Linked Global Groups Are Not Political Parties: Hizb ut-Tahrir and the Fantasy of the Caliphate

Some Islamists believe that establishing a broad jurisdiction under an Islamic leader, last seen with the Ottoman Empire in 1924, could deliver stability. Calling for such a caliphate is Hizb ut-Tahrir, or the Islamic Party of Liberation, which has re-emerged in Palestine since the divisive clash between Hamas and Fatah. Hizb ut-Tahrir refuses to participate in elections, and its supporters blame nationalism for much of the region’s conflict and poverty. This article by Jean-Pierre Filiu describes the party’s history – its spread from Britain to Bangladesh, condemnation of Al Qaeda, and outlaw status in France and Spain – and efforts to preserve religious traditions. “As a transnational phenomenon Hizb at-Tahrir is at home in a globalised world and this ease may explain its return to popularity,” writes Filiu. “It also shows how such marginal or extremist networks compensate for their weakness through projecting their desires on to an abstract fantasy of Islamic unity.” Despite warnings from some in the US, the party poses little political threat. Most Muslims in the region are less interested in a caliphate that controls a broad swath of land than they are in good governance and strong communities. – YaleGlobal