Violent religious extremism is to be found nearly everywhere in human history. Yet, it seems today, as if the Arab world – and most lately Syria – would be the 'hub' of religiously motivated terrorist activities. But where do these movements come from? What are their roots?
The key assumption of this paper is, that the origin of religious extremism (but not necessarily religious extremism itself) is to seek in the rise of political Islam in the middle of the 20th century. Therefore, the central question to answering the questions above is: How could a constructive force, like the political Islam, lay the foundations for such a destructive force as is Islamist terrorism?
Table of Contents
Introduction
1 What is political Islam?
1.1 Where did political Islam come from?
1.2 The main ideological characteristics of political Islam
2 Islamist terrorism: a characterization on the example of ISIS
2.1 Where and how did ISIS emerge?
2.2 How does ISIS recruit its members?
2.3 The ideology and goals of ISIS and other violent Islamist groups
3 What's the link between violent Islamism and the political Islam?
3.1 Ideological links and transitions between the political Islam and violent Islamism
3.2 The transition of political Islam into violent Islamism
Conclusion
Research Objectives and Key Topics
The paper examines the historical and ideological origins of violent religious extremism, specifically questioning how political Islam served as a foundational environment for the development of modern Islamist terrorism such as ISIS. The primary goal is to analyze the gray zone where non-violent political movements transition into violent extremist organizations.
- The historical development and ideological characteristics of political Islam.
- Characterization of Islamist terrorist groups using ISIS as a primary case study.
- Recruitment strategies employed by extremist organizations during and after the Arab Spring.
- The ideological transition from peaceful political Islam to violent Jihadism.
- The impact of Western foreign policy and economic dependence on the rise of radicalization.
Excerpt from the Book
1.1 Where did political Islam come from?
The Arab novelist and sociologist Halim Barakat gives in his sociological analysis of the Arab world "The Arab World: Society, Culture, and State" an excellent overview over the early development of religious influences in the Arab political thought in – what he calls – the "Independence and Postindependence" period after World War II. He characterizes this period as the time when Arabs desperately searched for explanations and solutions to their ongoing defeats (Israel in 1953/54 and 1967; the Gulf war in 1991, etc.) and the state of enduring crisis: "Arab aspirations for national unity, social justice, democracy, comprehensive development, and genuine independence have been shattered." The political Islam claimed that the solution would lay in the Arabs' return to their traditions and the sociological teachings of the Qur'an.
This was the intellectual climate in which the political influence of Islam resurrected from the state of irrelevance it had been in since the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. As one of three big ideological trends of this era (furthermore there were liberalism, and progressivism), that tried to find solutions to the decline of the Arab culture, the "religious trend" really began to spread beyond the heads of its leaders after the Iranian Revolution 1979. This religious uprising proved the feasibility of a religiously organized state in the 20th century and gave inspiration to many and manifold versions of the "religious trend". In that particular fact lies also the difficulty of analyzing the impacts of political Islam: the movements that promote the ideology of political Islam are very different, they "are typified by the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas, Hizbullah, and Turkey's ruling [...] Party. They, in turn are joined by an infinite variety of Islamic parties and movements that are now reshaping the electoral map of the Islamic world."
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Outlines the scope of the study regarding the origins of violent religious extremism and defines the central research question concerning the evolution from political Islam to terrorism.
1 What is political Islam?: Examines the historical roots and ideological foundations of political Islam in the post-WWII era and its diverse manifestations in the modern Islamic world.
2 Islamist terrorism: a characterization on the example of ISIS: Investigates the emergence and recruitment mechanisms of ISIS, highlighting the role of regional instability and the exploitation of political platforms.
3 What's the link between violent Islamism and the political Islam?: Analyzes the ideological overlap and the transitional processes that allow moderate political movements to radicalize into Jihadist groups.
Conclusion: Synthesizes the findings, asserting that while political Islam provided a foundation, the radicalization into violence resulted from specific internal and external factors rather than the ideology itself.
Keywords
Political Islam, Islamist Terrorism, ISIS, Middle-East, Shari'ah, Jihadism, Arab Spring, Radicalization, Muslim Brotherhood, Religious Extremism, Social Justice, Ideological Transition, Western Influence, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, Islamic Caliphate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this publication?
The work investigates the origins of violent religious extremism, specifically exploring how political Islam influenced the rise of modern terrorist organizations like ISIS.
What are the primary themes discussed?
The paper covers the historical roots of political Islam, the emergence of ISIS, recruitment strategies of radical groups, and the complex link between moderate political Islam and violent extremism.
What is the main research question?
The central question is how a constructive force like political Islam could serve as a foundation for a destructive force like Islamist terrorism.
Which methodology is applied in this analysis?
The author uses a qualitative, analytical approach, synthesizing sociological perspectives and historical events to trace the evolution of radical Islamist ideologies.
What does the main body address?
It provides a characterization of political Islam, a detailed case study of ISIS's rise and recruitment, and an analysis of the ideological transitions that bridge the gap between non-violent Islamists and Jihadists.
Which keywords define this work?
Key terms include political Islam, Jihadism, ISIS, radicalization, Arab Spring, Shari'ah law, and ideological transition.
How did the Iranian Revolution impact the development of political Islam?
The 1979 revolution demonstrated the viability of a religiously organized state, thereby providing inspiration for various manifestations of the "religious trend" throughout the Middle East.
What role did the Arab Spring play in extremist recruitment?
The Arab Spring provided a public platform for radical ideologies, allowing Islamist groups to utilize public demonstrations, radical mosques, and internet propaganda to target and recruit new followers.
Does the author equate political Islam with terrorism?
No, the author argues that while political Islam may serve as an ideological forefather, it is wrong to claim it constitutes the bedrock for terrorist crimes; only a minority of its followers radicalize into violence.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Ulrich Roschitsch (Autor:in), 2015, The Origins of Violent Islamism. Can the “political Islam” be seen as a cause for violent religious extremism in the Middle East?, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/334507
