484 Annabelle Böttcher
also German Salafis have to cater to the demands of a growing female
audience that asks for religious explanations, justifications, and role
models.
1.5. Saudi Religious AuthoritiesIn their effort to establish religious legitimacy in Leipzig and its sur-
roundings or in – via Internet – the German-speaking Muslim world in
general, the group inserted itself within the official Wahhabi scholarly
tradition. Interestingly, the couple did not turn to a religious authority
in their country of origin, Syria, as is frequently the case with immi-
grant Muslims.^106 Instead, they reverted to the representatives of the
Saudi clerical establishment. At the same time, they do not accept the
term “Wahhabi” for themselves, as a text on their website by a cer-
tain Abu Hamad al-Kashmiri,^107 with comments added by Abu Imran,
indicates. In a footnote (by Abu Imran?) the term is rejected because
“those who follow the Qur’an and the Sunna according to the under-
standing of the first three generations, who have been praised by the
Prophet – PBH – never call and never called themselves ‘Wahhabi’”.
And it is added: “With Wahhabi all these groups, governments and Sufi
sects actually mean the way of the good Salaf (the pious forefathers;
companions, prophets, students of the companions etc.), to which peo-
ple like us invite.”^108 The commentator continues that they as a group
accept the denomination “Salafi” out of the necessity to distinguish
themselves from other groups, which call themselves “Ahlu Sunna” or
simply Muslim.^109 Since the group could not provide their own experts
in Islamic religious knowledge, they took the initiative of staking out
a place in the Salafi tradition. This lack of religious Islamic authori-
ties is a major challenge for the Islamic community in Germany. Many
preachers and teachers in mosque associations lack qualification for
these positions. They have taught themselves the basics of Islam and
assume these positions in their free time alongside their professional
careers. This lack also provided a favourable environment for autodi-
106 Allievi, Islam in the Public Space, p. 8.
107 Al-Kashmiri, Abu Hamad: Wahhabismus enthüllt, translated from English
into Arabic by Azad Ibn Muhammad, comments by Abu Imran, 2002; online:
http://www.salaf.de/swf/man0016.swf, accessed Dec. 03, 2010.
108 Al-Kashmiri, Wahhabismus enthüllt, p. 3.
109 Ibid.
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