Contents:

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - 3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ - 6 ------------------------------ - 9 --------------------------------------------------- - 12 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ - 15 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- - 17 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - 19 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - 20 -

-1-

Takfir & Sectarianism

-2-

Takfir & Sectarianism

Takfir & Sectarianism

Resurgence of an Old Hibernating Sidewinder!

Sectarian differences, even clashes, are nothing new within the Muslim
world. Before the fall of Ottoman Empire, some 100 years ago, this rift was
confined within the scholarly circles and academics of the Muslim World. It
never presented an existential threat to the stability of any Muslim land. But
right after the fall of Ottoman Empire, the seeds of present crisis were spread
when Muslim lands were divided based on Arab nationalism. With this
artificial division, these sectarian differences turned into a complex
transnational phenomenon, threatening the stability of the entire region.
Historically, this is unprecedented. In modern geopolitics, this phenomenon
has become a centrifugal force tearing apart multiple Muslim societies and
the states.
Geopolitical challenges in Middle East are much compounded than what
meets the eye. Beneath this ostensibly single-faceted sectarian strife, hidden
dynamics ranging political history of the region to the geopolitical
ambitions of global power players are covertly shaping this entire conflict.
Presenting this geopolitical contest as a mere sectarian conflict is part of a
much larger scheme of things.
This paper is a quest in putting the sectarian dimension of ensuing
pandemonium in the entire Middle East into a larger perspective of global
politics through retrospective analysis of various historic and contemporary
political developments. This essay also examines the phenomenon of takfir
within various sects of Shia and Sunni and suggests some steps which can
provide the basis for a more inclusive social-political regional strategy to put
this venomous sidewinder back in the hibernation which has been wreaking
havoc in multiple Muslim states!
************************

-3-

Takfir & Sectarianism

I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) saying, If someone

accuses another of disbelief or calls him the enemy of Allah, such an
accusation will revert to him (the accuser) if the accused is innocent.
Hazrat Abu Dharr Al Ghiffari (RA)

*****************

Before analyzing the atrocious ideology of Takfir and its physical manifestation
i.e. sectarian violence as a tool of complex modern geopolitics, it is critical to
understand one fundamental principle. The issue of Takfir and sectarianism
cannot be seen in isolation as it is directly linked with an even bigger, older and
more perplexing phenomenon of khawarijism. These Khawarij were the first
sect in Islamic history, appeared during the rule of Prophet Muhemmed (sm) in
Madina. Before their emergence, there were no sects in Islam and only a singular
interpretation, given by Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet (sm), was considered the
final verdict about all the matters, religious or otherwise. And this is the group
who made the companions of Prophet of Islam (sm) to fight each other through
their sheer propaganda and deception prowess. These were the people, who
practically introduced the phenomenon of Takfir by declaring other Muslims
infidels including Sahabah like Umer (R.A), Usman (R.A) and Ali (R.A). They were
the people who assassinated the last three caliphs of Islam and proved to be a
strategic tool against Islam. Finally, these Khawarij were responsible for the
creation of Shia-Sunni divide among Muslim societies just to fulfill their own
political agenda which had nothing to do with Islam whatsoever!
Understanding this history of first sect in Islam along with its violent ideology
remains a critical imperative as modern day sectarian strife, in the greater
Middle East region, drives its ideological inspirations, narratives and rationale
from that early age of Islam. This also dispels another general misconception,
which has been prevalent among Muslims since centuries now, that Karbala was
the starting point of present day sectarianism. Indeed, this was not the case!
-4-

Takfir & Sectarianism

This phenomenon intensified once the great Muslim Empire of Ottoman

Caliphate was divided on the nationalistic and sectarian basis. This changed the
entire complexion of Muslim thought process. The debate over western concepts
like nation state, democracy and liberalism further divided Muslim societies as
latter were not prepared or educated for any of these alien concepts. It baffled
the Islamic scholars as well and they failed to present any counter-narrative.
Every sect, in order to further its political agenda, used sectarian card. Final goal
was to get into the power!
To understand this complex dimension, we will have to revisit the traditional
debate over sectarianism. The debate over sectarian dynamics of geopolitics
will have to be reached from reverse perspective. It is time to investigate the role
of geopolitical forces in shaping this entire sectarian chaos. Takfir is not a goal in
itself. Early history of Islam has proven this as a fact. It has always been deployed
as a tool in a larger political strategy. With the nation state variable emplaced in
the regional geopolitical equation, takfir became a transnational phenomenon
recognizing no borders or limitations. Outcome was more deadly divisions with
the Muslims states. Apart from crossing over the international borders, takfir
became a centrifugal force even within the states dividing them further and at a
third level almost all major sects today have divisions within.
Amid all this ideological confusion, state of Israel was created in Muslim
heartland right after World War II. It was not acceptable for any Muslim sect
except those who were given the thrones after fall of Ottomans. Strong anti-Israel
sentiments began to emerge in Arab world but after 1973 Arab-Israel war, all the
major conflicts took place within the Arabs. Since 1979, these internal conflicts
have become so severe that entire Muslim world has become irrelevant as far as
threat of Israel is concerned. The impunity with which Israel carried out the
genocide of Palestinians, in recent aggression in Gaza, is the most vivid testimony
of this fact.
Another interesting aspect of this entire sectarian axis which cannot be
overlooked is the fact that the sectarian violence intensifies whenever Khawarij
resurge in any Muslim society. They waged wars upon other Muslims by doing
their takfir (i.e. declaring them kafir) which has often caused creation of new
sects in Islam. This is how Muslim world has been divided into so many sects.
Forces afraid of Islam as a political ideology use this internal sectarian divide to
cause infighting among the Muslims to further the political chaos in Muslim
heartland. It is nadir of Islamic history that due to the presence of sect-based
governments in various Islamic countries, the entire region has been sucked into
a strategic quagmire. Today, there is no unity of thought in any Muslim nation
state or even within any sect of Islam. Result? A complete social, political and
national breakdown!

-5-

Takfir & Sectarianism

Below is a brief snapshot of prevailing political and national breakdown rampant

in the entire Middle East and beyond.
Today, Shia militants are at war with Yemen's Sunni government while
Sunni Arabs has joined the US to attack the Shia regime of Syria.
In Iraq, Sunni insurgents have been waging war against a Shia government.

Shia-Sunni conflict, tearing apart Iraq

Saddam, despite being a secular Baathist, pretended to be a Sunni and

occupied another Sunni state Kuwait which instigated the first Gulf War
and Saddams own downfall.
Syria becomes the 7th Muslim country to be bombed by US since 2003
with ensuing crisis encircling countries as far afield as Turkey and Ukraine.
Saudi Salafis are ruthless against Shia Iranians. But not all of them as
Salafis themselves are divided into multiple sub-sects based on their
interpretations.i
In 2003, Iran joined hands with the US to overthrow Saddam regime and
bring a Shia government. But, in 2010, Iraqi Shia political front refused to
ally with Iran backed political groups.ii
First CIA/Mossad, Sunni Arabs created ISIS. Then they join hands "against"
it, creating justification for invasion of Syria for expansion of Israels
political and strategic influence and even its current borders.
-6-

Takfir & Sectarianism

 Mossad/CIA created a Frankenstein called ISIS and presented it as a Sunni

militant outfit.iii A group of ruthless murderous thugs of Khawarij. Now US
join hands with Iran against it.

Complete destruction and chaos, ultimate outcome of Sectarian wars

US backed Shia Arab Iraqi government is opposing the airstrikes by US

backed Sunni Arab states but has no problem with bombing campaign by
the US,UK and France in Iraq.iv
Iran fully cooperated with CIA in overthrowing Saddam in Iraq & Taliban
in Afghanistan. Now Israeli ISIS killing Shias in Iraq as well.
Iran supported the US against Sunni Baathist Saddam, but is supporting
another Shia Baathist regime in Syria against the US.
CIA created Sunni Jundullah against Shia Iran to launch insurgency and
terrorism in Iran.v Saudi funded, Pakistani sectarian groups also joined this
anti-Shia jihad which is creation of CIA.

-7-

Takfir & Sectarianism

Jundullah A CIA creation against Iran!

Saudia Arabia and UAE are the biggest financial suppliers of these
sectarian militant factions. Still, the KSA and UAE are strategic partner of
Israel and the US against Palestinian.
OIC Says it cannot stop a state as small as Israel vi but the entire Arab world
has no concern fighting against much larger Syria.
The sectarian wars of the ME have reached Pakistan also. Sectarian killings
and violence has increased during the recent years.vii If you praise Iran,
you are branded as a Shia agent, else a Saudi Wahabi terrorist.

This is the insanity & complexity of the Middle East crisis. One can only be
a NATO Sunni & a Russian Shia in Syria, a NATO Arab Shia in Iraq against
Iranian Non-Arab Shia.
The Syria crisis has divided the Muslim resistance movements as well.
Hizbullah supports Bashar but Hamas is against Bashar.
-8-

Takfir & Sectarianism

 Terrorism is a crime against humanity. Islam has made it categorically

clear in Quran. But unfortunately, today even such crime is condemned
from a sectarian perspective.

There is either Sunni killings or a Shia genocide What about Muslims?

By looking at this complexity of political-sectarian anarchy in the entire Muslim

world, one might wonder; how things went wrong to such an extent? Why
nobody was able to see this all coming? To find the answers, we will have to
untangle the role of political powers, both regional and global, in instigating
sectarian violence as a policy tool to serve their strategic political interests in the
region.
1979 remains the most important year in modern history of Middle East. The
events which took place during this year shaped the entire geopolitics of today.
The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, start of Iran-Iraq war and the Iranian
Revolution were major developments which took place during that time period.
Iranian revolution basically was a Shia revolution but was presented as Islamic
revolution. Iran-Iraq war was presented as a war between Shia-Sunnis. These
developments not only deepened the sectarian fault lines but also provided
impetus for the Israeli Zionists to widen the fault lines within the Arab world
using sectarianism as strategic tool. Internal political and nationalistic rifts
within the Islamic world also helped the Zionist agenda. Oppressive regimes in
Iraq, Syria, Egypt and Gulf states give rise to political centrifugal tendencies but
as the all these regimes were utterly non-democratic, cruel and un-Islamic, they
-9-

Takfir & Sectarianism

tried to oppress these forces through state power. This was the manifestation of
Cold War era geopolitics. The US and USSR both were supporting their respective
client states in Middle East. CIAs operation Cyclone in Afghanistan, along with
other similar schemes elsewhere in the world, enabled Langley to penetrate in
both Shia and Sunni militant groups using Arab agents. This has been pithily put
in words by Brig. (R) Samson Simon Sharaf
CIA also got control of Takfiris to employ against the USSR. The scenario was
often played in CENTCOM War Games warranting US intervention. Lawrence of
Arabia lived a thousand lives in these scripts.viii

Iranian Revolution was not Islamic but presented as one for political gains. Iran
continued to receive Israeli weapons to fight against Iraq who were supplied weapons by
the US in ten years long Iran-Iraq war.

Till 1990's, there were three Socialist, pro-Soviet Baathist regimes in the Middle
East. Iraq was ruled by Saddam, Syria by Hafiz ul Asad, father of Bashar and Libya
was being ruled by Qaddafi. All 3 were secular governments, which hanged,
killed, exiled hundreds of thousands of Muslims for demanding Islamic laws in
their countries. Not only this, but they tortured and killed all those Mujahideen
who returned home after Soviet Union was defeated in the gorges of Afghanistan.
After 9/11, both Iran and Syria cooperated with the CIA in its torturous rendition
programsix and now both are on top of American hit list.
Only occasion when the entire Muslim World displayed some kind of unity was
during early 1970s and 1980s when Pakistan persuaded the Arabs to use the oil
exports to the West as a strategic weapon. Ironically, almost every noticeable
leader who participated in 1974 OICs Lahore Summit met with a horrible end.
Former President of Pakistan, General Zia ul Haq, undoubtedly, was the last
leader in the entire Muslim world who tried to bring Muslim Ummah in a united
- 10 -

Takfir & Sectarianism

political fold. Unfortunately, whatever remains of the Muslim world today,

comprises only on political carpetbaggers and American touts.

Reaching out to both the Sunni and Shia regimes in Middle East - President Zias
diplomatic overtures for the united Islamic block

At that time, Saddam was a friend of CIA, fighting against Iran in the entire 1980's
but then became an enemy of CIA when Iraq invaded Kuwait and the first Gulf
war started. CIA used Saddam to destroy Iran and then used him again to attack
Middle East in first and second gulf wars and finally hanged him after 2004.
Through this systematic intervention in the Middle East, the US got herself in a
position to reshape the entire political map of the Middle East based on the
Sectarian lines. This is why Arabs and Egypt suffered so heavily in 1973 war
against Israel. The borders of Israel expanded while Afro-Arab states like Egypt,
Jordon and Syria shrunk.
Today, when the US intelligence apparatus in the Middle East has become too
strong to be shaken, the entire Middle East political landscape has been divided
based on what Council for Foreign Relation has called Branches of Islam,
making it almost a childs play for powerful international state and non-state
organizations or groups to manipulate whoever they want in the region!

- 11 -

Takfir & Sectarianism

Branches of Islam A strategic tool in war of ideas and belief. Often employed to divide
and rule Muslims. (Source: Council on Foreign Relations)x

The historical analysis of sectarianism as a strategic tool, of the Zionists, dispels

the prevalent erroneous impression that the present Middle East chaos is a new
phenomenon. It may be new on the operational and tactical levels, but at the
strategic and grand-strategic levels of warfare, this is just the continuation of the
old wars. Means and Ways have changed only but the strategic goals remain the
same!
Seeds of division of Iraq were sown in the First Gulf War, during the early 1990s,
with the creation of an autonomous Kurd region. Next step was to remove a
strong leader like Saddam who somehow was able to keep the country united.
Actual target was never Saddam but the Iraqi Army. Once incapacitated through
few compromised generals, creation of Kurd autonomous region, for more
control over Iraqi oil, was used as a PsyOp to instigate Iraqi Sunni insurgency,
which erupted in 2006, to demand their own autonomous region effectively
breaking the country. After the fall of Saddam Iraqi Army was turned into an
ineffective militia due to continued sectarian tensions, promotion on the basis of
- 12 -

Takfir & Sectarianism

ethno-sectarian kinship ties rather than professionalism, corruption on a massive

and grotesque scale, poor command, control and communications systems
because of the politicians mistrust of the officer corps.xi

Various sectarian centrifugal forces tearing oil rich Muslim nation apart!

The Iranians cooperated in plans to instigate this insurgency by supporting the

oppressive regime of Nur Al Malaki. Iraqis realized this and reacted against it, in
2010, by rejecting the Iran backed Shia political alliance. But this didnt change
much on ground as Baghdad government is still a predominately Shia regime.
Sunni militants rebel against Baghdad, in a desperate bid to remove Shia regime
and restore Sunni regime like Saddam, not realizing that he was not a Sunni but a
Baathist in the first place. To make the matters worse, ISIS has been killing both
Sunni and Shia further amplifying the crisis!
As a recruitment policy, Israel and the UK extensively used the idea of Takfir.
They brainwashed Muslim youth of Europe. A false notion that their version of
religion would ultimately prevail over other Muslim sects and all the other Arab
religions like Christians, Bahha, Druz, Yazidi and Zoroastrians was instilled in
their minds. Even they are not aware why they are fighting and now after
realizing how they have been trapped, they are desperate to go back homexii but
to prevent this reverse flux of these brainwashed Muslim youths, the US has
launched a war against them after ignoring them for so long. This new war which
is being waged in the deserts of Iraq and Levant shall push the entire region
- 13 -

Takfir & Sectarianism

further into strategic swirl. Turkey has already announced to become part of this
war. This decision is going to have long term strategic implications for the future
ties between Ankara and Damascus.

Zionists are the real masterminds behind sectarian wars in Islamic World Even their own
confess!

Turkey has been fighting against the PKK insurgency for years now. A peace deal
was reached between Ankara and PKK. To make it a reality, special law was
approved by the Turkish government.xiii Now when ISIS is advancing towards the
Kurdish town of Kubane near the Turkish border in Syria, PKK is
asking Erdogan to fight IS if Ankara wants to save that peace treaty.xiv ISIS
creation has nothing to do with Turkey but due to this threat Turkey has been
forced to change its policy of "Zero Problems with neighbors". Turkish Prime
Minister, Ahmet Davutoglu devised this policy when he was Turkish Foreign
Minister. Turkey started to forge the regional alliances with the Middle Eastern
states and tried to end the international isolation of states like Syria and Iran. xv
But now Turkey has decided to intervene in Syria and due to this decision the
entire strategic equation has become even more delicate.
Today, Turkey stands at the same crossroad where Pakistan was after 9/11 when
General Musharraf, as President, had to decide about its Afghan policy. The
decision Turkey has taken is also similar to what Pakistan did back then and like
Pakistan, Turkey also has her own reasons. The outcome of this decision remains
an enigma for now which shall be unfolded in the coming weeks and months. The
war in Syria is going to be protracted one. Israelis would do everything to push
the ISIS brigades into Turkey turning 900 KM long Turkish-Syrian border in
another geopolitical hotspot like Pakistan-Afghan border has become!
- 14 -

Takfir & Sectarianism

Turkey prepares for an inevitable war with Israeli backed ISIS.

In this entire Shia-Sunni, Arab-Persian wars, the net beneficiary is Israel,

decimating the Muslim countries around it, expanding its political influence in
the region. It looks like that Jordan, Saudi Arabia and perhaps Lebanon sans
Hezbollah are onboard with this grand strategic plan. Israel has an intrinsic
vulnerability due to its thin geography and is in desperate need of some kind of
strategic depth.
Israel has already shown her intentions to punish Hezbollah for resisting this
Israeli expansionist plan.xvi Israel is preparing for another war in the region. On
the other hand, Hezbollah Deputy Secretary General Sheikh Naeem Kassem has
rightly pointed to the fact that these takfiri groups are actually benefiting Israel,
since they create sedition and internal fighting.xvii Not only this, he succinctly
analyzed that the differences between these groups and other groups are not
religious, but are rather political.xviii
This trend will continue in the future as well unless Muslim states perceive this
threat with the same sensitivities all over the world. And for that, it is imperative
to create some kind of union among Muslim states where scholars of policy and
strategy can deliberate on issues like Takfir and Khawarij as a tool of the western
strategy.
Despite all the internal chaos within the Muslim world, there is silver lining on
the horizon as well. The international reaction over Israels recent aggression in
Gaza has put Tel Aviv on the back foot. Now, Israeli troops are committing
- 15 -

Takfir & Sectarianism

suicides and openly defying the policies of Israeli government. These

developments have put Israeli government in panic to such an extent that Israeli
defense minister Moshe Yaalon had to declare the protest of 43 officers of elite
intelligence unit of Israel, Unit 8200, as vile and reprehensiblexix while the
Intelligence and strategic affairs minister of Israel, Yuval Steinitz, had to declare
it an act of subversion that deserves punishment. xx
These dynamics of internal politics of Israel provide impetuses to the Muslim
nations to initiate their own diplomatic overtures to build a cohesive narrative of
geopolitical unity among the Muslim societies. This is a strategic imperative
because the real target of the entire Middle East chaos is the social unity and
political cohesion of the Muslim nations. If achieved, this unity of thought would
be the first step towards the creation of a collective security and economic block
within the Muslim world. Any such eventuality would be a security nightmare for
Israel as Tel Aviv is well aware of the fact that once Muslims get united,
overcoming their political differences, the security of state of Israel would be in
complete jeopardy. After achieving this much needed political unity in the
strategic thought process of Muslims, sectarian violence would also diminish
inevitably. This would not be an easy task but time to act is now before it gets
too late.
No Muslim sect has ever accepted the creation of Israel. This fact explains why it
is critical for Israel and her allies to instigate infightings within the Muslim world
using their political cronies and touts. This is what transpiring across the entire
swathe of Muslim heartland. In reality, the war is political, not sectarian. Sooner
we realize this, faster we will be able to rid of this menace of sectarianism.
Pakistan has a critical role to play to create a conducive strategic environment for
the diplomatic overtures discussed above. A radical shift is required in
Islamabads foreign policy to make these overtures and eventual rise of united
state of Islam a reality.

- 16 -

Takfir & Sectarianism

 Pakistans first priority should be the ending of all the financial support to
military wings of sectarian outfits from the Middle Eastern states adopting
strict anti-money laundering laws and oversight practices.
Pakistans foreign policy vision must be completely non-sectarian. There
must be complete balance in Pakistans diplomatic engagements with
Riyadh and Tehran. Pakistan has already done that during in 1970s and
1980s.
Pakistan's interest lies in building the strongest regional block with
Tehran, Riyadh and Ankara. The mutual distrust of Arabs, Iranians & Turks
can only be pacified by Pakistan which historically has maintained cordial
relations with all 3 nations.
The proposed regional block must be built upon the suggestions of a
multilateral policy institution comprising on Foreign Ministers, defense
ministers, security experts and most importantly experts of Islamic Sharia
Laws and history. Inclusion of experts of Islamic Sharia and history would
be a critical imperative to develop a broad based religious counternarrative against Takfir and Khawarijism to comprehensively destroy the
militant and violent ideological edifice which both Takfiris and Kharjis
present and preach as Islamic. Once developed, this counter-narrative
must be infused in academics, education and media by each country.
Absence of such collective Islamic counter-narrative has only helped the
hostile entities to further their agenda of dividing the Muslim world on
violent sectarian lines instigating bloodshed.
Pakistan, Iran and Turkey need to revive the RCD in accordance with the
dynamically changing strategic milieu in the region. Pakistan has relied
upon the Arabs for too long now. Events transpiring around Pakistan
demand that Pakistan, Iran and Turkey to join hands to cope with these
security and political challenges if not for the security of hapless Muslims
in the Middle East, at least for their own.
Though Israeli enmity towards Arabs and non-Arab is similar but Pakistan,
being only ideological and nuclear Islamic state is prime target of Israeli
covert operations and in the world. Israel-India strategic partnership is a
vivid manifestation of Israels long term strategic planning against
Pakistan. After emergence of this dangerous nexus between Hindutva and
Zionism it is critical for Pakistan to carry out a fresh appraisal of national
- 17 -

Takfir & Sectarianism

security threat matrix to build a response strategy against Israeli

overtures in the subcontinent.
Keeping the close bilateral security relations between Israel and India in
mind, Pakistan needs to revisit its India policy as well. Indian involvement
in the increased sectarian violence, particularly in Karachi, must be
investigated vigorously. Since the creation of Pakistan, Indians have been
using the same sectarian ruse against it which Israelis employed against
the Arabs to make them fight each other.
Russia and China have become crucial factors in the Eurasian geopolitics.
Recent developments in Ukraine, Balkan and Black Sea regions clearly
indicate that Russia is re-emerging in the region with China restoring
balance of global maritime power in the South China Sea and the Indian
Ocean. New Pakistani foreign policy must incorporate these facts as pivotal
points. Pakistan needs radical adjustments in its foreign policy towards
Moscow, Beijing and Washington.

- 18 -

Takfir & Sectarianism

The entire sectarian chaos within the Muslim world actually is the manifestation
of collision of political interests of various governments in the region.
Unfortunately, most of these governments are working on the behest of Israel
and the West. The final strategic aim of these artificially created sectarian wars is
to protect the Israeli borders and whenever possible to expand these.
As new power centers are emerging on the grand chessboard of global politics,
new opportunities of strategic outreach for the Muslim nations are also
emerging. But to take advantage of these emerging opportunities, Muslim world
would need to get rid of Cold War era strategic thought process. For Pakistan too,
this is perhaps the only way forward to crawl out of this strategic pothole where
the state is struggling for survival on daily basis.
*********************************

- 19 -

Takfir & Sectarianism

Dr. Yasir Qadhi, On Salaf Islam, Muslimmatters.org, 22nd April 2014,

http://cdn.muslimmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/On-Salafi-Islam_Dr.-Yasir-Qadhi.pdf
i

Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki had resisted Iranian efforts to form a united Shia bloc. He led his
own State of Law Coalition (SLC), a predominately Shia Islamist bloc with substantial secular
elements. It competed against both the Iranian-aligned Iraqi National Alliance (INA) and the
Iraqi National Movement, or Iraqiya coalition, a mixture of Sunnis and secular Shia nominally
headed by former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi.
ii

Kirk H. Sowell, Iraqs Second Sunni Insurgency Analysis, Hudson Institute, 9th Aug 2014,
http://www.hudson.org/research/10505-iraq-s-second-sunni-insurgency
Kevin Barrett, ISIS: a Frankenstein monster created by the US and Israel, 25th Aug 2014,
http://www.darkmoon.me/2014/isis-frankenstein-monster-created-us-israel/
iii

iv

BBC, Islamic State crisis: Abadi opposes Arab strikes in Iraq, 1st Oct 2014,
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-29447201
ABC News, ABC News Exclusive: The Secret War Against Iran, 3rd April 2007,
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2007/04/abc_news_exclus
v

Ikram Junaidi, Arab states cannot stop Israel: OIC secretary-general, Daily Dawn, 5th
Aug, 2014, http://www.dawn.com/news/1123391
vi

Sectarian violence increased in 2013, says report, Daily Dawn, 6th Jan, 2014,
http://www.dawn.com/news/1078664
vii

Brigadier (Retired) Samson Simon Sharaf, Takfiri: The Arab sidewinder, Daily Nation, 9th
August 2014, http://www.nation.com.pk/columns/09-Aug-2014/takfiri-the-arab-sidewinder
viii

ix Ian

Cobain, CIA rendition: more than a quarter of countries 'offered covert support', The
Guardian, 5th Feb 2013, http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/feb/05/cia-renditioncountries-covert-support

The Sunni-Shia Divide, Council on Foreign Relations, http://www.cfr.org/peace-conflictand-human-rights/sunni-shia-divide/p33176#!/?cid=soc-twitter-in-infoguide-sunni_shia_divide071514#!%2F

x

Ahmed S. Hashim, Defeating IS: Will The Obama Strategy Succeed? Analysis, Eurasian
Review, 17th Sep 2014, http://www.eurasiareview.com/17092014-defeating-will-obamastrategy-succeed-analysis
xi

xii British

Jihadists Fighting In Syria 'Regret Their Decision To Leave UK And Want To Come
Home', The Huffington Post UK, 5th Sep 2014,
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/09/05/british-jihadists-islamic-statesyria_n_5770400.html

- 20 -

Takfir & Sectarianism

Turkey approves law allowing talks with PKK, Aljazeera News, 15th Jul 2014,
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/europe/2014/07/turkey-approves-law-allowing-talks-withpkk-2014715182324519257.html
xiii

Massacre in Kobane would end PKK's peace talks with Turkey: calan, Hurriyat Daily
News, 2nd Oct 2014, http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/massacre-in-kobane-would-endpkks-peace-talks-with-turkey-ocalan.aspx
xiv

Under zero problems with neighbors, the AKP government established economic and
political alliances in the Middle East, forged strategic relationships with regional actors, took
part in regional initiatives, and sought to play an active role in the resolution of regional
conflicts. Turkeys mediating role in regional conflicts won it favorable notice in the Arab
world. For instance, Ankaras efforts to break the isolation imposed on Syria and Iran by the
United States were well received, contributing to Turkeys image as an independent actor
willing to defy Western powers if necessary.
xv

Dr. Gnl Tol, Turkeys Search For Zero Problem Policy, Middle East Institute ,25th Nov.
2013, http://www.mei.edu/content/turkeys-search-zero-problem-policy
Israeli army chief: Hezbollah poses greater threat than Hamas, Al Arabiya English
Website, 4th Oct 2014, http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/2014/10/04/Israeli-military-chiefsays-Hezbollah-poses-greater-threat-than-Hamas.html
xvi

Mariam Saleh , Muslim clerics speak against Takfiri ideology, Press TV, 4th Jul 2014,
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/07/04/312146/muslim-clerics-speak-against-takfiri-ideology
xvii

xviii

Ibid

Calev Ben-David, Israel Slams Soldiers Who Say They Won't Be 'Tools to Persecute'
Palestinians, Bloomberg News, 14th Sep 2014, http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-0914/israeli-officials-condemn-protest-by-intelligence-unit-soldiers.html
xix

xx

Ibid

- 21 -

Takfir & Sectarianism