1. Islamic Fundamentalism: a brief introduction
Presentation for 17 January, 2019, Odell House

2. Issues of Definition:
Lots of terminology here: fundamentalists, Islamists, political islamists, neo-fundamentalists, etc; no consensus on terminology
fundamentalism is a modern, English descriptive term; goes back to 19th century Protestantism; only recently applied to Islam
But a few elements are key in understanding Islamic fundamentalism:
Islamists see no separation between religion and everyday life; Islam is the guiding force, and the Koran is the literal word of God
For fundamentalists, there must be strict adherence to Muslim codes of law and behaviour, no separation of church and state
Some wish to return to the purity of Mohammed’s time ( CE), ridding religion and society of modernist accumulations

3. Significance:
Many “fundamentalist” movements in today’s world, including Christian, Hindu, Jewish, etc.
But nothing is as powerful and dominant as is “Islamic fundamentalism” in the Muslim world
Diversity is a key characteristic of Islamic fundamentalism:
Can be non-political, moderate, radical, extremist, authoritarian, etc.
Has replaced “nationalism” and crowded out notions of “liberalism” in most Muslim states
Currently “a dynamic phenomenon”, like the Reformation or the French revolution

4. Many “drivers” of Islamic fundamentalism since the “Islamic Reawakening” of 1967, reacting against:
authoritarian secular leadership in much of the Third World – a by-product of the de-colonization drive of the 1950s and 1960s
under-development, marginalization and economic failure in much of the Arab world
The assault of Western values and Western culture where Islamic values were weak
Facilitated or exacerbated by:
the rise of the oil elites in Saudi Arabia and elsewhere after 1973, especially the Saudi’s Wahabi religious doctrines
tribal or state rivalries, as in Afghanistan in the 1980s, through Pakistan, funded by the US and Saudi Arabia

5. Why does political Islam sometimes turn radical, extremist and violent?
Moderation driven out: In certain circumstances, even moderate Islamists are driven underground, in some cases leading to insurrections, e.g., Algeria
Alliances: Islamists have allied with liberation, nationalist or secessionist movements, in Chechnya, western China, or the Philippines, joining insurrections
Follow the money: Islamists ally with criminal organizations, essentially “legitimizing” their activities
Grievances: Islamists play on “international grievances”, including he Palestinian cause, US support for authoritarian rulers, and Western opposition to Islamic regimes in Iran, etc.
Frustrations: perceptions lead to militancy; it even leads to an international jihadi philosophy, which, in bin Laden’s interpretation, targeted the US

6. Why the “popularity” and rise of Islamic fundamentalist organizations in recent decades?
Phenomenon of “over-reach”: in competitive situations, Islamists stretch their goals to compete with others pushing radical causes
Authoritarian governments sometimes drive out “the middle”, leaving only the radicals offering opposition to their rule
Some organizations offer both social benefits and extremist solutions, ie, Hezbollah in Syria, Lebanon, etc.
Funding: Saudi Arabia continues to be the single most important source of extremist financing, notwithstanding efforts to curb this phenomenon since 9/11

7. Islamic fundamentalism is a reality: what is to be done within the Islamic world?
Live with it; Islamic fundamentalism, shorn of its extremism, is not dangerous
Try to isolate, minimize and eliminate the extremist advocates, including Wahabis
Most dangerous when only the extremist fringe is active and vocal, capable of articulating its views
Has to be viewed in its national context; no two situations alike
Try for engagement on key societal issues:
Equality rights
Modernization

8. In foreign policy terms, what are the recommendations for the outsiders?
Push to ensure a voice for Islamist doctrines in authoritarian Muslim states; don’t allow extremism to monopolize the political space
Press cautiously to support alternatives, like liberal internationalism and secularism as the pendulum swings
Sustain dialogues with Islamists, avoiding only the extremist fringes
Address the sources of Muslim discontent, including the Middle East problem, authoritarianism, under-development, etc.
Urge some access to political processes, to service in government, and the realities of modern policy formation

9. Last points: Islamic fundamentalism is not going away:
Likely to be more prominent where there is hostility to the West
More extremist and most dangerous in volatile conflict situations
Military response to Islamic fundamentalism is only one response, and not a very good one
The issue is accommodation over time, requiring patience and appreciation: a policy of slow suffocation by reducing the support for extremist causes
The outcomes will depend upon local circumstances in an increasingly globalized world.

10. Annex
Largest Islamic countries, by population:
Indonesia M
Pakistan M (96 percent of its population)
India M (14 % of pop, outnumbered by Hindu majority)
Bangladesh M
Egypt M
Nigeria M
Iran M
Turkey M
Canada M (roughly 3.2 % of Canada’s population)
U.S M (roughly 1 % of population; smaller than Jewish pop)
49 countries world-wide have Muslim majorities
Total number of adherents: roughly 1.8 billion people (2nd after Christianity)
About 62 percent in the Asia Pacific region (Turkey to Indonesia)