Evaluating Fundamentalism

Focus: The Taliban

What impact has Islamic

Fundamentalism had on the wider world?

To what extent can the Taliban & al-Qaeda be held responsible for the negative view of Islam which

prevails in the West today?• What negative view? – Stereotyping (“all Muslims are terrorists”?)– Discrimination (Belgium banning Burkas)– Suspicion & segregation of Muslim communities (“say no

to Sharia Law / Muslim Schools”)• Taliban: • Oppressive, totalitarian regime• Disregard for human rights• Brutal implementation of Sharia Law

• Has Islam become synonymous with terrorism?

The over-riding view the West has of an Islamic state

To what extent have fundamentalist movements affected Muslims in the diaspora?

• Muslim become associated with Taliban & other extremist groups• Become marginalized by society & so many left with little option

but to join radical groups• Moderate Muslims become more traditionalist for fear of being

labelled “apostate”• Many feel entirely distinct from F’list groups leading to divisions

within the Ummah rather than unity• Many feel the true meaning of “fundamentalist” for a Muslim has

been altered – resulting in them having to call themselves “moderate” to avoid being stereotyped

• Many Muslims living in the West have been hurt or killed by Islamist terrorist activity

Do you think the impact of Fundamentalist movements on Muslims in the diaspora has been positive or negative?

POSITIVE:• Some feel empowered by

seeing the Muslim world fight back & defend Islam

• Sense of unity among the Ummah – F’list groups & terrorist groups are united in fighting the West

• Renewed sense of identity & solidarity

NEGATIVE:• Frustration at being

stereotyped & tarred with the same brush

• Becoming disenchanted with a distorted version of Islam portrayed by such groups

• Feeling that there is a danger the Muslim world is losing sight of what it really means to be a Muslim – Tawhid, 5 Pillars

Have groups like the Taliban prevented Islam from being taken seriously by the rest of the world?

• When the rest of the world hear the words “Sharia’h Law” it is the Taliban’s corrupted version of it which comes to mind

• Many moderate Muslims are frustrated by the Taliban’s archaic & barbaric version of Islam

• The legacy of the Golden Era of Islam – intellectual centre of the world in the middle ages has been lost in a wave of brutal acts of terror against Muslims & non-Muslims alike