Understanding Islamic Activism in the Middle East

Political Science - Understanding Islam Activism in the Middle East Listening to "Understanding Islam Activism in the Middle East," I, as part of the audience, became aware of the burden that Ziad Munson is experiencing as he discusses about a very sensitive topic, Islam activism, in relation to the Middle Eastern experience.

This is because apart from the sensitive topic at hand, it is vital that Munson should argue to his audience that Islam is no different from any other religion, thereby making it easier for us (the audience) to understand how Islam activism has become at its present state among Muslim nations. These were my assumptions prior to listening to Munson's speech.

However, as Munson launches to his main argument, I realized that far from using the 'strategy' I thought he would be using for his argument, Munson opted to discuss about Islam activism in a similar manner as one would discuss activism, in, for example, a political issue. For Munson, Islam activism is more than a religious phenomenon; it is also a social phenomenon, social movement and mobilization where people, who have the same ideologies, gather in order to express/assert this subsisted ideology.

That this activism is motivated by religion is no different from previous historical accounts, where Christians fought for their religious ideology during the Crusades, and other social mobilizations formed in order to practice and proclaim a group's subsisted ideology to the world. Munson links society and religion as two inevitable elements "intertwined" in the process of social activism: religion is inevitably tied to social movements, manifested by its rituals and traditions, and social movements, similarly, affect directly social institutions.

This 'domino effect' on society starting from a particular religious group illustrates how Islam activism operates in the Middle East. Starting first as a religious group, Islam activists first educate and assimilate themselves among people who share similar ideologies with them. Upon educating themselves on this ideology, and assimilating himself/herself in Islam's culture and society, s/he takes on greater roles and responsibilities more than being a Muslim or a member and believer of Islam.

Muslims then begin to take part in political demonstrations that protest against anti-Islamism and other issues concerning the religion. Often cited is the Muslims' propensity to participate in jihad, a holy war fought by Islam believers in order to bring justice on Earth. Political activism is inherent among Muslims, since Islam is a religion developed socio-politically, since it establishes religious communities as autonomous societies practicing a different culture, with people/believers following a different, yet just, law (Shari'a law).

Because religion is deeply inculcated within the Muslim individual, manifested through education and everyday activities and lifestyle, activism develops, thereby resulting to the creation and formation of strong-willed.