Takfīr and Terrorism: Historical Roots, Contemporary Challenges and Dynamic Solutions
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Takfīr and Terrorism: Historical Roots, Contemporary Challenges and Dynamic Solutions. With special reference to al-Qacida and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Presented by: Mansour Salim H Alshammari Submitted in accordance with the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy The University of Leeds Department of Arabic & Middle Eastern Studies. April 2013 1 The candidate confirms that the work submitted is his own and that appropriate credit has been given where reference has been made to the work of others. This copy has been supplied on the understanding that it is copyright material and that no quotation from the thesis may be published without proper acknowledgement. “The right of Mansour Alshammari, identified as the author of this work has been asserted by his in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.” © 2013 The University of Leeds and Mansour Alshammari 2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my great thanks and gratitude to King Khalid Military Academy for its unforgettable spiritual and financial support . I would like to thank Dr. Mustapha Sheikh for his support throughout the four years in helping me, not only in establishing such an interest in this particular topic, but for his consistent support in the demanding academic process that has culminated in the production of this thesis of which I am very proud. I would also like to thank my parents and my wife and my friends for their support over the past years. Without which it would have been a difficult and arduous task. As it was, the production of this thesis proved to be a happy and enjoyable process. 3 Contents Contents..................................................................................................................................... Chapter 1: Introduction......................................................................................................... 1.1 Research Problem:....................................................................................................... 1.2 Research Questions:.................................................................................................... Chapter 2: The Literature...................................................................................................... 2.1 Introduction.................................................................................................................. 2.2 Research Significance:................................................................................................ 2.3 Research methodology:.............................................................................................. Chapter Three: The Concept of Takfīr:............................................................................... 3.1 Definitions of Takfîr...................................................................................................... 3.2: Types of kufr:............................................................................................................... 3.3: The intellectual basis of the takfīr............................................................................ 3.4: Kharijite and the emergence of takfīr thought:...................................................... 3.5: The reasons for the emergence of the Kharijites:.................................................. 3.6: The Muctazilites and their takfīri ideas:.................................................................. The Emergence of Muctazilites: ................................................................................... 3.7: Shicite thought:........................................................................................................... Aspects of Takfīr by the Shicite .................................................................................... 3.8: Emergence and development of Takfîr: ................................................................. Emergence of Takfīr among Muslims today................................................................ 3.9: Key Doctrines and Methodologies of Takfiri Groups:........................................... 3.10: Conclusion................................................................................................................. Chapter Four: Causes of Takfîr............................................................................................. 4 4.1: Sociology of takfīr: ..................................................................................................... 4.2: Weber and Social Closure or Exclusion:................................................................ 4.3: Takfīr as Social Closure and Exclusion.................................................................... 4.4: Takfīr and Terrorism................................................................................................... 4.5: The Intellectual Causes:............................................................................................ First: Ignorance of religious teachings......................................................................... Second: The literal reading of the texts without depth............................................. Third: Erroneous interpretation of religion's texts..................................................... Fourth: following deviant pseudo-Scholars: .............................................................. Fifth: Concentration on the self.................................................................................... Sixth: Beliefs and claims to the possession of absolute truth:................................. Seventh: Intellectual isolation:...................................................................................... 4.6: International organizations and their role in takfīr ............................................... 4.7: Educational reasons leading to the adoption of takfīr.......................................... 4.8: Takfīr by non-qualified scholars: ............................................................................ 4.9: The media’s role in the dissemination of takfīri thought...................................... 4.10: The causes and reasons of the emergence of takfīri thought can be summarized as:................................................................................................................... 4.11: The influences of takfīri thought broadcast in the media can be identified on three levels:.................................................................................................................... First: Perception and knowledge:................................................................................ Second: Attitudes and values:..................................................................................... Third: Behaviors:............................................................................................................. 4.12: Conclusion................................................................................................................. Chapter Five: The Official View on Takfīr............................................................................ 5.1: Introduction................................................................................................................. 5.2: The conditions for takfīr: .......................................................................................... 5.3: Conditions of pronouncing takfīr ............................................................................ 5 5.4: Conditions of the person who produces the judgment of takfīr: ........................ 1. To be deeply knowledgeable of the conditions and preventives of the takfīr: ........................................................................................................................................... 2. To be of those who are authorised to declare a Sharicah judgment: ................ 3. The Muslim judged to be an apostate should be proven as such:..................... 5.5 The conditions related to the person judged of disbelieving: ............................. 1. Sanity and maturity:................................................................................................... 2. There should be no barrier/preventive, such as ignorance and coercion and the like:............................................................................................................................. 3. Establishment of proof:.............................................................................................. 4. Substantiation of apostasy and admission of the same:....................................... 5. The point of disbelief stemming from a misinterpretation of Islamic texts:....... 5.6: Types of takfīr.............................................................................................................. Section one: Absolute takfīr: ........................................................................................ Section two: Takfīr of a specific person:...................................................................... Divisions of kufr:.................................................................................................................. Kufr is divided into major kufr and minor kufr according to the orthodox scholars. Below are details about both the major kufr and minor kufr:.......................................... Division one: The major kufr:........................................................................................ Division two: Minor