But Salafism is also a powerful source of personal identity, shaped and reinforced by a common form of dress and style of beard, a high degree of social conservatism, and a generally negative (but nuanced) perception of liberal individualism. “I raise my head high as I am an Egyptian, and I raise my head even higher as I am a Salafi,” an assistant of a leading Salafi sheikh proudly told me.
但沙拉菲也具有强烈的个人身份标签，他们穿着相似，留着同样形状的胡子，持有非常保守的社会观念，通常对自由个人主义持（存在细微差异的）否定态度。“我是埃及人，因此我很自豪；我同时还是沙拉菲，这令我更加自豪。”一位沙拉菲精神领袖的助理骄傲地对我说。