Situating Salafi Islam in Azerbaijan

Salafi da'wa is a new phenomenon in the religious life of Azerbaijan. Entering the scene in the mid-199os as a result of Gulf-funded organizations and the proselytizing activities of foreign students-turned-preachers, Salafis gradually tamed into important actors of Islamic revival in the post-Communist country. Operating in a highly secularized and, moreover, Shi'i-majority environment, the Salafi da'wa in Azerbaijan had ex ante limitations that shaped its development patterns. A comprehensive overview of the historical development of the Salafi da'wa shows that, over three stages, the transnational Salafi movement had become increasingly indigenized. Following these historical observations, the development patterns of the Salafi da'wa in Azerbaijan are explored, and an attempt is made to explain them through a framework provided by social movement theory. Finally, based on its ideological variations in Azerbaijan, an attempt is under-taken to develop a refined taxonomy of the Salafi movement in this country, based on a critical reassessment of existing classifications.