Chapter 1: The varieties of Islam in Southeast Asia

Abstract

Events since 11 September 2001 have dramatically altered the security environment in the Muslim world and in Southeast Asia in particular. With the uncovering of an extensive terrorist network in Southeast Asia, the region has emerged as a major battleground in the global war on terrorism. Yet the issues raised by political Islam in Southeast Asia are much broader than the problem of terrorism. This Paper provides a short, but comprehensive overview of the evolution of political Islam in Southeast Asia and its implications for the future of the region. It analyses the sources of religious radicalism and provides an up-to-date assessment of the regional terrorist and radical networks. It further identifies measures to strengthen secular democratic institutions and moderate and tolerant tendencies within Southeast Asian Islam.