Decline of Political Islam Signals Rise of Nationalism

I have been fascinated by how the war in Iran has altered the way the country’s Islamic government presents women. State television now broadcasts women’s military parades showcasing pink firearms and pink vehicles. Notably, these women publicly support the regime while eschewing hijabs.

Facing external pressures, the Islamic Republic is forging a new national identity that emphasizes patriotism over religion. This shift is emblematic of a broader trend in the Middle East, where political Islam is diminishing.

I spoke with my colleague Ben Hubbard about the developments taking shape in its place and the evolving nature of the Islamic Republic.

Decline of Political Islam Signals Rise of Nationalism

So, Ben, let’s begin with the basics. Your article examines the decline of political Islam. What is political Islam?

That is perhaps the most challenging aspect. Political Islam means different things to many people. Islam is a faith with two billion adherents worldwide, and scholars of political Islam disagree on a single definition. For the purpose of this analysis, I focus on governments or movements that draw on Islamic ideas to guide statecraft—ruling parties, political parties, or leaders who embed Islam in their governing philosophy.

My focus is on the Middle East, where post‑9/11 discourse has centered on political Islam: groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood, extremist organizations like ISIS, and states including Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Iran.

For many years observers spoke of the rise of political Islam. I examined its decline. What did you find?Rise of political Islam.

I have observed a shift in how people in the Middle East discuss Islam in relation to politics. They are increasingly separating the two. This does not mean they abandon their faith; rather, they are moving beyond using religion to address their country’s political challenges.

The slogan “Islam is the solution,” once used by the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, is waning. In Tunisia, Islamist parties won elections but later lost the support of secular voters, who turned to a populist strongman.

In Iran, following Israel’s 12‑day war last summer, the government has turned to patriotic ballads and posters of Persian folk heroes rather than figures linked to the Islamic Revolution.

Yet several states remain officially Islamic. What does this shift look like?

Indeed. Consider Saudi Arabia. Strict Sharia governance prevailed; women were barred from driving and movie theaters were absent, while a religious police force restricted unrelated men and women from socializing. Then Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman rose to power. He aims to reshape the kingdom, including redefining its relationship with Islam, to meet the expectations of younger Saudis who reject outdated strictures. As a result, women are now permitted to drive, cinemas are open, and music festivals have returned to the kingdom.

In Syria, early in the civil war Ahmed al‑Sharaa, then heading a branch of Al Qaeda, vowed on TV to establish an Islamic state. Since his group toppled the Assad regime and he assumed the presidency, he has avoided overt Islamism, refrained from implementing Sharia, and pursued ties with Western leaders. He now appears in public wearing suits and with his wife, a stark contrast to his former Al Qaeda comrades.

Many of these leaders have concluded that outspoken Islamism offers little internal or external advantage. The legacy of terrorism has tarnished its brand, as historian Faisal Devji of Oxford noted, and today there is limited public appetite for it.

Is anything emerging as a new political force?

I would describe it as a deepening sense of national identity. In both Saudi Arabia and Syria, leaders seek to inspire pride in being Saudi or Syrian. While many citizens remain proud of their Muslim faith, it is no longer essential to their political identity.

This is also evident in Iran. To rally public support during the recent war, the government is promoting a Persian identity that appeals to a wider segment of Iranians than the ideals of the Islamic Republic.

Has the war accelerated this shift? What changes have occurred inside Iran?

Two opposing forces are at play. The war has hastened Iran’s move toward a military dictatorship cloaked in an Islamic veneer; power is now concentrated in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps rather than the clerical establishment.

I spoke with Mohsen Kadivar, an Iranian cleric who criticizes the Islamic Republic and now teaches at Duke University. He noted that the Islamic Revolution failed to deliver freedom and justice in Iran, yet it succeeded in advancing an Islamist goal: confronting foreign domination of Muslim lands. By that standard, Iran’s struggle against the United States and Israel continues to resonate.

Is the Islamic Republic no longer truly Islamic?

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