Eli Alshech
Biographic Data
| ID | 163407 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Eli Alshech |
| GIVEN NAMES | Eli |
| FAMILY NAME | Alshech |
| SIGNATURE | ALSHECH E |
| AFFILIATIONS | Bar-Ilan University |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-0589-2867 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 14 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 14 |
| WORKS AS AUTHOR | 14 |
| WORKS AS EDITOR | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2003 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 2 |
Preserving Communal Purity Through the Regulation of Internal States
This study examines how Salafi-jihadi and Salafi-taqlidi jurists use the doctrine of al-walāʾ wa-l-barāʾ to regulate internal states, intention, and behavior, and how such regulation serves to safeguard communal purity. Based on an analysis of juridical rulings from 2003–2023, I argue that Salafi legal discourse extends beyond regulating observable conduct to prescribing internal states as legally determinative of Muslim identity. The jurists man…
A Qualitative and Quantitative Method for Studying Religious Virtual Communities
This open-source-based article presents an automated method for identifying and tracing popular Salafi discussions online. The novelty of this method lies in its inter-disciplinary approach developed through collaboration among experts in the fields of the Middle East, Islamic studies, and computer science. The computerized model presented here harnesses machine learning techniques to accurately identify popular Salafi writings on social media an…
Hamas Rhetoric as a Tool for Identifying Possible Changes in the Organization's Behavior
The rhetoric employed by terrorist organizations is not mere propaganda; when analyzed systematically over time, it can reveal fluctuations in the organization's levels of fear, anger, and frustration. Such an analysis can serve as a predictive tool, identifying potential transitions in organizational behavior from verbal threats to physical actions. This article examines Hamas's rhetorical response to what it perceives as increased violations of…
When Legal Conservatism Renders Salafi-Jihadis Lenient
Salafi-jihadis have a reputation of being conservative in the application of Islamic law and stringent in their legal rulings, whereas their traditional counterparts, the Salafi-taqlidis, are known to be less conservative and more lenient. Interestingly, in discussing the permissibility of becoming a naturalized citizen in an infidel country, a matter with serious ramifications under the doctrine of al-walāʼ wal-barāʼ, Salafi-jihadis and Salafi-t…
Salafi-Jihadi Online Communication in Israel
The article explores the ways in which online posting by contemporary Salafi-jihadis in Israel create an enclave mentality that serves to transform Salafi-jihadis into an insular community. Because Salafi-jihadis can no longer by law advocate active jihad on social media in Israel, their posts focus on three Islamic legal themes: The dichotomy between God’s devotees and God’s enemies; the untrustworthiness of Muslim rulers, official Muslim schola…
Salafi-Jihadis in the United States
This analysis of Salafi-jihadi online posts by American posters shows that the seemingly unsystematic online discourse in fact focuses on two main topics: the doctrines of al-wala’ wal-bara’ and takfir. In addition, it highlights the markers that distinguish Salafi-jihadi writers from Salafi-taqlidi ones. Further, the article explains how Salafi-jihadis utilize their online discussions to try to create and maintain a virtual community and a reall…
Self-Radicalized Western Salafi-Jihadis and Hilltop Youth in the West Bank
This article compares the ideology of Hilltop Youth in Judea and Samaria to that of Salafi-Jihadis in the West. It first demonstrates that there are significant and far-reaching similarities between the two groups’ world views. It then explains why, despite profound ideological similarities, there are vast differences in the type of violent acts each group commits. The Hilltop Youth primarily commit acts of vandalism with few deliberate murders, …
Making Sense of Muslim Fundamentalisms
Changing Islam, changing the world
How do political Islamists, movements and thinkers view political change? To what extent do they promote violence as a means of bringing about change? Are they themselves willing to change and adapt to modern political systems? There is a wide array of movements in the Muslim world that grapple with these questions and as a consequence, numerous answers and disagreements. This paper will focus on three cardinal and contested issues: Is violence a…
The Doctrinal Crisis within the Salafi-Jihadi Ranks and the Emergence of Neo-Takfirism
Salafi-jihadis, the foundation of many of today’s (most notorious) terrorist organizations, has achieved a significant impact on world affairs within less than three decades. It has given rise to many organizations such as al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, Yemen and North Africa. In this article, I argue that an important change is occurring within the Salafi-jihadi camp. Material published on jihad websites in the last few years reflects an imminent and …
Egoistic Martyrdom and Hamās' Success in the 2005 Municipal Elections
Historical and sociological studies have shown that most monotheistic societies understood martyrdom as an act intended, first and foremost, to promote a goal in this world. They viewed any eschatological reward that resulted from martyrdom as a secondary and collateral benefit. In contrast, popular texts, such as ethical wills and biographies of Hamās martyrs, composed and distributed by the Hamās in Gaza since the breakout of the second Palesti…
Out of Sight and Therefore Out of Mind
Do Not Enter Houses Other Than Your Own
This article is the first comprehensive study of the conceptions of domestic privacy articulated by early sunnī Muslim jurists. Focusing on exegetical and legal sources composed between the seventh and thirteenth centuries CE, I argue, first, that Muslim scholars regarded privacy as a legal category. Second, I demonstrate that notions of privacy developed over time: most scholars living within the first two centuries AH associated privacy with pr…
Islamic Law, Practice, and Legal Doctrine
Most Sunnī scholars unequivocally exempt poor dhimmīs (mostly Christians and Jews under Muslim rule) from the duty to pay the Qur ān-imposed poll tax. Shāfi ī scholars, however, hold two conflicting opinions, one that exempts the poor and another that does not. This article examines the reality of destitute Jews living in Egypt and Syria under the Ayyubid regime in order to determine which of the two conflicting Shāfi ī rulings was applied in pra…
Do Not Enter Houses Other Than Your Own
This article is the first comprehensive study of the conceptions of domestic privacy articulated by early sunnī Muslim jurists. Focusing on exegetical and legal sources composed between the seventh and thirteenth centuries CE, I argue, first, that Muslim scholars regarded privacy as a legal category. Second, I demonstrate that notions of privacy developed over time: most scholars living within the first two centuries AH associated privacy with pr…
The Doctrinal Crisis within the Salafi-Jihadi Ranks and the Emergence of Neo-Takfirism
Salafi-jihadis, the foundation of many of today’s (most notorious) terrorist organizations, has achieved a significant impact on world affairs within less than three decades. It has given rise to many organizations such as al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, Yemen and North Africa. In this article, I argue that an important change is occurring within the Salafi-jihadi camp. Material published on jihad websites in the last few years reflects an imminent and …
Salafi-Jihadi Online Communication in Israel
The article explores the ways in which online posting by contemporary Salafi-jihadis in Israel create an enclave mentality that serves to transform Salafi-jihadis into an insular community. Because Salafi-jihadis can no longer by law advocate active jihad on social media in Israel, their posts focus on three Islamic legal themes: The dichotomy between God’s devotees and God’s enemies; the untrustworthiness of Muslim rulers, official Muslim schola…
Out of Sight and Therefore Out of Mind
Islamic Law, Practice, and Legal Doctrine
Most Sunnī scholars unequivocally exempt poor dhimmīs (mostly Christians and Jews under Muslim rule) from the duty to pay the Qur ān-imposed poll tax. Shāfi ī scholars, however, hold two conflicting opinions, one that exempts the poor and another that does not. This article examines the reality of destitute Jews living in Egypt and Syria under the Ayyubid regime in order to determine which of the two conflicting Shāfi ī rulings was applied in pra…
Islamic Law, Practice, and Legal Doctrine
Most Sunnī scholars unequivocally exempt poor dhimmīs (mostly Christians and Jews under Muslim rule) from the duty to pay the Qur ān-imposed poll tax. Shāfi ī scholars, however, hold two conflicting opinions, one that exempts the poor and another that does not. This article examines the reality of destitute Jews living in Egypt and Syria under the Ayyubid regime in order to determine which of the two conflicting Shāfi ī rulings was applied in pra…
Do Not Enter Houses Other Than Your Own
This article is the first comprehensive study of the conceptions of domestic privacy articulated by early sunnī Muslim jurists. Focusing on exegetical and legal sources composed between the seventh and thirteenth centuries CE, I argue, first, that Muslim scholars regarded privacy as a legal category. Second, I demonstrate that notions of privacy developed over time: most scholars living within the first two centuries AH associated privacy with pr…
Out of Sight and Therefore Out of Mind
Egoistic Martyrdom and Hamās' Success in the 2005 Municipal Elections
Historical and sociological studies have shown that most monotheistic societies understood martyrdom as an act intended, first and foremost, to promote a goal in this world. They viewed any eschatological reward that resulted from martyrdom as a secondary and collateral benefit. In contrast, popular texts, such as ethical wills and biographies of Hamās martyrs, composed and distributed by the Hamās in Gaza since the breakout of the second Palesti…
The Doctrinal Crisis within the Salafi-Jihadi Ranks and the Emergence of Neo-Takfirism
Salafi-jihadis, the foundation of many of today’s (most notorious) terrorist organizations, has achieved a significant impact on world affairs within less than three decades. It has given rise to many organizations such as al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, Yemen and North Africa. In this article, I argue that an important change is occurring within the Salafi-jihadi camp. Material published on jihad websites in the last few years reflects an imminent and …
Changing Islam, changing the world
How do political Islamists, movements and thinkers view political change? To what extent do they promote violence as a means of bringing about change? Are they themselves willing to change and adapt to modern political systems? There is a wide array of movements in the Muslim world that grapple with these questions and as a consequence, numerous answers and disagreements. This paper will focus on three cardinal and contested issues: Is violence a…
Self-Radicalized Western Salafi-Jihadis and Hilltop Youth in the West Bank
This article compares the ideology of Hilltop Youth in Judea and Samaria to that of Salafi-Jihadis in the West. It first demonstrates that there are significant and far-reaching similarities between the two groups’ world views. It then explains why, despite profound ideological similarities, there are vast differences in the type of violent acts each group commits. The Hilltop Youth primarily commit acts of vandalism with few deliberate murders, …
Making Sense of Muslim Fundamentalisms
When Legal Conservatism Renders Salafi-Jihadis Lenient
Salafi-jihadis have a reputation of being conservative in the application of Islamic law and stringent in their legal rulings, whereas their traditional counterparts, the Salafi-taqlidis, are known to be less conservative and more lenient. Interestingly, in discussing the permissibility of becoming a naturalized citizen in an infidel country, a matter with serious ramifications under the doctrine of al-walāʼ wal-barāʼ, Salafi-jihadis and Salafi-t…
Salafi-Jihadi Online Communication in Israel
The article explores the ways in which online posting by contemporary Salafi-jihadis in Israel create an enclave mentality that serves to transform Salafi-jihadis into an insular community. Because Salafi-jihadis can no longer by law advocate active jihad on social media in Israel, their posts focus on three Islamic legal themes: The dichotomy between God’s devotees and God’s enemies; the untrustworthiness of Muslim rulers, official Muslim schola…
Salafi-Jihadis in the United States
This analysis of Salafi-jihadi online posts by American posters shows that the seemingly unsystematic online discourse in fact focuses on two main topics: the doctrines of al-wala’ wal-bara’ and takfir. In addition, it highlights the markers that distinguish Salafi-jihadi writers from Salafi-taqlidi ones. Further, the article explains how Salafi-jihadis utilize their online discussions to try to create and maintain a virtual community and a reall…
Hamas Rhetoric as a Tool for Identifying Possible Changes in the Organization's Behavior
The rhetoric employed by terrorist organizations is not mere propaganda; when analyzed systematically over time, it can reveal fluctuations in the organization's levels of fear, anger, and frustration. Such an analysis can serve as a predictive tool, identifying potential transitions in organizational behavior from verbal threats to physical actions. This article examines Hamas's rhetorical response to what it perceives as increased violations of…
A Qualitative and Quantitative Method for Studying Religious Virtual Communities
This open-source-based article presents an automated method for identifying and tracing popular Salafi discussions online. The novelty of this method lies in its inter-disciplinary approach developed through collaboration among experts in the fields of the Middle East, Islamic studies, and computer science. The computerized model presented here harnesses machine learning techniques to accurately identify popular Salafi writings on social media an…
Preserving Communal Purity Through the Regulation of Internal States
This study examines how Salafi-jihadi and Salafi-taqlidi jurists use the doctrine of al-walāʾ wa-l-barāʾ to regulate internal states, intention, and behavior, and how such regulation serves to safeguard communal purity. Based on an analysis of juridical rulings from 2003–2023, I argue that Salafi legal discourse extends beyond regulating observable conduct to prescribing internal states as legally determinative of Muslim identity. The jurists man…
Sociology (12 works) · Political science (11 works) · Law (9 works) · Law (8 works) · Islamic Studies and History (7 works) · Politics (7 works) · Islam (6 works) · Terrorism, Counterterrorism, and Political Violence (6 works) · Ideology (5 works) · Jewish and Middle Eastern Studies (5 works)