ABU DHABI // Governments must better educate young Arabs about religion and extremism, scholars say, after a major study found a significant level of support for the theology – but not actions – of radical groups.
A poll of 7,000 young people from 10 Arab countries found that about one in 10 said the “beliefs and ideas” of groups such as ISIL were correct, but their actions were wrong.
The Tabah Foundation study also found that a small number of Arab millennials, including 5 per cent in Algeria and 3 per cent in Oman, said extremist movements were “correct and follow a rightly guided religious path”.
Most said such groups were “misguided and tarnish the image of Islam”.
“These numbers are horrifying,” said Al Habib Ali Al Jifri, a renowned Muslim scholar and chief executive of Tabah Foundation, the Abu Dhabi think tank that spurs discussion and teaching of moderate Islam.
“We should not take it easy. There are 1 to 6 per cent who agree with ISIL – this means we have potential suicide bombers. So firefighting measures to counter this should be taken.”
The 10 countries chosen for the Tabah Futures Initiative study this year did not include the UAE but covered a cross-section from the Middle East and North Africa.
Oman had the highest rate of those aged 15 to 33 – 20 per cent – who believed extremist movements were right but their actions were wrong, followed by Lebanon with 14 per cent.
The grey areas where some young people even partly agreed with terrorist groups was no less alarming, Mr Al Jifri said.
“We have serious, significant work to do to face this problem. Many will ask us scholars ‘what have you done to face this?’
“We should focus on correcting our internal understandings of religion.”
Steps have been taken to tackle the spread of extremist theology online, such as the establishment of the UAE-US Sawab centre and Hedayah in the UAE.
But government and educators across the region need to be more responsive.
“There must be a genuine feeling that this is a shared responsibility between educators, imams and scholars in all countries, not only the UAE,” Mr Al Jifri said.
Abaas Yunas, head of Tabah’s Futures Initiative that designed the survey, said government leaders had to be realistic that groups such as ISIL would attract some support.
“This confirms something that we’ve always known – there is support for these groups,” Mr Yunas said.
“It confirms that we cannot be in denial that the ideology is present within our societies, as much as we hate it and wish it was not there.”
Extremism continues to attract even passive support from some for a variety of reasons, including normalisation of radical discourse and violence, he said.
“Such views have become so normalised that when people see someone put them into practice, they think ‘OK’,” Mr Yunas said.
A key argument that needed to be addressed was that governments and state rulers were illegitimate because they did not follow a hardline ISIL system and were not entirely based on Sharia, said Mr Yunas.
When ISIL began to emerge, images abounded of young Muslims around the world tearing up their passports because they did not believe in the legitimacy of their states, he said.
“This has been buried in the public space, unchallenged, so when they see a group come and put those ideas into practice they think it is OK,” said Mr Yunas.
“This places a huge burden of responsibility for us in the religious sphere.”
The study also asked young people if they were sceptical about religion and its teachings. Among those who were, it found terrorism and the “unethical behaviour of religion’s representatives” were the main reason in all 10 countries.
“I think the religious scepticism is mainly having doubts in religion,” said Mr Yunas.
The findings were worrying because religion was an important part of Arab culture and many youth’s identity, he said.
“So when young people start to face an identity crisis, this is what extremist groups like ISIL try to exploit,” said Mr Yunas.
Sultan Al Darmaki, an Emirati social commentator, said scepticism about religious teachings was an important part of a young person’s spiritual development. “It helps young people understand how not to be fooled. It is part of growing up,” he said.
“Hopefully that means that when someone tries to push a misguided message, or some sort of false promise or a justification of violence, they can see through it.”
hdajani@thenational.ae
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The Hindu festival is at once a celebration of the autumn harvest and the triumph of good over evil, as outlined in the Ramayana.
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In its current iteration, Diwali is celebrated with a puja to welcome the goodness of prosperity Lakshmi (an incarnation of Sita) into the home, which is decorated with diyas (oil lamps) or fairy lights and rangoli designs with coloured powder. Fireworks light up the sky in some parts of the word, and sweetmeats are made (or bought) by most households. It is customary to get new clothes stitched, and visit friends and family to exchange gifts and greetings.
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How will Gen Alpha invest?
Mark Chahwan, co-founder and chief executive of robo-advisory firm Sarwa, forecasts that Generation Alpha (born between 2010 and 2024) will start investing in their teenage years and therefore benefit from compound interest.
“Technology and education should be the main drivers to make this happen, whether it’s investing in a few clicks or their schools/parents stepping up their personal finance education skills,” he adds.
Mr Chahwan says younger generations have a higher capacity to take on risk, but for some their appetite can be more cautious because they are investing for the first time. “Schools still do not teach personal finance and stock market investing, so a lot of the learning journey can feel daunting and intimidating,” he says.
He advises millennials to not always start with an aggressive portfolio even if they can afford to take risks. “We always advise to work your way up to your risk capacity, that way you experience volatility and get used to it. Given the higher risk capacity for the younger generations, stocks are a favourite,” says Mr Chahwan.
Highlighting the role technology has played in encouraging millennials and Gen Z to invest, he says: “They were often excluded, but with lower account minimums ... a customer with $1,000 [Dh3,672] in their account has their money working for them just as hard as the portfolio of a high get-worth individual.”
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Four reasons global stock markets are falling right now
There are many factors worrying investors right now and triggering a rush out of stock markets. Here are four of the biggest:
1. Rising US interest rates
The US Federal Reserve has increased interest rates three times this year in a bid to prevent its buoyant economy from overheating. They now stand at between 2 and 2.25 per cent and markets are pencilling in three more rises next year.
Kim Catechis, manager of the Legg Mason Martin Currie Global Emerging Markets Fund, says US inflation is rising and the Fed will continue to raise rates in 2019. “With inflationary pressures growing, an increasing number of corporates are guiding profitability expectations downwards for 2018 and 2019, citing the negative impact of rising costs.”
At the same time as rates are rising, central bankers in the US and Europe have been ending quantitative easing, bringing the era of cheap money to an end.
2. Stronger dollar
High US rates have driven up the value of the dollar and bond yields, and this is putting pressure on emerging market countries that took advantage of low interest rates to run up trillions in dollar-denominated debt. They have also suffered capital outflows as international investors have switched to the US, driving markets lower. Omar Negyal, portfolio manager of the JP Morgan Global Emerging Markets Income Trust, says this looks like a buying opportunity. “Despite short-term volatility we remain positive about long-term prospects and profitability for emerging markets.”
3. Global trade war
Ritu Vohora, investment director at fund manager M&G, says markets fear that US President Donald Trump’s spat with China will escalate into a full-blown global trade war, with both sides suffering. “The US economy is robust enough to absorb higher input costs now, but this may not be the case as tariffs escalate. However, with a host of factors hitting investor sentiment, this is becoming a stock picker’s market.”
4. Eurozone uncertainty
Europe faces two challenges right now in the shape of Brexit and the new populist government in eurozone member Italy.
Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at IG, which has offices in Dubai, says the stand-off between between Rome and Brussels threatens to become much more serious. "As with Brexit, neither side appears willing to step back from the edge, threatening more trouble down the line.”
The European economy may also be slowing, Mr Beauchamp warns. “A four-year low in eurozone manufacturing confidence highlights the fact that producers see a bumpy road ahead, with US-EU trade talks remaining a major question-mark for exporters.”
Our Time Has Come
Alyssa Ayres, Oxford University Press
