Islamism | Political Islam
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Strategies for combating fundamentalist ideologies
Reviving Islam's enlightenment
In 1877, the great French novelist Victor Hugo wrote, "Invading armies can be resisted; invading ideas cannot be." Nowadays, the power of ideas, for good or for evil, is something we need to take into account, particularly in contemplating Islamic radicalism. By Daniel Chirot and Scott L. Montgomery
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The IS manifesto for women
Baiting the jihadi brides
It is not only men who are joining the ranks of "Islamic State", women are too. Many are being encouraged to do so by the manifesto of the IS women's brigade al-Khansaa, which has been translated into English and German. Primarily aimed at Muslim women with limited education, the IS ideal is not very far removed from role models that prevailed in conservative social strata in the West until well into the twentieth century. By Stefan Weidner
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Islam in Germany
The long road to legal recognition
According to expert opinion, there is still a great need for action in the legal recognition of Islam in Germany. There has been some progress in recent years, but Islamic religious communities are still a long way from being on a level footing with others. Susanne Kaiser summarises the deficits
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After the Sousse attack
United against terror
Following the attack on a beach hotel near Sousse, which claimed the lives of 38 and injured 39 others, many Tunisians took to the streets to demonstrate against Islamist terror in their country and call for a tightening of security laws. Report from Sousse by Karim El-Gawhary
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Interview with Alaya Allani, an expert on Islamism
"The jihadists have no social base in Libya"
Alaya Allani, professor of contemporary history at the Monouba University in Tunis and a specialist on Islamist movements, does not expect that the IS terrorist militia will be able to establish itself in Libya over the long-term, although the jihadists have already successfully formed cells in some regions of the country. Beat Stauffer spoke to him in Tunis
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Shukri al-Mabkhout's novel "The Italian"
Failure in the police state
"The Italian", the debut novel by Tunisian writer Shukri al-Mabkhout, lays bare the mechanisms of control and censorship in operation during the Ben Ali era. It is a worthy winner of this year's "Arab Booker" prize, says Günther Orth.
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Fighting extremism through the medium of comics
"We needed to do more than just attend candlelight vigils"
"Paasban" (The Guardian) is a series of Pakistani comic books that seeks to fight extremism by raising awareness among young people. The books tell the story of a group of college friends who become worried when one of their number disappears. They later find out that he was recruited by an extremist organisation. Mustafa Hasnain, Gauhar Aftab and Yahya Ehsan came together to create "Paasban". Roma Rajpal Weiß spoke to Hasnain and Aftab about the series and the inspiration behind it
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Profile: Sudanese opposition politician Hassan al-Turabi
The grand tactician
Hassan al-Turabi is a man of many faces and one of the most dazzling personalities active in the sphere of political Islam. Over the course of his more than 40-year-long political career, he has surprised both supporters and critics alike with his frequent policy shifts. By Claudia Mende
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Ayaan Hirsi Ali's controversial theories on Islam
Hailed as a "female Luther"
Ayaan Hirsi Ali has just published her latest book "Heretic" in Germany. Her work has been received with enthusiasm in Germany, where she was courted by the media and even described as a "female Luther". She probably has more in common with him than is comfortable for many. By Emran Feroz
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Preventing terrorism in Lebanon
Dialogue behind bars
The world is horrified by the brutality of Islamic State (IS). Two young sisters are now doing what they can to prevent young Lebanese people from joining radical Islamist groups. By doing so, they are risking their lives. Juliane Metzker reports from Beirut
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Rapprochement between Erdogan and the Turkish Army
Short-term tactic or long-term strategy?
One of the main achievements of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has been to stop the Turkish Army meddling in politics. In the past few months, however, the president seems to have begun allying himself with the army in what could be a major realignment in Turkish politics. Dorian Jones in Istanbul considers whether this is a tactical or a strategic change in policy
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Interview with Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, grand imam of al-Azhar University
"What the Islamist armed movements are doing is wrong"
Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb is grand imam of al-Azhar University in Cairo, one of the highest religious instances in Sunni Islam. In an interview with Khalid El Kaoutit, he explains how the jihadists of Islamic State (IS) are abusing Islamic doctrine for their own purposes