Religion Peace and Conflict The emergence of Islamic revivalism in the Middle East

Sunnism and Shi’ism Sunnism: Shi’ism: First four caliphs are the “Rightly guided”. (Abu Bakr, Omar, Othman and Ali) They belong to one of the four schools of jurisprudence. (Hanafi, Maliki, Shafii and Hanbali) Islamic history as drift away from the ideal community that existed under the four caliphs. Religious activities are exclusive domain of the Muslim state. Sunni clerics are not given the religious titles of “imams”. ijma (=consensus of the community) Shi’ism: Ali, the Prophet’s cousin and son in law was the rightful successor of the umma. Only members of the Prophet’s family can govern Muslims on behalf of Allah. Imams are divinely inspired and infallible. Return of the Hidden imam (Mahdi) Through ascetism and suffering one can remove the ill-effects of persecutions and humiliation (Ashura) ‘ahd (divine covenant)

Muslim Brotherhood ideology: Rooted in the Sunni Hanbali school of jurisprudence (insistence on a literary interpretation of the Quran) Call for an Islamic state based on true Islam, Socio-economic problems of Egypt were rooted in the process of secularization of Egyptian life, The need to rid Egypt from imperial and immoral Western domination through the adoption of an Islamic path, Sayyid Qutb (1964: “Signposts”).

The Muslim Brotherhood:1928-1949 Constructive Period: 1928-1936 (Hassan al-Banna founder) The movement took shape and consolidated its strength based on: - religious missionary activity, - social welfare activity. 1936-1949 It developed into a politico- religious movement that profoundly influenced: - Egyptian domestic affairs, - Arab affairs beyond the frontiers of Egypt (Palestine-Lebanon-Jordan-Syria). -1949 the movement reshaped its organization and strove to regain its influence in Egyptian life,

Muslim Brotherhood during Nasser (1952-1970): July 1952-March 1954: - Period of reconciliation between the Muslim Brotherhood and Nasser 1954-1970: - Period of tension between the Muslim Brotherhood and Nasser, - 1954 six members of the organization were executed by the Government, - 1964 Nasser decided wanted the Muslim Brotherhood to join the new Arab Socialist Union in order to to ward off the threat of communism, 1970: - Increasing role of the Muslim Brotherhood in the Egyptian life

Nasser’s attitude towards the Muslim Brotherhood: Rejection of the of theocratic notion of the State without rejecting Islam altogether, Ideology intermingled Egyptian nationalism, Islamic principles and Arabism, All the religious institutions went under the control of the State (Al-Azhar University), “Nationalization” of Religion.

Muslim Brotherhood revivalism under Sadat (1970-1981): External Factors : Egyptian support of the Yemen war (1962-1967), Aftermath of Egyptian defeat in the 1967 Six Day War, Saudi Arabia’s support of the Muslim Brotherhood. Domestic Factors: Growth of the urbanization without a parallel growth in economy created discontent among a large group of people, Sadat found an ally in the Muslim Brotherhood against the rise of the Left in the Egyptian political life.

Muslim Brotherhood today: 1987: they cooperated with the Socialist Labor and Liberal parties and became the main opposition force in Egypt, 2000: they won 17 seats in the People's Assembly, 2005: they were prevented from running for parliamentary elections as a political party. But their candidates, running as independents, manage to win 88 seats out of a total 454, making them by far the largest opposition group (other parties win 14 seats) 2010: elections: they boycotted the second round of the elections after a repression from the Government, February 2011:Muslim Brothers’ leadership issued a statement saying: "We demand that this regime is overthrown, and we demand the formation of a national unity government for all the factions."

Hizbu’llah (The party of God) Reasons for its emergence: Acute alienation of the Shi’te Lebanese community: Historical pattern of the identity crisis, (The Shi’tes have experienced a long time history of suffering and repressions) Oppression of the Lebanese Shi’te community ( Lebanese Maronite-Sunni alliance since 1943)

Structural imbalance :Political and economic disfranchisement: Shi’tes were not accorded a political role commensurate with their numerical size, (National Pact of 1943 based on 1932 census) Shi’tes were economically disfranchised, (Shi’tes were the most disadvantaged social group,85% of them lived in rural areas) 1975 Lebanese Civil war magnified the Shi’tes political and economic discontent.

Lebanese military defeat: 1978 Israeli invasion of Lebanon, 1982 Israeli occupation of Southern Lebanon, 1983: Lebanese-Israeli accord brokered by U.S. was tailored made to leave South Lebanon to Israel, Emerging alliance between Gemayel Bashir and Israel threatened Shi’tes, Israeli protracted occupation of South Lebanon,

Influence of Iranian Revolution (1979): Cross-cultural reference of the ideology (Shi’a Revolution) Ayatollah Khomeini and Lebanese Shi’a clergy met in the circles of learning in Najaf (Iraq) and Qom (Iran), Establishment of ties between Lebanese Shi’a clergy and the militant Iranian clergy.

Establishment of Hizbu’llah: 1960 Musa al-Sadr arrived in Tyre, Lebanon, 1969 establishment of the Supreme Islamic Shi’ite court, symbol of the new politically aware presence of Shi’tes in Lebanon, 1974 launch of the Movement of the Deprived, 1975 the movement developed into a military movement known as Amal, (joined the Left wing LNM in the civil war) 1978 disappearance of al-Sadr in Lybia. 1982 al- Musawi, a member of Amal broke away and founded Islamic Amal: Hezbu’llah, 1985 public declaration of the birth of the movement.

Foreign support to Hezbu’llah: Iran: First direct contact between the Islamic Republic and the largest Shi’te community outside Iraq, Influence in the Arab-Israeli conflict, Presence in Lebanon helped to break out of the narrow geopolitical confines of Iranian war with Iraq, Ally against U.S. and Western presence in the Middle East, Syria: Against Western and Israeli domination, 1983 Lebanese-Israeli accord under brokered by U.S., worried Syria of a possible isolation, Syrian-Iranian alliance to support Hezbu’llah.

Hezbu'llah ideology: Necessity to establish an Islamic order, God is a source of sovereignty provided by His revelation through the Prophet and the rightful designed successors (imams), (Covenant) Establishment of the Islamic order depends on the freedom of choice of the majority, Hezbu’llah criterion for power distribution based on demographic majority, Clerical supremacy of imams, (ayatollah Khomeini’s theory of the guardianship of the jurisconsult= wilayat al-faiqh) Division of the world between oppressor and oppressed. (Israel and West =oppressors)

The holy struggle: Greater jihad: Involves the struggle against oneself. The Lesser jihad: the elementary jihad (holy war or offensive war) the defensive jihad

Hezbu’llah today: Sayyid Nasrallah is the current secretary of the Movement, Hezbu’llah has the freedom to act according to the circumstances and has a big role in the Lebanese Government decisions, 2006 Israeli-Lebanese war: Hezbu’llah played a leading role in the conflict.