Dozens of Emiratis, including prominent human rights defenders, are
being held on bogus "terrorism" charges based on their connections to
the al-Islah movement
In the UAE, which had been under informal British colonial rule since
1820, the nationalist movement had some influence in the 1960s but
after the 1967 war this waned to make place for a strong foundation of
Islamic values and education, supported by early schools and scholars.
This helped create a generation that would contribute to the Al Islah
movement.
A group of intellectuals recognised the need for an organisation to
promote their reformist agenda. With the approval of then ruler of Dubai
Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, they established The Reform and
Social Guidance Society in 1974. Its aims included promotion of Islamic
values, encouraging good deeds, uniting the community, combating vice,
guiding youth, and providing solutions to societal problems. Its
founders included influential figures who had studied in Kuwait, Qatar,
and Egypt and its leadership included prominent scholars, businessmen,
and community leaders.
From its inception Al Islah engaged in a wide range of social,
educational and developmental activities, from setting up schools and
libraries, to contributing to the establishment of Dubai Islamic Bank
which is today the largest Islamic bank in the UAE. It ran student
activities, book fairs, festivals and seminars, organised exchange
visits with other countries and established the "UAE National Committee
for Resisting Normalisation with the Israeli Enemy".
The Iraqi invasion of Kuwait in 1990 had a far-reaching impact on the
whole Gulf region including on Al Islah: the UAE state and people
jointly provided support for the Kuwaiti people. Al Islah coordinated
various official and non-governmental bodies, providing essential
services to exiled Kuwaiti citizens, ensuring they had access to basic
necessities, arranged repatriation flights for Kuwaitis from Egypt and
Turkey back to the UAE, and formed a "Kuwaiti Housing Committee" to
accommodate Kuwaitis in Abu Dhabi hotels, later renting entire buildings
and villas for their use. In Sharjah alone, the committee leased over
52 buildings and new towers to house some 41,000 Kuwaiti arrivals.
But the UAE authorities saw Islah’s activities as a challenge to
their evolving political and social agenda. In 1994 the board of Al
Islah was officially dissolved supposedly because the Al Islah magazine
had embarrassed the UAE government in its relations with other Arab
countries. In fact, the dissolution was part of a broader UAE policy to
curtail the influence of Islamic movements. The September 11th attacks
was another major turning point as two of the perpetrators were
Emiratis. Under the new global rubric of counter-terrorism, UAE
authorities used them as a pretext to further increase control over
Islamist activities which thereafter were considered suspicious.
Although government investigations into Islah never found any
evidence of legal or financial violations, the movement was forced to
set up alternative legal vehicles to continue its cultural, social, and
recreational activities, like "Ajyal Club" in Ras Al Khaimah and a new
organisation called "Tawasul". The crackdown deepened across the UAE:
Islamists were purged from their positions in charitable organisations,
cultural institutions, and government ministries, particularly the
Ministries of Education, Justice, and Religious Endowments. To control
religious discourse and limit independent voices, the authorities
ensured that Friday sermons were standardised across all emirates and
preachers had to obtain licenses. Dozens of Emirati journalists
affiliated with Al Islah were banned from state-owned media. A campaign
of systematic oppression and persecution was unleashed. Some Al Islah
advocates had their nationality revoked. Others were imprisoned and
subjected to coercion, pressure and torture.
One of the biggest bones of contention between the UAE authorities
and Al Islah had always been over the extent of westernisation of UAE
society. After 9-11 the UAE government intensified its efforts to bring
in foreign consultants and teachers, particularly from Europe and
America, implementing foreign educational curricula ignoring the unique
characteristics of Emirati families. This included adjusting school
holidays to align with Western celebrations like Christmas and reducing
Arabic language and Islamic education classes. School principals, both
Emirati and expatriate, were subjected to supervision by foreign
managers who dictated school policies.
Al Islah perceived these policies to be a deliberate effort to
undermine Emirati cultural identity and replace Emirati and Arab-Islamic
values with foreign customs. In their view, the feelings and priorities
of Emiratis were being disregarded and their national and religious
identity under threat. As a result, Islah was subjected to a brutal
crackdown that is still ongoing. In 2013 dozens of Al Islah members were
sentenced in the now infamous "UAE 94" trial,
over an alleged plot to overthrow the government, in a case now seen as
a symbol of the UAE regime's repression of dissent and failure to
respect international human rights standards. Last year another 43
activists, mostly Islahis, were handed life sentences
by a UAE court for ‘terrorism’ offences. Another 10 were jailed for 10
to 15 years for "co-operating with al-Islah" and money laundering.
Political Islam, the biggest internal threat to the regime’s
authority in the UAE, has now been thoroughly forced underground,
facilitating further normalisation with Israel and westernisation.
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