Al-Qaeda is generally viewed as a global threat bent on changing the world order at any cost. This hybrid movement has its distant and various roots in the Muslim Brotherhood movement that the late Hassan Al-Bana founded in Egypt more than half a century ago and in Wahabism and perhaps Sufism. It will be recalled that all these three Islamic movements condoned militancy to further their political aims and serve their religious agendas.
Al-Bana, for example, was revolted by the western way of life and determined to rid his people and fellow Muslims of all vestiges of this decadence . His ultimate aim and objective was to cleanse Muslims from non-Muslim modes of life. Both Wahabism and Sufism share similar outlooks.
Al-Qaeda appears to follow in the footsteps of these conservative movements by adopting a posture of cleansing Muslims and the Muslim world from all western mores even if that entails the elimination of fellow Muslims as seems to be the case in Iraq. Yet, neither the Muslim Brotherhood of Egypt nor the Wahabis and Sufis of Saudi Arabia ever preached or condoned indiscriminate killing even if they utilized violence in the name of religion. Al-Qaeda, however, appears to thrive on indiscriminate killing including of its own people in order to score political points or promote its own version of Islam.
The Iraqi theater is a good example of the methods adopted by Al-Qaeda. Children, women and innocent and non-combatant men are purposely targeted on a daily basis to worsen conditions in the country. While Al-Qaeda aims to make life more difficult for the US and its forces deployed in Iraq, it is also making life miserable for the Iraqi people.
Al-Qaeda s primary tactic appears to be to drive a wedge between the Shia and Sunni communities in a bid to make the conditions in the country – and perhaps beyond – ungovernable for Washington and its allies and unbearable for fellow Muslims who do not share its version of Islam. Judging by unfolding events in Iraq, Al-Qaeda even prides itself on killing the innocent because it calculates that through chaos and lawlessness it will gain not only more strength in different parts of the Arab and Islamic worlds, but it also cleanses Islam of Muslims who disagree with its message. Killing fellow Muslims who do not adhere to Al-Qaeda s understanding of Islam has become necessary in the minds of Al-Qaeda leaders because this fits in with their cleansing policy.
It is counter intuitive that such nihilism should win many adherents. Yet Al-Qaeda appears to be winning new supporters in far-flung places and all attempts at eradicating the group have failed.
The list of options has not been exhausted, however. What better way to arrest the expansion of Al-Qaeda s ideology than for another Islamic movement to compete with it for the hearts and minds of Muslims? There are two that fit the bill perfectly: Hamas and Hezbollah. Both have proved their Islamic credentials in ideology and conduct. Both are moderate with respect to their understanding of social relations. Both have proven their mettle in their armed resistance to Israel. Neither has the same creed of indiscriminate killing and nihilism of Al-Qaeda.
Hamas and Hezbollah therefore must not be written off as evildoers or spoilers of peace in the region. Rather they should be viewed against the backdrop of the bigger picture in the Middle East. Both of these Islamic groups could be utilized to checkmate Al-Qaeda and end its monopoly and supremacy in attracting the support of zealots and hardliners. In order to be so, however, they must not be placed in the same bracket as Al-Qaeda.
Perhaps this is a long shot but it is worth considering as an effective way to arrest the advances of Al-Qaeda in the war for the hearts and minds of Muslim people around the world. Of course this does not mean the two Islamic factions fight Al-Qaeda head on. What Hamas and Hezbollah can do is prevent the further expansion of the Al-Qaeda network to areas under their control. By so doing the international community can expect to contain Al-Qaeda and erode its designs for expansion. Once the tide has turned, then perhaps the battle can be taken to Al-Qaeda s own turf in Iraq.
Waleed Sadiis a former Jordanian ambassador to Turkey and the UN and other international organizations in Geneva. He is currently a columnist for the Jordan Times and Al Rai newspapers. The DAILY NEWS EGYPT publishes this commentary in collaboration with bitterlemons-international.org
