The Tikvah Podcast How Islamism Took Over the Middle East
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Aug 1, 2025 Hussein Aboubakr Mansour, an Egyptian-American writer, discusses his essay on the Arab mindset and its link to jihadism rooted in European philosophy. Ze’ev Maghen, a professor focused on Islamic history, and Bernard Haykel, a political Islam expert, join the conversation. They delve into the complex historical and political landscape of the Middle East, the impact of colonialism on ideology, and the struggles of Arab intellectuals. The dialogue also covers the evolving nature of Islamism, authenticity in religious thought, and the effects of modernity on traditional beliefs.
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Middle East's Intellectual Crisis
- The Middle East's dysfunction is tied to an intellectual crisis influenced by German historicism, not just cultural or colonial factors.
- Arab intellectual adoption of nihilistic revolutionary ideologies altered traditional Islamic thought deeply.
Transformation of Jihad Concept
- The Islamic concept of jihad shifted from spiritual and state warfare meanings to a revolutionary nihilistic struggle inspired by early 20th-century German ideas.
- Modern jihadism recycles these reinterpreted meanings framed within classical religious vocabulary but rooted in newer philosophies.
Shared Roots of Radicalism
- Islamist radicals and some Western progressives share intellectual origins in Fanon's theories of violent decolonial rage.
- Fanon's influence became a foundational justification for jihadism and radical anti-imperialist movements.
