Qatar’s Introspective Islamists

Dubai, Asharq Al-Awsat—Those who follow the development of Islamist movements in the Gulf often see the same scenario played out over and over again. The story begins with students sent to Egypt for enlightenment. There, they encounter a range of nationalist, Islamist and left-wing thought. They return with both a picture of Abdel Nasser and a handful of slogans, or with an allegiance to Hassan El-Banna, the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, and slogans of a different sort. Intellectuals a...

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Iran’s first-timers

Tehran, Asharq Al-Awsat—Schools in Iran are closed for the election. Like teenagers everywhere when given time to themselves, Iran’s boisterous young students gather around public spaces in scattered groups. When approached about whether or not they will be voting for the first time in Friday's presidential election, they giggle and look at each other for the answer. Two or three of them answer: “We don’t know!” What year were you born? “1375 [1996].” All students over ...

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