Dr Osama Al-Azhari
Minister of Awqaf
(Charitable Endowments)
A careful examination of the ideological
foundations underlying extremist and terrorist thought reveals an interconnected framework of concepts. This framework typically originates with the notions of takfir (label someone as an apostate) or hakimiyyah (divine
sovereignty), which subsequently give rise to ideas such as jahiliyyah (ignorance/pre-Islamic belief), the belief in the “saved sect,” the doctrine of loyalty and disavowal, the perceived superiority of believers, the inevitability of confrontation, and ultimately the pursuit of
empowerment or domination.
These seven themes constitute common ideological elements across extremist groups and movements.
Further analysis of terrorism and extremism demonstrates that these phenomena emerge from a broader network of approximately thirty-five interrelated concepts.
Such concepts may be systematically examined through the disciplines of Islamic legal theory (usul al-fiqh), logic, and other traditional scholarly sciences associated with
Al-Azhar.
Rational analysis indicates that the central and foundational driver of these ideologies is the concept of takfir, from which many other extremist ideas and interpretations derive.
The extremist individual is often characterised
by an intense psychological need to establish a sense of legitimacy, identity, and self-worth, reflecting an underlying condition of emotional and psychological insecurity.
This phenomenon has affected followers of various religious traditions including Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, and Islam
demonstrating that religion itself is not inherently responsible for terrorism
or extremism. Instead, extremist behaviour may originate from deep psychological disturbances that drive individuals to seek personal validation through ideological, religious, or philosophical frameworks. Scholars such as Qadri Hifni and Shaker Abdel Hamid were among the early researchers to examine the psychological dimensions of terrorism and the personality traits associated
with extremist individuals.
Their academic contributions emphasised the
importance of understanding the mental and emotional factors underlying radicalisation.
During the 1970s and 1980s, terrorist movements largely developed on the basis of distorted ideological foundations.
These were disseminated through mosque sermons, cassette recordings, and pamphlets
circulated over prolonged periods. Advocates of takfiri ideology devoted substantial effort to influencing and recruiting young individuals through sustained personal interaction and psychological persuasion.
Contemporary terrorism, however, has evolved significantly in both form and method.
Modern extremist movements increasingly rely on psychological manipulation supported
by simplistic and misleading ideological narratives distributed through social
media posts, chants, and short digital messages.
These forms of communication often promote resentment, hostility, and distorted interpretations while spreading rapidly across online platforms. Consequently, social media has emerged as the principal environment for the dissemination and amplification of
extremist ideologies.
The doctrine of al-wala’ wa al-bara’ (loyalty and disavowal) constitutes one of the principal ideological foundations common to extremist movements.
Although it is present across various radical groups, it has been especially prominent
within certain Salafi-oriented factions, whose proponents have produced extensive writings on the subject and frequently drawn upon interpretations associated with Ibn Taymiyyah.
Through selective and often flawed readings of
Qur’anic texts, these groups have elevated the concept from a matter of jurisprudential
interpretation to a central theological principle.
In extremist discourse, this doctrine is understood as requiring absolute loyalty and exclusive allegiance to the group itself, accompanied by the rejection of alternative ideas, communities, intellectual traditions, or social affiliations.
Such movements frequently merge commitment to the group with the essence of religious faith, thereby creating a rigid and exclusionary worldview that may reflect deeper
psychological and ideological instability.
By contrast, the broader objectives of religion are grounded in three fundamental aims: worshiping Allah Almighty, self-purification, and the constructive development of the earth.
The process of self-purification plays a particularly important role in safeguarding
individuals from psychological and intellectual distortions that can contribute to doctrinal extremism and ideological radicalisation.
Furthermore, extremist groups have grounded the doctrine of al-wala’ wa al-bara’ (loyalty and disavowal) upon a narrow and methodologically unsound interpretation of Qur’anic verses, shaped by personal inclinations and an inadequate command of the principles of Islamic scholarship.
In doing so, they have adapted scriptural texts to support their ideological objectives. Among the verses commonly invoked are: “Surely your Ever-Patronising Patron is only Allah; and His Messenger, and the ones who have believed-who keep up the prayer and bring the Zakat, (i.e., pay the poor-dues) and are bowing down (to Allah) – (are also your patrons).” (Qur’an 5:55); “The believers should not take to themselves the disbelievers for constant patrons, apart from (i.e. rather than) the
believers; and he who performs that, (then) he has nothing (to look to) from Allah, excepting that you may protect yourselves against them (in manner) of protection” (Qur’an 3:28); “O you who have believed, do not take to yourselves My enemy and your enemy for patrons, casting forth to them (your) amity, and they have already disbelieved in what has come to you of the Truth,” (Qur’an 60:1); and “you have already had a fair example in Ibrahîm (Abraham) and the ones with him as they said to their people, “Surely we are completely quit of you and whatever you worship apart from Allah.
We disbelieve in you, and between you
and us enmity has appeared, and abhorrence forever, until you believe in Allah
alone.” (Qur’an 60:4).
In reality, these noble verses were never
intended to legitimise rebellion against society or the state, and it is difficult to conceive of the Qur’an as a basis for such an interpretation. Reading these verses in this manner
poses significant risks, as it may be misused to justify acts such as co-operation with hostile forces or betrayal of religious and national
commitments.
In his exegesis of the verse “And whoever of you patronises them, then surely he is one of them,” (Qur’an 5:51) fakhr al-Din al-Razi explains, citing Ibn ‘Abbas, that this
indicates resemblance rather than literal identification, and that it serves as
a form of stern warning emphasising the obligation to avoid those who oppose
the faith.
He further clarifies that the verse operates within the framework of legal rulings concerning permissible and impermissible conduct, rather than addressing matters of belief and disbelief in an absolute theological sense, and must be understood in light of its broader social and religious context.
The presence of sincere love for religion and
the homeland may serve as a remaining point of hope for individuals who have
been influenced by such ideological currents, offering the possibility of reconsideration and a return to a more balanced understanding.
In this context, the thought associated with
Sayyid Qutb has been interpreted by some adherents as reducing the concept of
homeland to nothing more than “a handful of soil,” while considering the only legitimate homeland to be that of faith alone.
Such interpretations contributed to the formation of additional ideological justifications that further entrenched the concept of loyalty and disavowal.
As a result, cases of defiance against the state and even harm toward parents have been reported in extreme situations, sometimes reaching the point of violence due to mere disagreement with the group’s ideological stance.
This interpretation stands in clear contrast to the Qur’anic teaching, which emphasises kindness and good companionship with parents even in cases of disagreement, as stated in the verse: “And in case they (both) strive with you that you associate with Me that of which you have no knowledge, then do not obey them, and keep them company in the present (life) (Literally: the lowly “life”, i.e., the life of
this world) with beneficence. And closely follow the way of him who (turns) penitent to Me.
Thereafter to Me will be your return; then I will (fully) inform you of whatever you were doing.” (Qur’an 31:15)
It may be argued that terrorism, in its essence,
reflects an underlying psychological imbalance that seeks to cloak itself in ideological justification, whether derived from religious texts or philosophical constructs, in order to legitimise destructive conduct.
This underscores the critical importance of studying and teaching the religious
sciences in a disciplined and scholarly manner, grounded in sound methodology that links texts to their evidences and guards against arbitrary or distorted interpretations. Such an approach also reaffirms the primary objectives of Islamic law, namely the worship of Allah, the purification of the self, and the
development and prosperity of the earth.
Until a future meeting, Allah willing.
