Egypt has experienced a significant increase in the resurgence of Islamic activism since the 1980s (Ibrahim 632). “Egypt’s Islamic resurgence, though significant in itself, is only one instance in the context of far more complex phenomena that are sweeping the Islamic world from Morocco to Indonesia” (Ibrahim 632). Al-Azhar is widely known as the oldest and primary university responsible for spiritual and educational growth (Ibrahim 635). Given that this university is located in Cairo, Egypt, when the university determined to initiate the provision of an economic base by means of religious funds, these endowments, or ‘gifts’ effectively resulted in state control while under the leadership of Mohamed Ali (Ibrahim 636). Moreover, Egyptian leaders were subjected to great opposition from Mohamed and Ali Abdul Razek, thereby marginalizing the very infrastructure of the Egyptian government.
Although younger Egyptians oppose the extreme subordination of the Egyptian state, the fact remains that approximately 10,000 mosques and a great quantity of higher education institutions are controlled by Islam (Ibrahim 637). It is important to note that Sufi Islam, which is focused on an abhorrence of worldly matters, has also experienced an increased surge in popularity. “Despite their apolitical appearance and manners, Sufi orders are potential social activists” (Ibrahim 639). As such, this affiliation if far more willing to engage in violent measure to achieve their goals than it would appear on the surface level (Ibrahim 639-640).
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The Muslim Brotherhood avoided excessive force and confrontation with Israeli resistance for a length of time; however, they development of Hamas, also know as the Islamic Resistance Movement, empowered Muslims to forcefully resist Palestine opposition to their movement (Abu-Amr 5). “Its emergence has brought about a state of imbalance in the political forces that had held sway for decades” (Abu-Amr 5). Much like events that occurred in Egypt, the Muslim Brotherhood was empowered to access control in Palestine by means of endowments given to religious institutions (Abu-Amr 6). To date, Palestine is largely characterized as a Muslim land (Abu-Amr 9). Despite their growing power, Hamas is repeatedly plagued by the incarceration and deportation of members; therefore, they continually reorganize their resistance.
In more recent years, Indonesia has moved beyond the political unrest that is often attributed to Muslim states (Pohl 399). Despite efforts among Indonesian leaders and societal members, Islamic resistance does pose a treat. There does exist a number of institutions that perpetuate political ideologies that defy the aspirations of Indonesian leaders, and they are visible in their violent convictions that defy a pluralist constitution. (Pohl 408). The salient fact is, Islamic states often fail as a product of their reliance on violence in a world of people who value peaceful solutions.
United States (US) values are firmly rooted in a political infrastructure based in democracy (Erekat 166). “Defining Arab-Western relations starts with the achievement of peace and democracy” (Erekat 166). It is critical to engage in meaningful discourse with Arab countries for the sake of reformation and the development of independent states that are not doomed to fail by virtue of violence (Erekat 167). Reformation requires governance that is based on democratic principles, and the US is in a unique position to serve as a worthy example by which Arab countries may thrive in all facets of social and political endeavors if leaders choose to model their governance after the democratic nation that has promoted prosperity in the US.
