Sheikh Abdul Munem Abu Zant (28 September 1937 – 26 July 2015) was a Jordanian Muslim scholar and politician. He was member of the
House of Representatives
House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...
between 1989 and 1997 for the
Islamic Action Front
The Islamic Action Front ( ar, جبهة العمل الإسلامي ''Jabhat al-'Amal al-Islami'', IAF) is an Islamist political party in Jordan. It is the political wing of the Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan.
Founded in 1992 with 350 members, En ...
. He was an opponent of the
Israel–Jordan peace treaty
The Israel–Jordan peace treaty (formally the "Treaty of Peace Between the State of Israel and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan"), he, הסכם השלום בין ישראל לירדן; transliterated: ''Heskem Ha-Shalom beyn Yisra'el Le-Yarden'' ...
and a supporter of
Hamas
Hamas (, ; , ; an acronym of , "Islamic Resistance Movement") is a Palestinian Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist, militant, and nationalist organization. It has a social service wing, Dawah, and a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Bri ...
. Abu Zant frequently criticized the
Western world
The Western world, also known as the West, primarily refers to the various nations and states in the regions of Europe, North America, and Oceania. 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.
At one point he became member of the
Muslim Brotherhood
The Society of the Muslim Brothers ( ar, جماعة الإخوان المسلمين'' ''), better known as the Muslim Brotherhood ( ', is a transnational Sunni Islamist organization founded in Egypt by Islamic scholar and schoolteacher Hassa ...
.
He was elected to the
House of Representatives
House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...
during the
1989 Jordanian general election
General elections were held in Jordan on 8 November 1989, the first since 1967.Dieter Nohlen, Florian Grotz & Christof Hartmann (2001) ''Elections in Asia: A data handbook, Volume I'', p148 As political parties were banned at the time, all 647 ca ...
s. Abu Zant was a member of the House between 1989 and 1997 (or 1990 and 1998)
for the
Islamic Action Front
The Islamic Action Front ( ar, جبهة العمل الإسلامي ''Jabhat al-'Amal al-Islami'', IAF) is an Islamist political party in Jordan. It is the political wing of the Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan.
Founded in 1992 with 350 members, En ...
(IAF), serving during three parliaments.
[ Abu Zant called himself the leader of the most radical section of the party.] Within the IAF Abu Zant had a sizeable group of followers. During his time in parliament Abu Zant supported introducing prohibition
Prohibition is the act or practice of forbidding something by law; more particularly the term refers to the banning of the manufacture, storage (whether in barrels or in bottles), transportation, sale, possession, and consumption of alcoholic ...
as well as a mandatory headscarf for Muslim women. 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.
Abu Zant was an opponent of the Coalition forces
' ps, کمک او همکاري '
, allies = Afghanistan
, opponents = Taliban Al-Qaeda
, commander1 =
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during the Gulf War
The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a Coalition of the Gulf War, 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Ba'athist Iraq, ...
. He called the Gulf War: "not a war between Iraq and the U.S., but rather one between Islam and the infidels". He subsequently called for a jihad
Jihad (; ar, جهاد, jihād ) is an Arabic word which literally means "striving" or "struggling", especially with a praiseworthy aim. In an Islamic context, it can refer to almost any effort to make personal and social life conform with Go ...
against Western forces involved in the Gulf War. Abu Zant called the Arab regimes that took part in the Gulf War against Iraq apostates. During and after the Gulf War Abu Zant was a frequent speaker at Friday preaching ceremonies at mosques.
In 1994 Abu Zant was prohibited from delivering sermons by the Ministry of Awqaf Islamic Affairs and Holy Places, after he criticized the Israel–Jordan peace treaty
The Israel–Jordan peace treaty (formally the "Treaty of Peace Between the State of Israel and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan"), he, הסכם השלום בין ישראל לירדן; transliterated: ''Heskem Ha-Shalom beyn Yisra'el Le-Yarden'' ...
, which had been signed that year. 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. 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".[Wiktorowicz, 62.] 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.[ In 1994 Abu Zant wrote several articles in the 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
Abdelsalam al-Majali ( ; ar, عبد السلام المجالي; born 18 February 1926) is a Jordanian physician and politician who served twice as the 29th Prime Minister of Jordan.
Early life and education
Majali was born in Al Karak, Emir ...
.
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.[ Shortly before his arrest he had criticized a government crackdown on ]Hamas
Hamas (, ; , ; an acronym of , "Islamic Resistance Movement") is a Palestinian Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist, militant, and nationalist organization. It has a social service wing, Dawah, and a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Bri ...
supporters, which happened in August.[ The ]Muslim Brotherhood
The Society of the Muslim Brothers ( ar, جماعة الإخوان المسلمين'' ''), better known as the Muslim Brotherhood ( ', is a transnational Sunni Islamist organization founded in Egypt by Islamic scholar and schoolteacher Hassa ...
subsequently demanded his release.[ During his life Abu Zant had been expelled from ]Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Med ...
, Kuwait
Kuwait (; ar, الكويت ', or ), officially the State of Kuwait ( ar, دولة الكويت '), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated in the northern edge of Eastern Arabia at the tip of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to the no ...
and Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the List of Asian countries by area, fifth-largest country in Asia ...
as his voiced opinions were deemed to radical.
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
Mossad ( , ), ; ar, الموساد, al-Mōsād, ; , short for ( he, המוסד למודיעין ולתפקידים מיוחדים, links=no), meaning 'Institute for Intelligence and Special Operations'. is the national intelligence agency ...
, which led to him being arrested.
In 2014 during an interview on Al-Aqsa TV
Al-Aqsa TV ( ar, قناة الأقصى) is a television channel run by Hamas, which is based in the Gaza Strip. Its programs include news and propaganda promoting Hamas, children's shows (such as '' Tomorrow's Pioneers'', that promotes violenc ...
Abu Zant accused Jews of blood libel
Blood libel or ritual murder libel (also blood accusation) is an antisemitic canardTurvey, Brent E. ''Criminal Profiling: An Introduction to Behavioral Evidence Analysis'', Academic Press, 2008, p. 3. "Blood libel: An accusation of ritual mu ...
and cannibalism.
Abu Zant died on 26 July 2015. Jordanian House Speaker Atef Tarawneh
Atef Tarawneh (born 1 January 1954) is a Jordanian politician who has been the Speaker of Jordan's House of Representatives from 3 November 2013 to 10 December 2020. He was a member of the House of Representatives from 2003 to 2020.
Early life
Ta ...
praised Abu Zant for his patriotism and dedication while being member of the House.[ Three days after his death Jordanian King ]Abdullah II
Abdullah II bin Al-Hussein ( ar, عبدالله الثاني بن الحسين , translit=ʿAbd Allāh aṯ-ṯānī ibn al-Ḥusayn; born 30 January 1962) is King of Jordan, having ascended the throne on 7 February 1999. He is a member of ...
visited Abu Zant's family to extend his condolences.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Abu Zant
1937 births
2015 deaths
Islamic Action Front politicians
Jordanian people of Palestinian descent
Members of the House of Representatives (Jordan)
Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood members
People from Nablus