Pall, Z. (2026). The Reemergence of Ambiguity: Exploring Dynamics of Salafism in Cambodia. Numen, 73(2-3), 223-245. https://doi.org/10.1163/15685276-01234019
Abstract
This article explores the paradoxical reemergence of ambiguity within Cambodian Salafism. While Salafism aspires to remove uncertainty from Islamic belief and practice through a literalist and universalist framework, its implementation in Cambodia has revealed tensions with local social realities and clashes with Cham cosmologies rooted in pluralism and ritual fluidity. The article shows how educated, middle-class Muslims from Salafi backgrounds increasingly confront contradictions between rigid doctrines and their lived experiences. Case studies illustrate how these individuals navigate plural beliefs and cultural practices, leading to a tolerance of ambiguity. This process marks a significant shift from earlier studies on moral ambivalence, highlighting instead a deeper epistemological reconsideration of religious authority and truth. Cambodia’s post-conflict transformation, the rise of a new Muslim middle class, and renewed engagement with national culture create a unique context where Salafism, in failing to suppress ambiguity, ironically becomes a catalyst for its return.