Today's Edition
ABU DHABI (WAM)
Researchers, experts, and specialists from multiple countries affirmed that extremism cannot be understood without examining the ideological foundations underpinning political Islam, nor can it be eliminated without addressing the thought propagated by it.
This was discussed during the Fourth Annual Forum on Political Islam, organised by TRENDS Research and Advisory at its headquarters in Abu Dhabi under the theme "The Muslim Brotherhood and Violence," bringing together a distinguished panel of researchers and experts from around the world.
Eighteen researchers and academics from the UAE, France, Morocco, Tunisia, Germany, and Canada called for thorough intellectual dialogue between the West and the Arab world to gain a deeper understanding of this phenomenon and to counter it with multi-dimensional approaches.
Speakers at the forum emphasised the importance of unequivocally condemning terrorism and extremism in all their forms, rejecting double standards in examining these phenomena, and affirming that terrorism should not be linked to any specific religion or nationality. They called for redefining terrorism to include not only those who engage in violence but also those who theorise, justify, and support it.
Experts underscored the importance of countering terrorism and rejecting its exploitation as a tool for geopolitical goals. They highlighted the need for dialogue between Western and Arab academia to deepen understanding of extremist and Islamist violence, as well as the need to address the ideological justifications for violence and develop intellectual and practical strategies to effectively counter extremist ideologies.
