ISLAMISTS AND ANTI-AMERICANISM By Reuven Paz*
The leading element of anti-Americanism in contemporary world politics is the radical Islamist one, which, since the 1990s, has viewed the United States as its strongest and principal enemy. This perception, especially after the American occupation of Iraq, is often accompanied by a demonization of the United States in an apocalyptic sense within a concept of a war that heralds the end of the world.
Since the September 11, 2001 attacks an enemy that was plotting against them and the onset of a global war against by supporting Israel. terrorism led by the United States, anti- Secular Arab anti-Americanism was Americanism has become an integral part mainly political, and not part of a cultural of world politics. The debate over war in worldview. But, it heavily contributed to Iraq and then the war itself, invoked even the development of Islamist anti- more anti-Americanism in the Arab and Americanism, by contributing one very Muslim World, as well as in parts of important element -- the sense of a global Europe. In parts of the world, anti- Western conspiracy against the Arabs and Americanism is also linked to anti- the Arab and Muslim world. Globalization. The sense of confronting a conspiracy Yet, the leading element of anti- is a crucial element in understanding Americanism in contemporary world contemporary Islamist anti-Americanism. politics is the radical Islamist one, which, It provides the Islamists with their main since the 1990s, has viewed the United justification and motive for developing States as its strongest and principal the image of the "American enemy." The enemy. This perception, especially after fact that the Islamists became the leading the American occupation of Iraq, is often proponents of anti-Americanism in our accompanied by a demonization of the time supported the notion that a cultural United States in an apocalyptic sense clash of civilizations was occurring. In within a concept of a war that heralds the previous decades, Arabs and Muslims end of the world. had vacillated between being pressured The roots of Islamist anti- by their governments to espouse political Americanism were deep long before the hatred of the United States, while, at the rise of the Jihadist movement in the same time, there was admiration for its 1990s, or the Islamic revolution in Iran in culture, education, freedom, and wealth. 1979. They were developed by the anti- Millions of Arabs and Muslims had been American atmosphere of secular Arab dreaming about immigration to the regimes, such as the Nasserist and United States and some of them managed Ba'thist ones, and encouraged by their to fulfill these dreams. The Islamists alliance with the Soviet Union. Millions managed to turn this dual situation among of Arabs grew up with and were certain circles--especially intellectuals indoctrinated by anti-American slogans, and highly educated Muslims--into a war and the perception of the United States as of cultures. They spread anti-American
Middle East Review of International Affairs, Vol. 7, No. 4 (December 2003) 53
Reuven Paz feelings, not to mention support and interpretation of Western society in the justification for terrorism against the American paradigm: United States. The leadership of mankind by SAYYID QUTB--THE ROOTS OF Western man is now on the ISLAMIST ANTI-AMERICANISM decline, not because Western The first Islamist to declare a cultural culture has become poor war against the United States and materially or because its Western civilization was the Egyptian economic and military power has scholar Sayyid Qutb (1906-1966). Qutb become weak. The period of the was a senior official in the Egyptian Western system has come to an Ministry of Education in the late 1940s, end primarily because it is and a member of the then influential deprived of those life-giving movement of the Muslim Brotherhood. In values, which enabled it to be the 1949 he was sent to the United States for leader of mankind. two years to study methods of education. It is necessary for the new During the two years that he spent in the leadership to preserve and United States, he began to develop his develop the material fruits of the radical ideas and doctrines, which, in the creative genius of Europe, and 1960s and 1970s, would become the also to provide mankind with such philosophical basis of a wide spectrum of high ideals and values as have so Jihadi groups. far remained undiscovered by Malise Ruthven, who spent time mankind, and which will also exploring the writings of Sayyid Qutb, acquaint humanity with a way of wrote that he "was as significant in that life which is harmonious with world as Lenin was to Communism." human nature, which is positive Ruthven characterized his visit to the and constructive, and which is United States as "the defining moment or practicable. watershed from which 'the Islamist war Islam is the only System, which against America' would flow." possesses these values and this Sayyid Qutb wrote many articles and way of life. letters from the United States. Many of them were collected in a book published From these conclusions, he then defines in Saudi Arabia in 1985.(1) Many the nature of the clash between Islam and references to his views on the United the West/United States: States are found in his writings, including his monumental interpretation of the The enemies of the Believers may Koran, "In the Shadow of the Koran" (Fi wish to change this struggle into Zalal al-Koran). an economic or political or racial In his letters and writings, Sayyid struggle, so that the Believers Qutb laid the foundation for the become confused concerning the perception that American society, and true nature of the struggle and the hence Western culture, was the new form flame of belief in their hearts of Jahiliyyah--the pre-Islamic period, becomes extinguished. The which represents ignorance of God's rule Believers must not be deceived, and the rule of arbitrary law instead. In and must understand that this is a his famous book, Milestones (Ma'alim fi trick. The enemy, by changing the al-Tariq), Qutb draws the most important nature of the struggle, intends to element of his conclusions from his deprive them of their weapon of true victory, the victory, which
54 Middle East Review of International Affairs, Vol. 7, No. 4 (December 2003)
Islamists and Anti-Americanism
can take any form, be it the if it originates from the Lord of victory of the freedom of the Worlds--does not find this spirit….(2) self-sacrificing vanguard that spends everything in its Qutb argued that the worst form of possession for the sake of making colonialism, which had outlasted the its ideology prevail, this ideology formal end of European colonialism, was will be still-born, perishing before "intellectual and spiritual colonialism." it sees light and life. The motto of He advised the Islamic world to destroy those who carry this ideology the influence of the West within itself, to forward must be: eradicate its residue "within our feelings." 'Call your partners (of Allah), and Anti-Americanism, according to Qutb's then plot against me, and give me philosophical legacy for the generations no respite. My protector is Allah, that followed him, was "the greater who has revealed the Book. He Jihad" in Islam--the Jihad of the self or will choose and support the Jihad al-Nafs. This Jihad would therefore righteous.' (Surat al-A'raf, 195- require the emergence of a new 196)… generation of Muslims who should fight Now America is trying to grab the West primarily in their own minds the fruits of this great Jihad and to long before moving to launch a military rule without recourse to Allah's Jihad. book. Accordingly, the solid base Twenty-five years after Sayyid Qutb's has to face international pressures Milestones, one of his major followers, and temptations from all over the the Palestinian Dr. Abdallah 'Azzam, world. But they refused to bow spiritual father of Qa'idat al-Jihad, wrote their heads before the storm. They an article in Afghanistan that set the decided to continue their march principles of the group that would along a path of sweat and tears become al-Qa'ida: and blood.(3)
Every principle needs a vanguard Sayyid Qutb not only laid the basis for (Tali'ah) to carry it forward and, radical Islamist anti-Americanism, but while forcing its way into society, was also one of the ideologues that most puts up with heavy tasks and influenced the emergence of various enormous sacrifices. There is no trends of present-day Islamism and its ideology, neither earthly nor sense of being attacked by a global, heavenly, that does not require American led, conspiracy. such a vanguard that gives Islamists tend to give a "scientific" everything it possesses in order to cover to their analysis of global and achieve victory for this ideology. historical developments. However, their It carries the flag all along the analysis is rather unscientific since the sheer endless and difficult path model for the norms of true Islamic until it reaches its destination in behavior is always Muhammad the the reality of life, since Allah has Prophet and the first generation of destined that it should make it and Muslims (Al-Salaf al-Salih). Further, the manifest itself. This vanguard way to relate to this model is through constitutes the solid base (al- evidence derived from a series of Qa'ida al-Sulbah) for the expected citations from the sacred sources of society. Islam, and the historical developments of As long as the ideology - even the Muslims.
Middle East Review of International Affairs, Vol. 7, No. 4 (December 2003) 55
Reuven Paz
In some ways, Qutb's influence was governments in the Islamic world, similar. He wrote his impressions of which act against the will of the American society and culture at a time Muslim peoples… The history of when the United States was still a America is full of evilness against mystery for most Muslims, especially in humanity… the Arab Muslim world. The enemy then "This is the America that occupies was Great Britain, either in the Arab the world with the culture of sex world, India or Malaysia. In the 1950s, and deviation. This is the pagan even the creation of Israel was still civilization in Christian perceived as a British conspiracy. disguise… This is the American In the eyes of many Islamists, the civilization whose object is the change of developments in the Middle body and its means is materialism. East and the growing direct involvement The spirit has no place in the of the United States made Sayyid Qutb system of American values. They seem quite prescient. Therefore, his are dressed with Christian clothes writings about American society and on hearts that know nothing but culture became a kind of sacred source to stealing, robbing, and occupying refer to in developing the blunt anti- the possessions of others. Has Americanism of the 1990s. Sayyid Qutb America left one place in our lives introduced anti-Americanism to the as Muslims without corrupting Islamic world. His followers developed it?" (4) and merged this element into their interpretation of Islam, and made it a part THE CULTURE OF GLOBAL JIHAD of the religion and one's religious duties. These kinds of articles are primarily An Egyptian Islamist, Dr. Tareq aimed at "The cursed, who are not Hilmi, opened his October 2003 article fighting by Jihad… their brothers are entitled "America that We Hate," with the killed and they remain asleep… their statement: "We worship Allah by hatred sacred laws are violated and they remain of America." Then he gave a summary of calm… they love miserable life and hate the reasons for this hatred, culled from the honorable death." These articles numerous other articles and publications: portray the United States as the "mother of all evils" in the world. They demonize "This is the America that declared American politics, culture, and society, in war against Islam and the everything they do. Is this just the search Muslims under the title of world for the devil and its allies by religious terrorism. This is the America that people indoctrinated by Islam to divide gives unlimited and unconditional the world into two strict parts--the world support for the Zionist entity. This of Islamic belief and sovereignty (Dar al- is the America that wants the Islam) vis-a-vis the world of the infidels Muslims to surrender and submit against whom there must be waged a to the forces of occupation, constant war (Dar al-Harb)? otherwise they are considered The answer lies in the emergence of terrorists. This is the America that what we might call the "culture of global is using weapons that are jihad." Since the 1990s, anti- internationally prohibited to crush Americanism, like the doctrines of the Muslims of Iraq and modern Islamic anti-Judaism and the Afghanistan, and is using its doctrines of a global conspiracy against planes and missiles to attack the Islam and the Muslims, has been a means Muslims in Palestine. This is the to mobilize the Muslim world within the America that protects the agent culture of global Jihad. Such a culture is
56 Middle East Review of International Affairs, Vol. 7, No. 4 (December 2003)
Islamists and Anti-Americanism
as much based on the enemy as it is on its one hand, to the lack of a single Islamic own particular innovations. center that enjoys the confidence of the The public support for Islamist majority of the Muslim world, and, on the terrorist groups, so vital to their success, other, to the control the modern secular is the consequence of several social and regimes in the Arab and Muslim World psychological factors underlying the have over the religious establishments. Islamic social-political renaissance: Large parts of the public view those --Islamic and Islamist movements and religious establishments as servants and groups have succeeded in the past three puppets of the secular state ('Ulama' al- decades in planting in Arab and Muslim Salatin), whose interpretations and societies the notion of a global cultural rulings buttress the interests of the state. war, in which they are confronting a Thus, Islamic and Islamist groups and global conspiracy against Islam as a individuals have become the spiritual religion, culture, and way of life. Thus, guides of a large Islamic population, and many in the Islamic world now view maintain a great deal of power and concepts synonymous in Western influence. political culture with terrorism and --Most of the Islamic movements and political violence to be Islamic religious groups, primarily those that emerged duties. Such concepts include Jihad, during the 1970s and after, portray the Takfir (refutation), Istishhad (Martyrdom, Arab and Muslim regimes--and in some including by suicide), and Shahid cases rightfully--as symbols of arbitrary (Martyr). The central notion, common to oppression and distortion of the social most of the Islamic movements and justice that is rooted in orthodox Islam. groups--those that carry out terrorism and Thus, they instill in and bring their political violence, and those that justify it followers to sympathize with and support and feed the atmosphere that promotes those who present themselves as the such activity--is that of being in a state of protectors of the weaker elements of siege, which calls for self defense. To society. In many cases they manage to those who believe in this concept, the recruit the social, political, cultural and confrontation justifies the use of all economic elements that are protesting means--particularly when these means are against various Arab and Muslim given religious legitimacy. regimes. These elements also see --Many of the Islamist and Islamic themselves as opposing the alleged global movements and groups have succeeded in enemies and conspirators: The United convincing many in the Muslim world States, Israel, the Jews, Western that they represent the true contemporary "Crusader" heretic culture, etc. interpretation of Islam. Moreover, most --The Islamic socio-political revival, of these groups developed out of the particularly since the 1960s, has been perceived need to return to the earliest linked both to social changes in the Arab fundamental sources of Islam. Thus, they and Muslim World, and to the formation based their views on Islamic scholars like of an educated middle class in different Ibn Hanbal and Ibn Taymiyyah of the countries. This middle class has in part Middle Ages, and Ibn Abd al-Wahhab of distanced itself from Western secular the 18th century, who were the leading modernization and the institutions of the fundamentalist religious scholars, as well modern state: the military, government as the most unyielding. administration, social and economic --The success of the Islamist institutions controlled by the state, the movements lies in the basic diversity of public media, etc. Another part of this Islam. However it also owes a lot, on the class--mainly members of respected
Middle East Review of International Affairs, Vol. 7, No. 4 (December 2003) 57
Reuven Paz professions such as physicians, lawyers, violent groups as well as the preservation pharmacists, engineers, academic of worldviews where hostility towards scholars, or merchants who have suffered the West or Western culture dominates. from the state's tendency to nationalize -- On the one hand, the social, the economy--have found in the Islam political, cultural, economic, educational, propounded by modern Islamists the and charity infrastructures of these solution to their problems. This process movements are the main avenues of created a large and highly educated group finance and support for Islamic projects of individuals, who viewed themselves as that, as a by-product, are also used to a social vanguard, and adopted Islamic finance violent and terrorist groups. On and Islamist theories as the basis of their the other hand, they are most active in social struggle. consolidating Muslim communities in the --The next stage was characterized by West, and therefore set the stage for massive activity within the existing massive fundraising, political support, Islamic groups, along with the formation and, in some cases, recruitment for of new Islamic radical groups, followed militant Islamist groups, among their by the publication of new doctrines and communities. ideologies that did not necessarily --The Islamist "terrorist culture" can correspond with orthodox Islam. Many of be sketched as a pyramid. The base is the these new doctrines won many adherents large-scale activity of the Islamic in the course of the ensuing violent moderate and non-violent groups, struggle. associations, institutes, and projects of all --All these processes assisted the kinds. The top of the pyramid is the Islamist groups in gaining more power radical Islamists and pro-terrorist activity. and public support, and enabled them in The middle is the various processes that some cases to attract a certain segment of refine certain social elements into hatred, society who were protesting and revenge, and the search for power and struggling for increased human and civil violence. This violence is in many cases rights. But, there is another very indirectly supported and financed by important element to note here. This is innocent elements as a result of the what we may call the "Islamic culturally violent influences. atmosphere" that is created by These elements are consolidated movements and groups that are not through the creation of a common enemy connected to political violence or -- the United States. Ayatollah Khomeini terrorism, some of whom even publicly tried to use this anti-Americanism to condemn it or express their reservations export his Islamic revolution to the Sunni about the use of violence. Their Muslim world, but failed. The scholars importance concerning anti-Americanism that stand behind Qa'idat al-Jihad are lies in two linked elements: using anti-Americanism to create a -- These groups and movements carry culture of global Jihad, which they hope out the vast majority of political, social, will spread all over the Arab and Muslim cultural and educational Islamic work, world to Muslim communities in the both in the Muslim world and among West -- and eventually the whole world -- Muslim communities in the West. thus opening new fronts in the war Therefore, they serve as the most against the same enemy. United by important elements in creating and hatred of the United States and the sense preserving the "Islamic atmosphere" that of a global conspiracy, this war is is used by more extremist and violent conceived as an asymmetric war of self- Islamist groups. They are, in many cases, defense. In such a war, Jihad becomes a sort of greenhouse for the emergence of terrorism justified as a religious duty.
58 Middle East Review of International Affairs, Vol. 7, No. 4 (December 2003)
Islamists and Anti-Americanism
destroy America and its followers JUSTIFICATION OF TERRORISM and those who assist them. Verily The first Islamic ruling (Fatwah) to He has that power and is able to legitimize the September 11 attacks by do so.(5) Qa'idat al-Jihad, was issued by the Saudi Salafist Shaykh Hammoud al-'Uqla al- Al-Shu'aybi paved the way for the Shu'aybi: issuance of dozens of fatwas by many scholars, all of them Arabs, which gave … Having said this, you should Islamic legitimacy to every act of know that America is a kufr state terrorism carried out by Islamists against that is totally against Islam and the United States, Western targets, or Muslims. In fact it has reached the Israeli and Jewish ones. Dozens of peak of that arrogance in the form Islamist scholars legitimized not just acts of open attacks on several Muslim of terrorism but the wish to destroy the nations as it did in Sudan, Iraq, United States. Since September 2001, the Afghanistan, Philistine, Libya and object of the war against the United others, where it -- America -- States is not just to push the Americans allied with the forces of Kufr such out of the Middle East, but also to follow as Britain, Russia and others in the Americans to their homeland in order attacking and trying to to destroy it. The easy occupation of Iraq exterminate them. Similarly, played a great part in this development. America expelled the Palestinians Another element was the shift in al- from their homes and housed the Qa'ida's policy to begin launching 'brothers of pigs and apes' in terrorist attacks against Westerners on them; and stood firmly in support Muslim soil as well, even at the cost of of the criminal Zionist state of the Muslims being killed as well. Jews, giving them all they need in Anti-Americanism was no longer just the form of wealth, weapons and an ideology to consolidate support for training. Islamist groups, but a justified Jihad as an How then can America after all integral part of religious personal duty. It these things not be considered an became the war of the Army of God-- enemy of the Muslim nations and Jund Allah--against the army of the at war with them? Devil--Jund al-Shaytan. It was But, because they have reached accompanied by apocalyptic visions, the peak of tyranny and marked by the end of the United arrogance; because they have seen States.(6) the collapse of the Soviet Union The Saudi Shaykh Salman al-'Awdah, in the hands of the Muslims in a leading figure in crafting Islamist Afghanistan, they thought that doctrines of Global Jihad wrote in one of they are the Ultimate Power his articles entitled the "End of History": above which there is no power. Unfortunately, they forgot that … I pray for Allah to witness with Allah, the Exalted and Mighty, is our own eyes his victory over the stronger than them and can dominant infidel nations of the humble and destroy them. West. We wish him to show us We pray to Allah that He helps and our descendents the collapse His Religion and raises His Word of these nations that controlled the and exalts Islam and the Muslims Muslims, enslaved them, and the Mujahideen and to dominated their minds, ruled their
Middle East Review of International Affairs, Vol. 7, No. 4 (December 2003) 59
Reuven Paz
media, and destroyed their analysis prepared shortly after the economy. May Allah take revenge September 11 attacks. The "analysis" is on them. The oppressors are the based on the Koranic stories that were swords of Allah on earth. First taken from the Bible about Pharaoh in the Allah takes his revenge by them, book of Exodus. According to Abu and then against them. 'Arafah, the end of the United States is The same as Allah has used, in going to be in 2004, with the end of the Islamist eyes, the United States in rule of President George W. Bush, order to destroy the Soviet Union, "Ramses the 2nd." so he will take revenge against the Present day anti-Americanism makes Americans by destroying them.(7) such articles very popular among Islamist youngsters, whether they actually believe CONCLUSION it or just read it as expressions of wishful The nature of Islamist anti- thinking. Yet there is a strong wish for a Americanism is cultural rather than very violent revenge. As the only military or political. It is based on the superpower, the United States is sense of an ongoing and eternal global perceived as the major target against conspiracy against Islam and the which to channel this struggle for Muslim Muslims. The threat emerged in the honor. Islamist anti-Americanism is also Prophet's time, continued with the a kind of default act among a wide range Crusaders, and through the Muslim of Muslims, and easily adoptable by defeats in the twentieth century, until broad circles. salvation emerged in Afghanistan in the As long as there is a need for an form of the collapse of the Soviet Union enemy and for revenge, anti- and the emergence of Qa'idat al-Jihad and Americanism will remain part of Islamist similar groups. The United States is just religious and cultural doctrines, and will another force in history that represents go on fueling the Islamist Jihad, either its the devilish factors seeking to fight the violence and terrorism, or its political true believers. element. A change away from this Surrounded and supported by such approach can only come from within the doctrines, Islamist anti-Americanism is Muslim world, through social and part of a broad religious worldview. cultural developments. Hence, it is not subject to compromise. In Islamist eyes, since this is a war of self- *Reuven Paz is a Senior Fellow at the defense and an asymmetric one as well, Global Research in International Affairs hatred of the enemy is total. As a result of (GLORIA) Center and director of its the religious nature of this worldview, Project for the Research of Islamist Islamists are publishing dozens of fatwas, Movements (PRISM). He is also the articles, and books, which rely on the author of "Middle East Islamism in the Koran and the sacred Islamic sources to European Arena" which appeared in the mobilize large parts of the Muslim world September 2002 issue of MERIA. into adopting various degrees of anti- Americanism. NOTES In December 2001, one of these 1. Salah Abd al-Fattah al-Khalidi, scholars, Muhammad Abu 'Arafah, wrote "Amrika min al-Dakhil bi-minzar Sayyid an article that became very popular. It is Qutb [Inside America in the Eyes of entitled "The Glorious Koran Foresees Sayyid Qutb]" (Jeddah: Dar al-Manarah, the Destruction of the United States and 1985). the Drowning of the American Army."(8) 2. Sayyid Qutb, Ma'alim fi al-Tariq According to the author, the article is an (Milestones). For an English translation
60 Middle East Review of International Affairs, Vol. 7, No. 4 (December 2003)
Islamists and Anti-Americanism
on-line, see: 'Aakhirah: Nihayat Israeil wal-Wilayat
Middle East Review of International Affairs, Vol. 7, No. 4 (December 2003) 61