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After the rapid rise and fall of Sunni Islamist political actors following the Arab uprisings that began earlier this decade, a strong fragmentation has emerged within this political spectrum. The division exists within Islamist political groups in their national contexts as well as between them across different countries. The Tunisian Ennahdha, the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, and the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood stand as respective models for Islamists in power, under repression, and in civil wars.
The Tunisian Ennahdha falls into the category of "Islamists in power." It acts within the political system, understands itself as a national political party, and has separated politics from religion. However, the party is in danger of losing its appeal. The Tunisian Islamist constituency is increasingly turning to jihadist Salafist actors.
The Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood falls into the category of "Islamists under suppression." It suffers from serious repression by the Sisi government, which has led to a massive structural and ideological fragmentation of the organisation. Although the old guard still adheres to the principle of non-violence, younger activists are increasingly open to using violent means and clear shifts towards radicalisation have occurred. This may have spillover effects on the Islamist political spectrum beyond Egyptian borders.
The Syrian Muslim Brotherhood falls into the category of "Islamists in civil wars." It has been operating from exile since 1982 and has not managed to turn itself into a major political player once again, even since the uprising against the Assad regime started in 2011. The organisation is facing a generational battle and is in danger of losing adherents to radical actors such as jihadist Salafists.
European policymakers should strengthen moderate Islamist branches by suggesting to partner countries in the MENA region and the United States that increasing pressure on these actors will most probably lead to their radicalisation. Moreover, they should not push moderate Islamists too far towards moderation and a departure from Islamic values, because this might increase the divide between the Islamists and their constituencies.

Why do some religious parties survive after adopting a moderate ideological outlook while others do not? The rise and fall of religious parties since the onset of democratic transition in Indonesia has set off an intriguing debate over the role and future of political Islam in electoral politics. This article seeks to explain the diverging – and unexpected – trajectories of the two most prominent religious parties, the National Awakening Party (PKB) and Justice Prosperous Party (PKS) through a close examination of the case of PKB. It emphasizes organizational qualities to advance two claims. First, the decline of the moderate PKB is the result of the permeation of personality-based clientelistic and ascriptive relations as well as lack of party institutionalization. Political survival of the puritanical Islamist PKS, on the other hand, is explained by organizational cohesion achieved through party institutionalization. Second, a disciplined party structure has allowed PKS elites to achieve controversial ideological adjustments. In short, a moderate centralist religious ideology or outlook alone is not sufficient to achieve political survival in the competitive environment of electoral and religious politics.

- The mount of Mercy. - - Islamic festivals. - - The Prophet's wives. - - Hajj: Holy pilgrimage. - - The Prophet's character. - - Caliphs in Succession. - - The second Caliph. - - The third Caliph. - - The fourth Caliph. - - Muayiya, the first Umayyad Caliph 661-680. - - The great split of the year 680. - - Sunni/Shia Islam. - - Wahhabi Islam. - - Ahmadiyya Islam. - - The Taliban: no Islam. - - Prophet Mohammad's Islam

In einem Überblick über Theorie und Praxis parlamentarischer Systeme in den nahöstlichen islamischen Ländern (arabische Länder, Iran) werden die Unterschiede zwischen westlichem Demokratieverständnis und islamischen Traditionen aufgezeigt. In der muslimischen politischen Theorie gibt es bisher keine einheitliche Vorstellung über das Verhältnis von Volks- und göttlicher Souveränität, so daß die Frage nach der spezifischen Natur und dem Ausmaß der politischen Partizipation ungeklärt ist. (DÜI-Hns)

The national elections in Turkey this April were not the expected success for the Islamist Fazilet Partisi (Virtue Party). Under its former name, Refah Partisi (Welfare Party), the party was the actual winner of the elections in late 1995, and many supporters were deeply disappointed at the result this spring. Why was the party weakened? Commentators inside and outside Turkey speculated from different points of view. Many of them portrayed issues in Turkish Islamism as questions relating to the party as an organization and with an apparent disinclination to regard the party as an umbrella for quite conflicting interests.

In den postsowjetischen Ländern Kirgisistan und Turkmenistan ist im Zusammenhang mit nationalstaatlicher Formierung eine Hinwendung zum Islam zu beobachten. Der Islam dient dabei zur Legitimierung politischer Macht, es wird jedoch eine säkulare Variante eines islamischen Staates angestrebt. (DSE/DÜI)