Qaddafi and Islam in Libya

Abstract

Islam, the dominant religion, has had a special place in traditional
Libyan society, where the overwhelming majority of the people are
Sunni Muslims, accepting the Quran and the Sunna as the primary
sources of the Islamic faith. “Religion has dominated all facets of life,
“significantly affect(ing) the structures, values, and attitudes of Libyan
society. It is a primary unit of loyalty and identity.”’ Mu’ammar al-
Qaddafi, a devout Muslim, acknowledges that the effect of Islam is “very
significant on everyone of us. We cannot deny that religion is an essential
factor in the lives of all peoples.”
Prior to the Qaddafi-led coup in 1969, religious organizations and
leaders played a major role in the educational, social and political life of
the country, particularly in the institutions that regulated the society.
Notable religious leaders not only dominated the judicial system but also
important political committees and advisory councils. In this respect,
Libya was a typical, traditional society where religion was entangled in
the web of national politics.
This has been evident throughout Libyan history. The Sanusiyyah
Brotherhood, a militant Sufi religious order founded in the nineteenth
century, played a crucial role in the national resistance against Italian
colonial rule and, subsequently, contributed to the shaping of the
country’s destiny in the post-independence period. Between 1951-1969,
religion was “a political symbol of crucial importance in controlling and
mobilizing the masses.” King Mohammed Idris al-Sanusi, who was
trained in Islamic theology and law (Sharia), used his position as Grand ...