Islamic Fundamentalism, Terrorism, and Education

Abstract

This chapter provides a critique of why a clear-cut equation and relation between fundamentalism, terrorism, and Islamic education is difficult to demonstrate. Fundamentalism is a concept that was originally associated with Protestant religious groups and has only recently become connected with Islam. Among Muslims, this association is highly contested. Terrorism, also an elusive term having many definitions and contextual meanings, has recently become closely associated, but cannot be exclusively connected, with Islam. This chapter argues and urges that fundamentalism must not be equated with terrorism. Indeed, informal, nonformal, and formal education may all play, and not play, some role in inciting terrorism. We raise the issue of the role fundamentalist education might be playing in imparting values and teachings that lead to extremism, but after examining a number of studies that explore connections, we conclude that it is not possible to show a clear-cut relationship between specific forms of Islamic education and terrorism.