A viewer of Peta Credlin’s program on Sky News wrote to say that Peta corrected an interviewee who used the word “Islamist” when what they should have said was “Islam.”
The viewer then went on to ask me to explain the difference between the two words.
Which I did last Wednesday night with Peta on our ‘Words Matter’ segment.
But there was a sequel.
My friend and colleague at Sky News Chris Kenny called me to say that he thought I might have got it wrong, and would I do some more checking.
Chris is a smart bloke, so I took his advice.
The first word of the part (‘Islam’) is not difficult and is not contentious.
‘Islam’ is recorded in English from 1613 and it\s an Arabic word meaning ‘submission’ (‘Muslim’ comers from an Arabic word meaning ‘one who submits’).
But with ‘Islamist’ it is another story.
That is a word that has developed its own, specific meaning.
I said that I thought ‘Islamist’ meant a radical Muslim, who held what Tony Abbot called an ‘apocalyptic, death-to-infidels’ view.
This is what concerned Chris, because he suggested that ‘Islamist’ is broader than that—and does not always mean someone who supports violence.
So, I checked with one of Australia’s leading scholars in this area: Mark Durie.
This is how Mark explains the term:
“Essentially Islamism is a political project to establish an Islamic state, ruled by sharia law. Militant Islamists are those whose political project includes violence right now. Lawful Islamists seek to transition a nation through using a nation's existing political processes.
They do not rule out violence, but regard it as not something to be pursued now in their current context.
A lawful Islamist could support militancy in other contexts, say in Palestine, while rejecting it, say, in Australia.
The Muslim Brotherhood and Hizb ut Tahrir are examples of Islamist organisations whose political program includes violence in some contexts, but not in others.
ISIS is an example of an Islamist organisation which believes that the political goal can only be realised through violent jihad, now.
Daniel Pipes has done more than anyone to popularise this term. His catch cry has been that militant Islam is the problem and moderate Islam is the solution.
So, for him, ‘moderate Islam’ is defined by a lack of interest in establishing an Islamic state.”
So, ‘Islamism / Islamist’ refers to political Islam, which may (or may not) include the approval of violence.
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For Perth readers: tonight I will talk words and language with Tod Johnston on 'The Night Shift' on 6PR.
There are lots of great conversations on the "Q and A" page -- check it out.
There is a new edition of the podcast "Words with Kel Richards" -- you can find it by scrolling down this page.
In the new issue of The Spectator Australia (out now) my language column is about the word 'non-racism.'
I have signed the anti-Semitism pledge, and I encourage you to do the same. You can sign the letter here: www.saynotoantisemitism.org
Australian Geographic is out now (with cute, snow-bound penguins on the cover). My Ozwords column looks at 'cane toad politics' while my Placenames column explains the meaning of 'Wagga Wagga.'
If you'd like to see my A-Z list of Aussie slang you'll find it here in the Australian Geographic website -- A-Z list of Aussie slang. Here’s the link: The A-Z of Aussie slang - Australian Geographic
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