T.C SAKARYA UNIVERSITY MIDDLE EAST INSTITUTE USING FOREIGN POLICY AS A TOOL FOR SPREADING IDEOLOGY:THE CASE OF IRAN IN GHANA (1979-2016) MASTER’S THESIS Mohammed HASHIRU Department: Middle Eastern Studies Thesis Advisor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Othman ALI AUGUST – 2017 DECLARATION I declare that this thesis is written in accordance with the scientific code of ethics. It is the true reflection of data I collected and analyzed. No part of the thesis is presented as another thesis work at this university or any other university. All written and oral sources used in it are acknowledged and properly cited. Should any misinterpretation, misrepresentations or errors be found in this thesis, I hold myself accountable for it. Mohammed Hashiru / /2017 i ACKNOWLEDGEMENT So many individuals have contributed in making this work a success. This little space will not be enough to acknowledge each and every one who helped in this study. However, names like Dr. Othman Ali (my supervisor), Associate Prof Murat Yeşiltaş, Ass. Prof Kerem Gümüş deserve a mentioning. My special gratitude goes to whole lecturers and non-teaching staff of the Middle East Institute. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS DECALARATION ....................................................................................................... i AKNOWLEGDEMENT……………………………………………………………….ii ABBREVIATIONS .................................................................................................... vi ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................. viii ABSRACT II .............................................................................................................. ix INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................... 1 CHAPTER I: SPREAD OF IDEOLOGIES VIA FOREIGN POLICY .................... 6 1.1 The Concept of Ideology ......................................................................................... 6 1.2 Foreign Policy ......................................................................................................... 7 1.3 Communism ............................................................................................................ 8 1.4 Fascism ................................................................................................................... 9 1.5 Political Religious Ideology .................................................................................. 10 1.5.1 The Crusade ................................................................................................ 11 1.5.2 Wahhabism ................................................................................................. 13 1.5.3 The Third Universal Theory ........................................................................ 14 1.6 The Shia Ideology ................................................................................................. 16 1.6.1 The Iranian Shia Ideology ........................................................................... 16 1.7 The Foreign Policy Of Iran And Shiism Spread ..................................................... 20 1.7.1 Conclusion .................................................................................................. 24 CHAPTER II: THE IRANIAN FOREIGN POLICY AND THE SPREAD OF SHIISM IN GHANA ................................................................................................. 26 2.1 The Relations between Iran and Africa .................................................................. 26 2.1.1 Iran-Africa Relations during Rafsanjani and Khatami Regimes ................... 28 2.1.2 Ahmadinejad and Africa .............................................................................. 29 2.2 Diplomatic Relations Of Ghana With Some Muslim Countries ............................. 30 2.3 The Diplomatic Relations Between Ghana And Iran .............................................. 33 2.4 Iranian Foreign Policy and the Spread Of Shiism In Ghana ................................... 35 2.4.1 The Role of Iranian Embassy & Cultural Consulate ..................................... 38 iii 2.4.2 The Islamic Revolution Commemoration .................................................... 40 2.4.3 Other Religious Events ................................................................................ 45 2.5. Shiite Oriented Institutions ................................................................................... 48 2.5.1 The Islamic University College ................................................................... 48 2.5.2 Other Shia Secular Schools.......................................................................... 57 2.5.3 The Agriculture and Rural Development (ARD) .......................................... 58 2.5.4 The Iranian Red Crescent Society ................................................................ 61 2.6. The Iranian Soft Power......................................................................................... 63 2.6.1 Islamic Culture & Relations Organization (ICRO) ....................................... 64 2.6.2 Bonyads ...................................................................................................... 65 2.6.3 The International Media of Iran .................................................................. 67 2.7 . Conclusion .......................................................................................................... 69 CHAPTER III: FACTORS THAT ASSIST THE CONVERSION TO SHIISM ... 71 3.1. The Religious Groups in Ghana ............................................................................ 71 3.1.1 The Muslims ............................................................................................. 771 3.1.2 The Sufis ..................................................................................................... 72 3.1.3 The Salafist ................................................................................................. 73 3.1.4 The Ahmadiyya ........................................................................................... 74 3.2. Factors for Conversion to Shiism ......................................................................... 75 3.2.1 Social and Economic Factors ....................................................................... 75 3.2.2 Literature..................................................................................................... 77 3.2.3 Conduciveness of the Ghanaian State .......................................................... 78 3.2.4 Proximity to Sufism..................................................................................... 80 3.2.5 Condemnation and Lambast ........................................................................ 82 3.3. Conclusion ........................................................................................................... 84 CHAPTER IV: GENERAL CONCLUSION ........................................................... 85 4.1. Summary & Conclusion ....................................................................................... 86 4.2. Research challenges ............................................................................................. 93 REFERENCES ......................................................................................................... 95 iv APPENDIX 1 .......................................................................................................... 101 APPENDIX 2 .......................................................................................................... 102 APPENDIX 3 .......................................................................................................... 103 CURRICULUM VITAE ......................................................................................... 104 v ABBREVIATIONS TTUT: The Third Universal Theory LACC: Libyan Arab Cultural Center ICS: Islamic Call Society SNSC: Supreme National Supreme Council ARD: Agriculture and Rural Development NAM: Non Aligned Movement OAU: Organization of African Union NGO: Non-Governmental Organization CAUR: Comitado d’Azione per L’Universalita di Roma CDMA: Centre for Development and Management of ASRI schools IHFG: Imam Hussein Foundation, Ghana SMYA: Shia Muslim Youth Association IJIC: Imam Jawad Islamic Center RAB: Rabitatu Ahlul Bayt IMI: Institute Mozdahir International MSI: Management Information Systems MIU: Al-Mustapha International University IUCG: Islamic University College, Ghana ABF: Ahlul Bait Foundation ATTC: Ahlul Bayt Teacher Training Centre ICRO: Islamic Culture and Relations Organization MEC: Mahdi Education Complex SWIS: Sayyid al-Wasiyyin Islamic School ABIS: Ahlul Bayt Islamic School IHF: Imam Hussein Foundation IJSIS: Imam Jafar Sadiq International School vi ITS: Islamic Technical School MIS: Manhaliyyah Islamic School AS: Amiriyya School LFSHS: Lady Fatima Senior High School UDS: University for Development of Studies FZVC: Fatima Zahra Vocational Centers FOMWAG: Federation of Muslim Women Association of Ghana IRCS: The Iranian Red Crescent Society NTCP: National Tuberculosis Control Program NHC: National Hajj Committee WAC-IUCG: Women Affair Committee of Islamic University College, Ghana IKRC: Komiteh Emdad Imam Khomeini IRIB: Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting vii SAU, Middle East Institute Abstract of Master’s Thesis Thesis Title: Using Foreign Policy as a Tool for Spreading Ideology: The Case of Iran in Ghana Author: Mohammed HASHIRU Advisor: Assoc. Prof.