Islamic Fundamentalism (World in Conflict. Middle East.)

Cory Gunderson

By Cory Gunderson

WORLD IN CONFLICT: THE MIDDLE EAST

V I S I T U S AT W W W. A B D O P U B . C O M Published by ABDO & Daughters, an imprint of ABDO Publishing Company, 4940 Viking Drive, Suite 622, Edina, Minnesota 55435. Copyright ©2004 by Abdo Consulting Group, Inc. International copyrights reserved in all countries. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. Printed in the United States. Edited by: Sheila Rivera Contributing Editors: Paul Joseph, Chris Schafer Graphic Design: Arturo Leyva Cover Design: Castaneda Dunham, Inc. Photos: Corbis, Fotosearch Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Gunderson, Cory Gideon. Islamic fundamentalism / Cory Gunderson. p. cm. -- (World in conflict. The Middle East) Includes index. Contents: Overview of extremist believers -- World of Islam -- Fundamentalist beliefs-Islam and the West -- Outcomes of Islamic fundamentalism -- TimeLine -- Fast facts. ISBN 1-59197-411-9 1. Islamic fundamentalism--Juvenile literature. 2. Jihad--Juvenile literature. 3. Terrorism--Religious aspects--Islam--Juvenile literature. [1. Islamic fundamentalism. 2. Jihad. 3. Terrorism--Religious aspects--Islam.] I. Title. II. World in conflict. Middle East.

BP166.14.F85G86 2003 297’.09’04--dc21

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2003048131

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TA B L E

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CONTENTS

Overview of Extremist Believers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 World of Islam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Five Pillars of Islam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Fundamentalist Beliefs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23 Islam and the West . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 Outcomes of Islamic Fundamentalism . . . . . . . . . .32 Timeline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .40 Fast Facts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 Web Sites . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48

3 Table of Contents

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O V E RV I E W O F EXTREMIST BELIEVERS

T

he September 11, 2001, attacks on American targets stunned the world. Nineteen hijackers took control of four commercial airplanes. These men

used box cutters and other weapons to take control of the crew. They then turned the planes into powerful bombs by flying them into targets. Shortly after the attacks, evidence linked the terroristic acts to Osama bin Laden. Bin Laden and these hijackers are Islamic fundamentalists. Radical Islamic fundamentalists are willing to give their lives to defend their Islamic beliefs. They are extremists who understand their holy book, the Koran, differently than other Muslims do. Muslims are those who follow the religion of Islam. Islamic fundamentalists want to protect Muslims from the U.S. and other Western nations. They see Western influence as having a negative impact on Muslims. The majority of Muslims

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Airplane wreckage from Pan Am Flight 103 that was destroyed over Lockerbie, Scotland, by radical Islamic fundamentalists

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are not fundamentalists. Not all fundamentalists kill or die for what they believe. Many religions have a portion of believers who are fundamentalists. Fundamentalists think they know the exact meaning of their holy books. They typically don’t think that their religion should be kept separate from ordinary community life. They can be severe in believing that their view of religion is the only true one. They often do not tolerate views that are different from theirs. Radical fundamentalists may also be referred to as extremists. Since the late 1960s, the threat of radical Islamic fundamentalism has become more visible. Acts of destruction by these radicals have gained the world’s attention. Many countries around the world have felt the damage caused by hijackers, bombers, and killers. It is important to understand what drives some people to kill and use religion as their reason.

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WORLD

OF

ISLAM

M

uslim people live all over the world. More than 1.4 billion people, or 23 percent of the world’s population, practice the Islamic religion. It is

the second most practiced religion in the world. The Islamic religion began in the Middle East. This is where Muslims believe the Prophet Muhammad first received the word of God. Muslims everywhere consider the city of Mecca to be the holiest place. This city, in Saudi Arabia, was the home of the Prophet Mohammad. Muslims who are able must journey to Mecca at least once in their lifetime. Many Muslims live in Mecca or near the city itself. There are 960 million Muslims who live on the continent of Asia, including the Middle East. That’s about 69 percent of the world’s Muslim population. Saudi Arabia and its neighbors all have large Muslim populations. Almost every citizen of Saudi Arabia is a practicing Muslim. That’s 21.1 million people.

7 World of Islam

Map showing the percentage of each country that is Muslim

SOURCE: CIA FACTBOOK, 2002 ESTIMATES

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Iran, Yemen, Afghanistan, and Turkey all have populations that are at least 99 percent Muslim. Iraq’s population is 97 percent Muslim. The Muslim population in just Iraq and Iran adds up to almost 90 million people. Indonesia, the nation with the highest Muslim population, has more than 200 million Muslims. Many Muslims also live in India, Malaysia, and Bangladesh. Most of them have either grown up in a Muslim home or converted to Islam as adults. Large nations, such as the United States, have fewer Muslims. Only two percent of the United States’ population is Muslim. Russia’s Muslim population is 19 percent, and China’s is two percent. Most U.S. citizens are Christians. Judaism ranks second, and Islam is the third most practiced religion in the United States. That ranking may soon change though. Islam is the fastest growing religion in the world. It is growing quickly in the United States, too. Leaders of Muslim nations are very powerful. Often the citizens do not have a voice in their government. Their input is typically limited. Fundamentalists, especially, are often loyal to a specific leader rather than a political system. This is due in large part to the Islamic religion. The Islamic religion does not have

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KUWAIT UNITED STATES

1.8 MILLION 5.6 MILLION 18.5 MILLION

YEMEN

23.0 MILLION

SAUDI ARABIA IRAQ

23.3 MILLION 25.7 MILLION

CHINA AFGHANISTAN

27.5 MILLION

RUSSIA

27.5 MILLION

IRAN

66.0 MILLION

TURKEY

66.6 MILLION

INDIA INDONESIA

15

30

45

60

75

90

105

MUSLIM POPULATION (IN

125.5 MILLION 203.6 MILLION

105

120

135

150

165

180

195

210

ON (IN MILLIONS OF PEOPLE) SOURCE: CIA FACTBOOK, 2002 ESTIMATES

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spiritual leaders such as priests or rabbis. The important people within the Muslim society are in charge of interpreting the Koran. The political leader is usually someone who is also an important Muslim leader. Islamic leaders who do not blend religion into their political initiatives may lose their positions. Some are even killed. Former Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, for example, was murdered on October 6, 1981, by Islamic extremists. These extremists killed Sadat because he was working toward peace with Israel. They also thought he was acting like a king. They saw him as a poor example for fellow Muslims. In Afghanistan, the Taliban leader Mohammad Omar led the war-torn nation. He gained the people’s support when he appeared before them wearing the cloak of Mohammad. The cloak of Mohammad was considered one of the country’s holiest objects. The walls of mosques all across Iraq contain pictures of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein praying. These pictures show Saddam’s devotion to the Muslim religion. Saddam is another example of a powerful Islamic leader. Saudi Arabia’s leader, King Fahd, governs his people according to Shari’a. The Shari’a is another name for Islamic law. Under Islamic law, special committees handle arguments

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about money. People are not allowed to vote. There are laws, too, about what women can wear in public. The Islamic religion varies greatly from religions of the West. Rather than keeping church and state separate, Muslims combine their faith into all aspects of their lives. Politicians, especially, have learned how important this practice is to their power.

King Fahd of Saudi Arabia

13 World of Islam

The mosque is Muslims’ place of worship.

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FIVE PILLARS ISLAM

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T

he Islamic religion is built on five central ideas. They are guidelines for how Muslims should live their lives. They are called the five pillars of Islam.

The pillars require Muslims to do certain tasks daily, yearly, and once in a lifetime. The five pillars are:

Faith (Shahada) The first pillar asks Muslims to pledge their faith. The pledge is called the Shahada. Muslims pledge their faith by saying, “There is no god except God, and Muhammad is his messenger.” The Arabic words for “There is no god except God” are “La ilaha illa’Llah.” The word ilaha means a false god. Ilaha can include anything that might distract a person from the one true God. Distractions could be the desire for money or power.

15 Five Pillars of Islam

Muslim man reading the Koran

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The Arabic words for “Muhammad is the messenger of God” are “Muhammadun rasulu’Llah.” This part means that Muslims are able to hear the word of God through Muhammad. Muhammad was a prophet who was also a man like them.

Prayer (Salat) Prayer is an important part of a Muslim’s day-to-day life. It is the second pillar. The prayers that Muslims are required to say five times a day are called Salat. The prayers are said at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset, and nightfall each day. Praying gives each Muslim a chance to communicate directly with God. No religious authority figure leads Islamic prayer services. Instead, prayers in Islam are led by an educated person who knows the Koran. The Koran is the Muslim holy book. The congregation chooses the prayer leader. Muslim people pray almost anywhere. They pray in their homes, yards, or at work. They prefer to worship together in a mosque if possible. The prayer begins with a call to prayer. This is like an announcement that tells the people prayer is starting.

17 Five Pillars of Islam

Muslims at prayer

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Growth and Purification (Zakat) The word Zakat means growth and purification. This third pillar is based on the Islamic idea that all things belong to God. Muslims believe that people are only holding what really belongs to God. They are called to purify, or make clean, their belongings. They do this by setting aside a certain amount of their money to help others in need. A Muslim’s Zakat is calculated each year. Usually two and a half percent of a Muslim’s income is then donated to people in need. Individuals can give more than this if they wish. If they choose to give more, it is usually done in secret.

The Fast (Sawm) Sawm is the fourth pillar. Muslims fast during Ramadan. Ramadan is the Muslims’ holy season and is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. The Islamic calendar follows the cycle of the moon. This means that Ramadan falls at different times each year on the calendar used by Western nations. During this time, Muslims do not eat or drink between sunrise and sunset. Muslims feel that they will grow spiritually by not eating or drinking. They also believe that fasting helps them understand others who are poorer. All practicing Muslims who have reached

19 Five Pillars of Islam

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puberty are expected to take part in the fast. Exceptions are made for those who are old, sick, and for women who are pregnant.

Pilgrimage (Hajj) The fifth pillar of Islam is the great voyage. It is called Hajj in Arabic. Muslims from all over the world travel to the city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia to worship together. This journey takes place during the twelfth month of the Islamic calendar. Of all the pillars, this is the most difficult. Only healthy people and those who can afford it are required to make the voyage. Nearly two million Muslims travel to Mecca every year. The pilgrims wear simple clothes so that everyone looks the same. The Saudi Arabian government helps finance the expenses for the pilgrimages. At the end of the voyage, there is a great celebration called Eid al-Adha. Muslims celebrate the end of Hajj by praying together and exchanging gifts. These five pillars form the basics of the Islamic faith. They are a part of Muslims’ everyday life.

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Muslim women gather to pray.

Blue mosque of Amman, Jordan

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F U N DA M E N TA L I S T BELIEFS

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slamic fundamentalists believe the Koran contains the absolute truth. Some Muslims choose to be fundamentalists because they are afraid that Muslims are

losing their identity. They fear that Muslims are changing due to Western influence in their native lands. Other Muslims choose fundamentalism because they want to create a main Islamic holy land. Not all Islamic fundamentalists are the same. A professor named John Esposito from Georgetown University said that the West has a negative impression of fundamentalism because the only time they hear about it is through the media during a bombing. Some nations like Saudi Arabia practice a strict, fundamentalist form of Islam known as Shari’a. Under this

23 Fundamentalists Beliefs

Muslim women in burqas

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system, Muslims use a committee to solve social problems. Women also have fewer rights than men. Radical fundamentalism is different because it is sometimes forced on the people. It also includes the use of violence. An example of radical fundamentalism is the Taliban regime of Afghanistan. Some Pashtun people formed this Islamic group in 1994. Their goal was to create an Islamic state. The Taliban forced a strict form of Sunni Islam on the Afghan people. The Afghan people could not play music. They could not vote, and women had very few rights. In 1995, the United Nations tried to transfer power from Afghan President Burhanaddin Rabbani. The UN wanted to give power to a council of leaders. These leaders were to come from different groups, or tribes, in Afghanistan. They hoped that the council would be able to form a fair government. The Taliban would not join the council because they didn’t trust the UN. The council was never formed. The Taliban stayed in power until the U.S. attacked Afghanistan in 2001. These attacks greatly weakened the Taliban’s power. The potential power of radical Islamic fundamentalism first became highly visible in 1979. That is when Shiite Muslims got rid of the ruling Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza. Before the

25 Fundamentalists Beliefs

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takeover, Iranian companies were earning millions of Western dollars exporting oil. Much of this money came from the United States. People in Reza’s government lived wealthy lifestyles. At the same time, the small business owners became poorer. Religious groups lost power. The Iranian people protested and sent Reza and his son out of Iran forever. The person who ruled after Reza was the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Khomeini had helped Iran get rid of Reza. He was active in politics and was a religious teacher. Under Khomeini’s rule, a strict religious government was formed in Iran. He held power in both politics and religion until his death in 1989. The new government renamed the country the Islamic Republic of Iran. The world watched as Islamic fundamentalists took over what had been a developing Western-like nation. Many around the world fear radical Islamic fundamentalism. This extreme form of Islam has had violent results. It is often forced upon people who would otherwise choose to be less extreme in their faith practice.

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Iranians protest the Shah’s rule.

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ISLAM AND THE WEST

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any of the world’s Islamic countries have had rocky relations with the West. They feared that Western nations would change the Muslim

world. They dreaded Western control. Negative feelings between Western countries and Islamic ones became apparent after World War II. Britain had controlled what was the Middle Eastern country of Palestine. The British made a plan to split Palestine into two nations. One nation would be assigned to the Jews and the other to the Palestinian Muslims. The United Nations agreed with Britain’s plan. It voted to divide the territory. The United States and the U.S.S.R. voted in favor of the plan. The British changed their minds and voted against it. On November 29, 1947, the United Nations General Assembly accepted the plan.

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Before the UN plan could be implemented, the Jews claimed their independence. They took the Middle Eastern territory in dispute as theirs. The Jews named their new homeland Israel. The Arab people were very angry about the plan. They did not want the Jews to have any control over Muslim land. On May 15, 1948, Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia attacked Israel. Israel won the war, partly because it had Western support. There has been a lot of tension between the West and many Islamic nations since then. The Arab nations won’t accept the Jewish state. They want it destroyed. Some Western countries still give money and weapons to Israel. Western and Islamic societies are different from each other. The fight over Palestine is just one example. Religion is linked more tightly into Muslim life than it typically is in the West. Some Muslims worry that modern Western ideas will destroy ancient Islamic guidelines for living. They fear that Western ideas will change the way Muslim women dress. They also want to avoid Western influence on the way their governments rule. They fear that Muslim people might turn away from their religion’s daily influence.

29 Islam and the West

The Ayatollah Khomeini ruled Iran after Mohammad Reza, the Shah of Iran, was forced out.

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Radical Islamic fundamentalists have killed Arab leaders for living Western lifestyles. They’ve killed some leaders for trying to make peace with Israel. Present day Muslim leaders are also pressured to end their support of the U.S.’s war on terrorism. Many Islamic fundamentalists don’t want their leaders to turn in fellow Muslims who are suspected of terrorist activities. Still, Western nations work to cooperate with Islamic nations. Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have sold oil to Western nations for a long time. Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan have helped the United States hunt for al-Qaeda terrorists. These countries’ leaders were willing to help even though it may have weakened their power among fellow Muslims. The conflict between the West and the Middle East has its roots in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Today, many Western and Arab nations strive to cooperate with each other. Important differences, though, continue to separate them.

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OUTCOMES OF ISLAMIC F U N DA M E N TA L I S M

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he world first saw the global threat of radical Islamic fundamentalism on July 22, 1968. Members of the Popular Front for the Liberation

of Palestine (PFLP) hijacked an airplane. The PFLP thought that Israeli General Ariel Sharon was on board. They forced the plane bound for Tel Aviv, Israel, to land in Algiers. The passengers were held for six weeks. This was the first airplane hijacked by a Palestinian group. This was not the last attack by radical Islamic fundamentalists. It was a sign of things to come. Months after the first hijacking, PFLP members took over other planes in the Middle East. The next hijacked planes were a Swissair DC-8 and a TWA Boeing 707. Both planes were forced to land in Jordan. Six days later a BOAC VC-10 was hijacked and brought to the same place. Jordan’s airport was later renamed Revolutionary Airport. On February 21, 1970, the PFLP-GC,

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Islamic fundamentalists gather at a Muslim event.

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another sect of the PFLP, hijacked a Swissair flight. A bomb exploded on the plane that was flying from Zurich to Tel Aviv. Forty-seven people died. Terrorists kept attacking people around the world. On September 5, 1972, members of the Islamic group Black September killed 11 Israeli athletes. These athletes were at Munich’s Olympic Village in Germany when they were taken hostage and then killed. On September 15, 1975, Black September members took over the Egyptian embassy in Madrid, Spain. They wanted Egypt to back out of an agreement it had signed with Israel. The treaty was called the Sinai Agreement. The ambassador gave in and signed a paper to withdraw from the treaty. His signature on that paper was later thrown out. Acts of violence continued to spread across the globe. On September 26, 1976, members of the Abu Nidal Organization (ANO) took over a hotel in Damascus, Syria. These radical Islamic fundamentalists held 90 people hostage. Four hostages and all the terrorists were killed in the gunfight to free the hostages. Thirty-four of the hostages were hurt. On April 30, 1980, Iranian terrorists took over their country’s own embassy in London. They took 26 people hostage. They killed two of the hostages on May 5. British Special Forces gained control of the embassy and killed five of the six terrorists.

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In 1985, Palestinian terrorists hijacked an Italian cruise ship. That same year members of the ANO bombed the British Airways ticket office in Madrid, Spain. In 1986, the ANO killed 21 Jews who were praying in a synagogue in Istanbul, Turkey. The threat of radical Islamic fundamentalist terrorism was felt by the United States, too. In 1973, U.S. Ambassador Cleo Noel was killed in the takeover of the Saudi Arabian Embassy in Sudan. Deputy Chief of Mission George Moore also died in that takeover. Other attacks followed. Gunmen in Lebanon kidnapped and killed U.S. Ambassador Francis E. Maloy, an Economics Officer, and their driver. David Dodge, president of the American University of Beirut in Lebanon, was kidnapped on July 19, 1982. The radical Islamic fundamentalists released him a year later. On January 20, 1981, Iran released 52 U.S. hostages it had held for 444 days. Two years later, Islamic Jihad exploded a car bomb near the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon. Sixty-three people, including 17 Americans, died in that embassy bombing. The 1988 bombing of Pan Am flight 103 was reportedly carried out by radical Islamic fundamentalists. The plane was traveling from London to New York. It exploded in the air over Lockerbie, Scotland. All 259 people on board and 11 people on the ground died. 35 Outcomes of Islamic Fundamentalism

An example of Middle Eastern attire

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Libya refused to hand over the two people believed responsible for the attack. Four years later, the United Nations punished the Middle Eastern country. No flights were allowed in or out of Libya. The country was not allowed to buy or sell weapons. Terrorists have also targeted American military staff. On June 14, 1985, Islamic terrorists shot United States Navy diver Robert Stetham. He was a passenger on TWA Flight 847, which was going from Athens to Lebanon. Hijackers held 39 other Americans on that flight for 16 days. On June 25, 1996, terrorists blew up a fuel truck near an Air Base in Saudi Arabia. Nineteen U.S. soldiers died, and 260 people were hurt. Many radical Islamic fundamentalist attacks are done in the name of jihad. The word jihad means, “striving or struggling in the way of God.” There are two kinds of jihad. One is called greater jihad. This is the struggle each person has in him or herself to do what is right. The second kind is called lesser jihad. Lesser jihad means to protect Islam. Islamic radicals see terrorist attacks as acts of lesser jihad. Some Muslims consider the greater and lesser jihad to be the sixth and seventh pillars of Islam.

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Various Islamic extremist groups carry out acts of jihad, also called Holy War. Two of the most famous are the Islamic Jihad and Hamas, both from Palestine. The Lebanese group Hezbollah is also well known. The most wanted terrorist group in the world since September 11, 2001, is the radical Islamic fundamentalist group al-Qaeda. Al-Qaeda means “the base.” The group was once located in Afghanistan and directed by Saudi millionaire Osama bin Laden. Bin Laden’s group was responsible for the bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. Many people also blame al-Qaeda for attacking the U.S.S. Cole at port in Yemen in 2000. Many believe they also led the September 11, 2001, attacks on American targets. In the September 11 attacks, terrorists crashed jet airplanes into the World Trade Center. These twin towers were located in New York. Terrorists also flew a plane into the Pentagon building in Washington, D.C. A fourth plane crashed into a field in Pennsylvania. These were the worst terrorist attacks on American soil in history. Nearly 3,000 people died. The United States’ government began a war on terror after the attacks. It hunted for and caught many radical Islamic fundamentalists who belonged to al-Qaeda. It also broke up the Taliban government in Afghanistan, which is also made up of

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radical Islamic fundamentalists. The United States and the United Nations helped create a new government in Afghanistan. The new government is made up of moderate Muslims. United States President George W. Bush was clear that the U.S. wasn’t targeting all Muslims. Its war on terrorism was focused only on Islamic fundamentalists who intended to harm non-Muslims. The U.S. did limit the power of the Taliban and al-Qaeda. Still, the threat of radical Islamic fundamentalism today remains high.

The UN General Assembly gathers to discuss issues such as terrorism.

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TIMELINE 1948

Israel is created as a home for the Jewish people. The Arab world resents Western control of what they see as Muslim land.

1968

The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) hijacks an airplane for the first time.

1972

Israeli Olympic athletes are killed by the militant Islamic group Black September.

1979

Islamic fundamentalists in Iran overthrow the ruling Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.

1980

Radical Islamic fundamentalist group Hezbollah (Party of God) is created in Lebanon.

1980s

The Iranian revolution triggers strict Islamic movements within the Muslim world.

1981

Egyptian President Anwar Sadat is assassinated by radical Islamic fundamentalists.

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1988

PanAm flight 103 explodes over Lockerbie, Scotland. Radical Islamic fundamentalists are later found guilty of the bombing.

1994

The Taliban begins a campaign to unify Afghanistan and establish an Islamic state.

1998

Osama bin Laden is linked to the bombing of two U.S. embassies in Africa.

2001

Terrorists attack the United States’ World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11.

2003

Arab news network al-Jazeera airs a tape on February 11, that is said to be a recording of Osama bin Laden’s voice. Bin Laden calls to Iraqis to carry out suicide attacks against Americans and to defend themselves against a U.S.-led assault.

41 Timeline

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FA S T FA C T S • Over 1.4 billion people practice the Islamic religion. That’s 23 percent of the world’s population. • The Islamic religion began in the Middle East. This is where the prophet Muhammad first heard the word of Allah, or God. • The city Mecca in Saudi Arabia is considered to be the Muslims’ holiest place. The prophet Muhammad was born and grew up there. • Indonesia has the highest population of Muslims, more than 203 million. • Rulers of Muslim nations are typically religious and political leaders. • Muslims are called to pray five times a day. • Most religions have a portion of followers who are fundamentalists. • Not all Muslims are fundamentalists, and not all fundamentalists are radicals. • The first hijacking by a radical Palestinian Islamic fundamentalist group occurred on July 22, 1968. • The bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, was carried out by radical Islamic fundamentalists. • Al-Qaeda is a radical Islamic fundamentalist group that many think is responsible for the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks against the United States.

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WEB SITES W W W. A B D O P U B . C O M Would you like to learn more about Islamic Fundamentalism? Please visit www.abdopub.com to find up-to-date Web site links about Islamic Fundamentalism and the World in Conflict. These links are routinely monitored and updated to provide the most current information available.

Traditional Arabic writings and designs inside a Muslim mosque

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G L O S S A RY al-Qaeda: A radical Islamic fundamentalist group. Its name means “the base.” Allah: The Arabic word for God. ambassador: An authorized messenger or representative for a particular country. Bangladesh: A country in southern Asia. Bin Laden, Osama: A radical Islamic fundamentalist from Saudi Arabia who is thought to have masterminded the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States. Created al-Qaeda. congregation: A group of people gathered for religious worship. dictator: An absolute ruler of a country. Egypt: A country in northeast Africa. Eid al-Adha: The celebration at the end of the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca. embassy: A building containing the offices of an ambassador and staff. export: To send something abroad for trade or sale. fundamentalism: A religious movement or point-of-view characterized by strict adherence to certain beliefs and principles and intolerance of other views or opposition.

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Hamas: Radical Islamic fundamentalist group in Palestine. Hezbollah: A radical Islamic fundamentalist group in Lebanon. hijack: To take control of a moving vehicle by use of force. hostage: A person held against his or her will by a person or group. ilaha: False gods, such as wealth or power. Indonesia: A country in southeast Asia. Iraq: A country in the Middle East. Islamic fundamentalist: Muslims who interpret the Koran strictly. jihad: “Holy War.” Arabic for striving and struggling to make the word of Allah, or God, supreme. Jordan: A country in the Middle East. Khomeini, Ayatollah: Political and religious leader of Iran from 1979 until 1989. Koran: The sacred book of Islam containing the teachings of Allah, or God, to Muhammad. Lebanon: A country in the Middle East. lunar calendar: A calendar based on cycles of the moon. Malaysia: A country in southeast Asia.

45 Glossary

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Mecca: A city in Saudi Arabia that was home to the Prophet Muhammad. The Muslims consider it a holy city. mosque: The place where Muslims worship. Muhammad: A prophet who Muslims believe spoke for Allah, or God. He founded the Islamic religion. Muslims: Followers of Islam. Pashtun: The largest ethnic group in Afghanistan. They consider themselves the “true Afghans.” pilgrimage: A journey to a holy place. Pillars of Islam: The five central themes of the Islamic religion. Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP): A group of radical Islamic fundamentalists from Palestine. prophet: A person who interprets God’s will. purification: To clean or make pure. Rabbani, Burhanaddin: Once the leader of Afghanistan. radical: Extreme. Ramadan: The ninth month of the year in the Islamic calendar. Revolutionary Airport: An airport in Jordan where hijacked airplanes were forced to land.

46 I S L A M I C F U N D A M E N TA L I S M

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Reza, Mohammed (former Shah of Iran): The ruler of Iran until he was overthrown in 1979. Sadat, Anwar: Egyptian President who was killed in 1981 by Islamic extremists. Salat: Muslim prayers. Saudi Arabia: A country in the Middle East. Sawm: Muslims’ act of fasting during the month of Ramadan. Shahada: A Muslim’s pledge of faith. Shari’a: Fundamentalist form of Islam that is practiced in countries like Saudi Arabia. Syria: A country in southwest Asia. Taliban: The Islamic fundamentalist group that ruled parts of Afghanistan according to strict interpretation of the Koran. terrorism: The illegal use of violence by a person or group of people with the intention of intimidating a society or government. United Nations (UN): An international organization started in 1945 to promote peace, security, and economic development across the world. Western nations: Countries in the western hemisphere that typically have high Christian populations. Zakat: Muslims’ annual giving of money to the poor.

47 Glossary

WORLD IN CONFLICT: THE MIDDLE EAST

INDEX A

Khomeini, Ayatollah 26, 30

Russia 9, 10

Abu Nidal Organization

L

S

Lebanon 29, 35, 37, 40

Sadat, Anwar 12, 41

Lockerbie bombing 5, 35,

Salat 17

(ANO) 34, 35 B Bin Laden, Osama 4, 38, 41

41, 42

Saudi Arabia 7, 13, 20, 23,

Black September 34, 40

M

Bush, George W. 39

Malaysia 9

Sawm 19

C

Mecca 7, 20, 42

Shahada 15, 17

China 9

Muhammad 7, 15, 17, 42

Shari’a 13, 23

E

O

Syria 29, 34

Egypt 29, 34

Olympic 34, 40

T

Eid al-Adha 20

Omar, Mohammad 12

Taliban 12, 25, 38, 39, 41

H

P

Tanzania 38

Hamas 38

Pashtun 25

Terrorism 31, 35, 39

Hezbollah 38, 40

Pillars of Islam 15, 17, 19,

U

Hussein, Saddam 12 I

20, 37

29, 31, 35, 37, 42

United Nations 25, 28, 37,

Popular Front for the

39, 41

Iraq 9, 12, 29

Liberation of Palestine

Z

Islamic Jihad 35, 38

(PFLP) 32, 34, 40

Zakat 19

Israel 12, 28, 29, 31, 32, 34, 40

R Rabbani, Burhanaddin 25

J

Ramadan 19

Jordan 22, 29, 32

Revolutionary Airport 32

K

Reza, Mohammed 25, 26,

Kenya 38

30, 40

48 I S L A M I C F U N D A M E N TA L I S M