- This event has passed.
KITA Discourse Series 2025/7: Salafism and Religious Transformation: The Case of Syria’s Hay’at Tahrir Sham
SALAFISM AND RELIGIOUS TRANSFORMATION: THE CASE OF SYRIA’S HAY’AT TAHRIR SHAM
By:
DR. HISHAM A. HELLYER
Senior Associate Fellow,
Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies,
London
&
Senior Fellow,
National Security and International Policy,
Center for American Progress,
Washington DC, USA
10 November 2025 (Monday)
3.00 p.m. – 5.00 p.m.
Majlis Meeting Room,
Level 5, Chancellory Building
UKM Bangi
Abstract
This talk examines the ideological evolution of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), one of Syria’s most significant armed factions, which emerged from al-Qaeda’s Syrian affiliate but has undergone remarkable transformation in recent years. Drawing on fieldwork and analysis of primary sources, Professor Hellyer explores how HTS has navigated the tension between its Salafi-jihadi origins and the pragmatic demands of governance in northwest Syria. The presentation addresses critical questions about religious authority, political legitimacy, and whether militant organizations can genuinely moderate their ideology—or whether such transformations are merely tactical adaptations. For audiences in Malaysia and beyond, this case study offers important insights into contemporary debates about Islamic governance, the relationship between religious ideology and political power, and the challenges facing Muslim-majority societies emerging from conflict. The discussion will also consider broader implications for understanding how religious movements evolve under pressure, and what this means for post-conflict reconstruction and reconciliation in the Muslim world.
Presenter’s Profile
Dr. Hisham A. Hellyer is Senior Associate Fellow of the Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies in London, and the Center for American Progress in Washington DC, where he focuses on geopolitics, Middle East studies, and the interchange between religion and modernity. He previously held posts at Harvard University, Cambridge University, the Brookings Institution, and the Carnegie Endowment. He was also appointed to Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, and Bayan College as Professor in Islamic Thought, to teach doctoral courses in conjunction with the Chicago Theological Seminary.
Programme:
Date: 10 November 2025 (Monday)
Time: 3.00 p.m. – 5.00 p.m.
Venue: Majlis Meeting Room, Level 5, Chancellory Building, UKM Bangi
Platform: Zoom (link below)
02.30 p.m. Registration
03.00 p.m. National Anthem & Varsiti Kita
Opening Speech
03.10 p.m. Welcoming remarks: Prof. Dr. Kartini Aboo Talib @ Khalid, Deputy Director, KITA
03.15 p.m. Presentation of discourse:
Moderator: Prof. Dr. Supyan Hussin, Principal Research Fellow
Presenter: Dr. Hisham A. Hellyer
Salafism and Religious Transformation: The Case of Syria’s Hay’at Tahrir Sham
04.00 p.m. Q & A session
04.20 p.m. Closing Remarks: Mr. Azril Mohd Amin, CENTHRA’s Founder
04.30 p.m. Photography Session and Token of Appreciation
04.40 p.m. Refreshments and Session End
Disclaimer: The views expressed in the presentation(s) are those of the presenter(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the Organizers.
Loading...
Reload document 
Open in new tab 