Orientalism and Orientalists (First Part)

Author: Abu Aisha

Orientalism and Orientalists (First Part)

Introduction

One of the important phenomena in the fields of science and politics is the phenomenon of Orientalism and Orientalists, which has various destinations, motivations, and purposes. These include political, economic, cultural, colonial, missionary, and scientific goals.

The main field of activity for this group includes universities, schools, institutions, organizing meetings and conferences, writing books, and publishing journals in various dimensions and aspects. This group has made significant efforts to achieve its goals and purposes, and it is necessary for every Muslim advocate to have accurate information about this movement and be aware of their thoughts, ideas, plans, and agendas.

Considering the activities of this group, which are carried out in various directions and are part of the overt attack by the West against Islam and Muslims, we aim to shed light on this phenomenon to the best of our ability and identify the nature of their activities. In this article, we first provide a definition of Orientalism and Orientalists, then highlight their motivations and goals, and finally examine their misconceptions.

Lexical definition of Orientalism

Orientalism is an Arabic term derived from the root word (sharq), which means “the East.” In Arabic, it refers to the act of choosing the ways and methods of the East, studying the Eastern lands, and researching or exploring the East.

The English translation of this term is “Orientalism.” Therefore, a (moustashriq) is referred to as an “Orientalist” or a scholar who specializes in studying the East or Eastern cultures.

Terminological definition of Orientalism

The term “Orientalism” and its derived words like “orientalist” are considered relatively new and modern terms, although their underlying concepts have a long history. Scholars have provided various definitions for this term, and here are some examples:

Maxime Rodinson, a prominent Orientalist of the 20th century, defines Orientalism as follows: «اتجاه علميّ لدراسة الشرق الإسلامي وحضارته. »Thus, it refers to a scholarly approach to examining the Islamic East and its culture.

Dr. Mahmoud Hamdi Zaqzouq believes that Orientalism is “the science of the East or knowledge about the Eastern world.” The term Orientalist, in its general sense, refers to any Western scholar engaged in the study of languages, literature, civilization, and religions of Middle Eastern countries.
Sheikh Mohammad Ghazali writes: ” Orientalism is a new form of antiquated research that has donned the garb of knowledge and monasticism, although this group is far from the realm of true knowledge and detachment. Most Orientalists have been hired to insult Islam and fabricate accusations against it.”

However, if we want to have a comprehensive and inclusive definition of Orientalism that encompasses all these definitions, we can say the following: Orientalism refers to a collection of Western scientific endeavors to identify countries, geographical conditions, resources, mines, history, ethnicities, languages, literature, art, customs, traditions, culture, beliefs, religions, civilizations, psychological sensitivities, dangerous dimensions, and vulnerable points of the people of Eastern lands. This includes the Far East, the Near East, the Eastern Mediterranean, and even other Islamic lands in North Africa and other parts of the world, with the aim of discovering their material and spiritual wealth for the benefit of the West.

The rise and emergence of Orientalism:

Regarding the emergence of the phenomenon of Orientalism, authors have different views. Some argue that official Oriental studies began in the 18th century because the term “Orientalism” entered the culture of Western countries in the second half of the 18th century.

Dr. Mostafa Sabahi writes: “It is not precisely known who the first Westerner was to engage in Eastern studies and when exactly it happened. However, it is certain that a number of monks traveled to Andalusia during its glory and greatness, seeking knowledge. They translated the Quran and Arabic books and sat at the feet of Islamic scholars, especially in various sciences such as philosophy, medicine, and mathematics.”

The first famous monks were “Gerbert,” who, after acquiring knowledge in educational centers in Andalusia and returning to his country, was appointed as the Pope in Rome in 999. After him, ” Petrus Alphonsi ” (1092-1156) and “Gerard of Cremona” (1114-1187) succeeded him in that position.

Dr. Mohammad Farouk Nabhan writes: “The Orientalism movement emerged as a cultural phenomenon after a profound encounter between two different civilizations: the vibrant and modern Islamic civilization and the decayed and declining Western-Christian civilization.”

So, the development of Orientalism can be traced back to the 18th century, but the exact timing and the first Western scholar to engage in Eastern studies are not definitively known.

The stages of Orientalism

When we carefully examine and analyze the history of Orientalism, we find that the initial steps of this phenomenon were taken under the supervision of churches and Christian temples. The first group of Orientalists was formed by monks and Christian scholars who are still part of this movement. In this group, the spirit of bias and religious ideologies prevails, and their perspective on Islam is subjective. This has led to the emergence of the phenomenon of Orientalism and Orientalists among them, experiencing various stages.

Briefly, let’s delve into these stages:

First Stage: This stage began after the conquest of Andalusia and the flourishing of scientific life there, as well as in Mediterranean islands and southern Italy. It continued until the end of the Crusades.

Second Stage: This stage commenced after the Crusades and lasted until the mid-18th century.

Third Stage: This stage roughly started in the mid-18th century and continued until the end of the Crusades.

Fourth Stage: This stage began after World War II and continues until the present.

Motivations and Goals of Orientalists

Regarding the motivations and goals of Western researchers and scholars in Middle Eastern countries, there are various statements and opinions. In this regard, why a Westerner would dedicate their entire life and resources to studying the East, there are many views and theories. Here, we will attempt to mention some of these viewpoints and opinions.

1- Religious Motivation:

From the early days, the task of Orientalism was to confront the Islamic religion. Therefore, in the years 1094-1156, Petrus Alphonsi commissioned a group of translators to translate the Quran into Latin.

They hoped to gain a better understanding of Islam in order to engage in a more effective ideological struggle against it. These Christian translators aimed to examine and criticize the Quran, depicting an incorrect and negative image of Islam. Their goal was to enhance the power and ability of the Church to protect people and prevent new converts from embracing Islam.

This motivation led Orientalists to learn the Arabic language, study Islamic sciences, and gain knowledge about the foundations of Islam, its sources, nations, plans, and programs.

2-Colonial Motivation:

Colonialism was able to recruit a large number of Orientalists to serve its purposes and fulfill its objectives in colonized countries. Therefore, colonialism made significant efforts to strengthen the position and role of Orientalism. From there, a strong relationship emerged between Orientalism and colonialism.

3-Economic and Commercial Motivation:

One of the motivations behind Orientalism was economic and commercial interests. Western governments sought to expand their trade with Islamic (Eastern) countries in order to find good markets for their products and secure the necessary raw materials for production and increasing their output.

This necessitated their understanding of the nature, geography of the countries, as well as the habits and beliefs of the nations.

4-Political Motivation:

This motivation and objective became apparent after the independence of Arab and Islamic countries. Dr. Mostafa Sabae writes: “The result that has manifested itself in the present era and after the independence of many Arab countries is that in all the embassies of Arab countries, there is a secretary or cultural representative. These representatives are fluent in Arabic and therefore have connections with intellectuals, journalists, and politicians, and are familiar with their thoughts. They disseminate the tendencies desired by their government among them.”

5-Scientific Motivation:

Among Orientalists, there are a few who are motivated by the desire to acquire knowledge about the civilizations, religions, cultures, and languages of the East. In general, not all Orientalists can be labeled as biased and enemies of Islam because some of them have pursued research and study to the extent that some have even converted to Islam.

6-Cultural Motivation:

One of the most important goals and motivations of Orientalism was the dissemination of Western culture, European languages, the confrontation with the Arabic language, and the westernization of Arab and Islamic countries.

In line with this objective, Napoleon considered hosting over 500 Egyptian sheikhs and tribal leaders in order for them to stay in France for a while and learn the French language, customs, and rituals, so that when they returned to Egypt, they would implement what they had become accustomed to.
Tools Used by Orientalists to Achieve Their Goals:

⦁ Authoring Books:

It is well known that books play a crucial role in disseminating foundational principles, ideas, and thoughts. Despite the emergence of new inventions in the field of media and communication, books have maintained their significance and active role in promoting and spreading cultures and ideas. For this reason, Orientalists devoted attention and interest to this medium, focusing on writing books, publishing encyclopedias, and dictionaries.

⦁ Publishing Journals:

Orientalists had numerous journals and periodicals that were published in many European countries. The number of these journals, printed in various languages and dedicated to Orientalist topics, has been estimated to exceed three hundred. These journals covered various subjects, including Middle Eastern languages, literature, scholars, and both ancient and modern cultures.

⦁ Dispatching Missionary Groups:

Missionary groups dispatched to the Islamic world played a significant role in promoting and disseminating Orientalist ideas conflicting with Islam.

Other aspects of these tools that require further explanation will be mentioned in the second part of this article, Insha’Allah.

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