Changing Narrative from West Asia: Arab Uprising to the Islamic State

In the contemporary history of West Asia, Arab uprising (2011–12), by all accounts marks the beginning of a new era. It not only demolished the invincible power of the authoritarian state but also questioned the sustainability of the security state. The resurgence on the Arab Street was not the call of a section or class. It was the collective assertion across the social formations for dignity and justice. It changed the narrative from the region by bringing the issues of social contract central to the debate. These secular demands did blur the conventional fault lines relegating the radicalising agenda of political Islam making scholar like Oliver Roy to pronounce the beginning of post-Islamist polity in the region. ¹ It appeared for a while that the transition for democratic change has begun in West Asia. Ironically, while the street protests marginalised the Islamist forces in regional polity, the electoral process brought them into power. This impacted upon the politics of the region. The rulers deriving their legitimacy on Islamic authority perceived the electoral victory of Muslim Brotherhood challenge to their Islamic legitimacy. It was seen as alternative to prevailing Islamic politics in the region. The deep state in Egypt and the dominating Islamic rulers sensed existential threat and hence responded to defend their stakes. Though Islamists had their part of failing, removal of electorally won government in Egypt did turn out to be setback if not the reversal of unfolding of democratic temper following the uprising. The collapse of electoral processes in Egypt, the failing of government in Baghdad to promote inclusive polity, and unsuccessful external interventions for alternative regimes in Libya and Syria cumulatively created objective conditions for radicalisation of society in the region. The extremist formations took full advantage of it. Their success in mobilising local and global support leading to declaration of the Islamic State needs to be contextualised for a realistic assessment of their threat potential. Their resort to brutal and violent campaign need not be seen as their being merely a terrorist outfit which could be decimated by military strikes. Islamic State is un-Islamic in terms of theology; it is the most barbaric terrorist formation but it is also a political manifestation emerged out of a context. In this chapter, attempt has been made to look into the context, the text, and the prognosis of the Islamic State.