Prophets and zealots: A historical investigation into the rise, manifestation and consequences of charismatic leadership within (jihadi) Salafist movements

Abstract

Over the years, numerous cases in several Western countries show a relation between certain (jihadi) Salafi scholars, their followers, and their engagement with either (non-violent) extremism or the actual use of violence. By applying charismatic leadership theory, this dissertation clarifies the origins and manifestation of several contemporary Salafi leaders. It also incorporates the views and motivations of their respective followers, which contributes in understanding the appeal of these religious leaders. The research findings show strong implications that charismatic authority may lead to charismatic leadership, which appears to be a phenomenon within multiple Salafi movements. This may help explain the rise of certain religious leaders within these movements. The research findings also show a strong relation between the conveyed message of these religious leaders, including both a supposed crisis and a solution, which is aimed at preventing irreversible consequences, which in turn leads to some of their followers either showing an intention to act, or actually acting upon these proposed solutions. The first chapter of the dissertation highlights the rise of Salafi movements, in which the development and attribution of religious authority within these movements is taken into consideration. Through the use of case studies, the following chapters present the rise of six Salafi preachers, ranging respectively from jihadi-Salafi, to non-violent extremist and non-extremist movements. The central themes of the messages of these preachers are presented in detail. Also, the chapters especially focus on the perception of the followers of these religious leaders, in order to assess whether charismatic authority was attributed, which then may have resulted into charismatic leadership.