Islamism and Jihadism in a Changing Middle East
Mr. Adam Ho man
Lecture I: Introduction
Why does Islamism matter? ISIS; foreign (Western) ghters joining their forces
(appeal of the ideologies to individuals with very di erent backgrounds), and the
rising concern of extremism.
Islamist movements and Middle Eastern Politics
It’s important to realise that islamism is an important geopolitical issue. Di erent
governments across the region have a di erent perspective on Islamism. For
example, Qatar has many ties with Islamist groups, and the neighbouring countries
are not very fond of it.
Some say political Islam is a threat to Arab nation states.
Islamism came from being a side-line in ME politics to become an important factor
in ME society. Since the Arab Spring, the importance of Islamism has been
highlighted.
What do we mean by radical islam? Radical islamic terrorism, islamic/islamist
extremism, islamism, Islamic fundamentalism, political islam, militant islam.
De nitions of Islamism
From a policy perspective, the di erence between Islam and Islamism is, "in the
broadest sense, Islamist groups believe Islamic law or Islamic values should play a
central role in public life". This is a more archaic, traditional way of seeing religion,
as opposed to the modern view which is that religion is a private matter.
Islamism is a sort of Islam as a "complete system".
Movements that aim to apply Islam to public and private life, representing at least a
form of social and political activism, grounded in an idea that public and political life
should be guided by a set of Islamic principles.
Quest to turn the state to be governed by Sharia law and Islamic principles.
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Lecture II: Movements in Islamism
Islamic Scholar Sheik Yousuf Al-Qaradhawi, considered to be an uno cial guiding
gure of the Muslim Brotherhood. Anti-non-Muslim attitude. Emphasising, glorying
the Muslim identity and Muslim values. Anxious about the fact that Christian-
Western identity is starting to play a role in the public life in many Muslim countries.
What is important to know about Islamist leaders is that they are product of the
modern educational system: they are lawyers, professors, engineers, doctors… they
are very aware of all the current events in the Muslim world (the "Ummah"), and
o ers an Islamic solution to these.
There are many Muslim voices and ideas trying to de ne and contest what is
properly Islam. The Muslim religion is very rich and exible enough for it to be
distorted into justi cations for almost anything. It’s more about who says it and how
much authority they have.
The Muslim Brotherhood
The Muslim Brotherhood (1928), funded by Hasan al-Banna in a small town in Egypt
practically dominated by the British. Quran and Sunnah are the only bases from
which the society could be constructed (legal, social, cultural, political). Promoting
di erent kinds of activism; change from the ground up; liberation from non-Muslim
powers; protecting and promoting the Muslim identity. De ned Islam as a way of
life, not just prayer and worship. Islam as a political system.
Many Muslims remember the abolishment of the Caliphate in May 3rd 1924 as a
trauma. "The last vestige of legitimate Islamic rule was ended". Sense that Islam
had been lost. From the Ottoman Empire to nation states. Al-Banna founded the
MB in reaction to this.
The centrality of da’wa
Through da’wa progress is made. Each step leads to a higher level of success.
There will be the Muslim individual, the Muslim home, the Muslim society, so that
the extensive islamic groundwork is set for the establishment of an Islamic
government, which will combine with others like it to form an Islamic caliphate
across the Muslim world.
Weakness: not all Muslims share the same ideals.
Hamas
Hamas was formally established as a branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, rede ning
their creed. It has since changed in many ways; Hamas was rstly entirely religious
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Splits in the Brotherhood: between Radicalism and Pragmatism
Sayyid Qutb, very related with al-Banna. He began as a school teacher, working for
the Ministry of Education. Following a visit of the US government to Egypt, he was
repulsed by the "Western way of life". He abandoned liberalism and became a very
traditional Islamist.
The Free O cers’ Revolution of 1952: end of colonial rule, Nasserism (pan-
Arabism), rise of the military state, secularism/socialist ideology. Some relation to
the MB.
In order to ght this new regime (which Qutb thought was so anti-Muslim), he
remarked that the da’wa (preaching) was not enough. He called for "jihad" to
violently confront all non-aligned Muslims and non-Muslims. Any society that does
not fully comply with the Sharia law is not truly Muslim (non-Muslim societies were
called "jahili")
In uence on Ayman al-Zawahiri: called for a violent, bloody revolution against the
enemies of Islam at home and abroad.
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