The Search for Legitimacy and Unity: Pan Arabism and the Return of Political Islam

 An ongoing historical challenge  Post Ottoman States lack Legitimacy  Legitimacy: State, Nationalist, Religious, Cultural?  Actors seek to fuse religion, culture and politics to legitimise a governing elite  Arab identity/ Muslim Identity  Nationalist (Arab) interests/ Islamic Interests

 1950s – 60s: Dominance of the Pan Arab narrative, co-option of the ulema, Suppression of the Islamists  1970s – Failure of Pan Arabism, consolidation of the state, to secularising Islamist groups  1980s –Responses to secularisation, the Higra  1990s – From the Near Enemy to the Far Enemy  2000s – Globalising the Jihad

 In 1911, Muslim intellectuals and politicians formed al-Fatat ("the Young Arab Society")  Arab Congress of 1913 in Paris, discuss desired reforms  Arab Revolt during the First World War  Damascus became the center of the Arab nationalist movement  the seat of Faysal—the first Arab "sovereign" after nearly 400 years of Turkish suzerainty

 Gamal abd al Nasser  “ unite all the Arabic-speaking peoples within a single country.”  Arab specific doctrine of liberation  end of Western influence  removal of Arab governments dependent on the West  Secular state informed by Islamic principles that understands Islam as an Arab gift to the world

 Secular vs Religious  Cooperation in the Revolution against King Farouk  Share anti-Communist sentiments  1953 political parties abolished, Brotherhood remains as an organization.  1954 Assassination attempt, Brotherhood blames, Six executed.

 Rise and imprisonment of Sayid Qutb,  Ma’alim fi-l-Tariq (Milestones on the Road)  Hassan al-Hudeiby’s 1971 Du’a la Quda (Preachers, Not Judges)

 1956 Suez Crisis  1962 – 70 Yemen Civil War  1967 Six Day War  1973 October War  1978 Camp David Agreement

 1971 Death of al-Nasser  October War 1973  Sadat terminated the Arab nationalist cause  Camp David Accords 1978, Recognition of the Israeli state  Permits the MB a role in civic politics

 ‘The state effectively defeated all the various attempts of Islamist militants to confront the regime directly’. G. Kepel  Marginalization, radicalization, co-option  Secularization of the Islamists  Prison releases  Inclusion of ‘moderates’ in ‘nomalised’ politics  Encouraged Islamist civic political participation to counter Leftists and Nasserists elements  Brotherhood remains banned.

 Recognition of Israel  Formal Diplomatic Relations  Return of the Sinai to Egypt  Transfer of Authority in Gaza and West Bank  End of Israeli settlement  Egypt expelled from the Arab League

 al Sadat assassinated 1981 by breakaway member of the MB  Mubarak takes over as Egyptian President  Mubarak regime was tolerant toward MB within established boundaries  1984, they ran as Al-Wafd Party. The alliance between the Al-Wafd Party and the Brotherhood obtained 15% of the vote, or 58 seats, of which 8 went to Brotherhood  1987, the Brotherhood formed a united front with the Labor and Liberal parties winning 17%

 Killing Pharaoh (Sadat) 1981  Soviet war in Afghanistan  Higra of the Afghan Arabs  Formation of al Qaeda (the Base)  Formulating a comprehensive ideology beyond Sayid Qutb

 The Near Enemy or the Far Enemy  Near Enemy: Arab regimes, Israel  Far Enemy: The West  Luxor 1997  Mubarak’s crackdown