Islamic Fundamentalism
Description:
Islamic fundamentalism can be defined as a part of Islamic practitioners, which aim at gathering more believers and expanding the religion by creating more and more Islamic states, without respecting the present constitution.
Fundamentalism is different from extremism in the sense that fundamentalists are non-violent, and not explicitely hostile. Extremists, a small group within a country or a limited number of states, are explicitely hostile, and advocate and practise the use of violence to achieve their goals.[3]
During the last 50 years, the CIA, trying to destabilize the Islamic world (against the USSR threat), nurtured fundamentalism by supporting an anti-religious leader to suppress the Iranians. This caused the Islamic Revolution of 1979 in which Islamic fundamentalists took over by force. This inspired other nations as well, making fundamentalism a trend in the Arab world.
Enablers:
Historic Enablers:
- Decentralized, fractional nature of the Islam: no central authority have the moral power to ban or condamn extreme behaviours from followers;
- Wahabite Sect fundend at the end of XVIII century;
- Fondation Muslim Brotherhood in early 1900s;
- Islamic Revolution in Iran;
- Collapse of Arab nationalism after the 1967 Arab-Israeli war;
- Fall of the Soviet Union/Marxist dream of the late 1980s;
- Cold war Western support to Muslim groups as insurance against Communist encroachment.
Current enablers:
- Polarization: Them versus us feeling still being enforced by the United States who are pointing out Islamic countries as being the 'axis of evil';
- Rapid industrialization and urbanization: Many traditional muslims feel displaced in the big city. Religion provides them some feeling of security;
- Indecent Western culture: Muslims are disgusted by some aspects of Western culture causing a chism between the two. Examples are narcotics, pornography and the disrespect against religion;
- Poverty: Religions number one feeding ground
- Why are terrorist mainly from middle class and have attended to school?
- Why are not poorer islamic countries producing more terrorists than the richier?
- Oil revenues: the bigger producers of oil and gas are islamic countries: this enable the current regimes to stay in power, fund propaganda inside and outside their countries and fund violent groups. Examples: wahabbi (saudi) clerics proselitize around the world with the support of the Saudi Arabia, in mosques financed with saudi money.
Inhibitors:
- Commerce globalization and communication technology tends to bring cultures together, decreasing extreme fundamentalism.
- Capitalism: Material wealth is a good replacement for religion.
Paradigms:
- Before the Islamic Revolution: Communism is bad
- After the Islamic Revolution: Fundamentalism is bad
Experts:
Timing:
The fundamentalisic trend was started by the Islamic Revolution of 1979.