How has the development of Political Islam since 1979 affected the Greater Middle East - Essay Example

How has the development of Political Islam since 1979 affected the Greater Middle East? How has the development of Political Islam since 1979 affected the Greater Middle East?Political Islam advocates the merging or religion and the state. Thus, it is against their separation. Its main aim is the formation of a theocratic state. However, since its development in 1979, political Islam has affected the greater Middle East. The question is, how has it affected the greater Middle East? As per the research conducted, it is evident that political Islam has led to the rise in conflict in the greater Middle East since its inception.

The growth in conflict is indicated by several trends like the destabilization of states. Between the 1970s-1980s, militaries in the greater Middle East have been seen to utilize Islam against secular-like characters in their nations. Iran is one example where the Iranian revolution took place. Islamist forces have seemingly taken control of their countries at the expense of other religions that make up a minority (Choueiri, 2008).As political Islam has developed, Islamic institutions have gained more power and the scrutiny on these institutions has reduced leading to a dictatorship like scenario.

Religious institutions like those of Sunni Islam have been brought under the control of the state. Due to this power gain by Islamic institutions, along with the lack of opposition by secular forces, there has been a development of Islamic forces. These forces have created a threat to the power of the state all over the greater Middle East (Choueiri, 2008).Conflict has been at the heart of the development of political Islam. The conflict has disturbed the stability of the greater Middle East.

Examples of these conflicts include Iraq’s invasion of Iran in 1980 and the Iraq-Kuwait war. There has also been an increased opposition to the existence of Israel as a state along with an increase in development of weapons by the greater Middle East nations (Freedman, 2002).ReferencesChoueiri, Y. M., 2008. A Companion to the History of the Middle East. Malden: Blackwell Publishing.Freedman, R. O., 2002. The Middle East Enters the Twenty-first Century. Gainesville: University Press of Florida.