Islamists are being targeted...the pressures of reality and the necessity of openness!

Since the outbreak of the war of extermination on the Gaza Strip, the violence and brutality of which has surpassed all imagination, the fragility of official Arab and Islamic positions, and even their moral collapse in many cases, has been exposed.

The tragedy was not limited to the scale of the destruction and the thousands of civilian casualties. It extended to an even greater shock: the world's silence, the West's complicity, and even its participation in the crime through political, military, and logistical support for Israel, under blatant pretexts and allegations.

It has become clear that the entire international system is operating with double standards, condemning the victims of the occupation and overlooking the crimes of the occupier, while the Arab and Islamic world stands helpless, shackled by fears or absorbed in its own internal crises.

What was even more bitter was that some Arab and Islamic capitals, instead of supporting the steadfastness of the Palestinian people, contributed—directly or indirectly—to placing the blame for what had happened on the victim, under the pretext of confronting Hamas and halting its resistance project.

Because Hamas is viewed by some regimes as an extension of a regional axis whose repercussions are feared, demonizing it has become a soft cover for remaining silent about the genocide, justifying official impotence, and perhaps even conspiring against the resistance. Unfortunately, some regimes have become internal enemies of their people and the nation, before becoming enemies of Hamas.

In light of this reality, it has become imperative for Islamists—who have always been the bearers of the nation's renaissance project—to boldly and honestly reconsider their political and advocacy discourse, and to read reality from a critical, rather than emotional, perspective, one that transcends denial and victimhood to initiative and action.

Correcting the course... a responsibility that cannot be postponed

In the face of the mounting challenges, Islamists must adopt a comprehensive reform vision that encompasses several axes, including:

1. Political openness and pragmatic flexibility

We must move away from ideological and extremist discourses and embrace a realistic, rational political discourse that balances principles and interests and draws on the experiences of Islamists in countries like Turkey and Morocco, where they were able, to a limited extent, to integrate into political life and achieve successes without compromising their fundamental principles.

2. Disengage from violence and emphasize peacefulness.

The necessity of publicly and clearly disavowing all forms of armed violence, whether domestically or falsely, committed in the name of Islam. This is to protect the Islamic project from being labeled as terrorist and to counter the pretexts that open the door to foreign intervention and security restrictions.

3. Prioritizing the Islamic project

Islamists must reorganize their priorities. A return to moral education, social work, and public service must be at the top of their agenda, while leaving the management of political affairs to those with the tools, knowledge, and requirements, if they themselves are not yet qualified to do so.

4. Building a positive relationship with political systems

The tendency toward escalation and confrontation with regimes has only reaped destruction and bloodshed. A more appropriate approach would be to seek to build bridges of communication, search for common ground, and foster a sense of support and solidarity for the regimes against all external threats, within the framework of a partnership that preserves stability and advances the national interest.

5. Benefiting from the Islamic presence in the West

Millions of Muslims in the West represent a golden opportunity to improve the image of Islamists, promote moderate Islamic thought, and correct the distorted image that has been entrenched by violent events and conflicts. What is needed is support for Muslim community institutions to serve as platforms for cultural communication, not fronts of confrontation.

6. Integrating the Islamic vision with national accounts

The Islamic vision, in its comprehensiveness, must be in harmony with national reality and respect the state's sovereignty and its unifying identity. Islamists must not be viewed as a transnational project, or as supranational. Rather, they must be partners in building the state, not transgressors.

7. Condemning extremist and takfiri thought

In fact, Islamists must be at the forefront of exposing extremist thought, deconstructing its rhetoric, and rejecting the culture of exclusion and excommunication.

Publicly denouncing violent ideology and presenting mature intellectual alternatives represents protection for the Islamist movement itself and a renewal of its credibility in the eyes of the people.

8. Adopting a continuous review approach

An Islamic movement that fails to examine itself and learn from its experiences is destined for erosion and isolation. Self-criticism is not a threat to unity; rather, it is a renewal of life, a correction of course, and a guarantee of continuity in a changing environment and an international context that is unforgiving of the weak.

Remarkable intellectual transformations...towards a realistic and moderate discourse

It is noteworthy that in recent years, an increasing number of intellectual, advocacy, and political figures affiliated with the Islamist movement have begun to lean toward a more balanced and realistic discourse, calling for moderate behavior, adopting rational relations with Arab regimes, and abandoning the logic of confrontation or absurd challenge. These shifts reflect not only intellectual maturity, but also a practical reading of developments in the regional and international landscape.

In Morocco, Dr. Saadeddine El Othmani emphasizes, "We must realize that reform cannot be achieved against the state, but rather in cooperation with it."

As for Dr. Ahmed Al-Raissouni, he called for the jurisprudence of balances, saying: “Whoever does not take reality into account in his interpretation, his interpretation is either invalid or deficient.”

In Algeria, Sheikh Abu Jarrah Sultani called for conscious integration into state institutions. Dr. Abderrazak Makri emphasized that "working within the system is the safest way to protect the country."

While Dr. Farouk Tayfour stressed that "political Islam will have no future unless it develops its relationship with the state."

In Egypt, Dr. Muhammad Salim al-Awa believed that “societies are not led from pulpits alone,” while Hisham Jaafar asserted that “the shift from the discourse of the group to the discourse of the nation requires a mind that recognizes the complexities of the state.”

In Jordan, Dr. Raheel Gharaibeh called for a comprehensive national project, while Dr. Sabry Samira said, "Review is a virtue, and cooperation with the regime when it serves the nation does not detract from the position, but rather strengthens it."

As for Palestine, Sheikh Imad Hamto emphasized that: “Sharia politics is not a battle of slogans,” while Sheikh Faisal Mawlawi (may God have mercy on him) said: “Islamic action should be reformist within the state, not a permanent opponent to it.”

From Sudan, Dr. Jaafar Sheikh Idris said: “If Islamic action is not based on understanding the objectives, understanding the Sunnah, and awareness of reality, it will turn into an enthusiasm isolated from wisdom.”

All of these reviews reflect a maturity within Islamist circles and indicate a growing awareness that the current situation can no longer tolerate confrontational rhetoric or the logic of forced change. They also indicate that the opportunities for true reform lie in understanding, not conflict, and in cumulative construction, not revolutionary demolition.

In conclusion, if the mechanisms of Islamic action are not renewed, cosmic laws do not favor anyone, and Islamists will pay the price for stagnation and inertia, as the future of political Islam depends on its ability to renew and adapt. Divine laws are not lenient, and those who do not change will be replaced.