User:Klonimus/Islamofascism

The term "Islamofascism" is a controversial political epithet used to describe certain variants of Islamism, which it has been suggested have fascist or totalitarian aspects.

Origins of the term

Although the exact origins of the term are murky, it appears to have been coined either by Khalid Duran, Stephen Schwartz or Christopher Hitchens. The coining or popularisation of the term is frequently attributed to Christopher Hitchens, a prominent critic of Islamic Fundamentalism, based on his article in The Nation immediately following the 9/11 attacks, where he used the phrase "Islamic fascism". [1]. Hitchens also used the phrases "Islamic fascism" and "theocratic fascism" to describe the fatwa declared against Salman Rushdie for writing The Satanic Verses.

After the 9/11 attacks, the concept of "Islamic fascism", later shortened to "Islamofascism", took root in the blogosphere, to explain or describe the ideology of the attackers. Islamofascism is popular term among neoconservative blogs such as Little Green Footballs.

Application of the term

Those who have attempted to flesh out the epithet often state that "Islamofascism" refers to strands of Wahhabi or Salafi Islam, which are claimed to display some of the signifiers of fascism or totalitarianism. Among the allegations directed towards these Islamic sects and their followers are that they :

Promote the establisment of a global unitary Islamic nation-state under the totalitarian control of Islamic religious authorities enforcing Sharia law.
Propose the existence of an eternal violent conflict between Muslims and infidels, which will end with the eventual victory of muslims over the infidels.
Accept and promote terrorism and violence to further their goals.
Are strongly and violently anti-Semitic, anti-Zionist], anti-American, and anti-Western. These groups and nations are allegedly perceived by "Islamofascists" as implacable enemies of Islam, which must be subjugated or destroyed.
Do not accept Western political concepts such as intrinsic human rights, egalitarianism and western democracy.
Advocate a philosophy of trotskyist entryism to convert/subvert non-Islamic societies from within.

Some applications of the term "Islamofascism" specifically refer to the Muslim Brotherhood and similar movements in Sunni Islam inspired by the writings of Sayyid Qutb while others use it to refer to all highly politicized strains of Islam, including Shi'a as practised in Iran. A more common and less loaded term for these politicized strains of Islam, which seek to replace secular governments in Muslim countries with Sharia law, is Islamist.

Examples of use in public discourse

"But the bombers of Manhattan represent fascism with an Islamic face, and there's no point in any euphemism about it. What they abominate about "the West," to put it in a phrase, is not what Western liberals don't like and can't defend about their own system, but what they do like about it and must defend: its emancipated women, its scientific inquiry, its separation of religion from the state." — Christopher Hitchens in Against Rationalisation, The Nation 2001.

"What we have to understand is ... this is not really a war against terrorism, this is not really a war against al Qaeda, this is a war against movements and ideologies that are jihadist, that are Islamofascists, that aim to destroy the Western world." [2] Clifford May, president of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.

"[Islamic terrorist] attacks serve a clear and focused ideology, a set of beliefs and goals that are evil, but not insane. Some call this evil Islamic radicalism; others, militant Jihadism; still others, Islamo-fascism. Whatever it's called, this ideology is very different from the religion of Islam. This form of radicalism exploits Islam to serve a violent, political vision: the establishment, by terrorism and subversion and insurgency, of a totalitarian empire that denies all political and religious freedom."[3] George W Bush, President of the United States speaking before the National Endowment for Democracy, October 6, 2005

Criticism

Critics , claim that "Islamofascism" is simply a derogatory epithet directed towards Islam as a whole, and not a real political concept or ideology. They claim that the term attempts to conflate the neutral concept of Islamism with the negatively perceived concept of fascism. They further suggest that those who use the term rely on a politically unsophisticated understanding of "fascism", which simply understands it to be synonymous with totalitarianism.

Islamism is a diverse political category, which covers also political movements such as Turkey's Justice and Development Party, which do not seek to overthrow secular constitutions. (See also Islamic Democracy.) Moderate muslims such as Tariq Ramadan, point to democracies in Turkey and Indonesia, (both major nations with large muslim populations and islamist movements), as proof that Islamism is not always incompatible with democracy.

Use of the metaphor of fascism

"Fascism" has been traditionally invoked to describe the merger of state and corporate power. In Iran and Saudi Arabia, the oil industries are nationalized (Saudi Aramco and National Iranian Oil Company) and signifcant source of government funding in both countries. Supporters of the term Islamofascism contend that the fusion of oil wealth together with the ideology of totalitarian theocracy espoused by these govenments is consistent with the definition of fascism.

Most Muslims feel that the comparison of Islamic extremism to ideologies such as Nazism or other forms of fascism is offensive. However some secular muslims such as Ibn Warraq and Ayaan Hirsi Ali feel that Islamism represents a a threat to the ideals of western democracies in the 21st century equal to that of fascism in the 20th century.

Islamist/Axis Alliance during WWII

Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Amin al-Husayni, meets Adolf Hitler (1941)

[[:Image:Himmler to Mufti telegram 1943.png|right|thumb|222px|November 2, 1943 Himmler's telegram to the Grand Mufti on the anniversary of the Balfour declaration "]]

During WWII, Amin al-Husayni, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, leader of the Palestinians, aligned himself with Nazi Germany, hoping that the Axis would liberate Palestine from British colonial rule and kill the Jewish population. Al-Husayni was a good friend of SS leader Heinrich Himmler and met Hitler several times. It is not clear to what extent Palestinians in general held fascist views (though doubtless some of them did, including al-Husayni and his followers), they were led to believe that their own political ends would be served by the Nazis' victory over the British.

"To the Grand Mufti: The National Socialist movement of Greater Germany has, since its inception, inscribed upon its flag the fight against the world Jewry. It has therefore followed with particular sympathy the struggle of freedom-loving Arabs, especially in Palestine, against Jewish interlopers. In the recognition of this enemy and of the common struggle against it lies the firm foundation of the natural alliance that exists between ( Nazi )Germany and the freedom-loving Muslims of the whole world. In this spirit I am sending you on the anniversary of the infamous Balfour declaration my hearty greetings and wishes for the successful pursuit of your struggle until the final victory.

Signed: Reichsfuehrer S.S. Heinrich Himmler"

Related terms and concepts

Political Concepts

Islamism and Islam as a political movement — Islam as a political movement
Islamophobia — irrational fear of Islam or Muslims
Islam and anti-Semitism
Arabs and anti-Semitism
Arabs and anti-Zionism
Islam and anti-Zionism
War on Terrorism
Islamist terrorism

Islamic Concepts

Dhimmi — non-Muslim citizens under Islamic law, who were subjected to additional taxes (Jizyah) and restrictions on religious and political liberty.
Jihad — a controversial Islamic term, interpreted by some moderates to mean an inner struggle against evil thoughts and deeds, and by some fundamentalists to mean holy war against infidels
Wahhabism — fundamentalist Muslim denomination
Salafi — fundamentalist Muslim denomination.

Academics and commentators on Islamofascism

Academics

Daniel Pipes — U.S. political scientist
Victor Davis Hanson — U.S. historian and commentator on military affairs
Bat Ye'or — Egyptian born British academic. Author of many works on dhimmitude and contemparary European-Islamic relations.
Dore Gold — Israeli political scientist and former ambassador. Author of Hatred's Kingdom: How Saudi Arabia Supports the New Global Terrorism.

Political and Social Commentators

Ibn Warraq — Muslim free-thinker and social critic.
Oriana Fallaci — Italian journalist and author of The Rage and The Pride (La Rabbia e l'Orgoglio) and The Strength of Reason (La Forza della Ragione).
Andrew Sullivan — U.S. journalist and blogger
Christopher Hitchens — British journalist based in the US
Natan Sharansky Israeli politician and human rights activist. Author of The Case For Democracy: The Power of Freedom to Overcome Tyranny and Terror
Richard Perle — U.S. neoconservative.
Ayaan Hirsi Ali Dutch MP and friend of murdered film director Theo van Gogh. Scriptwriter for Submission: a film about violence against women in Islamic societies.
Clifford May — president of the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies. "What we have to understand is ... this is not really a war against terrorism, this is not really a war against al Qaeda, this is a war against movements and ideologies that are jihadist, that are Islamofascists, that aim to destroy the Western world." [4]

Organizations and think tanks

External links

'Why We Fight America': Al-Qa'ida Spokesman Explains September 11 and Declares Intentions to Kill 4 Million Americans with Weapons of Mass Destruction
What is Jihad? by Daniel Pipes
MEMRI: Jihad and Terrorism Study Project (non-profit non-governmental organization headquartered in Washington, DC)
Andrew Sullivan Interview from INDC Journal
The Islamofascist Agenda by Deroy Murdock in National Review
CNN investigation into Aryan Nation relationship with al Qaeda]
Islamofascism by Ali Sina