Jihadism, sometimes known as Islamism and Islamofascism is a violent fascist interpretation of Islam that is associated with anti-Semitic, anti-Christian, and anti-Hindu bigotry. And even often against other Muslims who are perceived as not "authentic" in the eyes of radicals. Or Shiites vs Sunnis within Islam. The term takes its name from "Jihad", a word often confused for "Holy Warfare".
Many people believe that Islam itself is explicitly anti-Christian and anti-Semitic and point to passages in the Quran. Others believe that this is the Jihadist corruption of Islam.[3] Jihadists do not teach their followers that the Qu'ran presents Islam as an Abrahamic faith that has Moses in it[4] as well as Jesus as a prophet in Islam,[5] but not as God's son.
It is considered a backlash to the liberalizations of the middle east, and as a defensive mechanism against the perceived erosion of tradition and culture in their homeland.[6] The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 particularly reinforced it by Islamists, and led to a series of armed conflicts from the 1990s to today.[7] It advocates the creation of a totalitarian theocratic Caliphate in the Middle East, Africa, Central Asia, as well as reconquering Spain and the Balkans in Europe that were once held by Islamic rulers.
Jihad in the sense of territorial expansion which has always been a central aspect of Muslim life, it is how Muslims came to rule much of the Arabian Peninsula by the time of the Muhammad's death in 632. It's how, a century later, Muslims had conquered a region from Afghanistan to Spain. Subsequently, jihad spurred and justified Muslim conquests of such territories as India, Sudan, Anatolia, and the Balkans.[8]
An Arab writer explained:
[9]The strange convergence between Nazism and Islamic jihad was most apparent during World War II, when Amin al-Husseini, the grand mufti of Jerusalem, traveled to Berlin to meet with Hitler, declaring jihad against the Allies, led by Britain. In fact, there were rumors floating throughout the Arab world that Husseini gave Hitler the title “Haj Muhammad Hitler” after teaching him the theory of Islamic martyrdom.Following World War II and the defeat of Nazism, the Western world finally rid itself of fascist movements that espoused radical ideologies. But in the East, and especially in the Arab world, the concept of political Islam continued to develop and grow into a destructive ideology. The West isolated itself against ideological extremism by uprooting Nazism, while in the Arab world, thousands of Hitler sympathizers grew up speaking Arabic and professing Islam.
Unfortunately, while Europe escaped its problematic legacy with Nazism, the Middle East became a hotbed for many of its radical ideologies. While Europe turned its face toward freedom and democracy, many in the Arab world, inspired by “Haj Muhammad Hitler,” began openly adopting Islamic fascism.
Traditional Islam has been criticized for some time, due to it demanding strict submissiveness, especially of women, and its predisposition to being violent, suspicious and even attacking other faiths deemed a threat to Islam. Jihadism is an integral part of Islam that emphasizes a constant need for Jihad (literally meaning " "to exert utmost effort, to strive, struggle" but used by Jihadists as meaning "war") against people labelled as "infidels". The radicalization of Islam as we have seen with totalitarian dictatorships like Saudi Arabia, Iran, and the Taliban in Afghanistan has in particular been harmful for Non-Muslim groups. Moderate and liberal Muslims have denounced the Jihadist terrorists and believe that mainstream Islam has become corrupted over the years that there needs to be an Islamic Reformation similar to that of the Protestant Reformation.[10]
The basic tenets are an establishment of a new Caliphate in the Middle East, through the use of terrorism, revolutions, and the extermination of Israel. Islamofascism is very common among Muslim populations and is the ideology behind many of the enemies of the United States, like the Taliban, the government of Pakistan, the government of Iran, and Palestinian nationalists.
Today, jihad is the world's foremost source of terrorism, inspiring a worldwide campaign of violence by self-proclaimed jihadist groups.[8]
Islamofascism is a term popularized by anti-religious atheist Christopher Hitchens to describe the ideology.
2012 Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney has said that he has personally known mainstream Muslim Americans in Detroit where he lived, and says "They are peace-loving and America-loving individuals. I believe that very sincerely. I believe people of the Islamic faith do not have to subscribe to the idea of radical, violent jihadism.[11]
The strange convergence between Nazism and Islamic jihad was most apparent during World War II, when Amin al-Husseini, the grand mufti of Jerusalem, traveled to Berlin to meet with Hitler, declaring jihad against the Allies, led by Britain. In fact, there were rumors floating throughout the Arab world that Husseini gave Hitler the title “Haj Muhammad Hitler” after teaching him the theory of Islamic martyrdom.Following World War II and the defeat of Nazism, the Western world finally rid itself of fascist movements that espoused radical ideologies. But in the East, and especially in the Arab world, the concept of political Islam continued to develop and grow into a destructive ideology. The West isolated itself against ideological extremism by uprooting Nazism, while in the Arab world, thousands of Hitler sympathizers grew up speaking Arabic and professing Islam.
Unfortunately, while Europe escaped its problematic legacy with Nazism, the Middle East became a hotbed for many of its radical ideologies. While Europe turned its face toward freedom and democracy, many in the Arab world, inspired by “Haj Muhammad Hitler,” began openly adopting Islamic fascism.
– Hussam al-Adli .. Translated by Asaf Zilberfarb.
Categories: [Islamic Terrorism] [Fascism]