Syrian Islamic Front
The Syrian Islamic Front (SIF) was a coalition of several Syrian Islamist opposition groups, prominently led by the Muslim Brotherhood. Founded in 1980, the Front aimed for comprehensive legal, political, and economic reforms in Syria, with the larger goal of establishing an Islamic state.
Founding and Objectives
Etymology and Translations
- Arabic: الجبهة الإسلامية السورية (
al-Jabha al-Islāmiyya al-Sūriyya) - Turkish: Suriye İslamî Cephesi
The coalition’s Arabic name signifies its national and religious emphasis, encapsulating the group’s vision of an Islamic society grounded in Sharia (Islamic Law).
Legal, Political, and Economic Reforms
The core objective of the Syrian Islamic Front was to establish a governance system based on Islamic principles. This included:
- Legal Reform: Aligning Syria’s legal system with Islamic jurisprudence.
- Political Reform: Installing an Islamic government rooted in the principles of justice (
'Adl) and consultation (Shura). - Economic Reform: Instituting an economic system based on Islamic ethics, including aspects like wealth redistribution and prohibition of usury (
Riba).
Leadership by the Muslim Brotherhood
The Muslim Brotherhood, a significant Islamist movement that originated in Egypt, provided ideological and organizational leadership for the Syrian Islamic Front. They emphasized a return to Islamic values and governance as solutions to Syria’s political and social challenges.
Historical Context and Repression
The Hama Uprising (1982)
The coalition’s activities reached a zenith during the early 1980s but culminated in brutal repression by the Syrian government in the wake of the Hama uprising of 1982, an insurrection in the city of Hama heavily associated with the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood. The Syrian government’s response was severe, leading to massive casualties, widespread destruction, and the suppression of Islamist and other oppositional groups in the country.
Government Crackdown
Post-Hama, the Syrian government’s crackdown decimated the ranks of the Syrian Islamic Front, effectively quelling its immediate activity.
Further Reading
For those interested in deeper exploration, the following books and articles are recommended:
- “The Muslim Brotherhood in Syria” by Liad al-Adlhami.
- “Islam and Politics in the Making of the Modern Middle East” by Judith Miller.
- “The Modern Middle East: A History” by James L. Gelvin.
- “The Anatomy of Fascism” by Robert O. Paxton - includes insight into authoritarian responses to opposition.
Conclusion
The Syrian Islamic Front played a pivotal role in Syria’s modern history as an exponent of Islamic governance opposed to the secular Ba’athist regime. Although ultimately and violently suppressed following the Hama uprising, its influence continues to inform Islamist political thought and oppositional dynamics in the Middle East.
Takeaways
- The Syrian Islamic Front was a significant opposition coalition founded in 1980.
- It was led primarily by the Muslim Brotherhood.
- Sought legal, political, and economic reforms to establish an Islamic state in Syria.
- Severely repressed after the Hama uprising in 1982.
Understanding the place of the Syrian Islamic Front within the larger context of Middle Eastern politics offers invaluable insights into Syria’s ongoing social and political struggles, intricately tied to the broader dynamics of Islamism and political dissent.
