ABSTRACT: Radicalism is not an entirely new issue in the history of the Islam. It has been an issue raised by the Khawarij group and now re-surfaced in the form of the neo-Khawarij. However, it is not quite appropriate to quickly jump to the conclusion that all Islamic movements are similar to Khawarij. Some of the concepts used by these movements, such as Hakimiyyah liLlah, have been discussed by earlier scholars before. However, many factors have emerged in recent years that have caused the interpretation to deviate from the truth. While, it is obvious that there are some similarities between PAS in Malaysia and the Ikhwan in Egypt, in terms of their radical approach and inspiration, the latter is not directly involved in the militant movement such as the Takfir wa al-Hijrah and al-Maunah. This paper tries to address this issue by first looking at the social and religious background leading to the rise of radical movements in Islam in the Middle East. It will also examine the main concern of these movements and in what way they have influenced the thinking of some Islamic movements in Malaysia.

KEY WORDS: Islamic movement, Middle East, extremist thought, Malaysia, modern society, and globalization.

===

About the Author: Dr. Badlihisham Mohd Nasir is a Lecturer at the Department of Dakwah and Leadership, Faculty of Islamic Studies UKM (National University of Malaysia), 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia. He can be reached at: aspensi@yahoo.com

How to cite this article? Nasir, Badlihisham Mohd. (2011). “The Influence of Middle East Islamic Movement on the Extremist Thought in Malaysia” in TAWARIKH: International Journal for Historical Studies, Vol.3(1) October, pp.31-46. Bandung, Indonesia: ASPENSI [Asosiasi Sarjana Pendidikan Sejarah Indonesia] and UVRI [Universitas Veteran Republik Indonesia], ISSN 2085-0980.

Chronicle of the article: Accepted (August 25, 2011); Revised (September 28, 2011); and Published (October 28, 2011).

Abdul Rahman Abdullah. (1998). Pemikiran Islam di Malaysia: Sejarah dan Aliran. Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka.

Abdul Rahman Ismail. (2003). “Globalisasi: Impak dan Dilema Keselamatan Negara Pasca 2000” in Jurnal Yadim, Bil.4 [April], pp.8-9.

Abdul Wahab Zakaria. (1994). Konsep Kepimpinan dalam Islam. Petaling Jaya: ABIM [Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia].

Ahmed, Akbar S. (1994). “Contemporary Islamic Movements in the Arab World” in Akbar S. Ahmed & Hastings Donnan [eds]. Islam, Globalization, and Post Modernity. London: Routledge.

Badlihisham Mohd Nasir. (1999). “Infiltrasi sebagai Method Dakwah: Pengalaman ABIM” in al-Maw’izah, Jilid 7.

Badlihisham Mohd Nasir. (2000). “Dakwah dalam Gerakan Islam: Sorotan terhadap PAS, ABIM, dan JIM” in Dakwah Gerakan Islam. Bangi: Jabatan Pengajian Dakwah & Kepimpinan.

Commins, David. (1995). “Hassan al-Banna (1906-1949)” in Ali Rahnema [ed]. The Pioneer of Islamic Revivalism. Kuala Lumpur: S. Abdul Majeed & co.

Daily newspaper of Berita Harian. Kuala Lumpur: 8 August 2003.

Dekmejian, R. Hrair. (1995). Islam in Revolution: Fundamentalism in the Arab World. New York: Syracuse University Press, 2nd edition.

Dewan Pemuda PAS Pusat. (2002). Mahathir serta Beberapa Pemimpin UMNO dan Penyokongnya Anti-Islam. Batu Caves: Dewan Pemuda PAS Pusat.

Esposito, J.L. [ed]. (2001). Ensiklopedi Oxford Dunia Islam Moden. Bandung: Penerbit Mizan.

Gema Syuhada: Mutiara Kata al-Syahid Ustaz Ibrahim Mahmud. Baling: Pusara Syuhada, n.d.

Gerges, Fawaz A. (2002). “Polisi Amerika terhadap Perkembangan Politik Islam di Mesir” in Jurnal Usuluddin, Vol.16 [December].

Haji Abdul Hadi Awang. (1984). Islam sebagai Benteng. Kuala Terengganu: Gedung Ummah.

JAKIM [Jabatan Kebajikan Islam Malaysia]. (1986). Risalah Isu Semasa: Penjelasan Mengenai Isu Mengkafir Orang Islam, Jihad, dan Mati Shahid. Kuala Lumpur : JAKIM.

Jansen, G.H. (1979). Militant Islam. London: Pan Books.

Kamus Dewan. Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 1994, 3rd edition.

Keppel, Gilles. (1985). The Prophet and Pharaoh Muslim Extremism in Egypt. London: al-Saqi Book.

Magazine of Tamadun, No.80. Kuala Lumpur: May 2001.

Mohamad Fauzi Zakaria. (1997). Aqidah yang Mengoncang Dunia. Kuala Lumpur: Visi Madani.

Mohammed Yusof Hussain. (2001). Islam dan Politik: Kajian Penyalahgunaan Agama sebagai Alat Kepentingan Politik. Kuala Lumpur: Inmind.

Mustafa Hilmi. (1986). Pengkafiran Sesama Muslim: Akar Historis dan Permasalahannya. Bandung: Penerbit Pustaka.

Watt, W. Montgomery. (1968). Islamic Political Thought. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.

Yusof al-Qardhawi. (1984). Kebangunan Islam di Antara Tantangan dan Ektremisme. Kuala Lumpur: ABIM [Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia], Translation.