A Social Experiment in Muslim Radicalism: Contrasting Evolution of Pakistan and India

Abstract

Predictors of religion-based terrorism are becoming clearer. By comparing the evolution of Muslim-majority Pakistan and Hindu-majority India, nations created from the same landmass just sixty four years ago that share similarities in language, ethnicity, culture and cuisine, this paper deduces a theory that describes the radicalization process in Muslim communities. The theory is that popularization of certain prominent features of Islam, namely, sharia and jihad leads to backwardness and violent extremism. Accordingly, this paper proposes a paradigm shift in policy undertaking from “development first” or “democracy first” to that of “undercutting the influence of sharia and jihad first” as a way toward breaking the cycle of radicalization and recruitment that sustains the Islamist movement and also address the socio-economic stagnation of Muslim communities.