Religious Conflicts, Political Fights: Turmoil in the Middle East, Pragmatism in Southeast Asia
Journal Title: Journal of Islamic Thought and Civilization (JITC) - Year 2018, Vol 8, Issue 0
Abstract
The actual turmoil in the Arab world is the consequence of acute political crises (which have sometimes deteriorated into dramatic and inextricable situations of war). Among all the reasons of these crises (in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, etc.), the religious factor looks important. Contrarily, in Southeast Asia, political disagreements have been generally solved through negotiations and agreements (even if authoritarianism prevails in many cases), i.e. through pragmatism and away from sectarian divisions (with some exceptions like the Rohingas tragedy in Burma). Although the picture is not clearcut, the comparison between these two cultural zones (with a focus on the Arab world) is interesting in trying to assess the role of religion (here: Islam) in politics. This paper will deal with the whole Arab world, compared to Southeast Asia when deemed relevant. The analysis will endeavour to connect religious-cultural dynamics to social-political phenomena from an original theoretical angle: the perusal of the eventual link between (Arab) Islam and violence. Such issues as traditions, sectarianism, social homogeneity, external factors, etc., need to be analysed since they may push towards smooth political transitions or, on the contrary, violence and chaos, depending on circumstances. And when societal attitudes vis-à-vis the global system are characterized by fear (because of religious-moral-cultural apprehensions), popular contestation may lean more easily towards intolerant inward-looking attitudes, with the result that socio-political claims degenerate swiftly into religion-driven strife.
Authors and Affiliations
Stéphane Valter
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP491468
- DOI 10.32350/jitc.81.01
- Views 140
- Downloads 0
Emergence of Islamic State in the Middle East
Islamic state emerged in Iraq and Syria in the previous decade initiating a new waveof terrorism in the world. ISIS’s emergence was a result of major events in the Middle Eastern history that provided a vacuum for such m...
Perception of house design in Islam: Experiences from Saudi Arabia and Pakistan
Islamic planning principles offer guidance for designing home spaces. Islam as a code of life provides view points for designing houses and human interaction within these dwellings. The teachings of Sunnah and Shari‘ah h...
The concept of Tawhid in Islam: In the light of perspectives of prominent Muslim scholars
The concept of tawhid excludes man’s commitment to anyone other than Allah (SWT). Also a rejection of all sources of value other than will of Allah (SWT), all authority but His, and a refusal to accept any idea, command,...
“The Days of God”- Muhammad Iqbal’s Conception of Time and History
Muhammad Iqbal (1877-1938) was a prolific writer who authored many works covering various fields and genres such aspoetry, philosophy, and mysticism. He expressed his ideas in many forms and this paper, using his works,...
The Impact of Arab Spring on the Political Future of the Muslim Brotherhood in the Middle East: Jordan as a Case Study
The Arab Spring has developed new political realities in the Arab World and paved the way for the surge of the Muslim Brothers, even enabling them to form short lived governments in Tunis and Egypt. The Muslim Brothers i...