Time to call out Islamism for what it is
V ISLAMISM AND Islamist extremism are based on regressive, medieval foundations. As political projects, they involve inserting sharia into the social and legal fabric of states. This in turn means overturning democracy and the rights of individuals, which are replaced by a rigid hierarchy.
These rights are meted out by an “ingroup” of people who interpret Islam through a set of narrow lenses, while the rest of the population is subjugated and suppressed.
In such states, minority rights are suppressed and people deemed “not Muslim enough” are usually the first to be killed or targeted.
Both Islamism and Islamist extremism are therefore based on hyperauthoritarianism and a belief that Jews and Christians should have lesser rights. Hindus, Sikhs and many others are at an even lower rung on this “rights-based” ladder.
The lowest rung is for communities such as the Yazidis – one reason why the so-called Islamic State targeted them for extermination and humiliation. When such ideology becomes part of the collective psyche, it is a short step towards targeting Jews and Christians with ferocious barbarism. Let me be clear. As someone of Muslim heritage, Islamism and Islamist extremism should not be conflated and attached to every Muslim or the vast majority of Muslims across the globe.
However, let us not kid ourselves that it is limited to just a few thousand Muslims. It is a recurrent and significant problem that has shown itself in the appalling and murderous attack on Israel and the way that Islamists have taken hostages and treated innocent men, women and children.
Hamas has demonstrated to the world the vicious, rage-filled antisemitism of such groups. This Islamist-driven Jew-hate is growing in parts of the UK. I know through personal experience that such antisemitism has grown over decades and infested minds of young people who should know better.
Such individuals do not live beyond our borders. They live within the country we call home.
Hamas emerged in 1989 as an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood in Gaza and as a result of the so-called “spiritual leadership” of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin.
The Muslim Brotherhood has a
long history of agitating against other Muslim majority states. Subscribers to their ideology were involved in the murder of former Egyptian president Anwar Sadat because he dared to make peace with Israel. The list of their bloodthirsty actions goes on and on and one thing links them all: a desire to see the destruction of Israel and the Jewish people. The attack on Israel was unprecedented in its ferocity and viciousness. Which means one thing and one thing alone. That Hamas must be removed once and for all, so that never again can we go through the cycles of violence that we have, and the people of Israel can finally have a border that is at peace.
It is also important to connect with and empathise with the Palestinians in Gaza, many of whom never voted for Hamas and who are now suffering once again because of the decisions of the Islamist group. There is no alternative to the removal of Hamas and it has to happen now. What we have all seen on our screens is unbearable. The coming weeks and months will continue to be painful as more people on both sides lose their lives because of the actions of Hamas. Now is the time for the removal of Hamas as a regional actor and with it, a redoubling of efforts against Islamist extremists.
We have been playing “whack-amole” against them for decades, but this must end. Many Muslims genuinely want the world to take on Islamist groups like the Muslim Brotherhood and their offshoots. This also means holding Iran to account for its blessing and approval of this invasion by Hamas.
Lastly, I have to say this and be explicit about this. Muslims like me want to go and help in Israel in whatever way we can. We will stand with the Jewish state in its time of need.