Islam as a Source of Continuity and Change in the Middle East

Abstract

Islam plays an extraordinarily significant role in the fractious politics of the Middle East. Since the Prophet Muhammad was also a statesman, a diplomat, and a soldier, there emerged a powerful tradition of emulating his example, whereby rulers in the Middle East also claimed to be ‘defenders of the faith’. Even the Umayyad rulers – whose religious credentials were questionable largely because the founder of this dynasty, Muawiya, came to power by fighting a battle with Ali (the fourth Caliph of Islam, cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet), and by denying the right of Caliphate to his son, Hassan, strongly proclaimed their leadership of Islam.