Introduction: Considering the factors that led to the emergence of a phenomenon is one of the most important issues that must be addressed. Until the factors, reasons for its emergence, and goals are determined, the nature of the phenomenon will not be fully revealed. In this part of the research, we will examine the effective and important factors in the emergence of the idea of nationalism and introduce the countries where this idea has been most prevalent.
Factors that Created Arab Nationalism
The main question is: How did nationalism develop among the Arabs? And why did the Arabs, who were once the standard-bearers of Islam, become inclined toward this Western phenomenon that contradicts Islamic teachings? This issue can depend on several important factors.
Allama Sayyed Abu al-Hasan Nadwi, may Allah have mercy on him, writes about this: “But what is most bitter and unfortunate about all these issues is that the feeling of nationalism took effect among the Arabs in the late nineteenth century; Arabs who had lived for thirteen centuries by the religious orders and teachings for which Allah had chosen them. These religious orders and teachings had mixed with their flesh and blood and had become an inseparable part of their nature. They called people to brotherhood and human equality, but the idea of nationalism emerged for internal and external reasons.”
He goes on to mention two important factors in the creation of nationalism in Arab countries:
1. National Arrogance and Conceit: Some Turkish rulers were afflicted with this disease; pride and self-praise were evident in their behavior and actions. The Arabs, who were more sensitive, felt that the Turks considered them a second-class nation. Moreover, the Arabs sensed the smell of colonialism in the behavior of the Turks. The neglect of the Arabic language and the elevation of Turkish to the status of the official and common language, along with other political mistakes, left deep effects.
2. External Factors: Western inviters and political leaders seized the opportunity and began their pre-planned actions. Those who had long dreamed of the collapse of the Ottoman Empire tried to destroy the strength of this empire and reduce its spiritual and political influence in the East. They exploited the nationalism that had taken root among some ambitious Arab youth as a tool. These leaders, through the publication of books, contacts with Arab intellectuals, and seemingly friendly proposals, raised the idea of transferring the center of the caliphate from Istanbul to Makkah, Medina, or other Arab cities.
Some authors have also mentioned other factors for the emergence and spread of Arab nationalism:
3. The Policy of Turkification of Arab Countries: This policy was implemented by members of the “Unity and Progress Society” after the overthrow of Sultan Abdul Hamid II in 1909 and their complete domination of the Ottoman state. This society, which had a strong hostility toward Islam and the Ottoman Caliphate, strengthened its policy by promoting “Turanism.”
4. The Spread of Western Education in the Levant: Foreign schools and colleges, along with missionary groups, intensified their scientific and political activities to confront Islam.
5. The Establishment of Nationalist Associations and Organizations: The establishment of a series of associations with Western financial support played an important role in strengthening and growing Arab nationalism. These associations were mainly established to promote ethnic ideas.
These factors collectively paved the way for the spread of nationalism among Arabs and brought about major changes in Arab societies.
Note
1. In the previous section, the organizations and associations related to nationalism were discussed in detail, and there is no need to repeat them.
2. It is worth noting that the factors that led to the spread of Arab nationalism in different countries had varying strengths and weaknesses. In some countries, other factors also played a role in this process.
As stated earlier, one of the important factors in the spread of Arab nationalism was the existence of a regime called Israel among Islamic countries. Israel, which was created by the great Western powers as a cancerous tumor among Muslims, gradually left its destructive effects on the structure of the Islamic world. In response to this regime and opposition to it, the Arabs turned to nationalism.
“The second wave of Arab nationalism, which had a socialist and leftist character, began in Egypt in the 1950s, and a common hostility to Israel was one of its main axes.”
Although Arab countries do not differ much in their acceptance of nationalism, the timing and intensity of each country’s tendency toward this phenomenon requires careful examination. In the following sections, we will consider the state of nationalism in each country separately.
Nationalism in Egypt
With the emergence of modern concepts and their spread in the Islamic world, Egypt became the center of attention as one of the important hubs for thought production. The concept of nationalism and, consequently, Arab nationalism, also found a special place in this country. Supporters of nationalism in Egypt needed reinforcing elements to promote this concept and create a foundation for it. Many Egyptian nationalists, taking advantage of historical conditions, tried to strengthen this interest across different layers of their society.
The call for Arab nationalism was first raised among non-Muslim religious minorities and a small number of Muslims, but it had not yet become a general trend until Gamal Abdel Nasser, the President of Egypt, took up this responsibility.
“Abdel Nasser took the lead in calling for Arab nationalism and tried with all his might to strengthen and expand it. He introduced Arab nationalism as a sacred religion and used the media to propagate nationalist ideas and glorify the Arabs.”
Abdel Nasser used all the resources of his government to support this movement and spared no effort in this regard.
The first person to call for nationalism in Egypt and awaken a sense of nationalism among the Egyptian people was Napoleon. He created this motivation among the people by establishing the “Egypt Institute,” which was actually a scientific organization that studied the history and civilization of Egypt. The real goal of this institute was to encourage the Egyptian people to pay more attention to their identity in contrast to the unity and integrity of the Islamic nation.
Napoleon’s invasion of Egypt in the late 18th century can be considered the beginning of Egypt’s entry into a new stage in its history. From that date onwards, the Egyptians became more familiar with new Western culture. The rise to power of Muhammad Ali Pasha enabled Egypt to become the first Ottoman state to experience European reforms. Among the significant measures during Muhammad Ali Pasha’s era that ultimately led to the acknowledgment of new Western teachings was the sending of students to the West.
The initial steps to spread nationalism in Arab countries, especially Egypt, began with efforts like Napoleon’s sending of Western scientists to promote this idea. This process gradually inclined the people toward nationalism, and they slowly began to embrace it.
In 1919, a nationalist uprising occurred in Egypt against British rule, led by the “Wafd” party headed by Saad Zaghloul. This uprising, due to its effective leadership, ultimately led to Egypt’s independence in 1923. This revolution set the course for nationalism in Egypt until half a century later (the death of Gamal Abdel Nasser in 1970). However, this movement was more of an “Egyptian revolution” than an Arab or Islamic one.
The crisis of nationalism in Egypt became apparent when the “Free Officers’ Organization” adopted an extreme approach to nationalism. Gamal Abdel Nasser, seizing the opportunity, exploited this situation and sought to attract even more followers to this ideology.
In 1952, the Free Officers’ Revolution achieved Egypt’s independence from British colonialism. Since then, the ideology of Arab nationalism has been proposed as an alternative to the ideological vacuum in Egypt. Abdel Nasser, as one of the main leaders of this movement, played a key role in establishing the Free Officers and leading the revolution against the British government.
