When the convulsions of the Arab Spring first became manifest in Syria in March 2011, the Ba'athist regime was quick to blame the protests on the "Syrian Muslim Brotherhood" and its "al-Qaeda affiliates." But who are these Islamists so determined to rule a post-Assad Syria? Little has been published on militant Islam in Syria since Hafez Assad's regime destroyed the Islamist movement in its stronghold of Hama in February 1982. This book bridges that gap by providing readers with the first comprehensive account of the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood's history to date. In this ground-breaking account of Syria's most prominent, yet highly secretive, Islamist organisation, the author draws on previously untapped sources: the memoirs of former Syrian jihadists; British and American archives; and also a series of wide-ranging interviews with the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood's historical leaders as well as those who battled against them--many speaking on the record for the first time. Ashes of Hama uncovers the major aspects of the Islamist struggle: from the Brotherhood's radicalisation and its "jihad" against the Ba'athist regime and subsequent exile, to a spectacular comeback at the forefront of the Syrian revolution in 2011--a remarkable turnaround for an Islamist movement which all analysts had pronounced dead amid the ruins of Hama in 1982.

Auteur

Raphaël Lefèvre is a Gates Scholar and PhD student at King's College, Cambridge University, where he also earned an MPhil in International Relations. He has published extensively on the Syrian Islamic movement and is the co-author of State and Islam in Baathist Syria: Confrontation or Co-optation?

Contenu

PART I THE EMERGENCE OF A POLITICIZED ISLAM IN SYRIA (1860-1963) 1. The Emergence of a Politicized Islam in Syria (1860-1944) The "Damascus school": the Salafiyya movement in Syria Politicizing Islam: the rise of the "Islamic populists" 2. Islam and Democracy: The Muslim Brotherhood in Postindependence Syria (1946-1963) The Egyptian roots The Syrian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood Competing for power in Syria's parliamentary democracy Defending Islam with pragmatism "'Islamic socialism': a Muslim drink in a Marxist cup" Losing ground to the Ba'ath Party PART II THE ISLAMIC OPPOSITION TO BA'ATHISM (1963-1982) 3. The Islamic Reaction to the Ba'athist Revolution A clash of ideology A clash of constituencies The ideological failure of Ba'athism Urban uprisings 4. "A Minority Cannot Forever Rule a Majority" Sunnis and Alawites: a history of mistrust The "revenge of a minority"? The "Alawization" of the Syrian regime: myth or reality? Atmosphere of sectarian civil war PART III THE RISE OF JIHADISM IN LATE 1970s SYRIA (1963-1982) 5. The Radicalization of the Islamic Movement (1963-1980) The moderation of the Damascus Ikhwan The split in the "Damascus wing" The radicalization of the Islamic movement Birth of an extremist organization: the Fighting Vanguard 6. Endorsing Jihad Against The Ba'ath (1980-1982) State repression The Muslim Brotherhood's jihad A last stand: the Hama uprising A "Camp David conspiracy" ? PART IV ASHES OF HAMA: THE SYRIAN ISLAMIST MOVEMENT SINCE 1982 7. The Fate of Militant Islam After the Hama Revolt Al Qaeda: the Syrian connection The Syrian mukhabarat and radical Islam: a blowback? Taming political Islam 8. Struggling for Relevance: The Muslim Brotherhood's Exile Divided between the "Hama clan" and the "Aleppo faction" Back to basics: the ideological evolution Engaging with the Syrian opposition 9. Uprisings in Syria: A Revenge on History Fostering Islamic radicalization The Brotherhood's rebirth from ashes Back to Syria: opportunities and challenges Epilogue APPENDIXES Appendix 1: List of the successive Leaders of Syria's Muslim Brotherhood Appendix 2: Abdullah Azzam on the Role of Marwan Hadid During the 1964 Hama Riots Appendix 3: Abdullah Azzam on Marwan Hadid's Death Appendix 4: Abu Mus'ab al-Suri on the Training Tactic of al-Talia al-Muqatila Appendix 5: Abu Mus'ab al-Suri on the Battle of Hama in February 1982 Appendix 6: The Syrian Muslim Brotherhood's Most Important Statement Regarding Their Evolution and Their Vision of Syria's Future