Islam5[1] - Islam The Straight Path by John Esposito...

Islam: The Straight Path by John Esposito
Chapter 5: “Contemporary Islam: Religion and Politics”
Dominant theme= resurgence
The Islamic Resurgence
-Increased emphasis on religious identity in practice
-Increased emphasis on religious practices
-Presuppositions
-Western society tendency to separate religion and state is only modern
option
-Islam is a total way of life for many Muslims
-Religion and society interrelated
-Gamal Abd al-Nasser of Egypt
-“Determined to emerge as a pan-Arab leader and legitimate his Arab
socialist revolution and ideology”
-State supported periodical “Minbar al-Islam”
-Phenomena of Muslim Experience
-Identity crisis from sense of failure, loss of identity, and lack of self-
esteem
-Disillusionment with the West
-Sense of pride and power from military and economic success in 1973
-Quest for more authentic identity rooted in Islamic past
-Islam and Israel
-Six-Day War in 1967  Muslim soul searching and self-criticism
-“The Disaster”
-Showed state of decline of Muslims
-“Muslims had failed Islam by relying on the West for their
guidance and development”

-Faithfulness to Quran and Muhammad required for
Muslim strength and success
-Israel regarded as a Western (US) colony
-October War of 1973
-Israel won, but Arabs felt vindicated by success of Egypt in the
war
-Anwar Sadat using Islamic symbols and rhetoric to
motivate and mobilize Egyptians
-Arab Oil Embargo of 1973
-West dependent on Middle East
-Sign of wealth and power
-Iranian Revolution of 1978-1979
-“Islamic Revolution”
-Validated Islamic activists’ claims that “a return to Islam would restore
religious identity and vitality”
Ideological Worldview of Revivalism
-General ideology of Islamic revivalism
-Islam= total and comprehensive way of life
-Departing from straight path of Islam  failure of Muslim societies
-Renewal of society requires a return to Islam
-Western-inspired civil codes must be replaced with Islamic law
-Science and technology OK, but must be subordinated to Islamic belief
and values
-Re-Islamization requires organizations of trained Muslims who are
willing to struggle (jihad) against corruption and social injustice
-Assumptions of radical activists who believe violent revolution is necessary
-Crusader mentality, Neocolonialism, and the power of Zionism pit the
West against Islam
-Muslims MUST establish an Islamic system of government

-Governments that do not follow Sharia are illegitimate, they unbelievers
and not true Muslims
-Opposition to illegitimate governments extends to ulama, mosques, and
religious establishment
-Religious duty of jihad against unbelievers
-Christians and Jews= unbelievers
-Moderate majority  reform through gradual transformation of Muslim society
-Radical minority  advocate violent revolution
-Three patterns of modern nation building in Muslim world
-Secular
-Turkey under Mustafa Kemal (Ataturk)
-Only country to chose completely secular path
-Muslim
-Majority of Muslim countries
-Islamic
-Saudi Arabia
-Egypt
-Leadership overthrown in 1952 by Gamal Abd al-Nasser and the Free