Arab World in the 20 th Century

Arab World in the 20 th Century Introduction In 1900 and today, the Muslim world is truly vast in scope, stretching from the west coast of North Africa through the Arab world, Persia, into India, and as far east as Indonesia and the Philippines Our focus will be on the Arab world, the heartland of Islam and its spiritual center In the first half of the second millennium of the common era ( CE), the Arabs had arguably one of the most advanced, wealthy, and powerful civilizations in the world Yet by 1920, much of the Arab world had fallen under European domination

Arab World in the 20 th Century Impact of European Imperialism (1) By 1900, European imperialism had weakened or brought down the two great remaining Islamic empires, the Ottomans and Mughals The only reason the Ottomans survived until WWI was that European nations could not agree on how to split it up, although they already were swallowing up pieces of it (ex. Britain in Egypt, France in Algeria) Remaining Ottoman domains split between Allied victors after WWI mandates, except Turkey which emerged as European style republic European hegemony over the Arab world was a blow to the pride of its inhabitants—they asked themselves how had they fallen so low? Sir Richard Burton 19 th century British explorer Howard Carter Discovered King Tut’s tomb in 1923

Arab World in the 20 th Century Impact of European Imperialism (2) Europeans posed a threat not only because they had taken over Arab lands, but because they posed a threat to Islamic society itself European materialism and secularism drew Muslims away from the faith Republican government replaced the godly rule of the caliph with the fallible opinions of mortal men The European-style nation state also posed a threat because its bonds were secular rather than religious In the Islamic tradition, political and religious authority were inseparable and the idea of the separation of church and state unthinkable Banner of the Muslim Brotherhood

Arab World in the 20 th Century Arab Nationalism After WWI, Arab nation-states began to form Starting with what became Saudi Arabia, soon after the war Ending with Algeria in 1962, which had a significant population of French settlers Pan-Arabism The idea also developed of uniting the Arab world into one vast nation state, strong enough to resist the West and achieve genuine power and respect in the world This idea has never died, but has floundered on intense regional, ideological, and personal rivalries Baath Party Instead, Arab nation-states have developed out of European mandates and protectorates Flag of the United Arab Republic Flag of the Baath Party

Arab World in the 20 th Century Palestine The Palestinians were one group of Arab unable to form a nation-state A British mandate between WWI and WWII, Palestine became a focus for Jewish immigration before and after WWII These immigrants formed the State of Israel, pushing many Arabs from their land, especially during the 1948 war Zionism: Jewish nationalism centered on creating a national state for Jews in their ancestral homeland While Egypt and Jordan have made peace with Israel, peace with the Palestinians and other Arabs remains elusive Yasser Arafat of Fatah Flag of Hamas

Arab World in the 20 th Century Islamic Fundamentalism (1) Movement with the Arab and greater Islamic world devoted to promoting Muslim piety and the revitalization of Islamic civilization Not a unified movement Differences in ideology, goals, and tactics Basis A reaction to the power of the West, especially the United States, which Muslim fundamentalists see as the greatest source of threatening secularism Also a reaction to secular, often corrupt governments in the Arab world supported by the U.S. Fundamentalism first came to the West attention because of Iran’s Islamic revolution in 1979 Ayatollah Khomeini

Arab World in the 20 th Century Islamic Fundamentalism (2) Wahhabism Forms the basis for society in Saudi Arabia Treats the Koran and Hadith as the basis for law and society Church and state essentially the same Not tolerant of non-Muslims or even Muslims who reject its ideas Salafists A movement in Islam that seeks to restore what it sees as the greatness of its first generations, especially the Caliphate Wahhabis a variety of Salafists Salafism also the basis for Islamist groups like Al Qaeda, who see terror as a tool to restore the Caliphate Islamism: political movement connected with Islamic fundamentalism Sayyid Qutb