What Role Did Islam Plays In The Arab Spring?

Introduction
In 2011 a wave of anti-government demonstrations and protests hit the countries in the Middle East. The western media called these protests the Arab Spring. The term ‘spring’ refers to protests that arise from one country, with other countries holding similar protests in an almost same span of time. The main reason behind the Arab Spring was the growing resentment and hatred towards the mostly dictatorial regimes. The cost of living was soaring high, there was massive police brutality, pinching unemployment, corruption and lack of democracy. The strong protesters were also interested in forcing out the brutal governments and replacing them with outfits that were tolerant and inclusive. They also protested lack of robust economic
There are many factors that resulted in the Arab Spring. These factors were political, socio-economic, religious and cultural in nature. Islam as a religion provided the common belief and ideology that catapulted the spring. The belief in the people’s hearts based on Islamic principles facilitated the mobilization for the protests. Islam as a religion played the role of mobilization, allowed the use of mosques and provided the message that was used in the Arab Spring. Islamic ideologies informed the message that was used in the protests. The language used in the protest were based on the Quran. Islam provided the mosques which were used as recruitment and crowd gathering centers. The leaders of the religion and the organizers of the protests worked in collaboration to provide the necessary organization and leadership to the Islamic movements. In Egypt and Tunisia, the religious leaders were supportive of the protests. In Syria on the other hand, the religious leaders were reluctant to support the revolts. They condemned the protests and stood in support of the government of the day. The religious leaders feared that had they taken a stand against the government it would boomerang on them (Esposito, 2015: Syria,
The religion mobilized protesters from all walks of life to participate in protests against the oppressive regimes. These protests were commonly ‘mosque to square’ in nature. The mosques provided the grounds for mobilization and inspiration to the protesters. The protesters assembled in the mosques and then moved to the protest centers. Islam and the Quran provided the message that was used in the protest. Religious messages, ideals and appeals was used to coin protest phrases in the uprising. The Quran teaching against inhumanity and social injustice was reviewed. The protesters had to refer to the Quran and its teaching in relation to the social, political and economic situations of the time. The Quran viewpoint on sin (kabira) and martyrdom was also a key factor that helped in the protests. The martyrdom ideology was a strategy used to mobilize like-minded individuals to fight for their belief (Islam). Islamic religious leaders and organizations provided the necessary resources that was needed to support the long protests. The religion strengthened the protesters and kept them united in fighting the dictatorial governments. In other words, Islam provided the avenue, message content and leadership for the Arab