DBQ: 20 th Muslim Leaders - PowerPoint Presentation

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DBQ: 20th Muslim LeadersNationalism

Analyze the issues that twentieth-century Muslim leaders in South Asia and North Africa confronted in defining theirnationalism. What additional kind of document(s) would be most helpful in furthering your analysis What additional kind of document(s) would be most helpful in furthering your analysis?Historical Background: In 1947 British-controlled South Asia was partitioned to form the Islamic state of Pakistan and thesecular state of India. In North Africa, Egypt gained partial independence from Great Britain in 1922, but the British keptcontrol of the Suez Canal until 1954. Algeria gained independence from France in 1962.Slide2

Religion and Global Modernity

Despite modernity and science, religion has played a powerful role in the last century4 major religious trends:Further spread of major world religionsResurgence of religions in new formsOpposition of religions to elements of a secular and global modernityReligions’ political role as a source of community identity and conflictSlide3

Religion and Global Modernity

Examples of the further spread of religions:Buddhist ideas like meditation and yoga became very popular in the WestChristianity spread widely in: non-Muslim Africa, South Korea, parts of India, and ChinaMillions of migrants from the Islamic world planted their religion solidly in the WestSlide4

Fundamentalism on a Global Scale

Fundamentalism = one type of religious response to the modernizing and globalizing worldStrict religious devotion that is defensive, assertive, and exclusiveFundamentalism emerged because many religions felt threatened by features of the modern world:Scientific and secular focus of modernity challenged the core beliefs of supernatural religionSocial upheavals connected with globalization = upset the traditional class, family, and gender relationships valued by many religionsNation-states (often associated with certain religions) = undermined by the global economy and influence of “alien” culturesSlide5

Christian Fundamentalists in the U.S.

Outraged with: “scientific” and critical approaches to the Bible, Darwinian evolution, and liberal versions of ChristianityWanted to get back to the “fundamentals” of ChristianityLiteral truthfulness of the scripturesBelief in the virgin birth and physical resurrection of JesusBelief in miraclesCame to oppose:Political liberalism and “big government”The sexual revolution of the 1960sRights for the LGBT community

Abortion rightsSlide6

Hindu Fundamentalists in India

Known as the Hindutva movement = Hindu nationalismBelieved India was, and had always been, a Hindu landGoal for India = to make it a purely Hindu nation again with a Hindu-based governmentOpposed the existence of other religions, beliefs, etc. in IndiaChristians, Muslims, Sikhs, SecularistsSlide7

Resistance and Renewal in the World of Islam

Disappointments within the Muslim world that fueled Islamic renewal:“Western” and secular policies not successful  created overcrowded cities with few services, widespread unemployment, pervasive corruption, slow economic growth, and a widening gap between the rich and poorIssues with the West that fueled Islamic renewal:A foreign presence still existed in the Muslim world even after decolonization  example: the creation of Israel in 1948Increasing presence of Western culture that was offensive  Barbie dolls, alcohol, scantily clad women, American movies, secular schools, etc.

Soldiers in Iran disposing of illegal alcoholSlide8

Examples of Violent Muslim Fundamentalists

Egyptian Islamic Jihad = assassinated President Anwar Sadat (1981) because of his breakdown on Islamic and Islamic opposition groupsRadical Islamic groups in Mecca = sought the overthrow of the Saudi government because of its modernity, relationship with the West, and un-Islamic lifestyleHamas in Palestine & Hezbollah in Lebanon = target Israel because they believe its existence is illegitimate Slide9

Examples of Violent Muslim Fundamentalists

Al-Qaeda = created by Osama bin LadenGrew more radical when his homeland (Saudi Arabia) allowed the stationing of “infidel” U.S. troops in Islam’s holy land during and after the first American war against Iraq in 1991Mid-1990s = he found a safe haven in Taliban-ruled AfghanistanGreat enemies of al-Qaeda = not Christianity itself or even Western civilization, but:Irreligious Western-style modernityU.S. imperialismAn American-led economic globalizationSlide10

Resistance and Renewal in the World of Islam

Various expressions of Islamic renewal:In their personal lives, many people = became more religiously observant, attended mosque, prayed regularly, fasted, etc.Many women = adopted modest Islamic dress and the veil voluntarilyMany governments = sought to anchor themselves in Islamic rhetoric and practiceCreation of Muslim organizations that operated to provide social services that the state offered inadequatelyIslamic activists = took leadership roles in unions and professional organizationsAnother expression of Islamic renewal = sought the violent overthrow of what they saw as “compromised” regimes in the Muslim worldSlide11

Thesis Statement“As Muslim leaders in N. Africa and S. Asia organized, they were confronted with the

unenviable task of prioritizing several thorny factors. Which is more effective at unifying and motivating the masses,religion or ethnic/national identity? Are the west’s technological, educational, and military accomplishments to be admired and imitated, or contemptuously rejected as hostile to traditional Muslim values?” Excellent!This thesis succinctly sums up the dilemmas facing Muslim leaders, and also previews the POV severaldocuments will be analyzed by later in the essay. This thesis would likely be eligible for the “ExpandedCore” (Extra Credit) as a “clear, analytical, and comprehensive thesis.”Slide12

Moderate or Radical?Doc #1

- Syed Ahmad KhanTitle: Letter of Sir Syed Ahmad KhanPosition of Significance: Founder of MuhammadanAnglo-Oriental CollegePlace: India Year: (pre) 1900Positions:Pro-education: “[Muhammad] also said that the Muslimsshould seek knowledge even if they have to go to China”Pro-Western methods: “Europe has made such remarkableprogress in science that it would be suicidal not tomake an effort to acquire that knowledge. How can we

remain true Muslims if we sink into ignorance?”East-West Compatability: “The adoption of the new[British] system of education does not mean the renunciationof Islam. It means its protection.”Slide13

Nationalism over…Doc #2

- Ahmad Lufti as-SayyidTitle: MemoirsPosition of Significance: Founder of theEgyptian People’s PartyPlace: Egypt Year: 1907Positions:Anti-Colonialist: “Our love of Egypt must befree from all [both Islamic and British] conflictingassociations. We must suppress ourpropensity for anything other than Egyptbecause patriotism, which is love of fatherland,

does not permit such ties.”Pro-Nationalism: Our Egyptian-ness demandsthat our fatherland be our quibla and that wenot turn to any other.Slide14

Hindu/Islam divide?Doc #3

- Abul Kalam AzadTitle: Muslim Newspaper articlePosition of Significance: IndianMuslim leaderPlace: India Year: 1912Positions:Pro-Islamic Unity: “Both [traditionalistsand modernists] are ignorant ofreligion and both are paralyzed limbsof the communitySlide15

Moderate…why?Doc #4

- Taha HusaynTitle: The Future of Culture in EgyptPosition of Significance: Muslim literary figurePlace: Egypt Year: 1938Positions:East-West Compatibility: “We Egyptians must notassume the existence of intellectual differences …between the Europeans and ourselves, or infer that theEast mentioned by Kipling … applies to us.”Pro-Western methods: “We must therefore use the same

means that the Europeans and Americans use to defendtheir national economies.”Anti-Imperialist: “We want … to be able to say to ourEnglish friends ‘thank you, you may go, for we can nowdefend the Suez Canal.’”Slide16

Nationalist or Islamic unity?

Doc #5 - Moufdi ZakariaTitle: Speech to Fourth Congress of the NorthAfrican Student AssociationPosition of Significance: Algerian NationalistPlace: Algeria Year: 1935Positions:Anti-Imperialist: “We respect the Europeansestablished among us, as long as they make noassault on our liberties, on our dignity, and onthe riches of our country.”

Pro-Islamic Unity: “Every Muslim in NorthAfrica, believing in the oneness of NorthAfrica, believing in god and in his Prophet ismy brother and shares my soul. I make nodistinction between a Tunisian, an Algerian, ora Moroccan …”Slide17

Pro-west or Moderate?Doc #6

- Ahmed Ben BellaTitle: Speech to Islamic CouncilPosition of Significance: First PrimeMinister of AlgeriaPlace: Algeria Year: 1985Positions:East-West Compatibility: “But thisrelationship [with the Christian world]is not linear, is not made merely ofconfrontations. There were also greatmoments of synthesis, or openingtoward the other, of spaces opened forgreat comprehension.”Slide18

Persuasive use of documents

Integration of new knowledge into Islamic nations brought stiff resistence among some, while others proclaimed it essential. This disagreement brought about two conflicting sides–sides that made unification under nationalism difficult. Among those who thought new learning a necessity was Syed Ahmad Khan (Doc 1) an educator and founder of a college, who would embrace new knowledge under his profession. Khan argued that Islam must assimilate foreign knowledge or fall into a pit of ignorance from which it would never recover. The evidence from a document is used to support the thesis/topic sentence.The document is used to support the essay, rather than the other way around.Slide19

Grouping“

Syed Ahmad Khan and Taha Husayn (Doc’s #1 and 4) support a pro-western policy, while Ahmad Lufti as-Sayyid and Abul Kalam Azad (Doc #2 & #3) oppose western influence. Moufdi Zakaria (Doc #5) has elements of both views, acknowledging the negative

influence that western contact has brought in the past, but reflecting a ‘live and let live’philosophy.” Note: A single doc CAN belong to more than one groupExample(s) of common document groupings:12 Issues could include:• backwardness, and religion vs. politics, definition of “nationalism”• Geography (N. Africa vs. S. Asia)• Economic (Doc #4 merged w/ Culture)

• Redefining of the Fatherland (Docs 2 & 5)Slide20

Additional documents/ missing voice

“It would be nice to see a document from a Muslim farmer/peasant during thetime of political instability, in order to see how their views on the obstacles facing theirnation’s drive toward full independence compares with the motives of the more elite authors.”This takes the unacceptable answer above and simply adds a rationale for how it would aidan historian.“It would help to have a document from a western imperial power, to see if “the west” viewed itself as an impediment to Muslim nationalism in the same way that several given doc’s authors did.”

Simple, effective description of an additional document and an explanation ofthe use/need of it.Excellent An essay that explains why additional types of document(s) or sources are needed.The essay should identify and explain the need for more than one appropriate additionaldocument or source.Common examples of Additional Documents often asked for:13• non-elite, female, or non-Muslim perspectives to demonstrate a degree of contrast with theelite male documentsSlide21