Originally published on 1/19/2007 by Resalat (Internet Version-WWW) in Persian

   Daily analyses importance of convergence of Islamic movements against the West

[Text of editorial by "Saleh Eskandari", entitled: "'Convergence of Islamic movements'"]

[Item processed from the press menu dated 20/01/07.]

Saleh Eskandari: Islamic movements are not a new phenomenon and have a long history behind them, for instance the Zandiyeh, the Islamilis, the Salfiyeh, etc. In general, those used to take form around the axis of confronting domestic decadence. However, following the disintegration of the Ottoman caliphate in 1924, the movements in the World of Islam were taking shape mainly for confrontation against the phenomenon of Western colonialism. The Pakistani scholar, "Khorshid Ahmad", who was a member of Pakistan's Jema'at Eslami, believes that the roots of contemporary Islamic uprising must be looked for in the colonial legacy. In other words, in the effects that colonial powers left behind in Muslim communities. [Punctuation as published here and throughout.]

A considerable section of the movements that had taken form in response to the process of colonialism emerged from the Sunni inhabited states. One can refer to the Ekhvan al-Moslemin [Arabic: Muslim Brotherhood] in Egypt that was founded by Hasan al-Bana in 1928, the Syrian Islamic movement (a branch of the Muslim Brotherhood) set u by Mostafa Saba'i, one of Hasan al-Bana's novices and comrades, in 1944, the Al-Shabab al-Eslami society in Morocco in 1971, the al-Qiam and al-Dawa groups in Algeria in the 1970s and the Islamic Salvation Front that was founded in 1989 and had branches in all areas of Algeria, and the New Ekhvan Movement in Saudi Arabia in 1970s, etc.

Although most of the collective actions of those movements manifested themselves against the native governments that were supported by colonial states, in numerous cases they would lead to direct confrontation and even armed resistance against the domination of foreign and non-Muslim forces. Some examples of that can be noted, including the uprising by the Sudanese Mahdi and the declaration of jihad against Britain at the end of the 19th Century, the declaration of jihad by the Senusi Movement in north Africa against the Allies and the Italian forces at the beginning of the 20th Century, the armed struggle by Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood against British forces in the Suez Canal at the beginning of 1952, etc.

However, the subject of this short article is to respond to the question about the Sunni Islamic movements that have been formed essentially against colonialism and began to struggle in the 20th Century against political, economic and cultural hegemony of the colonial states with unparalleled enthusiasm and energy and the reason behind their failing today to show the requisite fervour and eagerness against the "supra-neo-colonialism" [Farsi: este'mar-e faranow]. To understand this phenomenon requires an awareness of the nationalist context [sic] that pre-dominated the Middle East atmosphere in the 20th Century.

Essentially, although Islamic movements in the Sunni inhabited states and even certain Shi'i countries used to present their ultimate goal and aspiration as Islamic reformism before the Islamic revolution in Iran, one cannot deny the fact that anti-colonial nationalist tendencies have not figured in their actions. In practice, colonialism in the 20th Century had targeted the national sovereignty of the Muslim states in the Middle East. The issues of the mandates, puppet governments, occupation of the territories of Muslim states and, eventually, the Palestine issue are examples of direct colonial intervention in the national sovereignty of those states.

In fact, in the anti-colonial objectives of the Islamic movements of the Sunni inhabited states somehow a mix up had occurred between the quest for Islam and nationalist concepts.

In the present century, "supra-neo-colonialism" has not targeted nation-states [sic] in contrast to the colonial era. What challenges supra-neo-colonialism today is the concept of umma [Islamic nation]-government or the "unity of the Islamic umma. Today, as a result of the civilization fissures that have appeared, the West as a whole finds itself facing Islam in its entirety. Therefore, in the supra-neo-colonialism, the national sovereignty of the states does not enjoy significant interest. It is the concept of the Islamic umma that is of importance, something that the American president notes as the threat of Islamic empire from Indonesia to the gates of Spain. Within that policy, the setting up of democratic rules in Iraq and Afghanistan can be justified.

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Today, in the supra-neo-colonialism scheme, the West's confrontation and defiance towards the World of Islam has reached its height. Therefore, the need for separate Islamic movements in various Muslim states is not of issue as it was in the 20th Century. On the contrary, what is of importance to the World of Islam is the convergence of Islamic movements against the Western neo-colonialism.

The concept of "Islamic reawakening" that was initiated by the Islamic revolution in Iran and is on the ascent with the passage of time is devoid of nationalist tendencies. The moving engine of Islamic reawakening is the quest for Islam in the light of the formation of the Islamic umma. The Islamic movements in the Sunni inhabited states must re-appraise the concepts and indications that revolve around the superior reasons for Islamic reawakening so that one can witness the unity of word among the masses under the convergence of the Islamic movements.

In an ecumenical meeting with the Shi'i and Sunni scholars, the Supreme Leader [Khamene'i] made certain statements about the unity of the Islamic umma, saying: "We have to create the principles of an academic, true and sincerely realistic unity between the Sunni and Shi'is... The distinguished in the struggle against colonialism and global arrogance have doubly stressed the need for the "Islamic umma unity". Notice how Seyyed Jamaleddin Asadabadi (may God be satisfied with him), known as Afghani, and his novice Sheykh Mohammad Abdo and others, and the late Sharafoddin Ameli and other great ones from the Shi'i scholars endeavoured in the struggle against colonialism not to allow this easy tool to turn into a weapon in the hands of colonialism against the World of Islam.

: Tehran Resalat (Internet Version-WWW) in Persian -- Conservative Tehran daily, owned by the Resalat Foundation; associated with traditional merchants and conservative clerics