fawcett5e_ch08

Chapter 8: Islam and International Relations in the Middle East: From Umma to Nation State

Key Questions

• What is the nature of Islam?

  • Is it merely a religion, a discourse, or a political force?

  • Role of Islam in International Relations (IR) and its impact on states and non-state actors.

Historical Context

• Islamic Discourse and Nationalism

  • Tobacco Movement of 1890 in Iran:

    • King Naser Al-Din Shah Qajar granted a concession for British monopoly over tobacco.

    • Resulted in opposition from the Bazaar, Clergy, and intellectuals.

    • Mirza Hassan Shirazi's Fatwa declared tobacco use as a war against Islam, leading to the 1906 Constitutional Revolution.

Mobilization Through Religious Decrees

• Fatwa as a tool to mobilize various societal groups including intellectuals and ordinary citizens.

• Highlights Islam's role as a unifying force.

Islamic Governance Practices

• Nizam Al-Mulk's Influence (11th Century)

  • Advice on just leadership, military, finances, and state survival.

  • Stress on a well-equipped standing army composed of diverse ethnicities under central government command.

Islamic Views on Sovereignty

• The debate over sovereignty in Islam:

  • Concepts like Daar-al Harb (Domain of War) and Daar-Al Islam (Domain of Islam).

  • Historical treaties (e.g., Treaty of Hudaybiyah) demonstrating a nuanced approach that includes peace with non-Muslims.

  • Sovereignty Beliefs: Some argue sovereignty is only God's, implying illegitimacy for other claims.

Quranic Insights on Community

• Quran and Political Authority:

  • Refers to nations, power, and treaties, indicating a historical engagement with political structures.

  • The notion of umma as a broad, culturally diverse community.

Key Jurisprudential Concepts

• Jihad Clarification:

  • Greater vs. Lesser Jihad: distinctions and misinterpretations.

  • Calls for emphasis on inner jihad as personal growth, rather than martial conflict.

Educational Mandates in Islam

• The importance of seeking knowledge in Islam applicable to all Muslims, regardless of gender, contradicting Taliban's educational bans.

Anti-Muslim Sentiment Resurgence

• Acknowledgment of increased hostility towards Muslims post-Gaza conflict.

Historical Resistance and Unity

• Jihad as Resistance:

  • A historically defensive concept, emphasizing protection against external threats, critiquing disproportionate use of force.

Contemporary Islamist Movements

• Islam and Nationalism:

  • The emergence of nationalism as an effective discourse alongside Islamic identity in movements like the Tobacco Movement.

  • The Muslim Brotherhood's foundation in Egypt (1928) representing a rejection of secular nationalism.

  • Crisis: Failure of secular modernization leading to Islamism's rise in popularity.

Geopolitical Contexts

• Cold War dynamics enhancing Islam's role; e.g., Saudi outreach against communism.

• Iran’s Islamic Revolution as a significant shift, rejecting secularism.

Iran-Iraq War Implications

• Utilization of Islamic rhetoric during the Iran-Iraq War, despite both sides claiming religious legitimacy.

Soviet-Afghan War Outcome

• Victory of Islamists symbolizing resistance against imperial occupation; Islam positioned as the unifying force.

Complexity of Islam in Foreign Policy

• Middle Ground Approach:

  • Understanding Islam’s influence requires balancing cultural explanations with political strategy.

  • Recognition of institutions (OIC, etc.) in articulating Islamic foreign policy.

Modern Challenges and Transnationalism

• Islam and Globalization:

  • Expansion of Muslim networks through technology, potential for political influence.

  • Arab uprisings challenging violent interpretations of political change.