Nationalism and Islam: Opposition in the Formation of Muslim Political Ideology in Arabian Countries
The title is chapter XII of the book “Philosophy and Spirituality across Cultures and Civilizations: Russian Philosophical Studies, VII” Edited by Nur Kirabaev, Yuriy Pochta and Ruzana Pskhu which is a part of Central and Eastern European Philosophical Studies, Volume 46, pp. 113-119. The chapter written by Alexander Rodrigez is as follows.[1]
Nationalism in the Arabian countries
Nationalism in the Arabian countries developed in two directions; mainly on an Arabic-Islamic and secular basis. Those looking for the na- tional identity in regional and secular forms of the nationalism are com- pelled to address the Arabo-Muslim heritage, whence they took and take necessary symbols, banners and names.
Islam and Nationalism
The first attempts to prove the compatibility of Islam with Nationalism are usually connected with the name of Jamal-al-din al-Afghani. “By their nature people, – he said, – “are in the constant conflict among them- selves because of daily bread”. To protect themselves and their family people united into groups on the basis of parentage. This eventually led to the formation of nations and to the appearance of feelings of solidarity – national asabiyya. National asabiyya will disappear, when the reasons which have caused it disappear. And then there will be Islam which has generated the highest form of solidarity (asabiyya – А.R.), which is above national solidarity. And for a while in some cases al-Afghani remarks, that nationalism happens to be more effective than “an Islamic solidarity”. (Al- Mahzumi, 1954)
Muslim ideologues and nationalism
The attitude of the majority of Islamic ideologues to nationalism is dual. On the one hand, they support nationalism as it serves the interests of practicing Islamic nations’ liberation from infidel domination. In the con- sciousness of the Muslim people, the West appears not only as the exploiter and the oppressor, but also as the aggressive “Christian world” which is unacceptable for Muslim moral criteria, social norms, and cultural and spiritual values. Even some zealous Pan-Islamists, who envisage the future world as a Muslim religious-political community, justify the support of nationalism by the universal nature of Islam, which includes nationalism. (Davaa al-hakk, 1974) On the other hand (and this line prevails), Islamic leaders subject to sharp criticism nationalistic ideologies that, in their opinion, promote the breaking up of the Muslim community. Often con- flicting groups weaken Islam because their nationalism is focused on the building of secular instead of religious society.
Being a secular ideology based on the notion that the nation, as a social group, whose religious identification is not defining, nationalism basically rejects the Pan-Islamistic concept of umma as the supranational community of coreligionists saved by a divine rescue. However the important 114 Alexander Rodrigez feature of the nationalistic concepts of the majority in Arabian countries is in the fact that they bring together the seemingly incompatible national and Islamic aims.
Aspiring to subordinate to itself all displays of national culture whose organic part was mainly Islamic traditions, nationalism has appeared to be connected with Islam in these essential moments:
- Islamic ethics are so closely bound with ethnonational tradition that Islamic values are already difficult to distinguish from the primary values of actual Arabian ethnonational culture.
- Supporters of Islamism (as the doctrine of absolute Islamic priority in all spheres of the Muslim’s life) and nationalists need each other: feeling spiritual superiority over other people, they are certain that salvation of hu- manity is their mission. However they are compelled to rely on the support of the national governments, and in turn nationalists. Pan-Arabists appeal to Islam which possesses powerful integration and mobilisation forces. Ideolo- gues of nationalism pay much attention to Islam as an important element of national identity; Islam is an ideological weapon in the struggle for the con- solidation of national sovereignty, and even, for the construction of modern society. Islamism, which is objectively denying both regional and Arabian nationalism, is placed in service to nationalism.
The emphasis on Islamic values has increased after gaining political independence by Arabian countries. That case has several reasons. First of all, the conditions for national statehood building and the aspiration for na- tional self-affirmation. Moreover, one of the reasons was the rising mistrust to the West and disappointment in Western models of the development, as well as searching for own national ways and methods of the achievement of economic and cultural independence.
The turn of Nationalism to Islam was shown particularly well in the fact that the nationalist youth of Arabian countries quite often advertise their belonging to Islam. The young intellectual who had internally broken with religion now starts to keep the fast, adheres to traditional rituals in home life, and tries to apply Islamic norms. He felt that religion connects him with the people. This was during the colonial period and it is still so nowadays. The call to the westernized avant-guard of Arabian nationalism to rally with the Islamized masses was heard. The author of the brochure “Islam and Arab liberation” Munah as-Solh sees the weakness of modern Arabian nationalism in the fact, that the part of the Arabian intelligentia acting under the banners of Arabian nationalism rejects the positive value of Islam for Arabs’ business. In his opinion, the adherence of the broad masses to Islam, which is combined particularly with anti-Western sentiment, and their feeling of belonging to the umma are more essential to Arabian nationalism, than the position of such intelligentia. The author supports the consolidation of the Arabian self-consciousness of the intelligentia with the Islamic self- consciousness of the masses. (Solh Moons, 1973)
So, there was a quantum leap: during the period of the origin of the national self-consciousness Islamism was the form, containing the national Nationalism and Islam: Political Ideology in Arabian Countries 115 idea. Now, on the contrary, nationalism, in its Arabian or regional embody- ment, easily incorporates with Islam which not only provides mass support to regional nationalism, but also strengthens the immunity of national cul- ture from the influence of other cultures.
Arabian nationalists’ idea
For the majority of Arabian nationalists and the adherents of the particular orientations in Pan-Arabic Islam and Arabic-Muslim culture who make an organic part of the nationalistic doctrine, its moral-ethical basis, cultural heritage, that are meaningfully included in the national being. But not for all. For example, mainly practical ideas of the necessity of maximal possible fruitful contacts with masses for the interests of patriotic education, national integration, successful realization of plans for the development, achievement of the political goals are in the limelight for the baasists and the followers of the president of Tunis H. Bourguiba.
But thus the Arabian nationalists try to sanctify national ideals by the Koran and to give a national character to Islam. They underline the superiority of Arabs over other Muslim peoples, though Islam does not mark out Arabs in principle and does not give them privileges in comparison with other ethnoses. Such a position is proved first of all by the fact, that Prophet Mohammed was an Arab and the Koran was in the Arabian language and Arabian soil. This makes them a subject of special pride.
Interdependence ascertaining between the Arabian nation and Islam with the emphasis on the role of Islam in the history of Arabs or on the role of Arabs in the history of Islam – the general phenomenon among the Arabian nationalists. “Uruba” and “Islam” are perceived as notions related among themselves.
A known figure of the Libyan group of Beshir Havada confirmed in 1972: “Uruba is a body, Islam is its living soul which moves it”. (Kedourie, 1980:61) Such notable ideologues of Arabian nationalism as the Lebanese Nabih Farce, Palestinian Faiz Saeg, and Jordanian Hazem Nusejbe, consider Pan-Arabism as an inseparable part of Islamic doctrine. Even for a secular party Baath core of whose ideology is Arabian nationalism, “Islam is inseparable from Uruba, the Arabian nation, its problems and purposes» (as is noted in documents of Syrian Baas) (Al-Ishtiraka, 10.15.1973), and “there is no difference between the spirit of Islam and Baasism” (Iraq Baas). (Al- Dzhumhurija, 10.15.1973)
In Arabian nationalism, two interconnected tendencies are found. Pan-Islamic motive prevails in one and the revival of Arab glories relates to with the revival of the glory of Islam. Rather than supporters of Arabian unity, who are not numerous among Muslim ideologues, they try to prove that this unity is an essential part of the concept of Umma. Many people share the opinion that the Arabian nation became great because of Islam and for Islam. The Lebanese historian Mikula Zijade and the Egyptian literary critic Umar ad-Dasuki advance an idea that the formation of the Arabian nation is connected with occurrence of Islam which has rallied Arabs and opened for them the way out of the limits of Arabian Peninsula for the creation of a great empire. (Nationalism in Asia and 116 Alexander Rodrigez Africa, 1970) Hence, there is frequent mention that for the revival of the the greatness of Arabs it is necessary to revive the greatness of Islam. Great value was given to Islam in the official ideology and the policy of national-democratic leaders of revolutionary Egypt who acted as enthusiasts of Arabian nationalism in 1950s and 1960s. They were trying to achieve secular purposes though many of them were connected with the Muslim Brotherhood and were under the influence of Islamic fundamentalism. There is no mention concerning Islam in the program document of the Charter of national action (1962). But Islamic goals became a reference point for Egyptian legislation in 1960s. Muslim theologians became the tools for carrying out an official political line, brainwashing the population for the purpose of legalisation of governmental actions and the socialist choice. The theological university al-Azhar was transformed into the centre for the distribution of ideas of the compatibility of modern progress with the Koran. The committee of fetva prya al-Azhare regularly published fetvas on burning questions, and leading theologian wrote articles and books about Islamic socialism.
Nasser and his colleagues constantly underlined that their policy corresponds to spirit of the Koran. Such “Islamic values” as solidarity in Umma, equality, brotherhood and justice, were the basis of the Egyptian form of “Arabian” socialism.
Since the 1970s years, the Islamic factor has become more effective in the Arabian political arena than Arabian nationalism. After the death of Abdel Nasser not the Arabian league, but the Organization Islamic Con- France where the conservative countries led by Saudi Arabia are in the lead headed the struggle for the liberation of Jerusalem. The movements for Arabian unity and even for the unity of actions of the Arabian states were becoming considerably weaker; movement of Islamic solidarity did last for almost 40 years: a number of the Islamic interstate non-governmental organisations whose actions were coordinated were formed; cooperation plans between Muslim countries are carried out with the active propaganda of Islam. With the decreasing of the integrating potential of Arabian na- nationalism and the potential of Islamic solidarity, the idea of unity of the The Muslim community, underlying the movement with the same name, in- creases. As the facts show, Islamic countries are not capable of uniting for an active struggle “for belief”. However, some attempts at joint actions, main propaganda in character, are pursued in the protection of the “holy sites”. Moreover, everyone is ready to enter the alliance of Islamic states to protect their own interests.
In their opinion, only cooperation on the basis of Islam is capable saving the Muslim world from crisis. Some Arabian leaders used the idea of Islamic solidarity in the interests of the struggle against imperialism and Zionism and for rallying the block of developing countries resisting political and economic pressure from the industrially developed countries of the capitalist world. Along with Islamic and monarchic forces, they were achieving consolidation of Muslim solidarity and Islamic positions. They Nationalism and Islam: Political Ideology in Arabian Countries 117 constantly kindled religious feelings under the pretext of the need to give an Arabian character to the confrontation with Israel in order to distract the attention of the people from other, no less prominent aspects of the struggle against imperialism. The greatest activity in this direction is shown by Saudi Arabia and its partners in the Cooperation Council for the Arab Gulf States. Its governors are convinced that the present instability in the Arabian world has caused the distribution of regional nationalism and led to the decision- tegration of the umma. This is caused by the spiritual and social crisis as a result of the division of Islam and the policy of promotion of “atheistic doctrines”, borrowed from the West and from the communists. In their opinion, only cooperation on the basis of Islam is capable of leading the Islamic world out of the crisis.
References
The references are available in the website of the book.[2]