Political Islam in Tunisia : the history of Ennahda

301 Pages·2017·2.175 MB·English

by  Wolf, Anne M

‘Anne Wolf’s masterly book fills a serious gap in the literature: a cool-headed
and rigorously researched history of Ennahda, one of the foremost political
actors in shaping Tunisia’s past and future.’
– François Burgat, Senior Research Fellow at the
French National Centre for Scientific Research and
author of Islamism in the Shadow of Al-Qaeda
‘This outstanding study bridges the gap between the origins, ideology and
evolution of Ennahda from Islamist opposition to a party in government in
post-revolutionary Tunisia. Comprehensive and authoritative, Wolf’s book is
also compelling reading based on years of field work and interviews with both
partisans and critics of the most successful Muslim democratic party in the
twenty-first century.’
– Eugene Rogan, Professor of Modern Middle Eastern History,
University of Oxford
‘This is a thorough, pioneering, reflective history of Ennahda that contextu-
alises the unique evolution of the group since its inception. It’s a solid, com-
pelling book that is essential reading for anyone interested in the study of
political Islam in the Arab world, providing a critical, fresh angle on the issue.’
– Lina Khatib, Head of the Middle East and North Africa Programme,
Chatham House
‘Anne Wolf has given us a detailed and highly readable account of Ennahda
that goes far beyond its current role as one of the major players in Tunisian
politics. In her meticulous and well-grounded analysis of Ennahda’s origins
she has succeeded in intertwining its story with that of the Tunisian state, and
with the role of Islam in Tunisian society. By taking political and historical
contexts seriously, she has provided us with an excellent starting point for
understanding key aspects of Tunisia’s present predicament.’
– Charles Tripp, Professor of Middle East Politics, SOAS,
University of London
‘Based on extensive field research, Wolf’s book details the historical develop-
ment and rise of Ennahda. Timely, thorough, and thoughtful, it brilliantly high-
lights the evolution of its ideological worldview, goals and strategies. It also dili-
gently captures its dilemmas in Tunisia’s post-authoritarian era. Wolf’s study is
an indispensable tool to all those interested in understanding the complex tra-
jectory of the contemporary Tunisian Islamists. It is a commendable contribu-
tion to the literature on mainstream Middle Eastern Islamist movements.’
– Noureddine Jebnoun, Adjunct Assistant Professor,
Centre for Contemporary Arab Studies (CCAS), Georgetown University
‘Much has been written about the politics of the Ennahdha movement but—
until now—very little about its history. Anne Wolf’s study remedies perfectly
this absence with its clear, meticulously researched narrative that sets out and
explains the remarkable rise, repression and survival of what is perhaps the
Arab world’s most genuinely successful and democratic Islamist movement.
Reproducing key texts from the movement and drawing together existing
literature supplemented with extensive interviews with supporters and lead-
ing figures of the movement, Anne Wolf has produced what will become the
standard reference work on the topic.’
– Michael Willis, King Mohamed VI Fellow inMoroccan
and Mediterranean Studies, St Antony’s College, Oxford University
‘In addition to placing the movement at the heart of Tunisia’s democratic
transition, Anne Wolf’s study of Ennahda—the country’s ‘Muslim Democrat’
party—has the singular virtue of showing how it is also a reflection of the
country’s Islamic and Arab identity, stretching back to pre-colonial times.’
– George Joffé, Department of Politics and International Studies,
University of Cambridge
‘Anne Wolf goes beyond the ideological prejudices that pertain to “islamism”;
she adopts a critical and rigorous approach to the history of Ennahda and
shows that “islamists”, like any other ideological activists, are prone to change
and mature, draw the lessons of the past, analyse the context and at the end
enter mainstream politics, contributing both to stabilisation and democratisa-
tion. A sound, timely and objective approach to a movement that is becoming
both a model and a key actor for any peaceful transition towards democracy
in the Arab world.’
– Olivier Roy, Professor, European University Institute and author of
Jihad and Death: The Global Appeal of Islamic State
‘This study is an extremely timely corrective to characterisations of political
Islamic movements as expounding essentialist ideologies divorced from their
contextual roots. Wolf’s highly readable and well-researched account of
Ennahda could not have been better chosen to chart the diverse influences
and trajectories of a movement challenged by the contemporary exercise of
political power.’
– Clare Spencer, Senior Research Fellow, Middle East and
North Africa Programme and 2nd Century Initiative, Chatham House
POLITICAL ISLAM IN TUNISIA

ANNE WOLF
Political Islam in Tunisia
The History of Ennahda
A
A
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Copyright © Anne Wolf 2017
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Anne Wolf.
Political Islam in Tunisia: The History of Ennahda.
ISBN: 9780190670757
Printed in the United Kingdom
CONTENTS
Glossary ix
Acknowledgements xi
A note on transliteration xiii
‘Who’s Who?’ in Ennahda xv
Introduction 1
1. Beyond the Secular Myth 11
Early reforms 12
Resisting innovation? 15
Thriving pan-Islamism 17
Temporary unity 20
A leadership struggle 22
2. Tunisia’s Muslim Brotherhood? 27
The fall of the religious elite 28
Al-Jamaʿa al-Islamiyya 31
Towards a countrywide movement 36
Campus wars 42
The Progressive Islamists leave the movement 45
The Iranian factor 48
3. Plotting Against the Regime 53
The failure of reconciliation 54
Islamism thrives despite repression 57
A short amnesty 61
Escalating violence 63
Ben Ali: The beginning of a new era? 66
v
CONTENTS
Fooled again 70
The ‘plot’ 73
Mourou’s turnaround 76
4. The Struggle for Survival 79
The experience of prison 80
The plight of Ennahda women 83
The exile movement 86
Information warfare 89
Embracing non-violence 93
Rachid Ghannouchi: a ‘democratic Islamist’? 95
Allying with secular forces 98
The 18 October Movement 101

Towards reconciliation with Ben Ali? 103
5. An Islamic Revival 107
A religious tide 108
Carrots for Muslims, sticks for ‘Islamists’ 111
War against the hijab 113
Ennahda’s underground movement 114
Reorganising the student wing 119
The rise of Salafism 122
Fighting the regime 125
6. Reshaping Tunisian identity 129
Ennahda’s comeback 130
Dominating politics 134
The struggle over Islam 138
Freedom of expression or blasphemy trials? 142
Salafis unchained 143
Contesting campuses 147
The temptations of jihadism 149
The fall of the Troika 152
Towards post-Islamism? 156
Conclusion 163
Appendix 1: Ennahda Electoral Programme 2011 169
Appendix 2: Statute of the Ennahda Movement, July 2012 175
Appendix 3: Final Declaration of the Eighth Congress of
Ennahda, May 2007 189
vi