Today's Edition
By Imam Mohammad Tawhidi*
In contemporary discussions of global politics and religion, the terms ‘Islam’ and ‘Islamism’ are frequently conflated, resulting in widespread misunderstanding of one of the world’s major faiths and its modern political appropriations. Islam is a religion with a 1,400-year-old spiritual and ethical tradition, followed by approximately 1.8 billion people worldwide. Islamism, by contrast, is a modern political ideology that emerged in the twentieth century and seeks to impose a particular interpretation of Islam upon the state and society.
Islam is fundamentally a faith centred on belief in God, moral responsibility, and communal worship. Its core practices, known as the Five Pillars of Islam — profession of faith, prayer, almsgiving, fasting, and pilgrimage — emphasise personal piety, ethical conduct, and accountability before God. Historically, Islam has encompassed a wide range of theological, legal, and cultural interpretations across diverse societies and civilisations.
Islamism, however, represents a departure from this spiritual framework. It arose as an ideological response to colonialism, modernity, and secular nationalism, transforming Islam from a personal faith into a comprehensive political project. Islamism seeks to establish an Islamic state governed exclusively by its interpretation of sharia, often rejecting pluralism, legal diversity, and the separation of religious authority from political power. In doing so, it recasts religion as an instrument of political domination rather than moral guidance.
The historical distinction is clear. Islam originated in the seventh century CE with the revelation to Prophet Mohammad (Peace be Upon Him), while Islamism developed in the twentieth century under the influence of extremists such as Sayyid Qutb. These figures reframed Islam as a revolutionary ideology, emphasising political sovereignty, ideological struggle, and rigid notions of religious identity.
In terms of social outlook, Islam has historically demonstrated an ability to coexist with religious minorities and accommodate diversity within its legal and theological traditions. Islamism, by contrast, advances a binary worldview that divides society into believers and unbelievers or into Islamic and ‘jahili’ states, demanding ideological conformity and often legitimising exclusion. This absolutist framework leaves little room for coexistence.
Regarding political authority, classical Islamic tradition generally maintained a distinction between religious scholars and political rulers, allowing for legal debate, moral counsel, and institutional plurality. Islamism rejects this model and, instead, seeks the fusion of religion and state power, often exhibiting totalitarian tendencies in its pursuit of ideological control.
Islamism is exemplified by movements such as the Muslim Brotherhood and violent extremist groups like ISIS. Founded in 1928 by Hassan al-Banna, the Muslim Brotherhood articulated an explicitly expansionist vision of political Islam, asserting that Islam must dominate public life and impose its legal and political order universally. Influenced by later ideologues such as Sayyid Qutb, whose writings provided a theological justification for revolutionary violence and takfir, the Brotherhood became a gateway movement from which multiple extremist offshoots emerged, including Al-Qaeda and ISIS.
As a result of its ideological trajectory and involvement in destabilisation and violence, the Muslim Brotherhood has been designated a terrorist organisation by several countries, including Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain, with additional scrutiny placed on specific chapters in Western states. Its evolution illustrates how Islamism functions not merely as political activism but as an incubator for radicalisation.
This distinction between Islam and Islamism is not merely academic. As policy analysts have noted, Islamism is not an expression of religious devotion but a political ideology that seeks legitimacy through religious language. Conflating the two risks, alienating the vast majority of Muslims who reject the politicisation of their faith and undermining efforts to counter extremism effectively.
Critics of this distinction, including some postcolonial scholars, argue that separating religion from politics imposes Western secular categories onto Islamic tradition. However, such critiques overlook the historical diversity of Islamic governance and the long-standing plurality of Muslim legal and political thought. Recognising Islamism as a modern ideological construct does not deny Islam’s engagement with public life; rather, it prevents the reduction of a global faith to a rigid and extremist political doctrine.
In conclusion, Islam represents a rich spiritual and ethical tradition that has shaped diverse societies for centuries, while Islamism is a modern ideological distortion that instrumentalises religion for political ends. Upholding this distinction is essential for supporting pure Muslim voices, preserving religious freedom, and effectively countering extremist movements. Failure to do so not only misrepresents Islam but also perpetuates division and misunderstanding in an increasingly interconnected world.
*Parliamentary Advisor and Advisor to TRENDS Research & Advisory
