An interesting read was
a book[1]
analysing modern tyrants and comparing them with tyrants from the past. It
turns out, according to the authors, that tyrants used brutal power throughout
history for different reasons. Tyrants in the pre-middle ages period used
excessive power against their opponents because they simply knew no other way
to maintain order. Their only known mechanism to settle disputes and rivalries
that may form any threat to their rein was to wipe masses off the face of the
earth in the name of preserving peace. Now middle age tyrants used excessive
brutality to keep opponents in check, knowing that despite the barbarity of the
act, those closest to the ruling sphere are in fact constantly and maliciously
planning to over throw the rule of whoever is in power or create disturbances
(economic and social) between the ruling elite and the peasants. Their act represented
“preventative measures”, void of any compassion or humanity, but was necessary
in their set of beliefs. Meanwhile, modern tyrants have exercised their
tyrannies for multiple reasons, one that does stand out is based on the
“ideology of certitude”. These tyrants are certain that their line of thought
is the only correct reasoning, that their religion is the only true religion,
and that their analysis of socio-political realities are facts written in
stone. Hitler did believe that the Arian race was superior; his bespoke
rationalism that was stripped of compassion and humanity justified his
brutalities in the name of promoting the perfect race. Stalin was also
convinced in a Communist society for all; there is no other way, and thus, the
promotion of the ideology must come at any cost.
I wonder now if this ideology of certitude
is present amongst ISIS militants. First, a brief summary on the Islamic
State’s history: the Al-Qaeda affiliated Musab Al Zarqawi founded the “Islamic
States of Iraq” concept back in 2006, when he insisted that Sunni Iraqis
deserve to have a State of their own that is not subject to the rule of the
western affiliated infidel Shias. Islam, and Sunna in particular, is the only
accepted religion and line of belief. Shias and everyone else are not only
wrong to hold to different views, but have a set of beliefs that are a direct
threat to Sunni Muslims. His (Zarqawi) ideals were passed on to both Baghdadi
and the ISIS gang, and the Sunni versus everyone else ideology has been gaining
popularity by the day. These ISIS militants are certain that their Sunni
religious interpretation is the only right one, that Islam is the only true way
to heaven, that the death of innocent people will be tolerated as they
(innocent dead people) will be considered martyrs and will go to heaven, that
their twisted interpretation of jihad is the only solution to the crisis in the
Arab and Muslim world, and that they are doing many a favour by spreading the
word of God, even if using the sword.
Certitude is indeed dangerous, especially
when certainty about something implies negation and utter refusal of anything
that contradicts it. If it is white, then it is not black nor orange nor
yellow, it is white. If it is an apple, it is not an orange nor a pear nor a
chair. Certainty leads to closed-mindedness and jealousy over objects and
concepts that have acquired their “certain status”. The danger becomes
even more perilous when the ideology of certitude is mixed with political
discourse, where politics and religion become two faces of the same coin. ISIS
did not decide to fight off infidels in Lebanon or Israel or Singapore, it did
not launch a war against Jews, Christians or atheists, it did not move towards
Mecca to liberate from its non-Hashemite rulers or Jerusalem to drive away the
Israelis and agnostic Palestinians. The Islamic State chose the Shiites, Iraqi
Shiite (and of course their American patrons) as the number one target. It did
not move towards any Sunni populated areas to liberate them, but those filled
with natural resources, oil and sympathetic Sunni citizens. It did not prioritise
fighting the Assad regime in Syria, but chose rival Islamic militant groups in
Syria as its target. Calculated, politicised and radicalised is the ISIS
certainty about everything.
Not intentionally provoking anyone with the
quote I chose to sign off with, as I am sure there are many Muslim scholars and
clerics who have uttered similar beautiful words of wisdom, but in the spirit
of coexistence and existence, here goes:
If one has the answers
to all the questions - that is the proof that God is not with him. It means
that he is a false prophet using religion for himself. The great leaders of the
people of God, like Moses, have always left room for doubt. You must leave room
for the Lord, not for our certainties; we must be humble.
Pope Francis
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