Comments reported today by Ennahda official Hamadi Jebali, widely expected to be the next Prime Minister of Tunisia, raised expressions of serious concern that the Islamist party was a little too Islamist.
Jebali reported told supporters in the city of Sousse that Ennahda’s victory in the elections mark “a historic moment, a divine moment, a new stage of civilization, God willing, in the sixth Caliphate.”
Historically caliphates have been major Islamic empires where the leader of the government also exercises broad control as the leader of the religion. The last caliphate was abolished in the wake of the Turkish War of Independence in 1924.
The suggestion that Tunisia might become a “new caliphate” spawned serious concerns among Tunisia’s secular parties, and raised speculation that Ennahda’s effort to form a coalition government would be slowed markedly.
In practice the comments are probably an empty appeal to the religiously-minded base. Caliphates have traditionally enjoyed power over broad regions, and the prime minister of a tiny country like Tunisia is unlikely to be able to credibly claim himself a Caliph.
You all really have no idea about Islamic beliefs. In that case, you should either ask someone who does know, or not try to analyze them.
Mmm'kay. You got some insight you want to share with us?
I would not be surprised at all if some countries in ME or N.Africa find radical Islamist rulers vying for power – under the current U.S/Israeli push for domination in these countries it would be surprising if there weren't radical elements lining up against their extremist policies….
I think he got it, though I think the report(ing) came off as a bit alarmist. The closing paragraphs would merit higher ranking under traditional journalistic standards. As, I don't see these comments as worrisome at all.
Because having a huge creaking corrupt and centralized empire is somehow the next stage in civilization.
Yes, the Prophet will come and stuff.
Humans are tiresome. Mix in Abrahamic Religions and they become downright appalling.
@ummabdulla:
In a sense what you are saying is true to an extent. However, this is a non-Muslim, and indeed a non-religious and “Secular” site, and of course they are not experts on Islam (although writers with “Muslim” backgrounds may have articles on here from time to time of course). This being said, at least they are not fear mongering and spreading hate against Muslims and Islam, using the dirty, despicable tactics and propaganda of the Ziocons and Islamophobes, and in fact they are very fair and balanced when it comes to Muslims and Islam. Give credit where credit’s due! This is a truly great site where people regardless of their religion or background can come to learn about what is happening in this world, from A to Z….
However, it would be nice if Scott could have someone on his radio show (a Sunni Muslim scholar – from Ahl As-Sunnah Wal-Jamaah – since the American govt and her Western/neo-Crusader allies are mostly fighting against these Muslims, and the extremist Ziocons are always fear mongering against them, including ones living in the US/West) that would describe the true Islamic position on some of the “controversial” Islamic concepts and buzzwords that the extremist Ziocons and Islamophobes are always trying to use in order to smear Muslims and strike fear and hatred into the hearts of the average westerner, such as “jihad”, “Caliphate” (Khalifa), “Shari’ah” (laws that govern Muslims’ lives, from how to pray, to how to give charity, to how one should treat his/her parents, to how an actual Islamic state is governed, and everything in between), “Wahhabi” (Salafi, Salafist, Salaf as-Saleh), the “Muslim brotherhood” (al-Ikhwan al-Muslimeen), etc.
This brother or sister could explain the misconceptions that many non-Muslims have about Islam and Muslims (that both the extremist Islamophobes and the ignorant, misguided, deviant, terrorist alleged “Muslims” unfortunately help to propagate). For instance, when fighting, or striving for the sake of God, the fact that Muslims are NOT in any way allowed to target non-combatants (civilians) PERIOD, END of STORY. They are to only follow the Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him), and are only allowed to target and fight against the actual fighters and combatants, PERIOD, END of STORY! (As an example what’s happening in Afghanistan, as the brothers are fighting against the invaders/Crusaders and the Criminal Communistic (former Soviet puppet) Northern Alliance fighters, i.e., actual combatants).
Also, they could help to explain that Muslims love all of the prophets mentioned in the Bible/Torah/Old Testament, and in fact they are not even considered Muslims, but considered disbelievers (kuffar) if they don’t believe in them and love them! Such as Musa/Moses, Ibraheem/Abraham, Nuh/Noah, and ‘Eesa ibn Maryam/Jesus Son of Mary, and ALL of the other prophets mentioned, peace be upon them all… The fact that Muslims love and adore Jesus Son of Mary (although Muslims believe that God saved him from his enemies, and he was NOT killed on the cross, but raised up to God and that he was not in any way the literal “son” of God, but a very, very special prophet), and his mother Mary, peace be upon them (that she even has a chapter in the Qur’an named after her) and believe that he IS and WAS the Messiah, and was the last prophet sent to Bani-Israeel (the children of Israel) and that he WILL come again (Muslims also believe in the Second Coming) to fight against the anti-Christ/Dajjal, etc.
So Scott, insha’Allah (God Willing) it would be great if you could have a Sunni Muslim scholar or Imam (not just some secular dude) on your excellent radio show, to help explain some of these concepts, “controversial” topics, and misunderstandings, etc.
Peace!
Abu anti-Ziocon
Thanks, Abu anti-Ziocon (nice name!). You're right; I do appreciate antiwar.com and come here every morning to check out the news, usually clicking on quite a few links.
It's just frustrating sometimes… I think the coverage here of Libya started it… I can understand completely if someone says, "I'm against NATO intervention in Libya because I'm against war in general." But there have been widespread lies and mocking of the Libyan people, zero understanding of the kind of barbaric regime that Qaddafi presided over, Scott calling the entire Libyan population all kinds of names including the KKK (which is ridiculous, because any video of rebels always had black Libyans included with them, but the fact is that Qaddafi brought/bought off black Africans to support him, and they were fighting for him. Saif was just caught while being protected by Tuaregs.) And there's an assumption that Islamist (whatever that means these days) is bad…
I do wish, though, that if someone is going to talk about Islamic issues or Islamic countries. they would either know something about it or at least talk to someone who does. How about actual Muslims – who are heard from occasionally, but as you say, only secular ones – or actual Libyans, who are not?
now we can never cut military spending..
we must defend the world from the rampaging Tunisian caliphate.
maybe some how we can pit them against the great kenyan caliphate.