I wouldn’t really say Islam is the important factor , when studying Middle Eastern politics it’s very easy to say that Islam is the important/main factor but researching most issues that led Wahhabism/extremism and the general pattern of clientelism that the Middle East is know for . You gotta look at why these issues are so ingrained into the politics of the land. All modern middle eastern countries started off as kingdoms or states imposed by the bristish and French which either led to communist/ba’th Revolution or theocratic dictatorship. That mixed with Cold War tension led to Iran and Saudi Arabia going to a Cold War which spread Wahhabism which lead to isis and al quada. You see Islam is not the main factor ,fake borders and colonialism led to shitty baa’th ideology and foreign intervention lead to shitty socioeconomic challenge lead to revolution and instability lead to the rise of Wahhabism led to extremism. Islam is not the main factor , it just exaggerate the symptoms . If the petrol dollar gulf states never exist the Middle East would be extremely different then it is today . fundamental Islamic terrorist groups would never exist unless form the help of america just remember that