Amman — The attack on St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Hamoud, Karak Governorate, which left nine citizens dead and around 34 others injured, has placed the prevention of Takfiri ideology at the forefront of public debate—not only in terms of pursuing and holding those responsible accountable, but also in terms of the ability of relevant institutions to prevent the development of ideas that justify violence and attacks against others.
While security and judicial measures are essential to protecting society and enforcing the law, the incident has opened a broader discussion about the role of schools, universities, religious institutions, the media, the digital sphere and families in building social resilience against extremism, and about the need to move from scattered initiatives toward an integrated national system for prevention, early intervention and rehabilitation.
The issue is not simply about launching additional awareness campaigns. Rather, it concerns the ability of existing programs to reach their target groups, address ideas that justify declaring others infidels or legitimizing violence against them, and measure the impact of preventive interventions, while protecting society from extremism without expanding suspicion or infringing on rights and freedoms.
Experts who spoke separately to Al-Ghad agreed that confronting Takfiri ideology requires moving beyond a reactive security approach toward building an integrated system of social prevention that promotes citizenship, justice and acceptance of others, while strengthening the role of families and educational, religious and media institutions in confronting hate speech and intolerance.
They stressed that protecting society from extremism cannot be achieved through condemning violence alone. It also requires addressing factors that may fuel exclusion and division, expanding youth participation, and establishing a culture of dialogue and critical thinking, making prevention a shared responsibility among the state, civil society institutions and individuals.
Confronting Takfiri Ideology
Sociology professor Dr. Nisreen Al-Bahri said confronting Takfiri ideology cannot be achieved through security measures alone. It also requires building a cohesive society based on justice, citizenship and acceptance of others, making the prevention of extremism a shared responsibility among the various institutions of Jordanian society.
Al-Bahri stressed the importance of moving from dealing with extremism after acts of violence occur toward establishing an early intellectual and social prevention system that begins with families, schools and universities by promoting a culture of dialogue, tolerance and critical thinking and strengthening individuals’ ability to deal with differences without exclusion or accusations of apostasy.
She highlighted the role of religious institutions in confronting Takfiri discourse and promoting respect for religious diversity and the values of citizenship, alongside developing media-awareness tools to combat digital extremism, incitement and rumors.
She also pointed to the importance of increasing youth participation in public life, expanding employment and volunteer opportunities, and addressing marginalization and weak feelings of belonging as key elements in building social resilience.
Al-Bahri stressed the need to strengthen partnerships between security institutions and civil society organizations to enable early intervention when signs of extremism emerge and to develop rehabilitation and social reintegration programs within a comprehensive approach that goes beyond addressing consequences and seeks to reduce the factors that may contribute to the emergence and spread of extremist ideology.
Strengthening a Culture of Citizenship
Sociology professor Dr. Fadia Al-Ibrahimi said building a system for preventing Takfiri ideology at the community level begins with establishing a culture based on citizenship, respect for differences, dialogue and shared responsibility.
She stressed that social cohesion is not achieved by eliminating differences among people, but by managing those differences peacefully in a way that preserves unity and stability.
Al-Ibrahimi said strengthening citizenship requires making national belonging and the public interest the foundation of relations among individuals, away from fanaticism toward sub-national, regional, religious or ideological identities.
She noted that achieving justice and equal opportunities, strengthening people’s sense of fairness and expanding citizens’ participation in decision-making are important factors in reducing feelings of marginalization and exclusion that extremist and hateful narratives may exploit.
She stressed that confronting hate speech cannot rely on prohibition alone. It requires raising awareness, developing critical thinking, and activating the roles of families, schools, universities, media outlets and civil society institutions in promoting acceptance of others, rejecting incitement and distinguishing differences of opinion from hostility toward others.
She also highlighted the responsibility of social media platforms in limiting the spread of rumors and misinformation that could fuel social divisions.
Al-Ibrahimi stressed that building a society capable of confronting extremism is a shared responsibility. The state is responsible for upholding the rule of law and justice, educational and media institutions are responsible for promoting a culture of dialogue, while individuals are responsible for their speech, behavior and attitudes toward others.
She added that the challenge facing Jordanian society is not to eliminate differences, which is unrealistic, but to prevent them from being exploited to produce hatred and division. This requires moving away from categorizing and judging individuals toward understanding and engaging with them in dialogue and identifying common ground that serves the public interest.
According to Al-Ibrahimi, society’s ability to confront extremism is linked to the extent to which human dignity and rights are respected, justice is established in relations between citizens and institutions, and disputes are resolved through the law.
She said turning diversity into a source of strength and placing the public interest above narrow interests provide a foundation for strengthening social stability and sustainable development.
Promoting Shared Values
Media expert Rula Sama’in said protecting the unity of Jordanian society cannot be achieved by condemning violence alone. It also requires confronting the ideas that fuel division and hatred.
She stressed that preventing Takfiri ideology is not solely the responsibility of security agencies, but extends to all institutions of society.
Sama’in said recent events require a deeper review of concepts related to culture, education and citizenship. Culture should not be measured by academic certificates, nor education by speeches, but by the way people think, communicate and interact with others, as well as their ability to respect differences and preserve human dignity.
She stressed that citizenship cannot be divided and that Jordanians, regardless of their religious and social backgrounds, share one homeland, history and future. This requires strengthening shared values that protect society from division and establish a culture of moderation, coexistence and respect for others.
Sama’in said confronting exclusionary ideology requires complementary roles. Religious institutions must dismantle ideas that justify declaring others infidels and excluding them; intellectuals must confront intolerance; the media must adopt responsible discourse that does not fuel divisions; while schools and families must instill values of respect and shared citizenship among younger generations.
She concluded that the challenge is not limited to dealing with the repercussions of recent events, but extends to reviewing the cultural and social environment in which individuals’ attitudes toward others are formed.
Building a cohesive society requires sustained efforts involving official institutions, civil society and individuals, she said, because the values prevailing in society ultimately shape the behavior of its members and their ability to coexist.
Source: Al-Ghad
