Radical Islamism and the Clash of Civilizations

Historically, radical Islamism emerged in the 20th century, influenced by various historical events. The end of colonial rule in many Muslim-majority countries, the Cold War, and the Iranian Revolution in 1979 all played significant roles.

Ideologically, radical Islamism draws inspiration from extremist interpretations of Islam and  hatred against western civilizations. This interpretation often rejects secularism and seeks to establish Islamic states governed by strict Sharia law.

The concept of violent jihad, or holy war, has been a central component of radical Islamism. Some groups and individuals have used this idea to justify acts of terrorism, as a war against secularism.

Influential figures like Sayyid Qutb, an Egyptian Islamist, and later Osama bin Laden, played pivotal roles in promoting radical Islamist ideologies and justifying violence as a means to achieve their goals.

The Afghan Jihad against the Soviet Union in the 1980s attracted many radical Islamist fighters and served as a training ground for future leaders of extremist groups. The 9/11 in 2001 happened as a result of this.

In 1993, political scientist Samuel P. Huntington proclqimed  the theory of "The Clash of Civilizations".

Huntinton argued that in a post-Cold War world, conflicts would not primarily be driven by ideology or economics, but by differences in culture and civilization.

 He identified several major civilizations, including Western, Islamic, Confucian, and others, and suggested that future conflicts would arise along the fault lines between these civilizations. It's important to note that this theory has been both influential and controversial, and its predictions have been a subject of debate in international relations and political science.

Beside, not all Muslims are radical Islamists, and many Muslims and Muslim-majority countries have actively opposed and condemned radicalism and terrorism. 

However, Radical Islamism remain a complex and evolving phenomenon with multiple causes and manifestations, globally. 

The Hamas assault on Israel expands the frontier of the radical islamic jihadism and the clash of civilizations theory. This is because the future global conflicts would be shaped by cultural and civilizational differences rather than ideological or economic factors.