The Sectarian Conflicts in the Modern Middle East and the Religious-Rapprochement Strategy of Jordan: A Study on the Amman Message

Abstract

This paper examines the sectarian conflicts in the modern Middle East as the ideological conflicts of ternary rivalry; Shiite Revolutionalism, Sunni Conservatism and Sunni Salafi-Jihadism. And also this paper clarifies how Jordan formulates its religious strategies in such situation. Jordan, as the representation of Sunni Conservatism, is attacked by both of Shiite ideology and Sunni Salafi-Jihadi ideology. Therefore, Jordan is under pressure of necessity to redefine its Sunni ideology. The Amman Message issued in 2004 shows representatively the religious strategy of Jordan. The message has significance to redefine Jordan’s Sunni ideology based on the modern situation and to revive the Sunni moderate thought. Because this Sunni ideology is supported by sacredness of the Jordan Hashemite Royal Family, descendent of Prophet Muhammad, this ideology is very characteristic compared with the other Sunni countries such as Saudi Arabia. It means that there is also rivalry within Sunni Conservatism. The Amman Message is designed not only to advocate the need for peaceful unity but also to very aggressively seize the initiative in the Islamic world in religious way. Naming this aggressive act as the Religious-Rapprochement Strategy, this paper investigates the Sunni moderate thought of Jordan in the 21^st century.