The Islamic movement in Egypt

The Islamic Movement in Egypt focusses on the global vision of the various components of the Islamic movement in Egypt from 1967 to 1981. This is a detailed case study of the perception of foreign policy issues and the international system by the Islamic movement in Egypt during that specific period. While acknowledging that the subject matter has religious origins, the work considers Islam in a politico-ideological context.

Interest in the study of Islamic movements has, with the exception of Iran after 1978, been largely confined to the study of the domestic role of Islam in Muslim countries. There have been until now hardly any comprehensive studies of the positions of Islamic movements on foreign policy issues, despite the ever-growing importance for other countries, particularly Western and Arab countries, to become acquainted with the stands of Islamic movements on various foreign policy questions, as well as their global viewpoint.

This ground-breaking work makes an important contribution to our understanding of the positions of the various components of the Islamic movement in Egypt in the period between 1967 and 1981 on international relations issues, and throws new and welcome light upon wider issues of the stands of Islamic movements towards foreign policy questions.

Chapter One provides a thorough historical background and deals with the positions of Islam, early Islamic States, jurists, intellectuals and movements on the role of the 'Umma (religious community) in international relations and its relationship with the non-Muslim world in war and peace.

Chapter Two considers the attitudes of the Islamic movement in Egypt towards specific countries, experiments or events taking place within the borders of the Muslim world such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Lebanon, Syria and the Sudan. These 'internal' issues also include the questions of Islamic unity, its relationship to nationalism, particularly Arab nationalism and Arab unity, as well as the means, nature and objectives of that Islamic unity.

Chapter Three covers the position of the Islamic movement in Egypt during the period under study towards the relationship between the Muslim world and the West, particularly the United States, in all its dimensions and developments; its stand towards the evolution of the question of Palestine, the Jews, Zionism and Israel; and its perception of the Soviet Union and the latter's position towards the Muslim world, especially Afghanistan. Chapter Four presents a comprehensive analysis of the world vision of the Islamic movement in Egypt, including its perception of the structure of the international community and the role the 'Umma would undertake in that community. The chapter identifies key concepts as well as the hierarchy of priorities in the thought and stands of the Islamic movement in Egypt during that period regarding the behaviour of the Islamic 'Umma towards the external environment.

The book concludes with a critical evaluation of the global vision of the Islamic movement in Egypt from 1967 to 1981, and its stands on foreign policy issues.