POMEPS Middle East Political Science Podcast Twilight of the Saints (S. 15, Ep. 5)
Feb 10, 2026
Stéphane Lacroix, political scientist and scholar of Islam and the Middle East, explores the rise and transformation of Egyptian Salafism. He traces its roots from scholarly circles to mass movements. Conversations cover publishing, student politicization, clashes with the Muslim Brotherhood, Saudi ties, 2011 prominence, and the movement’s fate after 2013.
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Egyptian Salafism Is Indigenous
- Salafism in Egypt developed independently and must be understood in Egyptian terms, not as a mere Saudi import.
- Stéphane Lacroix shows Salafism reshaped religious norms from the 1920s onward and became the dominant religious language.
Religious Reform Over Political Power
- Early Salafi groups prioritized theological purity and grassroots influence over direct political control.
- They sought to redefine Islam from below via publishing and preaching rather than forming a political state project.
Publishing Entrepreneurs Changed The Market
- Salafis pioneered the Islamic book market by republishing classical authors and innovating cheap leaflets for mass distribution.
- That publishing entrepreneurship made previously obscure texts like Ibn Kathir mainstream in Egypt.
