The rise of Islamic fundamentalism and the birth of Hamas

Abstract

This short study analyses the different faces of political Islam in an attempt to shatter the common myths associated with this phenomenon. The final goal of the article was to offer a detailed definition for the concept of Islamism that would allow policy-makers to expand their understanding of Islamist organizations, like Hamas. To achieve my aim I have encompassed here a brief incursion into the world of Islamic political thought, using as a methodological framework the works of two important Muslim thinkers: Sayyd Qutb and Muhammad Abduh. Hamas' Islamist character has been another focus of this study, as I have been interested in identifying the possible factors that may lead this type of Islamist resistance movements to evolve into legitimate political parties.