More surprisingly, the Salafist Al-Nour Party (along with its allies in the Islamist Bloc) won a combined total of 25%.
Compared to the Muslim Brotherhood, the Salafists follow a more strict and fundamentalist interpretation of the Quran.

The Salafi candidates and the Al-Nour Party itself was largely dismissed by most outside observers as having little if any chance of capturing a significant percentage of votes compared to the well financed and better organized FJP.

However, Al-Nour and the Islamist Bloc managed to come in second and are now in a position of power and influence within the People’s Assembly of Egypt. But looking at this event in a singular sense underscores its significance; it is just one in a series of recent events suggesting that Salafism is experiencing a resurgence throughout the Middle East and Africa.

Salafism is a somewhat ambiguous term, becoming more so in the modern era; generally, a Salafist or Salfi is a Muslim who focuses on the Salaf or "predecessors" as models of Islamic practice. The term, Salaf, is collectively used to refer to the first generations of Muslims and includes the "Companions" (Sahabah), the "Followers" (Tabi‘un) and the "Followers of the Followers" (Tabi‘ al-Tabi‘in). These generations are venerated in Sunni Islamic orthodoxy and their lifestyle and teachings are used as a basis for contemporary practices within the religion.

Modern Salafism is heavily influenced by the teachings of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab, an Islamic theologian who, along with Muhammad bin Saud, helped to establish the first Saudi state and is considered the founder of the modern Salafist movement. To Abd al-Wahhab, Salafism was a way to purify Islam by returning Muslims to what he believed were its original principles that, over time, had become corrupted by various elements.

It should be noted that some refer to Abd al-Wahhab’s movement as Wahhabism; most Salafists reject this label, claiming that Abd al-Wahhab did not establish a new school of thought but restored the one that was practiced by the earliest generations of Muslims. Wahhabism, rather, is a distinct form of Salafism and the two do differ in certain areas. Since Abd al-Wahhab, Salafism has only continued to grow in power and influence.

A clear example of Salafism’s rise can be seen in Tunisia. Here the Salafists, who once faced censorship and persecution along with other Islamist groups under the reign of former president Ben Ali, have become increasingly assertive in their demands for a broader role for Islam in the country.

Salafists, armed with clubs and petrol bombs, recently attacked vendors and shops selling alcohol in the northwestern town of Jendouba and Sidi Bouzid. In response, the police arrested four men connected to the attacks; hundreds of Salafists took to the streets to protest the arrests, the event escalated with protestors attacking shops, bars, and government buildings. This incident comes shortly after another, in which Salafists attacked a television station and movie theater for airing a film that they claimed insulted Islam.

Much of the violence has occurred as a result of the internal struggle between the secularists, moderates, and the Salafists, over what role religion will have in post-Arab Spring Tunisian government. Tunisia, which was considered one of the most secular countries in the Arab world, recently saw Ennahdha, an Islamist political party, win the country’s first free elections with 40% of the vote. Since then the debate over the role of religion in government and society has only grown more divisive.

Ennahdha, which garnered a sizable number of Salafists with its Islamist platform, has since taken up a much more moderate position; forming a coalition with two secular political parties and promising not to impose a ban on alcohol, the veil or use Sharia as the basis of Tunisian law.

This has left many Salafists feeling excluded from the political process, especially after their party, Hizb ut-Tahrir, was not approved for the Constituent Assembly elections. But this has not deterred Tunisia’s Salafists; with a growing grassroots organization, increasing political power, assertiveness, and a certain degree of influence over Ennahdha Tunisia’s Salafists are a growing force.

Salafists have also taken up a more openly militant role in countries such as Somalia, Mali, and others. Organizations like Al Shabaab, which means "The Youth" or "The Boys" in Arabic, is a militant Salafist organization that controls large swathes of southern Somali. The group was originally part of the Islamic Courts Union (ICU), which fractured into several smaller organizations after its fall from power in 2006.

Al Shabaab has stated that its goal is to wage jihad against the "enemies of Islam" and to regain control over Somalia, after which it would implement Sharia law and establish an Islamic government.

The group has been overtly hostile to the Somali Sufi community targeting mosques, business, and leaders. Al Shabaab has also targeted foreign aid organizations in Somalia, accusing them of ulterior motives and neo-colonialist aims.

Aid workers have been intimidated, kidnapped, and killed; this in turn, has led many groups to suspend humanitarian operations, which has resulted in numerous Somalis dying from malnutrition and other health problems.

As of February 2012, Al Shabaab announced that it had merged with the international terrorist organization al-Qaeda; however, the relationship between the organizations could be called strenuous and has resulted in some rifts developing within Al Shabaab’s leadership.    

Another militant Salafist movement called Ansar Dine (also referred to as Ansar al-Din) has been making its presence felt in Azawad since the beginning of the Tuareg rebellion there earlier this year. Ansar Dine has stated that its ultimate goal is to impose Sharia law throughout Mali, not just Azawad.

The organization was also reportedly responsible for the destruction of the tomb of a Sufi saint in Timbuktu; the tomb, which was an UNESCO World Heritage site, was vandalized before being burnt to the ground. In addition, Ansar Dine has begun to implement its own version of Sharia law in Timbuktu, Gao, and other areas of Azawad; this has led to a mass exodus of Christians, Sufis, and others in fear of persecution.

Salafism is a growing force and it is continuing to expand in power and influence; just a few years ago many outside observers would have dismissed the movement as having little broad spectrum appeal.

Fast forward to today, there are now Salafist members of the People’s Assembly of Egypt and a strong Salafist movement in Tunisia that has a considerable amount of influence in the government. Salafism is by no means limited to just the Middle East and Africa; there are growing Salafist movements in Central and Southern Asia, India, China, Russia, Europe, and even the Americas.

In fact, according to a German domestic intelligence service, in their 2010 report, Salafism is the fastest growing Islamic movement in the world. What this means is a bit more subjective, but anyone wishing to understand the complexities of foreign policy, especially in the Middle East and Africa, will have to have some knowledge of Salafism, since, if recent events are any indication, it is likely that this movement’s influence in the region will only continue to grow.