The Middle East is one of the oldest centers of civilization, witnessing the emergence of four major religions: Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. It also serves as the nexus connecting three continents: Africa, Asia, and Europe. Its geographical location has not only facilitated the movement of goods but has also allowed for the exchange of diverse beliefs. It was expected that with the withdrawal of foreign powers from the Middle East and the presence of vast fossil resources and other potentials in the region, the Middle East would occupy a prominent position in global affairs. Regrettably, the Middle East has not only failed to follow a rational development path but has also transformed into a region characterized by escalating ethnic, tribal, and sectarian tensions, becoming the epicenter of unrest, political crises, and the incubation of terrorism.
Numerous factors contribute to these challenges, some of which are influenced by colonial legacies, governance systems, deprivation, ethnicity, tribalism, religion, tradition, culture, and the lack of essential economic and socio-political infrastructures. All these factors have significantly hindered the development process in the Middle East, consequently playing a substantial role in the proliferation and spread of terrorism.
Today, terrorism has become one of the most important and influential global issues, with the Middle East serving as the primary breeding ground for terrorism and extremism, surpassing other regions in terms of terrorist activities and radicalization. The emergence of groups such as the Taliban, Al-Qaeda, Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), Daesh (ISIS), Ansar al-Sharia, and many other terrorist and extremist groups in this region attests to this claim. The reasons for the rise of terrorism in the Middle East can be explored in various dimensions, including political, social, economic, and cultural aspects, each of which requires in-depth research.
This paper aims to demonstrate how cultural factors, including beliefs, convictions, traditions, values, and deeply rooted behavioral patterns, have contributed to the proliferation of various groups and movements, especially ISIS, in the region, leading them towards terrorist and extremist behaviors.
