The Wahhabi’ Myth clarifies one of the most persistent misunderstandings in modern discourse on Islām, distinguishing classical Islamic orthodoxy from the revolutionary ideologies falsely attributed to it. In the years following 9/11, journalists and policymakers increasingly used the term Wahhabi’ to explain acts of terror without theological precision. As a result, a modern revolutionary ideology – rooted in the twentieth century political writings of Sayyid Qutb — was wrongly linked to Salafism, the orthodox Islamic methodology of carefully adhering to the teachings of the final Prophet
صلى اللّهُ عَلَيْهِ وسلّم). Drawing directly from the Qurʾān, the Prophetic tradition, and the recorded positions of recognised scholars, The ‘Wahhabi’ Myth demonstrates that movements such as al-Qaeda are not products of Salafī theology, but of a modern Qutbist ideology and the revival of the ancient Kharijite creed. The book explains what Salafism actually teaches regarding monotheism, authority, justice, and social stability — and why these teachings stand in direct opposition to terrorism and indiscriminate violence. Haneef Oliver is a researcher and author focused on Islamic creed, methodology, and the misrepresentation of Islamic orthodoxy in contemporary