Political Islam

This material was published in the third issue of the Jordanian Politics and Society magazine (JPS). The ascent of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) to power in Syria—and the appointment of the leader of this formerly Salafi-jihadist armed faction as president, alongside regional and international recognition —represents a profoundly significant event. It marks a distinct departure from what the Arab world…

The relationship between the Jordanian state and the original, now-banned Muslim Brotherhood has been a focal point of elite discussions and social media debates for several weeks. These debates often explicitly or implicitly take dangerous turns that affect internal cohesion. Critics of the Brotherhood sometimes generalise the discussion to broader national identity and unity themes. At the same time, Brotherhood…

The Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan stands today at a strategic crossroads in redefining its role and its relationship with both the state and society. While the current flashpoint revolves around a group of 16 youths—most of whom are affiliated with the Brotherhood—accused of manufacturing and possessing weapons, this case is only part of a broader and escalating crisis between the…

Major historical-political events or turning points are closely linked to the movement of ideas. They often lead to new intellectual waves that emerge after previous trends. The current war of extermination in Gaza, with its massive emotional and visual impact and the anger and resentment it stirs among broad segments of Arab societies, will undoubtedly have significant ideological and intellectual…

The main question regarding Ahmad al-Shar’a and the controversial role of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in Syria’s future goes beyond personal or partisan dimensions. In other words, it’s not the core issue. The main question is whether al-Julani or HTS (in whatever political form it may take – a political party or an ideological alliance) will be a dominant actor…

While the winds seem to be moving towards holding parliamentary elections in Jordan this year, as scheduled, there is still debate in political circles as to whether the party scene is ready and whether the new parties that are supposed to have the ability to compete and clash with the street are able to run in the elections effectively?! On…

The latest poll, conducted by the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies, reveals significant political indicators. The survey sampled 8,000 respondents from 16 Arab countries, including the Gulf countries (excluding the UAE and Bahrain), Yemen, the Arab Levant (Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon, West Bank Palestinians, excluding Syria), and the North African countries (Egypt, Sudan, Libya, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Mauritania), Which…

Despite the reductionist perspective on many themes in a recent report from The Economist, “A Religious Revolution is Under Way in the Middle East,” it contributes to stimulating and driving a deep discussion about the region and the impact of events in Gaza on more than one level. The first concerns the political future of the Middle East, the second…

Dylan Liptack and Isaac Shulman Analyzing the hashtag #HamasIsISIS: Understanding American Think Tank Comparisons Between Hamas and ISIS Within the context of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, there are various contentious topics in which the perceptions of American think tank organizations and their effects on policymakers are made clear. One such controversial topic relates to American think tank perceptions pertaining to…

Not the clerics, but the politicians, are who have always claimed secularism, democracy, liberalism, or even leftism and conservatism, have devoted themselves to blatant and overt discourses, which they do not seek to hide or conceal. Is it a process of “employing religion” only, to serve politics and politicians and their various agendas, or a return and new revival of…