Islam in Malaysia: A study on the salafi jihadi doctrine and the interpretation of jihad by al Jama’ah al Islamiyah

Religon defines society and differences in interpretations of religious doctrines are commonplace . Although Malaysia is a sunni Muslim country, differences exist in the adherents’ take of certain religious precepts. This paper analyses the doctrine of Salafi Jihadi to provide an understanding of the concept of jihad as interpreted by the members of Al Jama’ah Al-Islamiyah. Focusing on the source of Salafy Jihady ideology the paper identifies the leaders and scholars who deeply influenced followers on the new interpretation of jihad , and explains how different groups had difference understandings of the jihad. It was found that there were Salafi Jihadi leaders and scholars who defined new limits and boundaries of jihad, and that there existed members of a group that camouflaged themselves as Salafi Jihadi but rejected the traditional definition of jihad and provided a new definition of jihad in order to pursue their political goals and justify a more aggressive orientation towards non-Muslims, even to the extent of incurring collateral damage to their own Muslim brethrens.