Feb 12
The historical dimensions of radical Islam

A. Internal

“heartlands” as key location and Muhammad’s life as key time
        Holy Cities
        the life of Muhammad, esp from opposition in Mecca, the time in Medina
        the “rightly-guided” caliphs (lst 4)
        the time division, the space division, the pilgrimage event (time and space)
        reform impulses in Islam
                works on this terrain constantly
                takes many forms over almost 1400 years

the process of institutionalizing (also meaning compromising, creating an ongoing order)
        state immediately
        scholars-lawyers working on sources to establish guidelines
                the 4 “schools” or traditions of law creating the Shari`a

important centers of scholarship, which train the ulama
        earliest places for scholar-lawyer-doctors, developing the 4 schools
                (Medina, Cairo, Basra...)
        most important or best known university from 10th is al-Azhar, in Cairo,
                with key location near hajj
                becomes authoritative for a “traditionist” view
        others across the Islamic world
        a style of scholarship, involving intellectual genealogy
                always invoked for legitimation and justification
        particular schools, interpretations and orders will resonate in particular contexts
        like a repertory available to be invoked

one intellectual genealogy...

Ibn Hanbal and the Hanbali “school” (from 9th c) (Iraq, specifically Baghdad)
        critique of the state, time of Abbasids, Caliph Harun, experimentation
        importance of the hadith, the traditions of and about the Prophet
        role of ulama as guardians of legitimacy and interpretation,
                Ibn Hanbal more willing to take exception to state
        conservative about sources of authority, stress early times more (Quran, Hadith)
                more resistant to innovation
formulas that resonate: command the right, forbid the wrong - cf. Morality Ministry of the Taliban
 

Ibn Taymiyya, a Hanbali scholar (Iraq, Syria)
        time of the Mongols
        sharper interpretation of Hanbali view
                ulama as authoritative, not state or caliphs (not legitimate since early days)
                opposition to what he sees as non-orthodox forms: Shi`a, Sufis, Mongols
                        including open resistance, in difficult days

Ibn Abd al-Wahhab (18th c Central Arabia)
        picking up on these traditions
        hostility to Sufism; willingness to oppose govts

alliance with house of Ibn Saud
        problem: like time of Muhammad, creating unity among Bedouin tribes...
        frequent state/cleric combinations
        capture of Holy Cities early 19th
                influence, attacks on Sufi “excesses” but also accepting Sufi “orthodox”
        the 3 periods, the 3 states

20th century emergence of the alliance
        recapture of Holy Cities
        assertion of primary role in interpretation of Islam
                not widely accepted, perhaps
                but believed very fervently, and soon with resources to put behind it
        discovery of oil and wealth
                tremendous technological development
                tremendous material “conspicuous” consumption
                strong alliance with West and oil interests
        but strict interpretation, or at least their interpretation
                schools, training there; model for Taliban
                situation of women; women as indicators
                situation of foreigners
        growing inequalities
        growing critiques from within and without
                including Osama bin Laden

B. External

spreading European imperialism and influence
        decline of the “Islamic” empires: Ottoman, Safavid, Moghul (more later in course)
        Napoleon in Egypt
                ability to invade, then eviction: by the other and primary European power, Britain
                “capture” of knowledge, transport to the West
                subsequent: use as marker
        India: BEIC, then British colony
                1857 mutiny, reassertion of control, marking event
        eventual colonisation of one form or another
                everywhere but Turkey, Iran and Afghanistan
        but not just conquest and colonies
                strong influence, especially economic, social, diplomatic, everywhere
                secularizers, with Ataturk and Pahlavis taken as “worst” examples
        forms of emulation everywhere, by “modernists”
                but some resistance brewing

resistance, yes, but military is rarely successful, and never for long
        intellectual and social resistance: constant and changing
        linked to reform impulse
        linked to “nationalism” at different levels

reaction: the more radical modernizers
        Muhammad Ali in Egypt in 19th and his successors
        Pahlavi and Ataturk in 20th: note how sharply they are condemned by other Muslims

reaction: the more cautious modernizers
        Salafiyya or “venerable ancestors”, Companions of Prophet who can provide models
                reform, renewal, revival - all terms than can be applied
        figures such as al-Afghani, Abduh, Rashid Rida, et al;
                modernism of a limited sort (Najjar expresses that)

reaction: the radical trend
        would put selves in Salafiyya or reform tradition too
        critique of internal ruling classes as well as West; action, activists
                will draw on Wahhabi tradition
        Hassan al-Banna, Sayyid Qutb, Muslim Brothers, other radical critiques

key is intersection of
        the internal reactions, and especially the radical ones
        Western intrusions and actions
                can see that establishment of Israel in 1948 would be a lightning rod
                or US and allies with bases in “holy” Saudi Arabia
 
C. Convergence of internal traditions, external exploitations, and local grievances