From Political Islam to the Politics of Islam

Winter 2022 / Essays

With electoral paths blocked or unpromising, the Islamist project is now being transformed from what it was at the beginning of the last decade

Turkey’s Pan-Islamist Foreign Policy

Spring 2019 / Essays

Understanding Turkey’s diplomatic moves post-2011 by looking back to the Ottoman conception of ittihad-i Islam

The Truth about the Muslim Brotherhood

Spring 2018 / Essays

For the better part of two decades, a debate has raged in American research and policy circles about whether the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt is a moderate political force. A study of the Brotherhood’s political Islam and its linkage to present-day terrorism.

The Real Debate That Islamism Should Spark

July 20, 2017 / Tahrir Forum

Is Islamism a dangerous trend of the future in Muslim-majority societies, or a natural passing phase only?

Understanding Sectarianism in the Middle East

July 12, 2017 / Tahrir Forum

Sectarian violence in the Arab and Muslim worlds is exacerbated by the role foreign powers play in the region, as well as local power rivalries.

The Battle over Al-Azhar

June 6, 2017 / Tahrir Forum

The effort to curb the Islamic institution’s autonomy has stalled, for now.

Three New Trends in Iran’s Politics

May 31, 2017 / Tahrir Forum

The country’s ruling establishment, guardians of the 1979 Islamic revolution, confront a changing society.

Saudi Arabia’s Struggle for Sunni Leadership

September 11, 2016 / Tahrir Forum

Recent changes to Saudi religious institutions are not a sign of wider reform but an indication of the struggle to redefine Saudi Arabia’s religious character.

Recalibrating Morocco’s Approach to Salafism

January 17, 2016 / Tahrir Forum

Recognizing the political shortcomings of marginalizing Salafists, Moroccan decision-makers are making efforts to reconcile Salafism with the Sufi character of religious institutions.