A Leading Jihadist Recants

One of the jihadi movement’s most prominent figures, Sayyed Imam Al-Sharif (more commonly known as “Dr. Fadl”), has published a sweeping retraction of many of his former views. Al-Sharif, along with Ayman al-Zawahiri, was one of the founders of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad, a violent splinter group that broke off from the Muslim Brotherhood in the 1970s. His books have long been required reading in jihadi circles –”The Essentials of Making Ready for Jihad” has been taught at Afghani training camps, and his views regarding takfiri ideology and his prescriptions for violence have had a profound impact on shaping al-Qaeda and other Islamic movements.

Recently, however, Al-Sharif has published a new work — entitled “Rationalizing Jihadist Action in Egypt and the World” — which has been creating quite a stir in the Arab world. As Marc Lynch notes, the treatise “refutes a range of interpretations of jihad which have justified attacks on state employees and government officials, civilians, tourists, Shia, and non-Muslims in Muslim countries or in their own countries. ” Furthermore, proclamations of takfir are rejected as un-Islamic.

Ayman al-Zawahiri hasn’t been happy about the publication of this work and, in response, he’s been “sending a message that al-Qaeda no longer considers Dr. Fadl a legitimate ideologue.” Meanwhile, some have accused Al-Sharif of publishing this document under coercion, since he is currently serving time in the notorious Egyptian prison system. Others, such as Abu Basir Al-Tartusi, a prominent hard-line religious figure, have argued that while he doesn’t agree with the the treatise’s conclusions, it is unlikely that Al-Sharif bent under the pressure of Egyptian authorities.

Whatever the case, this new work has definitely sparked a debate within the jihadi community. The Arab press has been alive with chatter about the meaning, and possible impact, of Al-Sharif’s reversal. Many observers feel that the impact will be muted at best. As Ammar Ali Hassan notes in Al Ahram, “it is doubtful that [its] impact will be so severe as to precipitate Al-Qaeda’s collapse, a sharp decline in its influence, or a significant rift in its ranks.” Marc Lynch draws similar conclusions: “Jihadists in Iraq and beyond might have a look at Dr Fadl’s document, and might even debate it, but I agree that few are likely to fundamentally change their views because of it. He’s just one among many, and he’s really kind of old school compared to the current state of jihadist intellectual play.” Some observers are more optimistic, however:

Diaa Rashwan, of the Al-Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies, says: “I have no doubt that this is genuine. It will be a real shock and cause a lot of confusion. Jihadis will see hundreds of their former brothers criticising their most fundamental ideas. That’s why Zawahiri is so bothered by it.”