And then, there are often people who refer to these groups as Islamists,
or that they are Islamist extremists.
Now what does Islamism mean?
Islamism means, I think the fundamental idea that people would like more
Islamic principles built into the laws in which they are governed by.
And what I want to get cross here is that Islamism can range all the way from
totally non-violent normal political parties,
all the way to the rejectionist extremists of Bin Laden.
And, I just don't want us to get confused to believe that if we're saying that
Bin Laden is an Islamist.
Because, indeed, he does want a form of Sharia law to
be the governing law over a large swath of territory.
Just because he believes in that element of Islamism,
doesn't believe that all other Islamists agree with bin Laden,
or endorse violence or many of his other ideas.
Let's just quickly review that.
So there are many nonviolent Islamist political parties, the Justice and
Development Party in Turkey, for example, that has been in power for
a number of years has brought more Islamic practices to Turkey.
The Freedom and Justice Party in Egypt run by Mohammed Morsi.
There's lots of issues arround this party and what's happened in Egypt.
But it was, it came to power in a free election,
they're engaging in politics, they had constitution, a legislative process.
You might think it was totally unfair, but still, it was a nonviolent,
normal political party in this very difficult transition in Egypt,
certainly contrary to Bin Laden.
And likewise with Turkey, Turkey rejects these parties,
the violent extremist groups.
And, indeed, has been attacked by many of them.
So he has no linkages to Bin Laden, just because they're both Islamists.
Things like the Muslim Brotherhood and the Hezbollah,
they are political movements that have both violent and nonviolent elements.
The Muslim Brotherhood's a movement, a global movement.
And it has different sects, some of which do try to bring about Islamic
principles into law via violence, but also via politics.
Hezbollah is a terrorist organization, but it is also a party in Lebanon.
There are people in that party who hold seats in the Parliament.
So they differ, these groups differ from Bin Laden in one very important respect.
Bin Laden and, remember, Kutib said that we can't have man made law.
We shouldn't abide by a political system that leads to laws that have to govern us.
That we can only be governed by the direct word of God,
laws that are God-made, not man-made.
That's what Bin Laden and groups like Al Shabab and other like-minded groups.
And indeed, Bin Laden criticised parties like Hamas and
Hezbollah for engaging in politics, and engaging in elections.
So are all of these are Islamists, but they have varying degrees and
we need to be sensitive to that.
David SchanzerAssociate Professor of the Practice
