The Islamist moment: from Islamic state to civil Islam?

For scholars interested in social movements, particularly religious‐based movements, what is taking place in the Middle East is historical — an Islamist moment par excellence. Islamists or religio‐political forces are poised to take ownership of the seats of power in a number of Arab countries in the coming years. They have already won majorities of parliamentary seats in Tunisia, Egypt, and Morocco, and will probably make further gains in others after the dust settles on the Arab uprisings. After decades of persecution, what is unfolding today clearly shows the weight of Islamists, most of whom are centrist and modernist and accept the rules and procedures of the democratic game, in shaping the future political trajectory of their societies. In contrast, the Salafis and Islamic ultraconservatives in general, who believe that Islam controls all social spheres and regulates the whole of human life, are a sizable minority.