Myth in The Service of Jihad

Abstract

The jihadist fantasy of recreating and extending the medieval Muslim empire governed by a stringent interpretation of Islamic law is an expression of mythical thinking. Typical of the mythical mind, jihadists utilize martyrology and miracle stories that support and strengthen their commitment to the cause of global jihad. Certain recurrent themes, such as supernatural aid for the mujahid in battle, the miraculous purification of the body of a fallen warrior, and sudden visions of paradise, characterize these tales. Radical Islamists also interpret jihad in apocalyptic terms, relating their struggles to religious traditions about cataclysmic events that are expected to herald the advent of a new Muslim world order. One key figure in this scenario is the demonic Dajjal, a type of Antichrist frequently identified by radical Islamists with Jews and the West, who seeks to lead people away from God. The other key figure is the Mahdi, a messianic leader who will establish the dominance of a purified Islam. Radical Islamists, such as the Taliban, armed with a fundamentalist faith, often conceive of their mission in these messianic terms, a theme discussed in Understanding Jihad (2005), by David Cook, who teaches religious studies at Rice University.