Islamism is a political movement that seeks to impose Sharia law in Muslim-majority countries and, in some cases, globally. Alternatively, Islamism refers to a range of ideologies that seek to apply Islamic principles to public life. There is no one single definition of “Islamism,” and the term can be used in different ways. In general, however, Islamists seek to make Islamic law (sharia) the basis for government and society. Islamism often emphasizes the need for Muslims to return to a strict interpretation of Islamic law, or sharia (Arifianto, 2020). Islamists believe that Islam is not just a religion but also a political system that should govern all aspects of society.
Many Islamist groups are associated with violence, but not all Islamist groups are violent. Some countries, such as Turkey and Tunisia, have elected Islamist governments. Others, such as Saudi Arabia and Iran, have governments that are based on Islamic law but that do not necessarily identify with the term “Islamist.”
The specific goals of Islamism vary depending on the individual or group, but common goals include creating an Islamic state, implementing Sharia law, and fighting against Western influence in Muslim countries. The political goals of Islamism are to create a society based on Islamic law. Islamists believe that this is the only way to achieve justice and social equality (Arifianto, 2020). They also believe that Muslim countries should be independent and free from Western influence.
Islamism is different from Islam because it imposes religious law on people, whereas Islam is a personal faith. Many Muslims do not support Islamism because they believe that there should be separation of church and state. Sharia law often includes harsh punishments, such as amputation for theft and stoning for adultery, which many people find barbaric.
Reference
Arifianto, A. R. (2020). Rising Islamism and the struggle for Islamic authority in Post-Reformasi Indonesia. TRaNS: Trans-Regional and-National Studies of Southeast Asia, 8(1), 37-50. Web.