Western culture was growing and progressing day by day in Islamic countries. This growth could have had various causes, but the most important reason was the expansion of Western countries’ dominance over the Islamic world and the creation of phenomena such as nationalism. Western colonialists, observing the ability of the Ottoman Caliphate to maintain unity and prevent division among Muslims, sought to create discord and crisis within this empire. By using their puppets, they spread ideas that incited discord and conflict among Muslims.
In this part of the research, we will explore the emergence of nationalism in Turkey, the factors behind the emergence and collapse of the Ottoman Caliphate, and its consequences.
The Emergence of Nationalism in the Ottoman Empire
After the emergence of Islam, the Ottomans established the largest and most powerful Islamic state, known as the Ottoman Empire. At its height, this empire stretched from the gates of Vienna to the Strait of Bab al-Mandeb, from the Caucasus to North Africa, and even to the shores of the Atlantic Ocean.
This great state encompassed various ethnicities, tribes, and religious sects, and it achieved peaceful coexistence among them by creating security and tranquility. However, interventions by European countries and the stirring of nationalism sometimes led to disputes and even bloody wars among the nations under Ottoman rule. These disputes had long-term consequences that continue to cast a shadow on relations between Turks and Arabs.
An important trend that emerged in the Ottoman Empire in the early 20th century was the school of Pan-Turkism. This trend fueled the conflict between Arabs and Turks and ultimately accelerated the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. After World War I, with the Treaty of Mudros in November 1918, and subsequently with the actions of the Turkish National Movement in 1919 to separate the non-Turkish inhabitants of the former empire, the notion of creating a secular state in Turkey emerged. Finally, on March 1, 1924, the abolition of the Ottoman Caliphate by the Turkish Parliament marked the end of the concept of Pan-Islamism and the attempt to unify Muslims under the banner of a single state.
With the rise of nationalism in Turkey, the notion of Turkish superiority over other nations and ideologies of “Pan-Turkism” replaced Islamic unity. This trend, heavily influenced by European nationalist movements, effectively represented a regression to the ideas of Genghis Khan and his followers, straying from Islam and the unity of the Islamic world.
The nationalist movement in Turkey began in the second half of the 19th century and early 20th century, alongside other nationalist movements in Europe, and gradually became one of the main factors in the decline of the Ottoman Empire.
Factors Behind the Emergence of Nationalism in the Ottoman Empire
A thorough examination of history and reliable sources reveals that the emergence of nationalism in the Ottoman Empire depended not only on internal factors but also on external influences. Among these, the roles of Jews, Christians, and their allies were particularly significant. They especially sought to weaken the Ottoman state, which upheld Islam and Muslim unity, via nationalist ideas. Below are some of these factors, especially the roles of Jews and Christians in this process:
1. The Involvement of Jews and Christians
The Jews viewed the Ottoman state as a symbol of the Islamic caliphate and an obstacle to their ambitions, particularly regarding the occupation of Palestine. They sought to undermine this fortification by conspiring against it. Bernard Lewis, a noted orientalist, acknowledges that three European Jews significantly inspired Turkish nationalism:
– Ater Lemley David (1811-1832 AD): An English Jew who traveled to Turkey, he argued in his book “Preliminary Investigations” that the Turks were an independent race and superior to the Arabs and other peoples of the East.
– David Leon Cohen: A French Jewish writer who, in a book published in 1899, championed the superiority of the Turks.
– Arminius Vambéry: A Jewish orientalist from Hungary who published extensively on Turkish nationality, language, and literature.
Dr. Ali Muhammad Naqvi, in his book “al-Islam wa Al-Qumiyyah,” discusses the efforts of these individuals in promoting nationalism in Turkey.
In fact, proponents of both Turkish nationalism and Arab nationalism were often influenced by the “evil world triangle” of “Jews, Masons, and Britain,” with the Jews playing a particularly dangerous role in securing Palestine and establishing the State of Israel.
One of the main objectives of these nationalists was to stimulate nationalist sentiments that would facilitate the occupation of Palestine. After Sultan Abdul Hamid vehemently denied Jewish propositions to transfer Palestinian lands to immigrant Jews, the only solution they perceived was to overthrow Sultan Abdul Hamid, thereby mutilating the Islamic world and fracturing the unity of Arabs and Turks. This resulted in the conspiracies of colonialism and Zionism, giving rise to the nationalist movement of the “Young Turks,” which led to the revolution of 1908 and the removal of Sultan Abdul Hamid.
2. The Rise of the Union and Progress Association
After the decline of Sultan Abdul Hamid’s rule on April 27, 1909, this association came to power and began to promote Turanian-Turkish nationalism. Notable among their philosophers was Khaled Adib—a Jew—who was later appointed as Minister of Education, and Ziya Gök Alp, a student of a Jewish intellectual named Durkheim.
3. The Spread of Nationalist Movements and the Weakness of the Ottoman State
Another factor contributing to the growth and spread of nationalist movements was the weakening of the Ottoman state. This once-powerful empire lost its status and authority due to a series of problems. As a result, opportunistic individuals—who had long sharpened their greedy teeth—attacked and dismantled the state using Western ideas and fostering divisions.
“The spread of nationalism in the Islamic world was linked to the weakening and disintegration of the Ottoman Empire at the beginning of the 20th century and after the First World War.”
Dr. Sheikh Abdullah Izzam, may Allah have mercy on him, explains the cause of nationalism in Turkey: “The first seeds of Turkish nationalism were sown in the Military Academy in Istanbul by German military professors. This group came to the faculty to train Turkish soldiers who needed to form a combat-ready and trained army with the latest methods of warfare. Especially since Turkey had become a target for the whole world. The first German military group arrived in Turkey in 1883 under the command of Colonel von der Goltz. They stayed for thirteen years and worked to promote nationalism there.
He attributes the second reason for the origin and emergence of Turanian nationalism to the migration of Polish refugees to Turkey.
By admin2
