Islamic fundamentalism on Saudi online communities

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Islamic fundamentalism on Saudi online
communities

• Yeslam Al-Saggaf
• Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics
  Charles Sturt University, Australia

Asia Pacific Computing and Philosophy Conference
November 2 - 4, 2007, Sasa International House,
Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
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The version of Islam practised in Saudi Arabia

• Often called Wahhabism
• It emerged to wash out deviating aspects of
  modern religious practice such as portraits,
  gambling, music and dancing
• Followers adopt an uncompromising approach, which
  is based on a literal interpretation of Islam
• Agreement between Al Sawood (the ruling family)
  and Al Shiekh

Saudi Arabia
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USSR invasion of Afghanistan

• Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries wanted to
  librate Afghanistan
• Emergence of terrorists (Mujahideen)

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1991 Gulf War
The acceptance of US army angered Islamic
fundamentalists
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Tragic events of 9/11
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Overview of the study
Political Online Forums are
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Research Methods

• Focused or structured silent observation
• Conducted over a period of three months (May-July
  2007).
• Thematic Content Analysis
• Sample consisted of 2000 topics posted during
  May-June 2007
• In-depth interviews
• Followed a semi-structured format with open-ended
  questions
• Conducted in Arabic (one face to face, 5-6 by
  phone, rest via MSN Messenger)
• Sample consisted of 15 key informants
• Selection depended on the availability of an
  email address in the key informants profile in
  forum

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Islamic fundamentalism

• Islamic fundamentalists are divided into several
  groups.
• One of these is Jammys who support the Muslim
  scholars recognised by the government
• 5.89 of all the topics posted to the forum
  during May-June 2007 were in favour of
  fundamentalism (in Sept 2004 the figure was
  5.975)
• Islamic fundamentalists in the forum are the
  majority (80-90)
• In 2004 only 1.625 of the topics were in favour
  of religious police in 2007 the number has risen
  to 7.
• Two men arrested by the religious police were
  killed during interrogation

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Extremism and Jihad

• Extremists group (Takfiris) are those who
  disagree with the government scholars and try to
  destroy their image.
• They express their disagreement and disapproval
  of things that are wrong (un Islamic according to
  them) by resolving to violence.
• While Islamic fundamentalists may use their mouth
  to make their point, Islamic extremists use
  violence
• Takfiris are shallow and narrow in their
  thinking. They lack depth. Their goal is one
  cause maximum damage to the Americans

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Extremism and Jihad (Cont.)

• This group encourages Jihad even inside Saudi
  Arabia according to one of the key informants.
• Between 1995-2005 more than 50 terrorist
  activities took place in Saudi Arabia
• Top 26 Terrorists killed or captured, only 2 are
  on the run

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Extremism and Jihad (Cont.)

• The number of topics, which favoured terrorists,
  has dropped from 0.813 to 0.38
• The number of the topics, which criticised
  terrorists, has also dropped from 8.222 to
  2.68.
• Many terrorists have disappeared from the forum
  as four interviewees have noted
• Many of them have been put in jail
• Many of them have been suspended from the forum
  because of their links to terrorism or because
  they often discuss the personality of the writer
  or attack him instead of engaging with his ideas.
  
• Many of them are fighting the Americans in Iraq.

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Saudi liberals

• In September 2004 the figure of the total forum
  content which was derogatory and belittling of
  liberals was 7.12,
• In this study the percentage is 7.69
• Liberals, like Jammys, are against Jihad and
  supportive of the Saudi government.
• The general public and the government, however,
  don't not like them
• One reason the government does not like them,
  according to one of the interviewees, is because
  liberals can serve as the cornerstone of a new
  government if the US invaded Saudi Arabia
• One reason the public does not like them is
  because liberals support women driving cars,
  working along side men, and becoming more
  independent. They also want to see theatres,
  cinemas, and discos in the country.
• Liberals are not given a chance to operate among
  the fundamentalist majority who hate them
• Liberals are very active in the local press

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Freedom of expression online

• Although 700,000 people (Al Arabiya, 2004) visit
  Al-Saha Al-Siyasia everyday and hundreds of
  people (mainly Saudis) contribute to it, access
  to the forum is actually blocked
• There is also censorship of content in the forum.
  
• Topics that support the Takfiri ideology or the
  insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan, or Bin Laden,
  or Saad Al-Fagiah (reformer), or criticise the
  high profile princes, or the Ministry of Interior
  or the religious police are often deleted
  according to several interviewees
• Several interviewees have also mentioned during
  the interviews that they had been arrested by the
  Saudi Secret Service and some served jail
  sentences because of their writings on Al-Saha
  Al-Siyasia

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Conclusion

• In the past there were many voices operating in
  thew forum i.e. fundamentalists, liberals,
  reformers, extremists, government supporters and
  maybe a few Shiaa
• Today mainly fundamentalists write in Al-Saha
  Al-Siyasia
• The forum has lost many great writers who were
  more famous than some columnists in local
  newspapers
• There is no dialogue, no deliberation, no
  diversity of opinion and no rational critical
  debating between members because those who
  disagree are not welcome in the forum
• Fundamentalists are becoming stronger and louder
  liberals are struggling extremists, Shiaa,
  reformers and government critics are disappearing
  
• Even though political online forums are the only
  media tool in the hands of the public they are
  blocked and content on them is censored
• Those who talk about sensitive issues are arrested

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Thank you