Square. Once Mubarak was overthrown, on February 11, the Islamists again left the square. Beginning in April 2011, when the demonstrations resumed with some strength, the leftist young people and those with no particular ideological affiliation were again at the forefront, this time targeting the Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF).