Jihad: Political Islam from the Muslim Brotherhood to IS
C1: 31.10.2016: The study of political Islam: status quaestionis
Hirschkind, C. “What is political Islam?” in: Volpi (ed.) Political Islam. A critical reader. Routledge
2011, 13-15.
In what way does the distinction between the political and non-political domains of social life hold
today? Islamic movements that involve preaching and other missionary activities engage the political
domain because they are subject to restrictions imposed by the state (licensing, etc.) and because they
must compete with state or state-supported institutions.
Euben, R. “Fundamentalism” in: Böwering Princeton Encyclopedia of Islamic Political Thought,
2012, 179-188.
Fundamentalism: refers to contemporary religiopolitical movements that aim to establish the primacy
of scriptural authority as a defense against the moral, political and social decay that supposedly defines
the modern world.
Tradition becomes a conscious commitment in need of systematic justification when longtime rituals,
beliefs and practices can no longer be taken for granted. Paradoxically, then, defenders of tradition are
actually reconstructing it in response to challenge and change.
Islamism is constituted by a complex dialectic between the selective appropriation of texts and
precedents by Islamist thinkers and leaders, and the ways such ideas are enacted and reworked by
Islamist activists.
Didn’t really read this… oops.
College
Al-Sham = Levant = Syria
A certain language is used, with a lot of Islamic terms, because they target a specific public.
What is political Islam?
One definition: Political Islam is the manifestation of Islam beyond the religious domain into the
realm of politics.
There is something problematic about this definition. That is wat Hirschkind points out. He says that
the modern state is so much more invasive in the private life of people. Education, dress, etc., are all
ruled by the state. Religious authorities need to response to this. That is part of the story of political
Islam. Hirschkind also warns that we should not take western categories as universal categories. Our
understanding of religions etc. need not to be universal, because other religions may function in a
different matter. It is important to avoid making Islam a particularly special case.
He suggests that political Islam is about social economic framework. People need a political platform,
and political Islam provides such a platform. There is much to be said for it, however, it is not
everything. There is also a question of other frames.
Another definition, based on Fuller: Islamism is not an ideology but a religious cultural political
framework for engagement on issues that most concern politically engaged Muslims.
Problems: this definition points out what political Islam is not. He stresses it is not an ideology,
because it is too broad. The width of political Islam stretching from democratic groups to extreme
violent organisations.
Third definition, after Euben: Political Islam is an interpretive framework reacting to and expressive of
modernity, claiming authority over Islam and offering its interpretation as a cure to what is perceived
as a (Muslim) world in crisis.
Political Islam is a response to a perceived crisis. Fundamentalists claim a cultural authenticity against
the estrangement of modernisation, but Euben points out that these organisations of fundamentalists
itself are not in line with longtime traditions so that is a paradox.
Another paradox: Political Islam claims authority over the religion that shuts down decisions about the
religion. At the same time, it claims authority over old claims. It is also a liberating movement because
1
C1: 31.10.2016: The study of political Islam: status quaestionis
Hirschkind, C. “What is political Islam?” in: Volpi (ed.) Political Islam. A critical reader. Routledge
2011, 13-15.
In what way does the distinction between the political and non-political domains of social life hold
today? Islamic movements that involve preaching and other missionary activities engage the political
domain because they are subject to restrictions imposed by the state (licensing, etc.) and because they
must compete with state or state-supported institutions.
Euben, R. “Fundamentalism” in: Böwering Princeton Encyclopedia of Islamic Political Thought,
2012, 179-188.
Fundamentalism: refers to contemporary religiopolitical movements that aim to establish the primacy
of scriptural authority as a defense against the moral, political and social decay that supposedly defines
the modern world.
Tradition becomes a conscious commitment in need of systematic justification when longtime rituals,
beliefs and practices can no longer be taken for granted. Paradoxically, then, defenders of tradition are
actually reconstructing it in response to challenge and change.
Islamism is constituted by a complex dialectic between the selective appropriation of texts and
precedents by Islamist thinkers and leaders, and the ways such ideas are enacted and reworked by
Islamist activists.
Didn’t really read this… oops.
College
Al-Sham = Levant = Syria
A certain language is used, with a lot of Islamic terms, because they target a specific public.
What is political Islam?
One definition: Political Islam is the manifestation of Islam beyond the religious domain into the
realm of politics.
There is something problematic about this definition. That is wat Hirschkind points out. He says that
the modern state is so much more invasive in the private life of people. Education, dress, etc., are all
ruled by the state. Religious authorities need to response to this. That is part of the story of political
Islam. Hirschkind also warns that we should not take western categories as universal categories. Our
understanding of religions etc. need not to be universal, because other religions may function in a
different matter. It is important to avoid making Islam a particularly special case.
He suggests that political Islam is about social economic framework. People need a political platform,
and political Islam provides such a platform. There is much to be said for it, however, it is not
everything. There is also a question of other frames.
Another definition, based on Fuller: Islamism is not an ideology but a religious cultural political
framework for engagement on issues that most concern politically engaged Muslims.
Problems: this definition points out what political Islam is not. He stresses it is not an ideology,
because it is too broad. The width of political Islam stretching from democratic groups to extreme
violent organisations.
Third definition, after Euben: Political Islam is an interpretive framework reacting to and expressive of
modernity, claiming authority over Islam and offering its interpretation as a cure to what is perceived
as a (Muslim) world in crisis.
Political Islam is a response to a perceived crisis. Fundamentalists claim a cultural authenticity against
the estrangement of modernisation, but Euben points out that these organisations of fundamentalists
itself are not in line with longtime traditions so that is a paradox.
Another paradox: Political Islam claims authority over the religion that shuts down decisions about the
religion. At the same time, it claims authority over old claims. It is also a liberating movement because
1
