Jihadist Salafist movement in Jordan

Jihadist Salafism in Jordan surfaced in the mid nineties with the trial of what became known as the "Imam's Pledge of Allegiance". A number of followers were given various sentences; amongst them were the two leaders Issam al Barqawi (Abu Mohammed al Maqdisi and Ahmad Fadhil al Khalaileh (Abu Musa'ab al Zarqawi)- at that time the movement was called "Teachers of the Unity of God".

The trial marked the first appearance for the movement in Jordan, where al Maqdisi and Zarqawi were identified as its two leaders.  In prison, the two leaders had their first disagreement that later on set itself to bear methodological differences in the style and course of their leaderships.

On their release upon a royal pardon, when HM King Abdullah II came to power, Zarqawi headed to Afghanistan while al-Maqdisi dedicated himself to preaching and advocating activities, a matter that led him to be imprisoned again by end of 1999 in the case known as "The Millennium Explosions" of which he was found not guilty after a year's long detention.

Two factions

The disagreement remained visible, especially after Zarqawi's move to Iraq, and his leadership of al-Qaida's organization there, where hundreds of Salafists joined him in Jordan, while others engaged themselves in al- Qaida's warfare affairs in Chechnya and Afghanistan.

Zarqawi was able to overtake the movement, and was successful in recruiting young men to join al Qaida in Iraq, all in the absence of al Maqdisi who was imprisoned from 2002 until 2005- the same period when hundreds of the movement's young men were put on trial before the military court, mostly for charges of recruiting young men for Jihad in Iraq.

Following al Maqdisi's release in 2005, while addressing Zarqawi in a public speech, he announced his disagreement with the latter's line of thought and denounced many of  al-Qaida's activities in Iraq, especially the targeting of Shiites and Christians. A number of the movement's leaders supported al Maqdisi's argument, a matter that transformed the movement's course and the beginning of the end for Zarqawi's grip over his followers.

The 2005 explosions in Amman, conducted by one of Zarqawi's cells, resulted in the movement receiving numerous security- crackdowns that continued until after Zarqawis assassination in June 2006.

Reorganization

The movement remained without known leadership between 2006 until March 2008 when Jordan's intelligence service released al Maqdisi, for the second time. He reorganized and restructured the movement on the following declared principles:

1. Peaceful means to spread its teachings and principles, while sustaining its known and famous radical image.
2. Internal reorganization, limiting Takfiri thought, refraining from exaggerated cruelty in dealing with others, and to strive to streamline and unify its jurisprudential reference and thought.
3. Exporting its teachings to the West Bank (Palestine), and to set up a movement that would proclaim Jihad on the doctrines of Jihadist Salafism.

Despite al Maqdisi's success in steering the movement away from al-Qaida's principles, and to adopt the new teachings, a powerless and closely monitored fragment of the movement remained to insist on the necessity of identifying with al Qaida's principles.

Al Maqdisi is regarded as the main leader of the movement, but with numerous security harassments and frequent imprisonment the movement was unable to continue with its re-evaluations. Consequently other leaders surfaced, amongst them was one in the north of Jordan (Abu Mohammed al Tahawi), while other two leaders emerged: Jarrah al Rahahlah, in Salt city, and Luqman al Riyalat, in Amman. Among the movement's new leaders in Zarqa are: Dr Sa'ad al Hneiti and Jawad al Faqih, in Ma'an Mohammed  al Shalabi (Abu Sayyaf) and Sakhr al Ma'ani, as well as other leaders in the city of Zarqa- which is revered as the movement's central base.

The movement's popularity in Jordan can be categorized (according to percentages of followers):

Zarqa, Amman, Irbid, Ma'an, Salt city and al Baqa'a refugee camp.

The movement's ideology is primarily based on principles of Islamic governance and derived from the teachings of Egypt's Sayyed Qutob.

Between Egyptian elections and Iranian nuclear negotiations in Baghdad

Two major political events are slated to take place in the region on May 23rd. Egypt, the largest Arab country, still caught in ongoing revolutions since 2011, will hold its first presidential elections since the overthrow of its former president.

Meanwhile, today's clashes between supporters of excluded Salafist candidate, Abu Ismail, and other demonstrators surrounding the country's ministry of defense, went to reflect the severity of polarization that exists within Egypt's civil society. The upcoming period is bound to further reveal which party will take part in the historical elections, and is also expected to show whether the military will be able to maintain its decades long control of power. The Egyptian candidates will orchestrate their campaigns in a manner that will increasingly divide secular and Islamist groups

Egypt's elections will not only introduce the fourth Egyptian president since Abdul Nasser, they will also have a fundamental impact on: the shape of things to come in the region, the map of emerging points of soft power, and international geopolitical strategies.

That being said, and given options available to the Egyptian electorate, it is expected that presidential candidate, Amr Mousa, will narrowly win in the upcoming elections - as a result to his advanced diplomatic skills, and ability to maneuver the country to sail into calmer seas. 

The second important event that will be taking place in the region on May 23rd, will be Iranian nuclear negotiations in Baghdad. The five permanent members of the UN Security Council (as well as Germany) and Iran will meet in Baghdad for the second round of negotiations over Iran's nuclear program. The meeting is anticipated to avoid a military conflict that would destabilize the region, and global economy.

In order for the meeting to achieve its desired objective, it is expected that advanced diplomacy will be employed to yield in necessary concessions while allowing Iran sufficient room to cushion the impact of sanctions.

Interview with Kathleen Schafer, on leadership and the Middle East

Leadership professional and coach,Kathleen Schafer, has been interacting with peoples from the Middle East over a period that spanned many years. In this interview, Kathleen shares some of her insights and valuable advice: 

1. Over the years, you have been working on projects with so many people in the Middle East region. What are most common types of leadership styles have you come across?  

Leadership Styles don't vary from region to region, rather they are universal.  That said, they are expressed differently within different cultures.  Within the Middle East, one of the greatest differences I have observed is that many women try to mask, or play down, some of the leadership strengths, while men often take more aggressive stances even though it may not be a part of their instinctive nature.  Both of these phenomenon are rooted in the culture, although it doesn't change the fundamental nature of each person.  For me, it would be wonderful to see more people in the Middle East, and everywhere for that matter, open up to their true talents and to have the freedom to pursue them to the best of their ability.

2. As a professional who has spent a good number of years coaching leaders, what characteristics of leadership qualities would best serve Egypt, during these times? And how can community leaders garner the support of civil society?

True leadership is not controlling because it doesn't need to prove its power or authority; rather it is granted by those around him or her as a result of true competence.  When power is hoarded it becomes a valuable commodity that must be protected and preserved, when power is shared it is multiplied and is returned to the leader without question.  My dream for leadership in Egypt would be to see a sincere and real move toward democracy where the power of the people to create the society they want to live in is commonplace.  Egyptian democracy needs to be its own and not a carbon copy of the West.  It would be thrilling to see Egypt become a leader in supporting strong civic engagement as a way to rebuild the country after the last several decades of tyranny.  The Egyptian people are warm, kind and intelligent.  With support, they are very capable of (re)creating a vibrant, healthy country.

3. Change, is what the Arab spring has induced so far. Your website, http://leadershipconnection.net/, is wonderfully packed with information that is accessible to everyone in the world!! In there, you speak of the option we have to making the change. How can one identify the threshold that brings one to making that choice?  

Great question!  And, we are at the brink of choice everyday, it is that too few of us recognize the choices we are making.  Are we choosing to ignore the poor and the hungry?  Are we avoiding conversations about education because we don't know what to do to make it better?  Do we complain about the government and then sit around and do nothing to make our neighborhood safe? On and on, each day we make a choice to walk past, keep quiet or ignore things that are difficult or challenges.  Leaders are no different from you or me, they are simply the people who chose not to ignore what is happening--and to do something about it!

4. Congratulations on the release of your new book! While taking us on this special journey in: Living the Leadership Choice, you literally guide the reader into taking their lives into their hands. Change is something we all fear, what would be your best advice to overcome that fear? In your own personal path, how did you overcome it?  

Early in my career I used to get upset with myself when I felt that I couldn't get all the pieces of my life lined up at one time.  Things would go well with my work and then there would be a family issue, or I would just start feeling good about traveling and speaking and I would get sick.  It took many years, until I began to recognize that success isn't about getting to a point where everything is perfect, it is about being ok with what is going on regardless of what it is.  The more that I took charge of the choices in my life and started to live my leadership, the changes and the choices became easier--or at least, I hope, that I handled them a bit better.  Now in my 40's, I am a long way from truly mastering this and I feel as if I am several steps down the path!

5. Conditioning oneself to change is part of our defense mechanisms. Would you say that it is during this transitional phase that our individuality comes out? How does our individuality manifest itself?

We are born individuals, and society, family, culture all plays a roll in telling us if who we are is good enough or not.  The journey of life is not about becoming an individual, it is about becoming who we already are and being OK with it.  There are many things I am good at and many things I am not.  By learning how to focus on my strengths and let other people help with the rest, life gets easier and easier.

6. How can leaders utilize emotional intelligence during transitional phases?

Almost everywhere, we are taught to deny our emotions and to "THINK."  While I love to think, it is our emotions that are our true guidance system.  If something doesn't feel right, it probably isn't.  If it feels good take and look at why and then decide your next step.  Learn to read the emotions of others and you have the key to the world if you can respond with empathy and compassion.  We are emotional beings and as leaders if we can learn to use our emotions in tandem with our logical minds it becomes a winning combination.  Women are predisposed to this AND so many have come to believe that as leaders they must leave their emotions locked-away so that they become harsher than their male counterparts.  "Be-ing" is the best way to create leadership and being yourself is the only way to ever be truly effective at it.

In my final note, I wish to personally thank you for being such a wonderful mentor, and for sharing your thoughts with us here.

Redefining Leadership

Direct Dial:             202-437-4922      

www.leadershipconnection.net

Ojai, California and Washington, DC