# data[].attributes.body
Islamism, can be defined as an ideology that aims to bring Islam and its principles to the social and political sphere and refuses to limit its effects to the private sphere.
It is considered to be a revolt against the Western as it challenges the dominant secularist liberalist ideas. Islamism, which is inherently anti-imperialist, seeks the recipe for salvation from social degeneration in Islamic fundamentalism and revivalism.
Particularly after 1970s, Islamism came to be heavily associated with jihadism, which is found inseparable by some in the first place, thus violence. Today a struggle within itself for a truer definition still continues, ‘moderate’, ‘conservative’ and ‘extremist’ Islamism being the prominent notions.

# data[].attributes.body
Islamism calls for the ‘Islamization’ of the state, society, economy, military, politics and social-cultural spheres. The ‘how’s’ and ‘why’s’, as well as the degree and extent of this process, are based on different, and often selective, interpretations of the holy book Quran, sunnah (incl. hadith) and sharia the ‘Islamic law’.
Islamism is revivalist, it seeks a 'return' to the 'true Islamic way of living and governance'. Islamists see the current state of Muslim states and societies as ‘unIslamic’ and ‘westernized’. They believe that the secular Western ideas clash with Islam and cannot be the guideline for the Muslim world. Islamism, therefore, advocates for the establishment of Islamic states and the political Islamic unity against the West, which greatly influenced the Islamic nations especially after the Second World War.
Consequently, a 'de-secularization' is seen necessary. According to some Islamists, this can be achieved through an intellectual movement, while others think it requires a more extreme, revolutionary approach. This is where the term jihad and jihadism come into the frame. In the eyes of these Islamists, the 'greater jihad', inner fight against one's desires, gets overshadowed by the 'lesser jihad', struggle against the enemies of Islam. But who are the enemies of Islam? Some jihadists claim jihad is obligatory not just against the non-believers of the West, but also current, 'deviated' Muslim governments as well, thus emerging as a threat for both sides.

For further information and understanding, please read the article below:

# data[].attributes.body
As the possibly never-ending search for finding and establishing the true principles for a ‘better society’ continues, some find the answers in the past and believe that the ‘ideal society’ once existed.
Ideologies draw their inspirations from life and its struggles, thus religion, which dates as far back as the beginning of human history, naturally gets its fair share of involvement. However, although religions have been shaping believers’ lives for centuries, the fusion between Islam, the second most practiced religion around the world, and politics is relatively new. The constant rise of scientific reason as a ‘faith’ is posing a serious threat to all ‘submissive’ religions and secular ideas are pushing Islam, in particular, ‘out of sight’. Since the early 20th century, this started to set off a reaction from the Muslim world, some organizing and taking their beliefs to ‘extreme’. On this padlet, we are going to dive deeper into political Islam, or ‘Islamism’.

# data[].attributes.body
Democracy is regarded as a modern creed and popular sovereignty that it brings, can never be placed over the will of God. Democracy and secularism is often considered as one and believed to be unIslamic. Moderate Islamists, nevertheless argue the possible reconciliation between Islamism and democracy.

# data[].attributes.body
In Islamism, authority comes from 'up-above' and is unquestionable. The words of God, Quran and thus, sharia are the guides of 'this-worldly' governing.   Religious authority overrules political authority and intervenes every aspect of life. Although early Islamists thought religion couldn't just be about an political authoritarian figure, today's Islamists see it as a political authority with potentially unlimited power.

# data[].attributes.body
Islamism sees culture as the Islamic culture and therefore as long as it compromises with the practices of Islam, is seen a unifying factor. The culture of the West, however, is the primary enemy and cannot influence the believers and must be fought against to stop its spread.

# data[].attributes.body
Economic principles are also in accord with Islam. One of Islam's main pillars, zakat, which is a form of almsgiving, is promoted, whereas usury and profiteering are prohibited. Multi-faceted ownership, economic freedom within a certain limit, and social justice are often mention terms. A middle ground between Marxism and capitalism is the ideal. 'Islamic states' such as Iran and Saudi Arabia are sanctioned by the West, therefore their economies are highly depended on natural resources.
Here's an article about the subject: https://securitypolicylaw.syr.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Beinin.2005.Islam-and-new-global-economy.pdf

# data[].attributes.body
Islamism sees equality as a relative term. While equality is valued in principle, a hierarchy between believers and non-believers; scholars, rulers and ordinary people; men and women are apparent, even enforced.

# data[].attributes.body
Islamism draws the lines of freedom within the framework of Islam. But even with that limitation, difference of opinions on Islamic issues are not tolerated. Freedom, according to the Islamists, has limits in conformity with the rules Islam has set for believers. 'Freedom of speech' is, ironically, has borders and religious figures or texts are not up to interpretation neither for believers or non-believers (e.g. the recent issues in France). Some scholars describe Islamism as the 'new totalitarianism' for these reasons.

# data[].attributes.body
Traditional gender roles are the norm. Men and women are believed to have different assigned roles in society. Women's rights and gender equality are considered taboo topics. Western idea of genders are not accepted and seen at variance with Islamic principles, as men take over the 'guardianship'. A strict dress code for women is mandatory, even though some Muslim scholars argue that this enforcement doesn't align with a Quran verse that reads, "There shall be no compulsion in religion" .
Here's an interesting read:

# data[].attributes.body
Islamists long for the 'Golden Age' and believe the salvation for stopping the degeneration is to be achieved by a return to Islamic history. They take subjective approach on history and highlight the upsides of the past, and reject the 'dark sides' of Islamic modern history.

# data[].attributes.body
Tarek Osman's Definition

# data[].attributes.body
For Islamists, it is only natural and instinctive for humans to believe in a God, thus 'godless secularism' doesn't suit human nature. Humans are sinful and therefore in need of a religious authority to guide them.

# data[].attributes.body
Islam is seen as the one true ideology and other ideologies which doesn't have religious grounds and are not based on the words of God are rejected.
Western ideologies in particular are demonized and even calls for the need for militant, jihadist means.

# data[].attributes.body
They see nation as a unified entity based on religious identity. Although pan-Islamist ideas are present, as seen in the recent history, conflicts over profit can easily make these ideas overlooked. In the light of post-colonialism, Arab nationalism, religious nationalism and ethnic nationalism became relevant in the last decades, thus furthering the stray from a religious-identity based Islamist understanding of a nation. Combined with sectarianism, many current issues in the Middle East showcases the rise of nationalism within Islamic nations.
A must-read:
https://escholarship.org/content/qt40d0j6hq/qt40d0j6hq.pdf

# data[].attributes.body
Nature is seen as a way to prove God's existence and creations. Studying nature is encouraged to discover God and use it for the benefit of humankind as advised in the Quran. Nature is respected and preservation is important.
However, on the contrary, oil-rich Islamist states continue to exploit nature and see economic profit over the protection of nature and sustainability.

# data[].attributes.body
Islamism puts religion above everything and believes Islam should guide and interfere every aspect of life. Therefore strongly disagrees with secular values and refuses to limit religion to the private spare. Islamists believe that both the salvation of this world and for the 'other world' lies within Islamism.

# data[].attributes.body
State, for Islamists, is an instrument to implement Islamic way of living and its principles in every sphere. Islamic states therefore govern in line with Islam's rules and teaching, sharia, the Islamic law, as the foundation. Islamic states (e.g. Saudi Arabia) use their interoperations of the sharia and treat it like the written, fixed law. Politicization of Islam is found necessary to realize the return to supposed 'Golden Age'. For further reading, please refer to link: https://research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/10023/9561/Volpi_2015_Demo_Islamism_AM.pdf?sequence=1

# data[].attributes.body
They view society to be guided and believes that the ideal society once existed, however today's society is degenerated and in need for a savior to help it achieve order in this world and be prepared for the other world. Western values are considered 'poisonous' for Muslim societies and Islamic principles must be the societal norm.

# data[].attributes.headline
A Focus on an Influential Islamist: Sayyid Qutb

# data[].attributes.subject
A Focus on an Influential Islamist: Sayyid Qutb

# data[].attributes.body
Sayyid Qutb (1906-1966) was an Egyptian author who became one the most-known figures of radical Islamism. Upon returning from his education in the United States, he described what he saw there as the 'corruption of Western secularism'. He then joined the Muslim Brotherhood, which is an Islamist religiopolitical organization founded in Egypt that is still relevant today, and even said that he was 'born in 1951'. After the pro-British monarchy was overthrown, Muslim Brotherhood, which was a movement at the time, asked for the implementation sharia but was rejected. Sayyid Qutb was put in detention for years but due his worsening health later stayed at the prison hospital and he wrote many of his famous works during this time. With his best known work, Milestones (1964), his thoughts became increasingly radical and even revolutionary, claiming that all so-called Muslim societies were anti-Islamic (jahili). His later works were widely read and have propelled radical groups in Egypt and some other countries, including al-Qaeda and other "jihadis," however whether al-Qaeda's kind of brutality was his goal is debatable. He was rearrested for conspiring against the government in 1965 and was executed in 1966 after his questionable trial.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Islam has become a potent political force around the world since it reemerged in the late 1960's and 1970's as a religio-political alternative to failed nationalist ideologies. In countries throughout the world, individuals and movements have attempted to reconstruct the political, economic, and social dimensions of their societies along Islamic lines, taking different approaches to the shari`a and to the questions of whether and how to establish an Islamic state. Key Islamic Political Thinkers offers an examination of some of the leading intellectuals behind the resurgence of political Islam. The essays in this volume cover a selection of thinkers that is representative of the main strands of contemporary Muslim political thought. It starts with the forefathers of contemporary political Islam, Hasan al-Banna and Abu al A`la al-Mawdudi, analyzes the revolutionary ideas of Sayyid Qutb, Ali Shari`ati, and Ayatollah Khomeini, and ends with the "intellectuals" of political Islam, Hassan al-Turabi, Rashid al-Ghannoushi, Yusuf al-Qaradawi, Muhammad Khatami, and Abdolkarim Soroush, who exemplify the diversity and complexity of contemporary Muslim political discourse. This volume provides a valuable guide to the most important intellectual architects of the Islamic revival.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Islam has become a potent political force around the world since it reemerged in the late 1960's and 1970's as a religio-political alternative to failed nationalist ideologies. In countries throughout the world, individuals and movements have attempted to reconstruct the political, economic, and social dimensions of their societies along Islamic lines, taking different approaches to the shari`a and to the questions of whether and how to establish an Islamic state.

# data[].attributes.body
Sayyid Qutb saw the U.S.A and its values as a threat to Islamic societies and called for a return to emulation of salaf, “the pious predecessors” and is known as the father of Salafi Jihadism. Qutb condemned Muslim governments, such as the regime at the time in Egypt, as secular, with their legitimacy based on human (and thus corrupt), rather than divine authority. He advocated for the use of violence against these Muslim governments and the West. He carried a very anti-American stance.
Qutb's political views were always centered on Islam. He saw Islam as a comprehensive system of morality, justice, and governance, whose sharia laws and principles should be the entire basis of governance and everything else in life. After the 1952 coup in Egypt, he began to advocate for a 'just dictatorship' that would 'grant political liberties to the virtuous alone' but later concluded with the implementation of sharia law, the need for a government would be no more. In his utopia, everyone would obey the divine sharia law, thus and would no longer 'servitude to other men'. Just like this change of opinion, he first declared that the jihad should be defensive but latterly settled upon offensive jihad. He also opposed nationalistic ideas and was strongly anti-Semitic, writing a book titled 'Our Struggle against the Jews'.
Sayyid Qutb, indeed, was a very controversial and influenced even more controversial figures who came after him.
His chapter in the book 'Key Islamic Political Thinkers' can be found on the right:

# data[].attributes.body
An unspoken topic:
Islamism in the Southeast Asia

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Bangladesh – dawn of Islamism | DW Documentary

# data[].attributes.body
Islamists may see Islamism as Islam itself, however both scholars and many Muslims as well, point out the reality: Islamism isn't the only way. Some think that throughout its evolution, Islamism became radicalized and drifted apart from some of the main principles of Islam. Some argue that Islam cannot be downsized to political Islam as it is way more sacred than that. Some denounce the violent ways of enacting Islam and forcing it to people, whereas some others find Islamist leaders corrupted and ill-intentioned. Therefore many conflicts and disagreements exist within the Muslim world, and while Islamists believe their way of doing things is the Islamic one, Muslims all over the world, suffer from the consequences of the extremists' actions.
Although, Islamism is set on teachings of the Quran, hadith and promotes the implementation of sharia, due to both fundamental and contemporary differences of opinion, there are 'types' of Islamism, former being between two main sects of Islam, the Sunni and the Shia, and the latter being differentiated by the level of radicalization.
Here's a link to a brief paper you can read for more information: https://www.files.ethz.ch/isn/184692/Brief_28_Islamism.pdf