THEORETICAL EXPOSITION OF ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISM The conceptual framework of Islamic fundamentalism is rooted in a conscious attempt to revive and restate the theoretical relevance of Islam in the modern world. This framework is evident in the writings of three 20th century Islamic thinkers, namely Sayyid Qutb, Ayatollah Ruhollah al-Khomeini and Abu al-Ala-al Mawdudi. These thinkers provide authoritative guidelines in the philosophical discourse of Islamic fundamentalism. In the continuum, Ayatollah al-Khomeini and al-Mawdudi are credited for formulating a new Islamic political theory of fundamentalism, whereas Sayyid Qutb is credited for formulating a coherent exposition of Islam as a philosophical system. However, at the core of these thinkers theories, is their struggle or fight against paganism (jahiliyya). According to Islamic fundamentalist reasoning, paganism is the generic designation given to all systems of thought other than Islam. According to Sayyid Qutb (1982), paganism is -deemed to be present wherever peoples’ hearts are -devoid of a divine doctrine that governs their thoughts and concomitant legal rules to regulate their lives (Qutb, 1982: 570). He contends that since the dawn of history human societies had always been the battle ground between belief and unbelief, right and wrong, religious faith and idolatry. These according the Qutb have always been the case in spite of the fact that individuals and their beliefs carry different names in different stages. Thus duality, according to Qutb, has always remained essentially the same since the history of mankind, and was evident in the definition of paganism not only in Greek philosophy but also in the ancient world as well as utilitarianism and existentialism in modern age (Qutb, 1982). Thus, in Islamic fundamentalist reasoning, the essential nature of human being is religion and that atheism is an aberration. It contends that throughout history of mankind there have been only two methods or ways of organizing human life: the first being the one that declares God to be the sole sovereign and source of legislation; and the second being the one that rejects God, either as a force in the universe or as the lord and administrator of society (Choueiri, 1990). These methods, according to Islamic fundamentalist reasoning are irreconcilable since the first one denotes Islam and the second one paganism. It contends that once human beings accept legislation to be dependent on the will of an individual, a minority or a majority, and not as the prerogative of God alone, they lapse into a type of paganism, be at a dictatorship, capitalism, theocracy or communism (Choueiri, 1990). It is in this context that Islamic fundamentalists not only draw moral justification for denouncing and overthrowing secular governments, but also designate themselves as lieutenants of God on earth. The duty of the lieutenants (khalafa) of human beings is to carry out the command of God especially in human societies of the 20th century, which resemble in their way of life the state of affairs that existed before the rise of Islam (al-Khomeini, 1981). It is therefore in this context that Islamic fundamentalism sought to discover a new fundamental constituents of its doctrine with primary objective of reestablishing Islam as a system of government. This task fell to well-disciplined groups of believers or pioneers know by various names such as: (i) “the vanguard” by Sayyid Qutb (1982); “the Revolutionary Party” by Abu al-‘Ala-al Mawdudi (1932); and “the holy warriors” by Ayatollah Ruhollah al-Khomeini (1981). These pioneers according to these thinkers are called upon to undertake the reinstatement of Islam in both its doctrinal and political dimensions through the struggle called jihad or the holy war launched in the path of God. It was this line of thinking that fuelled the rise of Islamic fundamentalism in the 20th century not only in the Horn of Africa but also globally. Having underlined the theoretical assumptions of Islamic fundamentalism, it is imperative that we unpack the domestic political dynamics of Eritrea.
Posted on: Wed, 31 Dec 2014 03:26:26 +0000
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