Al-Azhar Warns of Reciprocal Extremism at Vienna Forum
Reham Salama, executive director of the Al-Azhar Observatory for Combating Extremism, delivered a keynote at the CERA 2026 conference in Vienna.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Islam
Reham Salama, executive director of the Al-Azhar Observatory for Combating Extremism, spoke as a keynote speaker at the fifth international CERA 2026 conference, held October 21-22 in Vienna, Austria. Her address warned of a cycle of "reciprocal extremism" fueled by hate speech against Muslims and extremist religious propaganda.
Why it matters
Salama argued that a decline in doctrinal cohesion among extremist groups does not necessarily reduce their capacity to mobilize followers or incite violence. The discussion reflects ongoing concern over how short digital messages and identity-based grievances draw in new followers.
The event was the fifth international edition of the CERA conference, held over two days in Vienna. Al-Azhar's participation marked its first appearance at the forum, and the stub contains no quantitative results from the presentation.
The players
Reham Salama
Reham Salama serves as executive director of the Al-Azhar Observatory for Combating Extremism, a body focused on analyzing and countering extremist discourse.
Al-Azhar Observatory for Combating Extremism
The Al-Azhar Observatory for Combating Extremism is an institution affiliated with Egypt's Al-Azhar that studies extremist narratives and develops preventive programs.
The details
Salama's address, titled "Between Ideological Depth and Ideological Function," detailed Al-Azhar's experience analyzing extremist discourse and developing youth-focused preventive programs. Participants also explored Western perspectives on Islamic Sharia, including the punishment for apostasy and laws of inheritance.
Timeline
October 21-22, 2026: CERA 2026 conference held in Vienna, Austria.
November 9, 2026: IQNA published its report on the conference.
Religious Discourse
Al-Azhar's observatory has positioned itself as a voice on countering extremism through research and youth-focused prevention, a role that the CERA conference now brings to a European audience. The keynote's focus on reciprocal extremism reflects a debate over how hate speech against Muslims and extremist propaganda feed one another.
Preventive programs aimed at youth could shape how young people encounter extremist messaging online. Salama's warning about reciprocal extremism suggests that addressing hate speech against Muslims is part of the same effort as countering extremist propaganda.
The takeaway
Countering extremism, according to Salama's address, requires attention to both extremist propaganda and the hate speech that can feed it. Efforts that address only one side may leave the cycle of reciprocal extremism intact.
Further reading
For more on the faith and its institutions, explore our coverage of Islam.
Source note: This article includes information reported by خبرگزاری بین المللی قرآن (ایکنا).
