Leading Egyptian Jihadist Sayyid Imam Renounces Violence

DECEMBER 2007 . VOL 1 . ISSUE 1 Leading Egyptian Jihadist regime. Sayyid Imam prompts Muslims One of EIJ’s first retractions came in to try non-violent attempts to reform March 2000 from the Egyptian Islamist Sayyid Imam Renounces (al-islah) laws that are not in accordance now living as a political refugee in Violence with Sharià. He advises that Muslims Germany, Osama Ayyub. Ayyub’s flee state persecution (al-hijra) when attempt to reform Islamic Jihad’s By Jarret Brachman necessary instead of fighting, or isolate ideology generated only limited support, (al-ùzla) themselves from corruption most notably from Shaykh Ahmad in november 2007, Sayyid Imam Àbd that cannot be escaped. Muslims should Yusuf, the amir of the Bani Suwayf al-Àziz Imam al-Sharif, the former pardon (al-àfw) the harmful actions of group, and Shaykh Nabil al-Mughrabi, mufti of Egyptian Islamic Jihad (EIJ) others, forgive (al-safh) one’s enemies, who was serving two life sentences in 4 and mentor to Ayman al-Zawahiri, shun (al-i’rad) those who advocate un- Egyptian prison. released his much anticipated book, Islamic behavior and maintain patience Tarshid al-Jihad fi Misr wa al-Aalam (al-aabr) in the face of seemingly During the summer of 2004, two more (Rationalizations on Jihad in Egypt and the insurmountable challenges. senior EIJ figures, Nabil Naìm, a World). Published in serialized format senior leader of Islamic Jihad in Egypt by the Egyptian daily al-Masry al-Youm, According to Sayyid Imam, in judging since Ayman al-Zawahiri left him the book is already being hailed within whether or not to employ violence, in charge in the mid-1980s, and his official Egyptian circles as the definitive particularly against an Islamic colleague Ismail Nasr, drew up a “draft renunciation of violence by one of the government or foreign tourists, document” entitled Visualization, in most influential jihadist thinkers alive one must always consider whether which they rejected violent attempts today. the potential damage of such an act to overthrow Islamic governments and outweighs the potential benefits that urged the al-Azhar University scholars Sayyid Imam, better known by his nom could be gained. Since violence only to publicly readdress the issue. Like de plume Abd al-Qadir ibn Abd al-Aziz or leads to death, destruction and further Ayyub, Naìm and Nasr could only his moniker Dr. Fadl, is a living legend violence, Sayyid Imam concludes that it generate limited support from within within the global jihadist movement.1 can never be justified within Islamic law the imprisoned Islamic Jihad ranks: Two of his books, Risalat al-Umdah Fi and must, therefore, never be applied Shaykh Ahmad Yusuf Hamdallah, Dr. I’dad al-Uddah (Foundations in Preparing on religious grounds. On practical Ahmad Ujayzah and Shaykh Amal Àbd for Jihad) and al-Jami fi Talab al-I’lim al- grounds, he suggests, armed action al-Wahhab were the only major figures Sharif (The Comprehensive Book about the against an entrenched power does not to support the move. The competing Pursuit of Glorious Knowledge) are core make historical sense; after decades of al-Marj group, led by Majdi Salim and jihadist texts: over the past decade, they violence in Egypt, for instance, jihadists the Abu Za’bal group, led by Ahmad have been found in the hands of terrorist have yet to overthrow the ruling regime. Salamah Mabruk, rejected Naìm’s cells worldwide. Sharif’s other writings, Sayyid Imam’s approach, therefore, is to initiative on grounds that he lacked the such as The Five Ground Rules for the maintain his ideological commitment to religious qualifications to authorize Achievement of the Tradition of Victory or applying Sharià on Earth, but to reject such a revision. Sayyid Imam, however, 5 its Absence, The Manhaj of Ahl As-Sunnah the use of violence against governments changed the picture. Wal-Jama’ah and The Refutation of the who fail to apply it. He can, therefore, Doubts Concerning Bay’ah and Imarah are maintain his Salafist credentials while By 2006, Sayyid Imam had been actively shared in their original Arabic also appeasing his Egyptian overseers. extradited to Egypt by the Yemenis, and in English translation online.2 and with the support of the Egyptian Sayyid Imam’s Rationalizations is one government he began lecturing with Countering Jihadist Ideology in a series of recantations emerging out his longtime colleague, Àbd al-Àziz Sayyid Imam’s current book is an of the Egyptian government’s initiative al-Jamal, to imprisoned members of attempt to counter those earlier works to quash radicalism within its borders. various jihadist groups in the al-Fayyum by way of a fiqh-based (legal) series of The historic leadership of Egypt’s other Prison on the legal limitations of armed clarifications and reconsiderations. major terrorist organization, al-Gamaà action. As the highest-ranking Islamic The jihadist use of violence in trying to al-Islamiyya (The Islamic Group), led scholar in Egyptian prison, Sayyid overthrow Islamic governments is both the charge in 1997 by announcing a Imam commanded the respect across counter-productive and religiously formal cease-fire, which they followed jihadist subsets that neither Ayyub unlawful, Sayyid Imam now argues. in 2003 with a renunciation of nor Naìm could. Sayyid Imam’s book Da`wa, or the practice of publicly violence altogether in the form of two has also caused a stir among his former calling others to Islam, is a much safer, books: al-Riyadh Bombing: Rulings and colleagues who have since launched 3 effective and religiously justifiable way Repercussions and River of Memories. their own coordinated response. to channel one’s grievances against a As reward for their moves toward reconciliation, Egyptian authorities 4 Muhammad Shafey, Asharq Alawsat, December 6, released more than 900 imprisoned 2007. 1 Militant Ideology Atlas (West Point, NY: Combating members of al-Gamaà. 5 Camille al-Tawil, “The Two Leaders, Dr. Fadl And Terrorism Center, 2006), available at www.ctc.usma. Abd-al-Aziz al-Jamal, Appear For First Time Since They edu/atlas/atlas.asp. Were Handed Over By Yemen 2002 Former Amir of 2 A comprehensive collection of Sayyid Imam’s early Jihad Joins Initiative for Halting Violence in Egypt,” al- books can be found in Arabic at www.tawhed.ws. 3 Jailan Halawi, al-Ahram Weekly, October 9-15, 2003. Hayah, March 22, 2007. DECEMBER 2007 . VOL 1 . ISSUE 1 Jihadists Respond compared to the dedication of another distance from Sayyid Imam’s efforts, it After submitting Rationalizations to imprisoned Egyptian jihadist ideologue, just might work. the al-Azhar scholars for their review, Shaykh Ùmar Àbd al-Rahman. Sayyid Imam faxed a statement to Dr. Jarret Brachman is a specialist al-Sharq al-Awsat announcing the Conclusion on terrorism, Islamist movements and impending release of his retractions. Sayyid Imam’s book will continue to counter-terrorism policy. He currently Ayman al-Zawahiri took the first shot cause al-Qaìda headaches, particularly serves as the Director of Research in in his July 5, 2007 video, observing, because it condemns men like Zawahiri the Combating Terrorism Center at the not simply on strategic grounds but on United States Military Academy and is I read a ridiculous bit of humor religious and legal grounds, something also an Adjunct Professor at New York in al-Sharq al-Awsat newspaper, few hard line scholars have been able University’s Center for Global Affairs. Dr. which claimed that it received to do with any real credence to date. Brachman conducts research on al-Qaìda a communiqué from one of the Sayyid Imam traces Zawahiri’s record strategy, Salafist thought and jihadist use backtrackers, who faxed it from of Sharià violations back to November of new media technologies. He has testified prison…I laughed inside and 1993 when the Vanguards of Conquest before the U.S. Congress, spoken before asked myself, “Do the prison cells terrorist group, an offshoot of EIJ the British House of Lords and routinely of Egypt now have fax machines? with which he and Zawahiri were both advises senior government officials on And I wonder, are these fax intimately involved, tried to assassinate counter-terrorism strategy. His work has machines connected to the same Egyptian Prime Minister Àtif Siddiqi. been profiled on 60 Minutes, CNN, A&E line as the electric shock machines, and a variety of international media or do they have a separate line?”6 When the bomb exploded, the prime outlets including al-Jazira and Sharq al- minister escaped with minor wounds. Awsat. He served as a Fellow with the Al-Qaìda’s ideological hitman, Abu A 12-year-old girl named Shayma, Central Intelligence Agency’s Counter- Yahya al-Libi, followed Zawahiri’s however, was inadvertently killed by Terrorist Center before coming to West comments in a speech where, rather flying shrapnel from the car bomb, Point. His new book, Global Jihadism: than interpreting Sayyid Imam’s which the Egyptian government seized Theory and Practice, is forthcoming with abandonment of jihadist principles as as an opportunity to turn public Routledge Press. an ideological defeat for the jihadist sentiment against Zawahiri, Sayyid movement, he characterized it as just Imam and the EIJ.9 Nearly 1,000 another weapon being wielded in the members and supporters of the group Crusader’s “war of ideas.”7 Muslims, were subsequently arrested and the he suggested, should dismiss the news group plummeted in popularity. as a result of torture, brainwashing and blackmail. It is possible that Sayyid Imam will be able to harness this newfound Muhammad Khalil al-Hakaymah, the attention and use it to create a self- former al-Gama’a member who has since sustaining counter-jihadist movement.

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