An international expert traces the rise of the extreme ideology of Wahhabism, which has been the ideological bedrock of the state of Saudi Arabia since its original rise in the eighteenth century, and argues that it is this ideology that is fueling ISIS and terror cells worldwide.

Part one: Looking back to the Islamic golden age -- Muhammad and the birth of Islam -- Muhammad's moral mission -- The Constitution of Medina: the prototype of an Islamic state -- The caliphates -- The Rashidun: the right guided caliphs -- The Umayyad caliphate: God's sword -- the Abbasid caliphate: the light of the world -- Summary -- Part two: Saudi Arabia and Wahhabism -- Al-Wahhab and revolutionary Islam -- The first Wahhabi emirate: jihad against polytheism (1744-1818) -- The second Wahhabi emirate: regrouping and consolidation (1823-1891) -- The third Wahhabi emirate: maturity and orthodoxy (1902-1953) -- The Ikhwan: the original Wahhabi ultra-radicals -- Wahhabism becomes Salafism -- Interaction with the Muslim Brotherhood -- Oil: Saudi Arabia becomes rich -- The domestic challenges of contemporary Saudi Arabia -- The Muslim Brotherhood and the development of Islamist Salafism -- The emergence of Jihadi-Salafism in Saudi Arabia -- Summary -- Part three: Modern jihadism -- The logic of terrorism -- The logic of Salafist terrorism -- Friend and foe -- Enemies near and far -- The "just" war -- The ":true" faith -- Ideological war -- The goals of the Salafist movement: Sharia -- The role of theology -- "We love death and you love life" -- The particular challenge of Salafism -- Conclusion -- Part four: An Islamic challenge -- The Amman message and the London Declaration -- An Islamic rejection of Salafist arguments. The right to rebel ; The laws of war -- Conclusions -- Part five: Exporting hate -- Spreading propaganda -- Hate preaching in Britain -- Abu Qatada -- Abdullah al-Faisal -- Abu Hamza al-Masri -- Omar Bakri Mohammed -- Implications -- The stages of radicalization. Stage 1: The bottom of the pyramid: "We are oppressed" ; Stage 2: "They are attacking our people" ; Stage 3: "The band of brothers" ; Stage 4: Violent jihad -- Summary -- Part six: A case-study: Salafism in the Balkans -- Islam in Yugoslavia -- The Muslim population and the Balkan wars -- Postwar Salafism involvement and narratives. Bosnia ; Kosovo -- Similarities and differences -- The Salafist interpretation -- Part seven: Iraq and Syria -- Salafism in Iraq -- Salafism in Syria -- Salafist groups not aligned to Al-Qaeda -- Al-Qaeda's official faction: Al-Nusra -- Al-Qaeda's offspring: ISIS -- Global responses - Summary -- Part eight: The antidote -- The role of Saudi Arabia -- The role of religious leaders -- Recommendations. For Western policy makers ; For teachers ; For journalists ; For policy makes ; For all of us -- Epilogue.