Introduction: In the previous part of the study, we discussed the most important and prominent figures and key individuals of Arab nationalism. These individuals were trying to create various organizations and associations with the cooperation and funding of Western countries to lead people toward nationalism through them. In this part, we will introduce the notable organizations and associations involved in this propaganda.
The Emergence of Arab Nationalist Parties and Organizations
When the phenomenon of nationalism emerged in Western countries and grew over time, Westerners attempted to introduce this idea to Islamic countries. For this purpose, they began to create nationalist associations, organizations, and parties with the cooperation of some of their agents, and they fully supported these initiatives.
George Antonius asserts, “The history of the Arab nationalist movement first emerged in the Levant in 1847 with the founding of an association in Beirut with a small number of members, under American supervision.” From Antonius’s statement, it is clear that America played a direct role in creating these associations.
This group was a combination of several Americans, Levantine (Lebanese) Christians, and one English member. Other members included Nassif Elazigi, Peter Al-Bustani, Elie Smith, Cor Philos, Van Dyck, and a number of Americans, including a well-known Englishman named Churchill who lived in the Levant. Subsequently, a movement emerged that was promoted by the West and developed by Christian Arabs among themselves, gradually preparing the ground for the attraction of Muslims.
After the Westerners paved the way for nationalism in Arab countries and encouraged the Arabs to confront the Ottoman Caliphate, it was here that Sharif Hussein raised the issue of Arab separation from the Ottoman Caliphate. Following that, various nationalist movements emerged in the Arab world, aiming to dismantle Arab unity and solidarity. Pharaonism was revived in Egypt; Phoenicianism appeared in Syria, and barbarism in Algeria. They supported political parties and movements founded on nationalism and racism.
The first region where Arab nationalist organizations and associations were established was Beirut. Later, they appeared in Damascus and, over time, spread to other Arab regions.
The enemies of Islam did not stop at propaganda alone; after sowing the seeds of nationalism among the Arabs and letting it grow and take root, they supported it with all their might. They backed political parties and movements that were founded on the basis of nationalism and racism. These parties encouraged the people to perceive language, homeland, and history as common interests and bases of solidarity, in this regard effectively eliminating religion from their programs. They provided material, spiritual, and political support to these parties and movements until they largely achieved their goals, which included destroying the unity and cohesion of the Islamic Ummah and creating nationalist and racist groups and parties that, like worms, infiltrated the body of the Islamic Ummah and tore it apart from the inside.
The call for Arab nationalism manifested itself in the emergence of secret and public organizations and associations in every corner of the Arab countries and in Europe. These organizations called for unity among Arabs in the East and West and for liberation from Ottoman rule.
