Books Salafism in Lebanon: From Apo, Syria - the United States - an, Religion - National Identity - a, Embattled neighbors, The Syrian Refugee Crisis in L | ||
Robert g rabil mideast expert
Dr. Robert G. Rabil is a professor of political science at Florida Atlantic University. He received his doctorate in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies from Brandeis University. His area of studies and expertise include Political/Radical Islam, Transnational and Revivalist movements, Salafism, US-Arab Relations, Arab-Israeli Conflict, Terrorism and Contemporary Middle East Politics in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Israel, Turkey, Iran and Saudi Arabia. .
Contents
Rabil served as the Chief of Emergency for the Red Cross in Baabda district, Beirut during Lebanon's civil war, and was project manager of the U.S. State Department funded Iraq Research and Documentation project. Rabil was awarded the LLS Distinguished Professorship in Current Events, and in May 2012 was conferred an honorary Doctorate in Humanities from Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.
Rabil’s frequent speaking engagements include appearances at major universities He participates in round table discussions and forums sponsored by the U.S. Government, including the U.S. Army and National Intelligence Council. He appears on media outlets such as ABC, CBS, BBC, FOX, MSNBC and C-SPAN.
Salafi Jihadism and the West
Rabil maintains that the war against Islamist extremism is a war against a triumphalist religious ideology that cloaks itself in the sanctity of the sacred and the history of authentic Islam.
In his book Salafism in Lebanon Rabil asserts that central to Salafism is the forthcoming fateful battle between Muslim believers and nonbelievers, in which only the "saved" sect of Islam (Salafists) will emerge victorious, and the denunciation of the weakness of the Muslim Ummah (community of believers) as a result of Muslims' deviation from their faith.
Rabil argues that authoritarian or totalitarian Muslim rulers have rarely challenged this triumphalist ideology, for fear of being further delegitimized as impious Muslims. He goes on to say that "the problem for the West in its relationship with a large part of the Muslim world is that this triumphalist religious ideology is more or less left unchallenged by Muslim rulers". Many wonder if this triumphalist mindset, which abhors the power and belief system of the West, can peacefully coexist with Western nations. Rabil concludes that Western political leaders have blighted themselves by misconceiving the very nature of the threat and turning a blind eye to some Muslim allies whose fight against Islamist extremism is a mere façade.