Ambivalence in contemporary Sunni Islamism

A challenge for western liberal democracies

Resumo

In recent years, the concept of Islamism has become familiar in Western academia and Western political discourse. It is often linked with political upheavals and extremist violence using Islamic rhetoric. However, do we fully understand what this ambiguous concept refers to? Should it be seen as a unique aspect of Islam or as a secular ideology? Islamism is not simply an abstract representation of the Islamic faith or an exaggeration of Islam. While it originates from that context, it operates on a different level. This essay will analyse contemporary Sunni Islamism as a movement that, like any other social and political movement, has a specific doctrine. It draws inspiration from a secular ideology, using specific forms of political action to achieve its goals. However, there is a significant distinction: It is an ideology with religious principles that are put into immediate practice, meaning these principles are used as tools to analyse social and political conflicts, challenging the Western concepts of political liberty. Contemporary Sunni Islamism is a political ideology that formulates governance based on the Quran, seeking the establishment of an Islamic political entity. However, the extent of religion's influence on this political ideology is yet to be determined. This essay aims to illuminate these issues by providing a conceptual analysis of the various Western frameworks for contemporary Islamism, an ideology that presents religious precepts that seek to be transformed into immediate praxis, a challenge for Western liberal democracies.