Robert G. Rabil

Dr. Robert G. Rabil is Professor of Political Science at Florida Atlantic University. He holds a master's degree in Government from Harvard University, a PhD in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies from Brandeis University, and an honorary PhD in humanities from the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. His area of studies and expertise include Political Islam, Salafism, Transnational and Revivalist Movements, Terrorism, US-Arab Relations, Arab-Israeli Conflict, US-Muslim Relations, and Contemporary Middle East Politics.

He is the author of dozens of articles in major academic and professional journals and magazines. His books have been peer-reviewed and highly commended.

He served as the Chief of Emergency for the Red Cross in Baabda District, Beirut, during the Lebanese Civil War, and he was project manager of the funded Iraq Research and Documentation Project, funded by the US State Department. Rabil was awarded the LLS Distinguished Professorship in Current Events (2012-2013, 2018-2019), theLLS Teaching in Excellence Award and was in May 2012 was conferred an honorary Doctorate in Humanities from the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.

Views

Jihad and the West Writing in the Washington Post, Rabil said, "Jihad is an ominous word to most Americans, conjuring up images of terrorism. But the word 'jihad' in Arabic merely means 'to strive' or to make a 'determined effort.' But over time, both Shi'a and Sunni Islam have developed distinct distortions of jihad, both of which contribute to the current association we [Americans] have between jihad and terrorist acts. This tie, however, advances a twisted concept with little to do with the mainstream teaching of Islam."

Rabil believes that radical Sunni ideologues, such as Mawdudi, Qutb and Faraj, advanced ideas that distorted the concept of jihad. "They framed efforts to excommunicate secular rulers as an armed struggle against jahili secularism, contesting the mainstream Islamic view that Muslims should submit to political authority in order to prevent strife. Their teachings also transformed jihad into a mandatory, individual obligation for all Muslims."

Islamist terrorism in Europe Rabil argued that Muslim extremists have exploited European liberalism.

Rabil argues, "Ominously, these Salafist missionaries, some of whom supported by Arab states of the Persian Gulf, begin their Da'wa (propagation of Islam) with an effort geared not towards the recognition of Islam in France, but rather towards the revival of the practice of Islam, according to their ideology, among Muslims. Next, they promote a legal theory meant to resolve conflicts and issues facing Muslims within the context of Muslim Jurisprudence so that Muslims could retain their identity. Meanwhile, they underscore the ideology of Salafism as the only acceptable manjah (methodology) to living as a Muslim. This has served to place Muslim (Salafi) identity above all others and indirectly promoted the agenda of Salafi-jihadi organizations, be they Al Qaeda, ISIS or Ansar al-Shari'a."

US foreign policy Rabil embraces a realist/pragmatist approach to US foreign policy resting on securing national interests by reconciling the celebration of America's universal values and exceptional nature with the recognition of the reality of other countries' histories, cultures, and politics.

On the Ukraine War Rabil emphasizes that Russia underestimated the will of Ukrainians to fight a patriotic war. Moscow has already lost the war for Kyiv. He later on explained:I think it is the beginning of a new cold war…I think the Russians will gradually react quite adversely and it will affect their policies. I think it is a tragic mistake. There was no reason for this whatsoever. No one was threatening anybody else. This expansion would make the Founding Fathers of this country turn over in their graves.

Affiliations Affiliate in Research, Center for Middle Eastern Studies, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 1999–present. Member of the Board of Directors, Iraq Institute for Strategic Studies, Inc., Beirut, Baghdad, London, Washington, DC, 2004–2017. Advisory Board, Florida Society for Middle East Studies, Boca Raton, Florida, 2004–present. Adjunct Scholar, The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, Washington, DC, 2005-2009. Academic Adviser, American Lebanese Coalition and World Lebanese Cultural Union, 2003–2014. Academic Adviser, Central Naval Analysis,2006–2017. Academic Adviser, Middle East and National Security Organization, an FAU student club which promotes awareness of Middle East and US national security issues.