Muslim World in Encountering the Challenges of Global Extremism and Terrorism (original) (raw)
Related papers
European Modern Studies Journal, 2021
Terrorism is one of the most complex phenomena of the contemporary world. It has been observed that throughout the world, there is a close relationship between religious fundamentalism and violence. Since 1989, the increasing willingness of religious extremists to strike targets outside immediate country or regional areas underscores the global nature of contemporary terrorism. The 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center, and the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, are representative of this trend. Many Islamist terrorists, often called jihadist terrorists, view themselves as following Muhammad's example. The beliefs of the jihadi activists and their sympathizers follow the teachings of militant Salafi ideologues whose leaders put forth an ideology that prioritizes violent resistance in order to defend the community of believers from outside oppression. This theoreticallydriven article interrogates the nexus between religion and terrorism with a particular focus on Islamic suicide terrorism which has occurred in different countries, communities, cultures and under very diverse political circumstances.
2019
In certain countries around the world some Muslim youngsters have appeared who call for the return to Islam. They cause unrest, chaos, disorder and scandal on earth, but deem themselves to be acting justly. They deeply shake and upset the spiritual, intellectual and political peace of the Muslims in the world. They call for disrespect towards leaders, for opposition and upheaval against them, inciting the youth to also fight those who are beside those leaders, without taking into consideration whether they are scholars, or members of the security service, police, the army, etc. Unfortunately, this whole action is done in the name of enjoining good and forbidding evil. This study will make the diagnosis of this illness starting from the basic principle that terrorism is first of all an ideological, dogmatic and fundamental illness, whose roots are deep in the ideology, dogma and history. Thus, we must first of all wage an intellectual, civilizational and cultural battle in order to d...
Violence and terrorism in the Middle East
Recently, there has been a lot of debate on whether Islam is similar or different from other religions regarding the potential to incite violence/terrorism. Some researchers claim that Islam as a religion may not incite violence and/or terrorism any more than other mainstream religions, and refer to the fact that the majority of Muslims are peaceful. Others suggest that the majority of recent terrorist attacks are committed by certain groups of Islamic fundamentalists known as Salafi Jihadists and violent aggression including terrorist attacks is more common in parts of the world where Salafi Muslims live, such as in the Middle East. A third group explains that many areas in the Middle East have been impacted by sociopolitical conflict, war and failed states thus making them vulnerable for terrorism; therefore the association with Islamic fundamentalism is only secondary to geopolitical issues. This article examines some of the common beliefs among Islamic fundamentalists in order to demonstrate if and how aggression may be incited and aggressive violence including terrorism be justified in this worldview. It is demonstrated how a strict emphasis on pure monotheism (tawheed), sovereignty of God (hakimiyyat), a belief in God's omniscience (ilm) and predestination (qadar), emphasis on right 'intentions' (niyyah) rather than right actions, and unequal treatment of humans based on religious beliefs are 'risk factors' that may incline some salafi (fundamentalist) Muslims towards jihadism. The article concludes by suggesting awareness programs to help reform the philosophical worldview of Salafi communities by focusing on the value of life and Islamic humanism.
GLOBAL LEADERS SPEAK: INVESTIGATING SPECIFIC STRATEGIES REQUIRED TO NEUTRALIZE AND SUCCESSFULLY REDUCE RADICALIZATION AND EXTREMISM , 2019
Radicalization, violent extremism, and terrorism pose the most critical existential threat to humanity in the 21st century. Local, national, and international stability and security remain fragile across the globe, particularly owing to the human impacts caused by radical, extremist, and terrorist actors. This research demonstrates that manifestations of radicalization and extremism occur in all sectors of segregated human association. The purpose of this study was to determine the strategies required by global leaders to successfully reduce or neutralize radicalization and extremism across global populations. One hundred and eight global leaders from multiple, invested interest sectors participated to inform this basic qualitative study through semi-structured interviews. Leaders interviewed included professionals from policy, governance, theology, civil society, defense, media, academia, intergovernmental institutions, and field practitioner sectors. Participant inputs demonstrated the intricacies and complexities of the analytics and strategy considerations required to effectively reduce the human and societal impacts of radicalization and extremism observed globally. Data collected during this study confirmed that elements of radicalization and extremism are present across all sectors of society. Furthermore, findings support a more complete and comprehensive understanding of the gaps present in the current counter and preventative efforts. Perceptions and paradigms of readers and stakeholders will be challenged to actively consider the necessity of full-spectrum analysis of radicalization and extremism - findings directly contrast with commonly held narratives present today. Keywords: radicalization, violent extremism, terrorism, religion, politics, geopolitics, culture, narratives, ideology, unknown, CVE, PVE, impact assessments, metrics, globalization, war, safety, security, information warfare, propaganda, truth, leadership, global leadership
Al Khadim Research journal of Islamic culture and Civilization, 2021
Islam is the true religion of peace, reconciliation, and harmony, which primarily deals with the sanctity of human beings without discrimination of religion, creed, and ethnic group. The subject of Divine Commandments is humanity which can be derived from the address of Allah almighty in the Holy Quran "O people' 'The Holy Prophet Muhammad SAWW said, "The best among people who is the source of benefit for the whole humanity". Pakistan has been facing the challenge of extremists and terrorism since 9/11 and has sacrificed thousands of lives in the war on terror. Despite greater securitization, surveillance, examining, and numerous counterterrorism measures, the problem appears to worsen rather than improve. While there may be success stories of terror plans being stopped and radicals being funneled into Deradicalization programs, the tragic reality is that innumerable young people continue to be exposed to extremist propaganda, mainly through social media. In this paper, I have elaborated Islamic perspective on counterterrorism with the help of divine commandments and a rational approach that Universalism and moderation are what Islam stands for. It is a religion of peace, protection, and human rights; there is no room for oppression and injustice in Islam. In the second phase of a research paper, I have analyzed the academic contributions of Muslim Thinkers to encounter extremism and terrorism. I have also highlighted the narrative of the Paigham-I-Pakistan joint declaration of scholars of various schools of thought to create harmony and peace in the country.
Radicalism and the Practice of Violence in the Muslim World
2017
Religion, politics, society and culture coexist in a melting pot; entwining and clashing amongst one another till the origins of their functions and values are debated much like the chicken and the egg. All occurrences are subject to the questioning of: Is the situation a consequence of the religion or the culture? The political dynamics or societal pressure? Under these circumstances, the inherent spirituality of religions becomes contested as the non-spiritual functions of politics, society, and culture are infused with it. Islam, a historical religion dating back to the 7th century, is under duress as the insurgence and force of radicalism and the use of violence within Muslim nations has strengthened and garnered momentum. Keyword: Radicalism, Islam, Al Qaeda, ISIL, ISIS, Islamophobia, Extremism, Muslim World, Religious Radicalism, Religio-Political Agreement, Wahhabism, Political Participation,
The So-Called “Islamic Terrorism”: A Tale of the Ambiguous Terminology
Al-Albab, 2016
What does the term "terrorism" mean. " Why does the term "terrorism" often identified as Islam? "If terrorism is an ism that affects "terror" that it generates, while Islam which literally means "peace", then the two terms certainly mismatch! Such question and statement show Muslims' concern over frequent phenomena of "terrorism" using Islamic religious symbols. The research undertaken proved that there are three explanations. First, a close tripartite network connection between "terrorism experts" and the circles of power policy holders who are also supported by senior journalists in the international media influence. Second, a long tradition of Orientalist studies in the study of the Middle East region and the study of religion in the Arab culture. Figures such as Bernard Lewis, Noah Feldman, Raphael Patai and other Middle East experts often sit with other experts in the field of terrorism (the first factor) and become main advisors and expert staff for the US government in the formulation of action to counter terror. It was the catalyst for the transmission of viewpoint which then decorated orientalist discourse of Islamic terrorism in the process of political policies. Third, a lot of Islamic terrorism discourse refers to the long tradition of cultural stereotypes and biased representations of the media that often portray Islam and Muslims as 'the enemy'. The reason is that it reflects the perspective of socio-Western culture that fears and worries the other oriental parties which has been stereotyped since the imperial era. Many also argue that the dichotomy of the orientalist views are deliberately preserved as a form of new style imperialism.
IS is a new phenomenon in the face of an on-going conflict in the Middle-East in what I refer to as the Shami theatre. It evolved from a fledgling affiliate of al Qaeda into a powerful and organised “pseudo-state” under the leadership of Abu-Bakr al-Baghdadi and operates largely in the Shami theatre. The Shami theatre with its core group of actors has been scripted into a region of conflict, through a toxic approach from 1916 till now (2017), a hundred years and counting. According to the Syrian Network for Human Rights (SNHR), of the 203097 civilian deaths recorded from March 2011 until November 2016, IS has been responsible for 1.48% (2998) of the deaths. Considering this fact alone, it had to be asked, “Why the obsession with IS”? This project considered the rise and development of IS and its choice of violence in the context in which it exists. Violence and the defining of violence have been contested for centuries, mainly because violence involves and refers to different conditions, actions and processes. The consequences of violence may be immediate, short-term or long-term and may be contextualised within an interpersonal framing or as the result of an inherent social condition. What is peculiar about the way in which violence is defined and which aspects of the definition of violence are included or excluded will determine the human experiences being examined and the conclusions drawn. In this regard the study examined the various templates of violence and interrogated the manifestation of these different forms of violence in the context in which IS functions. The research considered a plurality of reasons and motivations drawn from IS’s magazine Dabiq and other academic and news sources to explain IS’s lure for foreign fighters, its use of violence and the claim about its “clash” with western values. It then considered the difference in terms of theodicy vs. theology, so that the question was no longer “why are Muslims so violent?” but “why has this specific group of persons resorted to violence?” Significantly, consolidation of persons under extreme circumstances does not necessarily imply a ‘unity of ideology.’ From this aspect of the theorisation it became evident that limiting the discussion on IS and its attacks on foreign soil to a monologue about religion or demanding a theological reform of Islam to more ‘liberal traditions,’ or to claim that the genesis of IS is to be found in theology has largely been disingenuous. Widening the lens of analysis is a tool of academic integrity when the research demands it, and is not an attempt at denying religious ideology. There is an element of religious ideology certainly, but it cannot be divorced from its social context. What it does is to animate the role and impact of human action. IS has used the tools of language, religion and sectarianism to justify its violence. IS has destroyed shrines, libraries and schools, exhibited blatant intolerance of difference and independent lifestyles and choices and it has specialised in significant levels of barbarity, the killing of the elite and citizens. In this regard the study interrogated the “clash of civilisations” claim by exploring the possibility of explaining the violence and actions of IS in terms of western epistemological fraud and western methods of violence learned from the violence of colonialism/coloniality. The study linked all of these issues to the continuity of the history of dehumanisation and control of the space, bodies and belief of the Muslim subject. Although IS has attacked westerners, the majority of its victims are Muslims. The rabid sectarianism of Maliki and the unspeakable torment and torture committed by Assad has spurred further extremism which will at some point contribute to the rise of IS 2.0 unless an amicable and just political solution is achieved. All the templates examined ultimately led to the plausible conclusion that the violence of IS is motivated by revenge, the greed for power and control and in many ways manifests as the dark side of modernity. Religion is the currency invoked to draw supporters, sympathy and recognition, and to seek legitimacy. But religion, specifically Islam does not constitute the motivation for the violence. This study concluded that IS and those powers unleashing violence on the largely Sunni Syrian and Iraqi populations have been targeting a very specific enemy, with the aim to completely destroy it – they are attacking Islam and the Islamicate. The narrative, the tactics, the behaviour, the propaganda, the ongoing epistemicide and the pacts between Assad, the changing Iraqi regimes, the US, and IS all point to this. And attacking Islam and the Islamicate includes attacking the inheritors of Islam. This is the consolidation of the theorising.
Islam and Terrorism: Beyond the Wisdom of the Secularist Paradigm
2006
Since the end of the Cold War, the West has mounted a campaign against Islam as the essential source of terrorism and the Muslims as necessarily terrorists. However, the problems of violence and terror are not isolated issues but have epistemological and unspoken real causes. Violence is related to despotism, especially the despotism of hegemony. The US-led war on terrorism is not a simple struggle between good and evil. The hidden reasons behind it makes it difficult for the Muslims and others in the Third World to appreciate the efforts. Constructed mostly by reporters of such powerful TV cables like CNN, intelligence analysts and "experts on Muslim affairs," the Muslim is perceived as the terrorist, the imminent menace to civilization and the universal values of democracy and freedom. This campaign gained much momentum and became more intense with the collapse of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Cold War. The untiring rhetoric associating Islam and Muslims with terror...