Terrorism is a form of Jihad: Daniel Pipes
January 31, 2009 by Amitabh Tripathi
Since Islamist attack on Mumbai on 26th of November last year the issue of war on terror has again come on centre stage. This attack was different in some way as it attracted the attention of world media more than ever. But still attack on India is a war against India which India has to fight on its own. Few days back editor of Hindi news portal lokmanch conducted an on line interview with known commentator on Middle East politics as well as Islamic politics Dr. Daniel Pipes. Interviewer Amitabh Tripathi asked several questions to Dr. Pipes which readers in India have in mind on the issue of Islamist terrorism and its connection with traditional Islam.
Q-Since Islamist attack on Mumbai on 26 November 2008 issue of war on terror has again emerged as the main issue and in someway has overshadowed the economic recession also. Being a more debated expert on Islamism and Islamic politics in your views what would be the implication of this new development?
DP-I see its impact mainly confined to India. For the outside world, it is just another brutal Islamist attack but for Indians it has greater impact and a potentially major impact on Muslim life in the country, relations with Pakistan, the Taliban revival, and so on.
Q-Attack on Mumbai has exposed the south Asia as a new hub of Islamist terrorism. Do you think there is shift in Islamist terrorism from Middle East to South Asia is tactical or as a string of global Islamist terror network.
DP-No, I see the global jihadist network taking advantage of opportunities as they arise, not specifically focusing on the Middle East or South Asia.
Q- Being a expert on Middle Eastern politics and prolific commentator of Islamic politics what is the root cause of this Islamist terrorism.
DP- The dream of applying Islamic law, the Shari’a.
Q- Just before Mumbai was attacked United Nations was approached with a resolution to which some analysts say is an attempt to stop the using word Islamist terrorism as well as censure any criticism of Islam. Don’t you think it will demoralize any academic debate on the root cause of problem “Islamist terrorism”?
DP- Not naming the enemy is already a major problem; should the Organization of the Islamic Conference succeed in getting international sanction for censorship, it will be yet more difficult to defeat this enemy.
Q- For a long time you have been warning the world about lawful Islamism could you describe its dimensions and how much vulnerable democratic countries are to this from of Islam?
DP-Lawful Islamism is the pursuit of Islamic law not through violence and criminality but education and politics. The AKP domination of Turkish politics offers a leading example of the phenomenon. The United Kingdom provides the best example of a Western country in the course of succumbing to this strategy.
Q-In your young age who had spend sometimes in Muslim countries in Middle East as per example Egypt and learned Arabic to study Quran in its real essence. Since then in your articles you have categorically stated that terrorism is essentially not related with Islam and Quran. How do you explain this delicate subject when Jihad has been described as signature tune of Islam with obligation on every Muslim to fight against infidels to convert darul harb into darul Islam?
DP-I think you have made a mistake here – I do not argue that Islamist terrorism is unconnected to Islam and the Quran.
Q-Do you think problem of Islamist terrorism and concept of jihad are two different aspects of Islam which should be addressed in different ways?
DP-Jihad can take many forms, one of which is terrorism.
Q- Few years back you participated in a talk with mayor of London Livingstone and dismissed the idea of clash of civilization with clash of civilization vs. barbarism. Please describe your doctrine and now when father of the idea of clash of civilization Samuel Huntington has died few days back how relevant this idea is now?
DP-Huntington had an important insight about the role of culture but he tried to systemize in ways that did not work.
Q- Conspiracy theorist world wide ranging from leftists to Islamists has accused Israel and Zionists for everything which went wrong in this world from time immemorial. People want to know why Zionists has been targeted by these forces.
DP-I have written two books on this question. In briefest form, the success of Jews in adapting to modernity has prompted conspiracy theories about them.
Q- Lot has been discussed about the new world order. Do you think war on terror and response against Islamist Forces could decide the new world order in this way or the other with some new alliances and strategic partnerships?
DP-The Islamist push for power is a very major development but hardly the only global threat. I do not see it creating a new world order, but not for lack of trying.
Q- Finally Arab world was very much enthusiastic to the election of Barak Obama as new president of USA but in recent attack of Israel on Hamas he opted for silence and it disappointed Arab nations. It endorse your views which you have discussed long before election in your article comparing views of republic and democrat candidates on Middle East with conclusion that Middle East is the focal point for both of candidates. In present scenario how much policy change is possible in new regime.
DP-Obama’s policies are a mystery, in the Middle East and in every other policy area. One can speculate endlessly about them but I prefer to wait a few weeks to see what is actually in store.
Last 5 posts by Amitabh Tripathi
- Has India really moved on? – October 2nd, 2010
- Israel’s Muslims reach out: strategy, desperation or appeasement? – September 27th, 2010
- Time to policy shift not to bleed and weep – September 26th, 2010
- Buying the peace on higher cost – October 4th, 2009
- The Goldstone Report – A Study in Bias – September 17th, 2009