Yiannis Ioannou
Sayyid Qutb (1906-1966) is often regarded as the father of modern militant Islam. He reshaped the concept of jihad, transforming it from its Quranic meaning into a radicalized interpretation that gave rise to political Islam. This shift provided a second life to the Muslim Brotherhood, which became a key player in the evolution of modern Islamic radicalism.
In Europe, including in Cyprus and Greece, few have engaged deeply with Qutb's works or attempted to interpret them. In the West, the term jihadism, especially as it has emerged from Syria in recent years, has become more of a tool for political debate than a genuine attempt to understand radicalized violence and international terrorism.
For Qutb, militant Islam was primarily a means of challenging the governments of Arab Muslim countries, not the West. His view of Islam, like that of Luther's "scripture alone" approach to Christianity, was based on a radical reformation of the faith. Qutb advocated for "Quran alone" as the foundation for a reformed, political Islam.
In Syria, political Islam has evolved with local characteristics, especially after the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood across the Arab world following the Egyptian revolution. Under both Assad's regime and previous administrations, Syria has been marked by ethno-sectarian tensions, which were exacerbated after 2011, when the Assad regime, dominated by the Alawite sect, used secularism as a political tool. Despite this, Islamic elements remained embedded in the country's constitution and daily life, drawing from both the Sunni current associated with Qutb and the ideology of the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood.
This brings us to the figure of Jolani. A former al-Qaeda fighter, Jolani's journey reflects the broader transition from political Islam to transnational jihad, before evolving into his own version of political Islam following Assad's fall. This transition remains difficult to grasp in the Greek-speaking world, where foreign narratives shaped by Turkey, Assad, and Putin apologists have distorted the conversation.
Syria represents a critical juncture for political Islam. Key issues—such as the inclusion of Christians, Alawites, Druze, Circassians, and Kurds—will play a major role in determining the future of the country. More significantly, Syria’s transformation could redefine political Islam, posing a threat to countries like Israel, the UAE, Egypt, and Jordan. These nations have long persecuted political Islam and are deeply concerned about its potential resurgence.
Importantly, Syria cannot easily be reshaped into countries like Qatar or Saudi Arabia, nor can it resemble the political landscape of AKP-led Turkey, despite the growing influence of Ankara, which is understandably worrying for Nicosia and Athens.
The debate surrounding Syria is not merely an academic exercise for uninformed "geopolitical commentators" who churn out content for journalists or the typical conservative discourse on Islam and immigration in Europe, particularly during the age of Trump and Orban. It is a debate that will shape the future of the Middle East for years to come. The key to understanding it lies in approaching the topic with calm, reason, and detachment, rather than reacting to sensationalist trends driven by social media platforms like X under Elon Musk. For Cyprus, the stakes are high, and the need for seriousness in these discussions is more important than ever.
This op-ed was translated from its Greek original
