->Crispulop at 17:38, 19 September 2020

2020-09-19T17:38:03Z

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Sheikh '''Abdul Munem Abu Zant''' (28 September 1937 – 26 July 2015) was a Jordanian Muslim scholar and politician. He was member of the [[Parliament of Jordan|House of Representatives]] between 1989 and 1997 for the [[Islamic Action Front]]. He was an opponent of the [[Israel–Jordan peace treaty]] and a supporter of [[Hamas]]. Abu Zant frequently criticized the [[Western world]] and especially the United States and Israel. He was also critical of moderate Islamic regimes in the Middle East.

Abu Zant had confrontations with the Jordanian government several times. He was banned from delivering sermons in 1994 and was arrested several times for breaching that prohibition the same year. Critique of government actions against Hamas had him arrested in 1999 and 2001.

==Career==
Abu Zant was born in [[Nablus]] on 28 September 1937.<ref name="Viorst1995">{{cite book|author=Milton Viorst|title=Sandcastles: The Arabs in Search of the Modern World|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=l5spikLyem4C&pg=PA285|year=1995|publisher=Syracuse University Press|isbn=978-0-8156-0362-7|pages=285–}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author= |url=https://www.kontenislam.com/2015/07/maasyaa-allah-senyum-tulus-terakhir.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200919173622/https://www.kontenislam.com/2015/07/maasyaa-allah-senyum-tulus-terakhir.html |title=Maasyaa Allah, senyum tulus terakhir Syaikh Abu Zant menghiasi dunia maya |publisher=Konten Islam |date=28 July 2015 |archive-date=19 September 2020}}</ref> At one point he became member of the [[Muslim Brotherhood]].<ref name="Wiktorowicz2001">{{cite book|author=Quintan Wiktorowicz|title=The Management of Islamic Activism: Salafis, the Muslim Brotherhood, and State Power in Jordan|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7axGGohEgI8C&pg=PA61|year=2001|publisher=SUNY Press|isbn=978-0-7914-4835-9|pages=61–}}</ref> He was elected to the [[Parliament of Jordan|House of Representatives]] during the [[1989 Jordanian general election]]s. Abu Zant was a member of the House between 1989 and 1997 (or 1990 and 1998)<ref name="Smith2001">{{cite book|author=Lamar Smith|title=Terrorist Threats to the United States: Congressional Hearing|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VmB-8ZWpaywC&pg=PA28|date=1 November 2001|publisher=DIANE Publishing|isbn=978-0-7567-1725-4|page=28}}</ref> for the [[Islamic Action Front]] (IAF), serving during three parliaments.<ref name="Wiktorowicz2001"/><ref name=jt/> Abu Zant called himself the leader of the most radical section of the party.<ref name="Smith2001"/> Within the IAF Abu Zant had a sizeable group of followers.<ref name="Schwedler2006">{{cite book|author=Jillian Schwedler|title=Faith in Moderation: Islamist Parties in Jordan and Yemen|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DVwHXnOSeNUC&pg=PA92|date=19 June 2006|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0-521-85113-8|pages=92–}}</ref> During his time in parliament Abu Zant supported introducing [[prohibition]] as well as a mandatory headscarf for Muslim women.<ref name="Hamid2014">{{cite book|author=Shadi Hamid|title=Temptations of Power: Islamists and Illiberal Democracy in a New Middle East|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yG7eAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA255|date=May 2014|publisher=OUP USA|isbn=978-0-19-931405-8|pages=255–}}</ref> When female Representative Faisal kept her own style of dress in parliament Abu Zant offered her an Islamic garb and sweets to stop wearing her own clothes and make-up.<ref name="Sonbol2003">{{cite book|author=Amira El Azhary Sonbol|title=Women of Jordan: Islam, Labor, and the Law|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JWDPO6T5Dq8C&pg=PA232|year=2003|publisher=Syracuse University Press|isbn=978-0-8156-2964-1|pages=232–}}</ref>

Abu Zant was an opponent of the [[Coalition of the Gulf War|Coalition forces]] during the [[Gulf War]]. He called the Gulf War: "not a war between Iraq and the U.S., but rather one between Islam and the infidels".<ref name="Smith2001"/> He subsequently called for a [[jihad]] against Western forces involved in the Gulf War.<ref name="Smith2001"/> Abu Zant called the Arab regimes that took part in the Gulf War against Iraq apostates.<ref name="Smith2001"/> During and after the Gulf War Abu Zant was a frequent speaker at Friday preaching ceremonies at mosques.<ref name="Viorst1995"/><ref name="Smith2001"/>

In 1994 Abu Zant was prohibited from delivering sermons by the [[Ministry of Awqaf Islamic Affairs and Holy Places (Jordan)|Ministry of Awqaf Islamic Affairs and Holy Places]], after he criticized the [[Israel–Jordan peace treaty]], which had been signed that year.<ref name=septarrest>{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.arabwestreport.info/en/year-1999/week-40/6-prosecutor-detains-abu-zant-al-arab-al-yawm-chief-editor |title=6. Prosecutor detains Abu Zant, Al Arab Al Yawm chief editor |publisher=Arab West Report |date=26 July 2008 |accessdate=14 August 2015}}</ref> The same year he violated his prohibition when he spoke in a mosque criticizing the peace treacy. A scuffle occurred in which Abu Zant was injured, with Abu Zant and his followers and other preachers claiming the police acted violently, while the police blamed the followers of the official imam of the mosque, Sami al-Najjar, who had been prevented from delivering his own speech by Abu Zant.<ref>Wiktorowicz, 61–62.</ref> He later criticized official clerics in parliament, claiming that they were asking God to be merciful on Israelis, with Abu Zant referring to the Israelis as "the killers of all God's emmissaries and prophets".<ref name=wiktorowicz62>Wiktorowicz, 62.</ref> Shortly afterwards Abu Zant was arrested for criticizing an Amman court which was holding trials against people claimed of disturbing the peace during anti-peace treaty demonstrations.<ref name=wiktorowicz62/> In 1994 Abu Zant wrote several articles in the newspaper ''[[Al Arab Al Yawm (newspaper)|Al Arab Al Yawm]]'', which led to chief editor's arrest, as well as his own. In late November the two men were brought before a court on charges of slandering Prime Minister [[Abdelsalam al-Majali]].<ref name="Maddy-Weitzman2002">{{cite book|author=Bruce Maddy-Weitzman|title=Middle East Contemporary Survey|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zs57d0logH8C&pg=PA349|date=1 August 2002|publisher=The Moshe Dayan Center|isbn=978-965-224-049-1|pages=349–}}</ref>

In September 1999 the governor of Amman, [[Qaftan Majali]], asked Abu Zant to sign a pledge withholding him from keeping pro-Hamas speeches. Abu Zant refused and was placed under administrative arrest. In total he was arrested three times during the month for violating the Sermons Law of Jordan.<ref name=septarrest/><ref name=wiktorowicz62/> Shortly before his arrest he had criticized a government crackdown on [[Hamas]] supporters, which happened in August.<ref name=septarrest/><ref name=wiktorowicz62/> The [[Muslim Brotherhood]] subsequently demanded his release.<ref name=septarrest/> During his life Abu Zant had been expelled from [[Egypt]], [[Kuwait]] and [[Saudi Arabia]] as his voiced opinions were deemed to radical.<ref name="Smith2001"/>

In 2001, with tensions relaxing between Israelis and Palestinians and a possible peace deal ahead, Jordan launched actions against Hamas. Both the Muslim Brotherhood and the Islamic Action Front protested against these, although the protests were not large. Abu Zant however did protest fiercely, accusing the Jordanian government of collaborating with the United States and the Israeli intelligence agency [[Mossad]], which led to him being arrested.<ref>Maddy-Weitzman, 353</ref>

In 2014 during an interview on [[Al-Aqsa TV]] Abu Zant accused Jews of [[blood libel]] and cannibalism.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/ex-jordan-mp-says-jews-use-christian-blood-to-make-matzah/ |title=Ex-Jordan MP says Jews use Christian blood to make matzah |language=Dutch |newspaper=[[The Times of Israel]] |date=18 September 2014 |accessdate=14 August 2015}}</ref>

Abu Zant died on 26 July 2015.<ref name=jt>{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.jordantimes.com/news/local/former-mp-abu-zant-passes-away |title=Former MP Abu Zant passes away |publisher=[[The Jordan Times]] |date=26 July 2015 |accessdate=14 August 2015}}</ref> Jordanian House Speaker [[Atef Tarawneh]] praised Abu Zant for his patriotism and dedication while being member of the House.<ref name=jt/> Three days after his death Jordanian King [[Abdullah II of Jordan|Abdullah II]] visited Abu Zant's family to extend his condolences.<ref>{{cite web |author= |url=http://www.petra.gov.jo/Public_News/Nws_NewsDetails.aspx?lang=2&site_id=2&NewsID=206393&Type=P |title=King condoles Abu Zant family |publisher=[[Jordan News Agency|Petra]] |date=29 July 2014 |accessdate=14 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924072453/http://www.petra.gov.jo/Public_News/Nws_NewsDetails.aspx?lang=2&site_id=2&NewsID=206393&Type=P |archive-date=24 September 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Abu Zant}}
[[Category:1937 births]]
[[Category:2015 deaths]]
[[Category:Islamic Action Front politicians]]
[[Category:Jordanian people of Palestinian descent]]
[[Category:Members of the House of Representatives (Jordan)]]
[[Category:Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood members]]
[[Category:People from Nablus]]

Abu Zant - Revision history

->Crispulop at 17:38, 19 September 2020