This analysis goes beyond surface-level understandings of Hamas as simply a political actor, framing the group within the rich and often fraught theological tradition of Islamism—a perspective critical for fully grasping the role Hamas plays in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine.
By Dr. Tim Orr
In a deep and revealing conversation, Dr. Richard Schumak and Dr. Mark Durie of the Arthur Jeffrey Center for the Study of Islam explored the theological and political foundations of Hamas, linking its modern agenda to broader currents in Islamic history, particularly its relationship with the Muslim Brotherhood. This analysis goes beyond surface-level understandings of Hamas as simply a political actor, framing the group within the rich and often fraught theological tradition of Islamism—a perspective critical for fully grasping the role Hamas plays in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine.
Hamas, established in 1988 during the First Intifada, draws its ideological backbone from the Muslim Brotherhood, an influential Islamist organization founded in Egypt in 1928. The Brotherhood emerged in response to a centuries-long decline in Muslim power that began in the 16th century and accelerated with the rise of European colonialism. According to Dr. Durie, this decline posed a profound theological crisis for Muslims. In traditional Islamic thought, Muslims are seen as the rightful victors and conquerors of the world, a reflection of God's favor and the superiority of Islam. The Muslim world's defeat and subjugation by European powers—culminating in the loss of territories such as India—posed a question of divine will and theological failure: How could Islam, the divinely chosen faith, be losing ground?
The Brotherhood, and subsequently Hamas, was formed as part of a broader movement seeking to answer this existential question. The answer they arrived at was one of internal failure: Muslims were not following Islam rigorously enough. Hence, the remedy was a return to a purer form of Islam, where Sharia law governs all aspects of life—social, political, and personal. The Brotherhood's ultimate aim was the reestablishment of the caliphate, a global Islamic state governed by Islamic law. In this sense, Hamas is not merely a Palestinian nationalist movement; it is part of a larger transnational Islamist project.
Dr. Durie highlighted the importance of terminology in discussing groups like Hamas. The word "Islamist" has emerged in Western discourse to describe Muslims who advocate for political Islam—the imposition of Islamic law as the governing principle of a state. While every devout Muslim is expected to desire Sharia law as part of their religious observance, Islamists are distinct in that they actively seek to implement it through political or even violent means. Hamas, as an Islamist organization, is dedicated to the establishment of an Islamic state in Palestine, and its political activity is inseparable from its religious agenda.
Jihad, another term heavily loaded in both Islamic and Western contexts, is essential to understanding Hamas' worldview. While the word "jihad" literally means "struggle," in Islamic jurisprudence, it has historically encompassed both an internal, spiritual struggle to live a righteous life and an external, often military, struggle to expand or defend Islam. Dr. Durie emphasized that for Hamas, and other jihadist movements like Al-Qaeda and ISIS, the emphasis is squarely on the external, militarized form of jihad. Their struggle is not just for personal piety but for the imposition of Islamic law across all levels of society, from the individual to the state.
This external jihad is not a marginal aspect of Islam, but, as Dr. Durie explained, a core element of the religion's historical practice. Early Islam, especially during the time of Muhammad and the Rashidun Caliphs, saw rapid military expansion, with the Muslim community spreading through conquest. For groups like Hamas, returning to this early model of Islam is not just idealized but essential. They look to the Salaf, the first generation of Muslims, for guidance in shaping both their theology and their military strategies. This "Salafi" approach, combined with jihadist ideology, informs the extremism of groups like Hamas.
One of the most significant documents illuminating Hamas' goals and worldview is its 1988 Charter, which Dr. Durie discussed in detail. The Charter reveals that Hamas' aims go far beyond the destruction of Israel. Its ultimate goal is the full implementation of Islamic law, or Sharia, in Palestinian territories, as a stepping stone toward the larger Islamist project of global domination under Islam. The Charter explicitly states: "Allah is our goal, the Prophet is our example, the Quran is our constitution, jihad is our path, and death for the sake of Allah is the loftiest of our wishes." This encapsulates the theological framework driving Hamas, where the struggle is not merely political but eschatological—a fight ordained by divine mandate.
In a particularly striking section of the Charter, Hamas cites the words of Hassan al-Banna, the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, who proclaimed that "Israel will exist and will continue to exist until Islam will obliterate it." For Hamas, the destruction of Israel is not merely a political objective; it is a religious duty that fits into a broader theological narrative of Islam’s eventual global supremacy. The Palestinian cause, therefore, is intertwined with a sacred mission, and jihad against Israel is seen as part of the broader struggle to restore Islamic governance.
Given Hamas’ theological commitments, Dr. Durie highlighted the challenges of negotiating with Hamas. Unlike other political movements that might seek compromise or coexistence, Hamas' ideological framework is inherently resistant to peaceful solutions that involve non-Muslim rule. The Charter makes it clear that land once conquered by Muslims is considered an irrevocable inheritance of the Muslim community. Therefore, the existence of Israel, a non-Muslim state on land once ruled by Muslims, is seen as a theological violation. According to this worldview, Palestine must be "liberated" through jihad, and any political settlement that does not involve Muslim dominance is inherently illegitimate.
Dr. Durie underscored that Hamas categorically rejects a two-state solution, viewing any peace negotiations as contradictory to their commitment to Islamic resistance. The Charter explicitly states, "There is no solution for the Palestinian question except through jihad." Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, marked by extreme brutality against civilians, is a stark demonstration of their commitment to this vision. These acts are not seen by Hamas as mere political violence but as sacred jihad, ordained by God and aimed at fulfilling a divine mandate.
One of the key points made by Dr. Durie was that Islam, particularly in its traditional forms, does not make a distinction between the personal and the political. For many Westerners, religion is seen as primarily an individual, interior matter. But in Islam, religion encompasses all aspects of life, including governance. The goal of Islam, according to traditional doctrine, is not only to guide personal conduct but also to establish a just society governed by divine law. This is why Islamist movements like Hamas are so politically engaged. For them, the implementation of Sharia at the state level is a religious duty.
Dr. Durie also pointed out that this totalizing vision of Islam is why political Islamism has gained such a strong foothold in the Muslim world, particularly in places like Gaza. Secular nationalist movements, like Fatah or the Ba'ath parties in Iraq and Syria, have largely failed to capture the hearts of Muslim populations, while Islamist movements have succeeded in rallying mass support. This is because Islamism taps into deeply rooted religious and cultural ideas about the nature of justice, governance, and law. In this view, the state is not merely a political entity but a vessel for implementing divine will.
The conversation between Dr. Schimak and Dr. Durie paints a sobering picture of the ideological landscape driving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Hamas is not just a political actor but a religious movement with deep theological convictions that make peace with Israel, as currently conceived, virtually impossible. Their vision is part of a broader Islamist project that seeks to restore Islamic dominance through jihad, and their goals are ultimately eschatological, aiming not just for territorial gains but for the fulfillment of a divine mandate.
Understanding Hamas within this larger theological and historical framework is essential for anyone seeking to engage with the complexities of the conflict. Peace, as traditionally envisioned in Western diplomatic circles, may remain elusive as long as Hamas holds fast to its Islamist ideology. As Dr. Durie suggested, future conversations need to grapple with the theological and ideological motivations of Hamas, which go far beyond politics and into the very heart of their understanding of Islam.
Tim Orr is a scholar, Evangelical minister, conference speaker, and interfaith consultant with over 30 years of experience in cross-cultural ministry. He holds six degrees, including a master’s in Islamic studies from the Islamic College in London. Tim taught Religious Studies for 15 years at Indiana University Columbus and is now a Congregations and Polarization Project research associate at the Center for the Study of Religion and American Culture at Indiana University Indianapolis. He has spoken at universities, including Oxford University, the University of Tehran, and mosques throughout the U.K. His research focuses on American Evangelicalism, Islamic antisemitism, and Islamic feminism, and he has published widely, including articles in Islamic peer-reviewed journals and three books.
References
https://youtu.be/XPg2Q78uHzk?si=ZJtwc3Njp7_gctFk
https://youtu.be/4vz0TQy8BrE?si=M27jSPlHpTSj_o2n
https://youtu.be/oPI2A2kMMiU?si=smUrWo4CO2o2HYpp