Islamic Fundamentalism

What is it?  Islamic Fundamentalism is a conscious attempt to revive and restate the theoretical relevance of Islam in the modern world.  Sources of Islam Law  – Quran (Holy Book)  – Hadith (Sunnah)

Hezbollah (Party of God)  What is it?  Hezbollah is a powerful political and military organization in Lebanon made up mainly of Shea Muslims.  It emerged with financial backing from Iran in the early 1980s.  It calls for the destruction of the state of Israel.  Argues that Israel has no right to exist and they are occupying Muslim land.  Considered to be a terrorist group

Hezbollah (cont.)  Why was it formed?  The primary reason for forming Hezbollah was to offer resistance to the Israeli occupation  What effects has it made?  Adopted tactic of taking Western Hostages through # of freelance hostage taking cells  In 1983, Hezbollah was thought to have planned a suicide bombing attack killing 241 US marines in Beirut.

Conflicts of Violence  Often times you will find that Muslims have “snipped” verses out of the Quran to justify their aggressive tactics or by those trying to malign the faith.  Example: "slay them wherever you catch them" (Quran 2:191) (This is in it’s snipped version) (The Quran)

Conflicts of Violence (cont.)  “Islam has taken on a violent profile because Islam is being suppressed, quarantined, persecuted-most directly by the rulers of the nations where most Muslims live” (R. Scott Appleby: Global Fundamentalism)

Conflicts of Violence (cont.)  Even in defensive war, Muslim are only to fight directly against those who are attacking them, not innocent bystanders or non-combatants.  Nowhere in the Qur'an can be found support for indiscriminate slaughter, the killing of non- combatants, or murder of innocent persons in 'payback' for another people's alleged crimes.