Al Asalah
Encyclopedia
The Al Asalah Islamic Society is the main Salafist political party in Bahrain
, with four MPs after 2006's general election (down from seven MPs elected in 2002).
The party is the political wing of the Islamic Education Society
. Asalah's leader is Ghanim Al Buaneen who took over in 2005 from Sheikh Adel Mouwda
, who was sacked because he was perceived to be too close to Shia Islamists, Al Wefaq
. Asalah is most popular in the conservative
bastions of Muharraq
and Riffa.
which rejects much of Bahrain's modernism as well as encouraging religious observance. It has led opposition in the Kingdom to US military action in Iraq and was at the forefront of demonstrations against military action in Falluja.
On the issue of women's political rights
, Mr Al Buaneen told the Bahrain Tribune on 18 January 2006 that the party disagrees with them having any. Mr Buaneen said that this position reflects the party's "honesty" while other parties support women’s participation only in their statements. Mr Buaneen said: "If women make it to parliament, then we would cooperate with them, but our society wouldn’t support any woman candidates".
The party's ideology has seen it at the forefront of debate on the Bahrain's national heritage, arguing, especially during Adel Mouwda's leadership, that the country should consider the destruction of all sites that pre-date Islam. During a debate on 17 July 2005, Asalah deputies clashed with other MPs over government plans to build a national museum to showcase the Dilmun
burial mounds. Adel Mouwda told MPs that the money should be invested in building houses over the burial mounds. "Housing for the living is better than the graves for the dead. We must have pride in our Islamic roots and not some ancient civilisation from another place and time, which has only given us a jar here and a bone there."
Adel Al Mouwda's approach to the preservation of Bahrain's historic sites differs markedly with that of his successor, Ghanim Al Buaneen, who in March 2006 criticised the government for not doing enough to protect the dilapidated, but historic centre of Muharraq
and demanding more government money for restoration work. The less ideological approach of Mr Al Buaneen towards the preservation of the Kingdom's history is a reflection of a more conciliatory attitude on his part towards modernity in general.
The party has been actively campaigning against witchcraft
and has sought to introduce legislation to make the practise sorcery
and fortune telling illegal with a two-year prison sentence or BD
500 fine for offenders. MP Ali Mattar
, who has taken a lead, told the English language Gulf Daily News
: "It's becoming more popular for people in Bahrain to turn to fortune tellers and sorcerers to find out what their future holds or to act as mediums to harm others or make people fall in love with them. There are many homes around the country that are known to be practising black magic and if you drive past them a large number of cars from around the GCC would be found parked outside." http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/1yr_arc_Articles.asp?Article=133168&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=28307&date=1-21-2006 However, the move has been resisted by Bahraini sorcerers who described the plan as 'unfair', with fortune teller, Dina, responding: "I can understand the MPs' feelings because there are fraudsters out there, but it's not fair for those who truly have the gift of seeing the future and dealing with the supernatural". http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/1yr_arc_Articles.asp?Article=133169&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=28307&date=1-21-2006
The relationship with Bahrain's Shia Islamists, such as Al Wefaq
, is ambiguous. Asalah's Salafist ideology sees Shias as at best misguided, which precludes full cooperation between the two parties. However, both types of fundamentalists are opponents of what they consider moral laxity and are ready to campaign together on "morality issues". The party's relationship with the Muslim Brotherhood
's political wing, Al-Menbar Islamic Society
, is one of competitors for Sunni Islamist voters, but, as with Al Wefaq, they are willing to informally work together to pursue particular objectives.
The party has a bad relationship with MP Jassim Al Saeedi
who was rejected as a member for being 'too extreme'.
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
, with four MPs after 2006's general election (down from seven MPs elected in 2002).
The party is the political wing of the Islamic Education Society
Islamic Education Society
The Islamic Education Society is an Islamic organization in Bahrain that follows and promotes the conservative Salafist ideology. It participates in politics through its political wing, Asalah....
. Asalah's leader is Ghanim Al Buaneen who took over in 2005 from Sheikh Adel Mouwda
Adel Mouwda
Sheikh Adel Al Mouwda was the second deputy chairman of Bahrain's parliament of 2002, the Chamber of Deputies, and the former leader of salafist party, Asalah...
, who was sacked because he was perceived to be too close to Shia Islamists, Al Wefaq
Al Wefaq
Al Wefaq National Islamic Society , also known as the Islamic National Accord Association, is a Bahraini political society, and the largest party in the Bahrain, both in terms of its membership and its results at the polls...
. Asalah is most popular in the conservative
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
bastions of Muharraq
Muharraq
Muharraq , is Bahrain's third largest city, and served as its capital until 1923. The city is located on Muharraq Island and has long been a centre of religiosity...
and Riffa.
Ideology
Asalah seeks to promote a hardine interpretation of IslamIslam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
which rejects much of Bahrain's modernism as well as encouraging religious observance. It has led opposition in the Kingdom to US military action in Iraq and was at the forefront of demonstrations against military action in Falluja.
On the issue of women's political rights
Women's political rights in Bahrain
Women’s political rights have been a cornerstone of the political reforms initiated by King Hamad with for the first time women being given the right to vote and stand as candidates in national elections after the constitution was amended in 2002...
, Mr Al Buaneen told the Bahrain Tribune on 18 January 2006 that the party disagrees with them having any. Mr Buaneen said that this position reflects the party's "honesty" while other parties support women’s participation only in their statements. Mr Buaneen said: "If women make it to parliament, then we would cooperate with them, but our society wouldn’t support any woman candidates".
The party's ideology has seen it at the forefront of debate on the Bahrain's national heritage, arguing, especially during Adel Mouwda's leadership, that the country should consider the destruction of all sites that pre-date Islam. During a debate on 17 July 2005, Asalah deputies clashed with other MPs over government plans to build a national museum to showcase the Dilmun
Dilmun
Dilmun or Telmun is a land mentioned by Mesopotamian civilizations as a trade partner, a source of the metal copper, and an entrepôt of the Mesopotamia-to-Indus Valley Civilization trade route...
burial mounds. Adel Mouwda told MPs that the money should be invested in building houses over the burial mounds. "Housing for the living is better than the graves for the dead. We must have pride in our Islamic roots and not some ancient civilisation from another place and time, which has only given us a jar here and a bone there."
Adel Al Mouwda's approach to the preservation of Bahrain's historic sites differs markedly with that of his successor, Ghanim Al Buaneen, who in March 2006 criticised the government for not doing enough to protect the dilapidated, but historic centre of Muharraq
Muharraq
Muharraq , is Bahrain's third largest city, and served as its capital until 1923. The city is located on Muharraq Island and has long been a centre of religiosity...
and demanding more government money for restoration work. The less ideological approach of Mr Al Buaneen towards the preservation of the Kingdom's history is a reflection of a more conciliatory attitude on his part towards modernity in general.
The party has been actively campaigning against witchcraft
Witchcraft
Witchcraft, in historical, anthropological, religious, and mythological contexts, is the alleged use of supernatural or magical powers. A witch is a practitioner of witchcraft...
and has sought to introduce legislation to make the practise sorcery
Magic (paranormal)
Magic is the claimed art of manipulating aspects of reality either by supernatural means or through knowledge of occult laws unknown to science. It is in contrast to science, in that science does not accept anything not subject to either direct or indirect observation, and subject to logical...
and fortune telling illegal with a two-year prison sentence or BD
Bahraini dinar
The dinar is the currency of Bahrain. It is divided into 1000 fils . The name dinar derives from the Roman denarius. The dinar was introduced in 1965, replacing the Gulf rupee at a rate of 10 rupees = 1 dinar. The Bahraini dinar is abbreviated .د.ب or BD...
500 fine for offenders. MP Ali Mattar
Ali Mattar
Ali Mohamed Mattar is a salafist Bahraini MP who represents Asalah in the Chamber of Deputies.Mattar is one of Asalah’s most active MPs, and is seen as carving out a niche for himself in parliamentary life with legislative proposals that have been described by supporters as ‘bold’...
, who has taken a lead, told the English language Gulf Daily News
Gulf Daily News
The Gulf Daily News is an English-language newspaper published in the Kingdom of Bahrain by Al Hilal Group. It is distributed locally in Bahrain. It is owned by the Al Hilal Group, which publishes 13 other newspapers and magazines, including the local Arabic newspaper Akhbar Al Khaleej. The paper,...
: "It's becoming more popular for people in Bahrain to turn to fortune tellers and sorcerers to find out what their future holds or to act as mediums to harm others or make people fall in love with them. There are many homes around the country that are known to be practising black magic and if you drive past them a large number of cars from around the GCC would be found parked outside." http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/1yr_arc_Articles.asp?Article=133168&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=28307&date=1-21-2006 However, the move has been resisted by Bahraini sorcerers who described the plan as 'unfair', with fortune teller, Dina, responding: "I can understand the MPs' feelings because there are fraudsters out there, but it's not fair for those who truly have the gift of seeing the future and dealing with the supernatural". http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/1yr_arc_Articles.asp?Article=133169&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=28307&date=1-21-2006
The relationship with Bahrain's Shia Islamists, such as Al Wefaq
Al Wefaq
Al Wefaq National Islamic Society , also known as the Islamic National Accord Association, is a Bahraini political society, and the largest party in the Bahrain, both in terms of its membership and its results at the polls...
, is ambiguous. Asalah's Salafist ideology sees Shias as at best misguided, which precludes full cooperation between the two parties. However, both types of fundamentalists are opponents of what they consider moral laxity and are ready to campaign together on "morality issues". The party's relationship with the Muslim Brotherhood
Muslim Brotherhood
The Society of the Muslim Brothers is the world's oldest and one of the largest Islamist parties, and is the largest political opposition organization in many Arab states. It was founded in 1928 in Egypt by the Islamic scholar and schoolteacher Hassan al-Banna and by the late 1940s had an...
's political wing, Al-Menbar Islamic Society
Al-Menbar Islamic Society
Al Menbar National Islamic Society is the political wing of the Al Eslah Society in Bahrain, associated with the Muslim Brotherhood. A Sunni Islamist party, it is well organised through a network of mosques and seek to promote a conservative social agenda while not directly challenging the...
, is one of competitors for Sunni Islamist voters, but, as with Al Wefaq, they are willing to informally work together to pursue particular objectives.
The party has a bad relationship with MP Jassim Al Saeedi
Jassim Al Saeedi
Jassim Al Saeedi is a Bahraini salafist MP, member of parliament representing a constituency in Riffa.After he was banned from standing in 2002's general election for the main Salafist party, Asalah, for being "too extreme", Al Saeedi stood and won the election as an independent...
who was rejected as a member for being 'too extreme'.
External links
- http://www.alasalah-bh.org