Islamism Digest
The Centre for the Study of Terrorism produces a monthly journal, Islamism Digest, which is devoted to detailed coverage and comprehensive analysis of Islamic trends, issues, personalities and terrorism from the Islamic perspective. Featuring in-depth and information-rich articles and interviews, Islamism Digest is the only authoritative English-language journal dedicated to this area of research. The journal brings together authoritative analysis from across the Muslim world, in an effort to present a diversity of views.
Islamism Digest has three core features:
Primary sources
Much of the information is supplied by well-placed primary sources that is simply not available in the public domain.
Indigenous media sources
When using information from the media, we try to restrict this to the Arab and other indigenous media. The thinking behind this is that we can understand these phenomena better by relying on indigenous sources.
Articles and interviews are produced in-house. However, we may accept contributions from others, provided these comply with our guidelines.In essence we will only consider articles that provide unique and in-depth information. The author must demonstrate deep expertise and access to
primary sources. If you are interested in contributing please contact us on info@cfsot.com
Editorial Team and Disclaimer
Islamism Digest was launched in August 2006. Since the first issue, a plethora of issues and developments have been covered in the journal. The journal is produced by Managing Editor Mahan Abedin and Assistant Editor Abdullah Faliq. The Chairman of CFSOT, Dr Kamal El-Helbawy, oversees the journal as the Consultative Editor.
The views, analysis and interpretations presented in Islamism Digest are solely those of the respective authors and should not be attributed to reflect those of CFSOT or its staff members. |
Islamism Digest - July 2008
In April, May and June 2008 CFSOT conducted two extensive field research trips to Lebanon. The CFSOT team met with scores of political activists, militants, government officials, journalists and other key stakeholders all over Lebanon. Nearly two dozen interviews were conducted, some of which appear in this and subsequent issues.
Lebanon: The Triumph of Resistance
The lead article of this month’s issue presents the distilled findings of CFSOT’s two extensive field research trips to Lebanon. The CFSOT team focussed its research on three areas: community relations; foreign influence; and the state of Lebanon’s Islamic groups. The fighting in May (which prompted a second CFSOT field research trip) added a new dimension to the research objectives as the CFSOT team tried to understand the short-term and long-term consequences of the fighting. Based on its research trips (and a wealth of unique contacts on the ground) CFSOT argues that the Doha Agreement is unlikely to solve Lebanon’s myriad political problems. The opposing camps have fundamentally different visions for the country and are unlikely to secure a long-term accommodation. But thankfully for Lebanon both sides are committed to a long-term political struggle and are keen to avoid widespread armed confrontation and chaos. This long-term struggle favours Hezbollah and its allies, which are politically and militarily dominant. Moreover, the regional balance of power favours Hezbollah, evidenced by the decline of American influence in the Middle East and the insidious strategic retreat of Israel.
Terrorism from the Islamic Point of View: Sayyed Muhammed Hussein Fadlallah Explains
Sayyed Muhammed Hussein Fadlallah is Lebanon’s leading Shi’a cleric. He is widely regarded as the original spiritual leader of Hezbollah and the wider Islamic resistance movement in the country. Aside from being a leading scholar and a founder and patron of dozens of charitable institutions, Sayyed Fadlallah has been the chief architect of resistance to American and Israeli hegemony in Lebanon and the wider region. For this role he has paid a heavy price; indeed he was the target of a CIA assassination plot in 1985 which killed 80 innocent bystanders and wounded well over 200, an event which stands out as one of the ugliest examples of American terrorism in the Middle East. In this frank interview with Islamism Digest Sayyed Fadlallah sets out the Islamic position on terrorism and resistance. He identifies the United States as the lead sponsor of terrorism, while Hezbollah – according to Sayyed Fadlallah – symbolises the pinnacle of resistance to oppression and hegemony.
Lebanon After Doha: Interview with Dr. Ibrahim Mousavi
Ibrahim Mousavi is an academic and political analyst close to Hezbollah. He is also the chief editor of Al-Intiqad Weekly, a publication linked to Hezbollah. In this wide-ranging interview Dr. Mousavi sets out the Hezbollah-led opposition’s views on the political crisis in Lebanon, in particular the fighting that erupted in May. Moreover, Mousavi makes the bold prediction that the next war between Hezbollah and Israel will have even graver strategic consequences for the Israeli regime.
Inside Lebanon’s Muslim Brotherhood: Ibrahim Al-Masri Sheds Light
In this interview, the deputy secretary-general of Al-Jama’a Al-Islamiya (the Lebanese branch of the Muslim Brotherhood) explains his organisation’s independence in the current Lebanese political setting. According to Al-Masri Al-Jama’a Al-Islamiya is neither with the Hezbollah-led opposition nor with the March 14 ruling group and the government. Moreover, while he expresses qualified support for Hezbollah’s resistance against Israeli aggression he criticises some of the Islamic militant group’s recent political decisions.
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Islamism Digest - August 2008
EDITOR’S COLUMN
To any political observer the most striking thing about Lebanon is its sheer political diversity. Informed Lebanese people that I encountered during my two recent field research trips to the country often complained that while there is freedom aplenty in their country there is a democratic deficit at the heart of their institutions and general political behaviour. This is perhaps why the Lebanese state is still not viewed as a truly national institution and why a significant portion of Lebanese (perhaps the majority) support Hezbollah’s programmes wholeheartedly.
This is the second edition of Islamism Digest which is dedicated to Lebanon. In this edition we take the unusual step of presenting four interviews without a lead article. The intention is to allow our interviewees (all of whom are very important figures) to present their analysis on the country’s complex and volatile politics and the solutions they prescribe to remedy these problems. All four interviews were conducted before the start of widespread fighting in May this year. In only two cases we were able to conduct follow-up interviews and these are stated in the profile sections. There are at least two more interviews which will feature in subsequent issues of Islamism Digest. And of course CFSOT will no doubt return to Lebanon in due course since no serious observer of Islamist politics can afford to ignore what happens there for long.
The lead interview is with Sheikh Fathi Yakan, the head of the Tripoli-based Islamic Action Front. Sheikh Fathi Yakan is one of the founders of the local branch of the Muslim Brotherhood in Lebanon and served as the Secretary-General of Al-Jama’a Al-Islamiya until 1992. Sheikh Fathi Yakan is a hugely influential figure in Tripoli and his views have widespread resonance amongst the different layers of the Sunni Muslim community in Lebanon and beyond. In this interview Sheikh Fathi Yakan sets out his views on resistance, the forces loyal to the ruling group in Lebanon and the general condition of the Islamic movement in Lebanon. There is an interview with the leader of one of the main organisations comprising the Islamic Action Front, namely Sheikh Bilal Saeed Sha’ban, the Secretary-General of the Tripoli-based Harakat Al-Tawhid. Sheikh Bilal Sha’ban describes the ideology and objectives of Harakat Al-Tawhid in the context of the most pressing political and strategic issues facing Lebanon.
Reforming the electoral law is often cited as a precondition to solving Lebanon’s political crisis. Islamism Digest speaks to Abdo Saad, the head of the fully independent Beirut Centre for Research and Information, and one of the leading experts on the electoral law in Lebanon. Aside from explaining why reforms are necessary, Abdo Saad describes the work of his centre and the challenges of conducting opinion polls in Lebanon. Finally there is an interview with Dr Ridwan Al-Sayyid, a leading supporter of the government and a speech writer for Prime Minister Fouad Siniora. Dr Sayyid provides a blistering critique of Hezbollah in the context of a general critique of all Islamist groups and movements.
MAHAN ABEDIN
MANAGING EDITOR
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Islamism Digest - September 2008
EDITOR’S COLUMN
This month Islamism Digest returns to addressing the terrorism and extremism problem nearer to home. In recent years the United Kingdom has emerged as the site of the most advanced research into the causes of extremism and violent radicalism. This reflects a genuine desire by significant elements in British academia and wider civil society to contribute to the cause of community cohesion. It is regrettable that the British Government refuses to take on board many of the findings and prescriptions of reputable researchers and academics.
We at CFSOT believe that we have a clearer understanding into the causes of extremism and violent radicalism than many research or academic organisations in the West. Aside from the background of our staff, our unique access to community leaders, activists and leaders of organisations spanning the globe, gives us the insights and the knowledge-base to properly understand the phenomenon of violent radicalisation. This month Dr Kamal el-Helbawy – who has over 50 years of experience in the field – writes about the twin problems of extremism and the deteriorating relationship between key Muslim leaders in Britain and the British Government. Dr Helbawy explains that the two issues are linked and it is only by working with genuine community leaders that the British Government and the wider British society can realistically hope to defeat religiously-motivated extremism, violence and terrorism in the long term.
Continuing with this theme, Islamism Digest features an interview with Ali Asim, a veteran Yemeni diplomat and political activist. Asim has been living in the United Kingdom since 1967 and has closely observed developments in the Muslim community throughout the past four decades. In this interview he explains why things have gone wrong and what Muslims can do to put matters right.
We have two further interviews from the field research trips to Lebanon earlier. Usamah Hamdan, Hamas representative in Lebanon, talks to Islamism Digest about the movement’s activities in the country as well as explaining what Hamas is doing to counter extremism in the Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon. Finally Ahmad Kasas, the President of Hizb ut-Tahrir’s media office in Lebanon, explains this controversial Islamist party’s activities in the country. Kasas also explains the party’s views on Hezbollah, the ruling 14 March Coalition and the deepening sectarian schisms in the country.
MAHAN ABEDIN
MANAGING EDITOR
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