ABSTRACT
TOSACRIlCEONESELFFOR!LLAH*IHADISTSDEVELOPANENTIREPSYCHOLOGYOF SELmESSNESSINTHElGHTAGAINSTTHEGODLESSWORLDORDERWITHINADISSYM METRICMILITARYSYSTEMONEINWHICHTHEYAREATAMAJORDISADVANTAGE BEINGUNABLETOlGHTONEQUALTERMSAGAINSTTHE7EST
4HEREGENERATIONOF*IHADISDIRECTLYRELATEDTOTHERENEWALOF *IHADISTPRODUCTIONBYANEWGENERATIONOFSCHOLARSAGESTHIRTYTOLATE lFTIESWHOBRINGNEWIDEASNEWINTERPRETATIONSANDNEWSTAMINA TO*IHADASAMAJORDUTYˆINFACTASTHEMOSTIMPORTANTDUTYFOR -USLIMS*IHADISMASANIDEOLOGYISAFTERTHECOLLAPSEOFCOMMUNISM THEMOST COMPREHENSIVEˆAND IN AWAY COGENTˆSET OF NOTIONS RULES FOR ACTION ANDPROPAGANDA THAT THE LAST TWENTY lVEYEARSOF THETWENTIETHCENTURYANDTHEBEGINNINGOFTHETWENTY lRSTCENTURY HAVEWITNESSEDSOFAR)TISNAÆVETOUNDERVALUEORBELITTLETHISCREATIVE YETDESTRUCTIVEIDEOLOGYASDOMOST7ESTERNCRITICSORDEPRECIATEIT ASAMEREhMENTALCONSTRUCTvWITHLITTLEEFFECTONREALITYASDOMANY PROMINENTWRITERSON*IHADNOWADAYS4HENEWGENERATIONOF*IHADIST INTELLECTUALSANDTHEIRWEBSITESTHEMOSTIMPORTANTBEINGUNDENI ABLY-INBARAL4AWHIDWAL*IHADARERENEWING)SLAMICRADICALISMBY INJECTINGITWITHMODERN7ESTERNIDEASFROMTHEEXTREMELEFTTOTHE EXTREMERIGHTANDBYADJUSTING*IHADTOTHENEWGLOBALREALITYOFOUR AGE)TISABOUTTIMEWETOOKTHISIDEOLOGICALMOVEMENTSERIOUSLYIN ORDERTOlNDAPPROPRIATESOLUTIONSTODEALWITH IT)NTHISRESPECT REPRESSIVEACTSAREONLYOFLIMITEDSCOPE5NDERSTANDINGRESPONDING ANDEVENlNDINGOUTLETSFORDIALOGUEORNEWINTELLECTUALCREATIONSIN ORDERTOCOUNTER*IHADISMARELONGOVERDUE
)N THE7EST *IHADISTS CHANGE RAPIDLY4HE NEW GENERATIONS TAKETHEPLACEOFTHEOLDERONESWHOWERE!FGHANVETERANSTRAINED IN!FGHANISTANMAINLYIN!L1AEDACAMPSBEFOREANDDURINGTHE 4ALIBANREGIME4HEYOUNG*IHADISTSINTHE7ESTARECOMPUTERAD DICTSINSEARCHOFTHEIRPARENTSROOTSLOOKINGFORHEROISMANDTHRILL SICKOFTHEPERMANENCEOFSOCIALPREJUDICEANDOLDCOLONIALCLICH£S AGAINST THE-USLIMS )N THE-USLIMWORLD REPRESSIONOF-USLIM &UNDAMENTALISTSINTHEPOLITICALARENAFAVORS*IHADISTS)NTHISWAYAN UNDERSTANDINGOF*IHADISMINSPITEOFTHEGLOBALNETWORKMUSTALWAYS BETWO PRONGEDINCORPORATINGTHEVERSIONINTHE-USLIMWORLDAND THEOTHERMAINLYIN%UROPE
4HISWORKINTENDSTOADDRESSTHESIGNIlCANCEOF*IHADISTINTEL LECTUALCREATIONANDTHELITTLEECHOESITHASFOUNDINTHE7ESTERNWORLD OREVENIN)SLAMICCOUNTRIESWHEREAUTHORITIESARESATISlEDTOREPRESS ITORINTEGRATEPARTOFITINTOTHEPOLITICALARENARATHERTHANCOPEWITH ITSROOTCAUSES!MONGMAJOR*IHADISTINTELLECTUALSFOURHAVEBEEN CHOSENASSOURCESFORASSESSINGTHEFOLLOWINGSTATEMENTS&IRSTOFALL *IHADISMISAPOWERFULCURRENTINWHICHMANYINTELLECTUALSSHAREA
COMMONVISIONOFREALITY4HEIRDISSENTISONMINORISSUESWHEREAS THEIRCONSENSUSEXTENDSTOTHEFOLLOWINGISSUESTHENECESSITYFORHOLY WARTHEREJECTIONOFDEMOCRACYASAFALSE7ESTERNRELIGIONTHEIRCON DEMNATIONOFANYCOMPROMISENOTONLYWITHTHE7ESTBUTALSOWITH THEPREVAILINGPOWERSTRUCTUREINTHEWORLDTHEIRDIABOLICPICTUREOF THE7ESTANDTHE-USLIMWORLDANDTHEIRDEFENSEOFBLINDVIOLENCE AGAINST ALL THOSEWHOOPPOSE THEM4HESE TOPICS AND SOMEOTHERS MAKETHEMAVERYPOWERFULMINORITYWITHINTHE-USLIMWORLDWITH OFFSHOOTSINTHE7ESTMAINLYTHROUGHTHE,ONDONCONNECTION
4HISBOOKISALSOANATTEMPTTOSHOWTHEMULTIFACETEDNATUREOF *IHADISMˆITSDIVERSITYRELIGIOUSFOUNDATIONSINTELLECTUALBASISAND SOCIALBEDROCKINTHE-USLIMWORLDANDTHE7ESTMAINLY%UROPE -OREOVER THISWORK AIMS TOUNDERSTAND *IHADISTS FROMWITHINBY LETTING THEM EXPLAIN THEIRMOTIVES5NDERSTANDING IS NOT JUSTIFY INGITISANOTHERWAYOFREACHINGTHEGOALOFOPPOSINGVIOLENCE/F COURSETHISVIOLENCEISNOTONLYONE SIDED7ESTERNANDPARTICULARLY !MERICANPOLICIESHAVEHADAMAJORINmUENCEONTHE-USLIMWORLD AND*IHADISMIS INPARTAREACTIONTO IT5NDENIABLY THEPOLITICS OFTHEDOMINANT7ESTERNCOUNTRIESANDMOREESPECIALLYTHE5NITED 3TATESHAVEINDUCEDADElANTREACTIONFROMTHE-USLIMWORLDAN ELEMENTOFWHICHIS*IHADISM3INCETHEWARIN)RAQBEGANIN *IHADISMHAS BEEN REINVIGORATEDMAINLY IN TWODISTINCTWAYS )N )RAQANEWGENERATIONOF*IHADISTSHASBEENTRAINEDDISTINCT FROM !FGHANISTANSGENERATIONTHEREAREFARFEWER7ESTERN)SLAMISTSTHAN IN!FGHANISTANBUT STILLMORE THANA FEWDOZENCANBE TRACED TO THE7ESTWITHCERTAINTYANDSOMEOFTHEMMIGHTRETURNINCOGNITO TOTHE7ESTANDCAUSEHAVOCTHERE)NTHE7ESTTINYGROUPSAMONG INDIGNANT-USLIMSHAVEENROLLEDIN*IHADISMANDAREBECOMINGMORE ANDMOREAUTONOMOUSTOWARDTHEIRFORERUNNERSIN!FGHANISTANAND "OSNIA4HEY ARE AWARE OF )RAQI 0ALESTINIAN AND!FGHAN PLIGHTS THROUGHTHENEWGLOBALMEDIAANDAREINCENSEDOVERTHEFATEOFTHEIR FELLOW-USLIMS4HEIRINVOLVEMENTIN*IHADISMTHROUGHTHE)NTERNET ANDOTHERMODERNMEANSOFCOMMUNICATIONMAKESTHEMA7ESTERN PHENOMENONLARGELYAUTONOMOUSFROMTHE-USLIMWORLDINSTITUTING WHATISCOMMONLYCALLEDhHOMEGROWNTERRORISMv4HEYAREBUILDING UPTHETHIRDGENERATIONOF*IHADISTSAFTERTHEGROUPSTRAINEDBY!L 1AEDAIN!FGHANISTANAND"OSNIA
.EVERTHELESS *IHADISM CANNOT BE REDUCED TO A hREACTIONv TO 7ESTERNIMPERIALISMOROPPRESSION)THASATLEASTFOUROTHERCAUSES &IRSTOFALLITISDEEPLYROOTEDINAMINORITYCURRENTAMONG)SLAMIC MOVEMENTSTHATISTHEOLOGICALLYINSPIREDBYARADICALGROUPAMONG THEFOLLOWERSOFTHE0ROPHETAFTERHISDEATH4HISTYPEOFMOVEMENT EMERGESEVERYNOWANDTHENINTHE-USLIMWORLDSINCETHEBEGIN
NINGOF THERELIGION INORDER TORESTORE)SLAMTO ITSPRIMALPURITY -OREOVERWHENTHEFALLOFTHE"ERLINWALLINCLOSEDTHEDOORTO LEFTISTRADICALIZATIONANDCOMMUNIST INSPIREDMOVEMENTSANDPARTIES LARGELYDISAPPEAREDFROMTHE-USLIMWORLD)SLAMGAINEDPROMINENCE ASTHEMAJORANTI 7ESTERNANTI LIBERALANDANTI IMPERIALISTIDEOLOGY INBOTHTHE7ESTANDTHE-USLIMWORLD*IHADISMISALSOPARTIALLY ROOTEDINTHECREATIONOFTHE3TATEOF)SRAELANDTHEPERCEPTIONOF)S RAELASANOFFSHOOTOF7ESTERNIMPERIALISMIMPLANTEDINTHEHEARTOF -USLIMLANDTODESTROY)SLAMANDHUMILIATE-USLIMS4HEUNSETTLED 0ALESTINIANQUESTIONCONTRIBUTESTOTHELEGITIMACYOF*IHADISMINTHE EYESOFMANY-USLIMS
-AJORDIFFERENCESDISTINGUISHTHESTUDYOF*IHADISMFROMMOST OTHERSOCIALlELDS4OBEGINWITHTHOSEWHOWORKONURBANSOCIOL OGYhGOANDSEEvWHATISHAPPENINGONTHEGROUND.OONEEXPECTS SOCIOLOGICALORANTHROPOLOGICAL RESEARCHONANURBANDISTRICT TOBE DONEWITHOUTOBSERVINGITINPERSONANALYZINGITSSTREETSLANDMARKS ANDOTHERFEATURES3TUDYING*IHADISMINTHEOVERWHELMINGMAJOR ITYOFTHECASESMEANSWORKINGONSECONDHANDDOCUMENTSMOSTLY PRODUCEDORPUBLISHEDBYINTELLIGENCEAGENTSCONSULTINGDATAONTHE )NTERNETORANALYZINGSTATISTICSPUTATSCHOLARSDISPOSALBYGOVERNMENT AUTHORITIES/NLYATINYNUMBEROFPEOPLEHAVEHADTHEOPPORTUNITY TOMEET*IHADISTSANDEVENTHENTHENUMBERTHEYHAVEENCOUNTERED ISINSIGNIlCANT)NMYCASE)INTERVIEWEDIN&RENCHPRISONSIN ADOZENPEOPLECONDEMNEDFORHAVINGTAKENPARTIN!L1AEDATER RORISTACTIVITIES*IHADISTSCANBEFOUNDINJAILSINWARSORPLOTTINGIN %UROPEORINTHE-USLIMWORLDATLARGE3TILLASARULESCHOLARSCANNOT MEETTHEMBUTONLYCANGETINTOUCHWITHTHOSE*IHADISTSWHOHAVE RENOUNCEDVIOLENCETHEIRFRIENDSANDFAMILYMEMBERSORTHEIRCOL LEAGUESIFTHEYAREEVENWILLINGTOTALK*IHADISTSTUDIESINCLUDEREPORTS BASEDONAGGREGATEDATAANDJOURNALISTSINSIGHTSˆBUTNOTIN DEPTH STUDIES4HEWIDEVARIETIESOF*IHADISMINTHEWORLDMAKEITIMPOS SIBLEFORASINGLEPERSONTOHAVEACOMPREHENSIVEVIEWOFITWORLDWIDE )TISPROBABLYTHElRSTTIMEINHISTORYTHATARADICALMOVEMENTHAS SUCHAWORLDWIDESCOPE)NTHEPASTVIOLENTMOVEMENTSSUCHASTHE %UROPEANWORKING CLASSMOVEMENTINTHENINETEENTHCENTURYBEFORE ITSINSTITUTIONALIZATIONTHEANARCHISTMOVEMENTIN2USSIAINTHELATE NINETEENTHCENTURYANDBEGINNINGOFTHETWENTIETHTHE$ECEMBRISTS ANDTHELEFTISTMOVEMENTIN%UROPEINTHESWEREFOUNDONLY IN%UROPEANDMARGINALLYINTHE5NITED3TATESAND!SIANOWADAYS ALMOSTALLCONTINENTSAREOUTPOSTSOF*IHADISM
*IHADISMISTHERESULTOFWHATCANBECALLEDhPERVERSEMODERN IZATIONvINTHE-USLIMWORLDANDITSTRANSMISSIONTOAMINORITYOF )SLAMICRADICALSINTHE7EST"YPERVERSEMODERNIZATION)MEANTHE
DISMANTLING OF TRADITIONAL COMMUNITIES THROUGH STATE ACTION AND ANEWMARKETECONOMYBUTWITHOUTTHEPOSITIVESIDEEFFECTSOFTHE LATTERNAMELYTHEPROMOTIONOFINDIVIDUALFREEDOMSTHEINDIVIDUAL CAPACITYTOASSURESOCIALANDECONOMICUPWARDMOBILITYBYPOSITIVE INVOLVEMENTINSOCIETYTHEOPENINGUPOFTHEPOLITICALSYSTEMAND THECREATIONOFANEWROLEFORGOVERNMENTASTHEDEFENDEROFSOCIAL LIBERTYRATHERTHANTHEINSTIGATOROFBLINDREPRESSION*IHADISMISTHE RESULTOFAPOLITICALANDECONOMICDEVELOPMENTWHERETHEINDIVIDUAL ISPARTIALLYFREEDFROMTRADITIONALTIESWITHOUTBEINGVOUCHSAFEDTHE POSITIVEASPECTSOFHISORHERINSERTIONINTONEWSOCIALNEXUSES*IHAD ISMPROMOTEShINDIVIDUALISMTHROUGHDEATHvBYMAKINGTHEHOLYWAR APERSONALDUTYANDNOTACOLLECTIVEONE)TGIVESANEWDElNITIONTO THEOLD-USLIMCOMMUNITYUMMA BYMAKINGITANORGANICENTITY THATNEVEREXISTEDBEFOREINSUCHACOERCIVEFORMAKINTOTHEFASCIST ENTITYOFTHEh6OLKvDIRECTEDBYAN)SLAMICLEADERBEITCALLEDIMAM EMIRORCALIPH ANDCONTRARYTOTHETRADITIONAL)SLAMICCOMMUNITY WITHINWHICHTHEHIERARCHYMADEIT IMPOSSIBLE FORASINGLEPERSON TOCLAIMPOLITICALANDRELIGIOUSABSOLUTESUPREMACY7HILETHEOLD 5MMAISSEENAShCOLDvANDIMPERSONALTHENEO 5MMAMARKETED BY*IHADISTSIShHOTvEVENEFFERVESCENTANDhBOILINGvPERSONALIZEDTO THEEXTREMETHROUGHCHARISMATICPROMINENTlGURESLIKE"IN,ADEN ANDOTHER LOCALACTORS-ANYOTHERCHARACTERISTICSOF*IHADISMASA PERVERSEMODERNIZATIONWILLEMERGEINTHISBOOK
4OUNDERSTANDTHEhPERVERSEMODERNIZATIONvPOINTOFVIEWˆ WHICHDOESNOTUNIQUELYAPPLY TO THE-USLIMWORLDˆONEHAS TO UNDERSTAND THE NOTION OF hCULTURAL DISTANCEv7HEN THE DISTANCE BETWEENTWOCULTURESISTOOGREATUNDERSTANDINGSOCIALPHENOMENA BECOMESDIFlCULTWITHOUTLONG TERMFAMILIARITYWITHEACHOFTHEM !NALYZING*IHADISMREQUIRESHAUNTINGTHE)SLAMICWORLDANDCULTURE PARTICULARLYITSLANGUAGES/THERWISETHECULTURALDISTANCEBETWEENTHE 7ESTANDTHE-USLIMWORLDMAKESITVERYHARDTOUNDERSTANDMAJOR EVENTSWITHOUTAUTOMATICALLYGRASPINGTHEMTHROUGHTHEPATTERNSOF ONESOWNCULTURE4HEREFOREMANYSTUDIESOF*IHADISMAREmAWED BECAUSEOFA LACKOFUNDERSTANDINGOF)SLAMICCULTUREHISTORYAND SOCIETY3TILLUNDERSTANDING)SLAMFROMWITHINDOESNOTWARRANTAGOOD BOOKON*IHADISM/NTHEOTHERHANDLACKOFUNDERSTANDINGFROM WITHINCERTAINLYYIELDSABADBOOKUNLESSONEWIELDSANEXCEPTIONAL IMAGINATIONORANIMMENSEABILITYFOREMPATHY7ITHOUTLIVINGFROM TIMETOTIMEINTHE-USLIMWORLDWITHOUTREADINGTEXTSDIRECTLYIN ATLEASTSOMEOFITSDIFFERENTLANGUAGESANDWITHOUTHAUNTINGSOME &UNDAMENTALISTORPRO *IHADISTCIRCLESIN)SLAMICSOCIETIESTHESTUDY OF*IHADISMRUNSTHERISKOFBEINGATBESTONE SIDEDATWORSTDEEPLY mAWED4HESAMEHOLDSTRUEFOR-USLIMDIASPORASINTHE7EST(ERE
TOOANTHROPOLOGICALKNOWLEDGEOFTHEDIASPORASMAINLYIN%UROPE ISNECESSARYFORUNDERSTANDINGTHEIRVERSIONOF*IHADISM
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