ISLAM

AND
ORIENTALISM

Lecture by

Syed Alim Ashraf,

M.A., Ph.D
MAANU, Hyderabad

At
Islamic Institute of
Education and Training Moka,
MAURITIUS

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ISLAM AND ORIENTALISM

My mother tongue being Urdu and my academic language in Arabic insists me to apologize for my
basic language as I am not used to express myself better in English. I express regret for the
pronunciation of names as they have been adopted phonetically from Arabic sources. I start by
thanking you all for giving me the opportunity to address on the very crucial topic of Orientalism and
its Machiavellian strategies against Islam. It is no exaggeration to state that Orientalism is the biggest
danger Muslims are facing today.

Orientalism is one of the angles of a triangle constituting conspiracies against Islam, the two other
angles being missionary and colonialism. In fact, Orientalism is the most dangerous as its aims and
objectives further affects substantial number of thinkers and intellectuals with its strong impact
lasting in the long run. The extent of the damage and annoyance cause to Islam by orientalism is
much more as compared to the act of missionary and colonialism, ancient or new, as orientalism
basically aims to disrupt the very image of Islam.

Although the aims and objectives of orientalism are similar to that of missionaries, the main
difference between them is that missionaries concentrate on general people, while orientalism
targets intellectuals. Undoubtedly, both operate for the domination of the West over the East,
domination of the West on the Islamic World particularly in social, cultural, economical, political,
moral and religious aspects. The orientalists heralded the beginning of colonialism. First, through
their studies and research in the Eastern countries, they framed the idea of invasion in the minds of
Western rulers. For example, Napoleon was thus, seduced to conquer Egypt in 1798 owing to the
notebook of travel of French orientalist Compte De Volnay. Thereafter, the orientalists helped the
colonialists to occupy Eastern territories by paving the way for such an invasion.

At present we know that a large number of orientalists were pioneers in the colonialist army too,
like Watson and Richard, etc. Finally, they played an outstanding role in perpetuating the colonialist
and Western rule, as policy-makers and diplomats. This enabled them to hold key posts in the
ministries concerned even in the very administration of the occupied countries. The notorious and
despicable policy of Divide and Rule was also a result of studies affected by orientalists on various
Islamic sects. In this regard, we can quote a long list of orientalists names such as William Muir,
Kromer, Sprenger, Gilgitt and Lawrence and many more. After the political independence of the
Eastern countries, the above-mentioned policy was no longer useful; the orientalist conceived and

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developed instead, the policy of Fabricate and Rule. They forged up stories in their bid to corrupt
the purity of the Islamic message and inserted lies times and again in their quotations of Islamic
scriptures. Thus, the unaware readers were misled. Their aim is to impair the perfect image of Islam
in the eyes of European people in order to prevent them from joining the truth. It is to this regard
that the British Muslim Lord N. G. Headley said in his book A Western Awakening to Islam, that its
a great pity that these people present our sincere religion in a damaged form. Several times, the
orientalists told us, during our discussion, that you people worship Muhammad, marry four times and
you believe that women have no soul, and you forbid them to enter in mosque. Lord Headley
added: That is a very malicious act indeed to spread ones religion with fabricated lies at the
expense of another religion.

My brothers, the orientalists have a wonderful trick to prove something if they do not have any
historical and academic support for their fabrications. With the frequent and multiplied repetition
of their lies, gradually their malicious and erroneous quotations take the shape of conviction in the
minds of the people.

Their influence of repetition in a clever method fuels many powerful

arguments. In this way, they target numerous people to believe their fabrications. For example, one
orientalist introduces a baseless idea against Islam, the second one comes and elaborates, the third
one pops in with added possibilities of the same idea, the fourth converts same into a theory, and
finally the last one transforms that theory into a fact beyond doubt. Hence, we can see how a
baseless idea within five stages gets converted into a fact. The book Satanic Verses is the fruit of
that diabolical scheme. The book is not only a mountain of abuses, but also contains several
examples of fabrications like what Jibrail a.s. told the Prophet s.a.w. that: *I quote+ Beyond any
shadow of doubt, it is impossible to walk on the moon.

All of us who have replied to that satanic work concentrate on the larger part of the book concerning
the abuses, whereas, according to me the most dangerous poison lies in the fabrication which the
author perniciously slips in his book, creating misunderstanding in the minds of Western people.
For example, the above-mentioned quotation aims at presenting Islam as a backward and
unscientific religion. Such forged and unscientific statement can be found only in satanic verses but
not in the final verses of ALLAH. This book was devised to portray a false image of Islam.

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Even the term Satanic Verses is not the invention of its authors, but was frequently used by
orientalists since a very long. We can find this term in the encyclopedia of Medieval History
prepared and published by Cambridge University. Also, German orientalist Brocelman used this
term in his book entitled The History of Islamic Nations. Furthermore, we find the same term in the
book entitled Historical Studies in English Language and in this book there is a specified title
named The Beginning of Opposition and Satanic Verses. Apart from this, there is a new trick
employed which aims at insulting the dignity of Muslims and provoking their wrath to such an
unbearable extent that the latter react due to the confusion caused. Finally, that reaction is largely
exploited by the media in such a way that it thereby portrays the Muslims as being extremists and
followers of a violent religion.

Among their new tricks, there is a presentation of their ideas which seems very much appealing to
the Muslims. For example, the book of Michael H. Hart entitled The 100 which received a large
appreciation from the Muslim intellectuals because the author recognizes the Prophet s.a.w. in that
book as the most influential personality of Human History. But a perusal of the book shows that the
biography of the last Prophet s.a.w. contains borrowed ideas of orientalists. Thus, the unaware
Muslims, mainly the youngsters, are trapped in the clever trick of a big praise under which is hidden
a poisonous snake. On the other hand, the book gives the impression that there are no other
important historical Muslim personalities, except the Prophet s.a.w. and Hazrat Umar r.a. in the list
of the 100 most influential, while in a small country like United Kingdom provides about 19 such
personalities. Hence, we can see that the policy of Fabricate and Rule does no less harm than the
previous policy of Divide and Rule.

Dear brothers, can we trace the beginning orientalism? It is indeed very difficult to answer this,
because the individual efforts go back to the very ancient times, and it is more or less impossible to
predict any precise period for the beginning of individual orientalism. According to the human
nature, people are curious to know about the customs of other people and it is quite normal that
there were accounts of many other ways of life. We are not here to discuss on individual efforts, but
we are here to discuss about the organized orientalism, the powerful academic institutions which
strives actively for the domination of the West in the fields of politics, religion and culture mainly
since the medieval period.

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There still exists a question since when began this organized orientalism?

According to a

contemporary learned Professor, Dr. Fathulla Zyadi of Libya, it began with the crusades, fulfilling the
testament of King Louis IX of France, who himself had participated in the crusade wars and had also
commanded the eighth crusade war. In that war, Salahuddin Ayoobi r.a. defeated Louis IX, crushing
his army and imprisoning the French monarch. Later, Salahuddin Ayoobi r.a., imbued with the
Islamic virtues of mercy and forgiveness, released the French King. But the King was never released
from his psychological and mental prison until death. Before his death, he left his well-known
testament in which he urged the Christian world to fight against Islam in the field of faith and
thought, and according to him, as mentioned in his will, Muslim cannot be defeated in the battlefields unless they are defeated in the field of faith and ideas.That testament still exists and according
to the Professor Zyadi, organized orientalism emerged out of that very will of Louis IX.

Generally, orientalists advocate that their original motive behind their work is purely academic, but
the facts contradict their pledge. We do not deny that there is no academic motive at all in their
work. We know that some Western chose orientalism just to fulfill their intellectual interest, like
Carlysle, Itiyandin, Marcel Bjart, Roger Garandy, etc.

But despite that consideration, the

mainstream of orientalism is motivated by religious and political objectives. We do have sufficient

proof that the most powerful motive behind orientalism was, and still targets religious and political
order.

For example:
1.

Scholars unanimously agree that orientalism sprang from the churches and developed under
their patronage.

2.

The pioneer orientalists were related to the churches, like French priests, Gerbert who
became the head of Vatican in 999 A.D.; Selfester the second; Peter the respected, who
passed away in 1156; Gerald Craymony who died in 1189; Priest Ricardo who expired in
1320 A.D.; and Johanna Ouscourby who died in 1456; etc.

3.

Most of the oriental institutions in Europe were founded by Christian priests and cardinals,
like the institute of Oriental Language of France, which was founded by Pope Honorius the
fourth in 1285 A.D. Sorbonne University was founded by the famous French priest De Sorbo.
The reconstruction of that University was also due to efforts of another priest Richesco in
1626. The famous Spanish Oriental Institute, named office of translators, was founded by
Bishop Raymond the first in 1130. The Marony College of Rome was built by Pope Gregorius

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in 1584. The foundation stone of School for Oriental Languages in Florence, Italy, was laid by
Cardinal Di Medici and so on.
4.

The deep relation between orientalists and the church discloses the religious motives behind
this movement.

5.

Many orientalists themselves confess the existence of religious motives behind the
organization.

6.

As mentioned in the beginning, the political motive was the second most important motive
behind orientalism. And even after the Second World War, when direct colonialism began
to crumble down, the West handed its embassies, consulates and diplomatic missions into
the hands of orientalists, in order to start the neo-colonialism era. These orientalists still play
their role to destabilize governments in Eastern countries, to create and spread communal
tension, terrorism, bloodshed and spying activities.

These embassies and diplomatic

missions of the Western countries are still as active and powerful as the ancient residences
of colonial rulers.

The orientalists understood, since the beginning, that they could not achieve their goal unless they
capture the knowledge that the Muslims had acquired. First, they rushed in Islamic Universities in
Cordova, Baghdad and Alexandria. It was the time when the Islamic civilization was at its apex.
Generally, the western historians refer to that period as the dark ages and Gothic nights. But in
reality, when Europe was in the dark, the Islamic countries were shining in an era of religious and
cultural splendour.

Gustave Le Bon said: If Arabs could occupy France, Paris also would have become a center of culture
and civilization, like Cordova in Spain, where common people were able to read and write and some
of them could compose poetry too, while the monarchs of Europe at that time were unable to write
their names. Almost each city of the Muslim world had a large library; every Masjid was a center
for education and learning, Vilderante quotes in his book Story of Civilization that the Sultan of
Bukhara invited a well-known Muslim Physician to join his court, but the latter declined his offer on
the ground that he needed 400 camels to carry his books. And at that time according to Vilderante
the Bible itself was not available outside the churches!

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In the library of Aziz Billa Al Fatimi in Cairo, there were 1,060,000 books. Among these books, there
were 6,000 volumes on Mathematics and 10,000 on Philosophy. This most precious heritage was
the target of the West, particularly of the orientalists, in order to destroy the Islamic world and build
Europe. For the same purpose, they transferred Islamic cultural heritage in two ways: the old way
and the new way.

The old way had two sub-ways: the decline of Muslim rule in Spain, Sicily, the Southern part of Italy
and the Balkans on one hand, and on the other hand, the crusade wars. Moreover, after the capture
of Muslim heritage, the Western forces destroyed religious books on the spot and transferred
science and philosophy books to their own libraries. When Grenada, the last refuge of Spanish
Muslims, was taken in 1511 A.D. by the Spanish army, Cardinal K. C. Milenz ordered the burning of
all the Arabic religious books, and his order was implemented at the Baab-e-Rahlat. According to the
opinions of famous historians 1,070,000 books were burnt in that place and we can guess how big
heritage of the Muslims was destroyed in the whole Spain.

During the crusade world, when crusaders occupied Palestine and Syria, they took hold of libraries of
Tripoli, Quds, As-Qalaan, Gaza and Moarrah, and burnt all Islamic religious books. According to
historians, in Tripoli alone, the number of books burnt was 3 millions! When the Rumanian monarch
Shark the 5th invaded Tunisia, his army burned all the Arabic books (Please refer for the details the
Al-Maktabaat fee Al-Islam-Islamic libraries, by Dr. Mohammad Mahir Hamaada, Moassasa A-Risaala,
5th edition, Damasaus, 1986, p. 84 and onwards) (Also please refer the book entitled Arabic and
Islamic Studies in Europe by Dr. Michel Joha, Beyrouth 1982, p. 264).

My dear brothers, now let us reveal the new way of transfer of Islamic heritage to Europe, by the
orientalists and their followers. This new way too has sub-ways, three in all. First, the establishment
of Western colonies in Islamic and Eastern countries. Second the archaeological researches and
surveys. Third is the individual and collective theft through the orientalist and the colonial
administrators. All these ways are edifying examples of how the Islamic heritage was plundered. It
was an organized and well-planned theft of a nation, by a nation. In order to get the desired
heritage, they used all possible foul means such as gifts, cultural exchange, military and economical
support, and even exploited the hunger and miseries of those people in order to acquire the
heritage at very low price. During the colonial period, an endless chain of archaeological excavation
took place, headed by orientalists, and priceless treasures were transferred. They had an unlimited
liberty to do whatever they deemed and fit under the patronage of the colonial powers. Whatever

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names one may give to such shameful undertakings, the fact remains the same that it was share
theft on an international scale!

Dear brothers, here I would like to give a few examples of these individual and collective robberies:
1.

Orientalist Bocok stayed for about five years in Aleypo, Syria, and Astaan, Istanbul, and he
collected, during that very period, a rare collection of Islamic manuscripts and transferred
same to England. This collection still exists in Bodlian library of Oxford University.

2.

In Petersberg Library, there are thousands of Arabic manuscripts which were looted by
Russian imperialists during their invasion of Balkan and Turkistan.

3.

Laden University appointed a Dutch orientalist, Julius, to collect Arabic manuscripts from
Islamic world. For that purpose, the Laden University allotted a big amount of money. What
had been collected still exist in Laden University.

4.

In Durham University, England, there are one hundred and twenty thousand Arabic
manuscripts.

5.

In the Library of India office in London, there is a huge number of precious Islamic books
written in Arabic and Persian, and Indian language too, which were stolen during the
colonial rule. This library was extended in 1857 in the same year that Delhi was taken by the
English, after the famous mutiny of India. Undoubtedly, that was no coincidence at all! The
extension of the library of India office was due to the fact that room had to be made for the
great number of stolen Islamic books after the fall of Delhi.

6.

In Germany, there are many libraries which contain a large number of Islamic manuscripts
like in Berlin, Bonn, Frankfurt, Munich, Hamburg, Heidelberg, etc. Orientalist Alward
prepared a bibliography of Berlin library, and the Arabic manuscripts were listed in ten big
volumes!

7.

Famous Italian Orientalist Gabriella stated that Arabic manuscripts exist in 118 libraries of 59
cities in Italy!

As I said, these are just a few examples. Please refer for more facts and details in History of Arabic
Heritage by Fouad Sizgin; Arabic translation by Dr Fahmi; Abul Fadwal, Egypt, W.D; Vol No 1, Page 13
to 17. And the book Ajnihatul Makr As-thalaatha by Abdur Rahman Hasan Al-Maidaani, Dar-ulkalam, 2nd edition, Damascus 1980, page 90 and onward. Also, the Magazine Al-Fiqr Al-Arabi,
Beyrouth, 1993, Vol No 31, Page, 190, 243, 307.

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After that brief survey of the looting of Islamic heritage by the West, the question arises: What is the
approximate number of Islamic manuscripts and books stolen? The correct answer is almost
difficult, because all the libraries concerned have not completed the list of same. There are also a
large number of books and manuscripts in personal libraries. Even in the public libraries, many
Islamic books and manuscripts are put in private sections, beyond the reach of Muslims students and
research scholars. Despite all this, some Arabic scholars tried to estimate the number of Islamic
stolen books and manuscripts. According to Ustaz Abdul Rahman Al-Maidani, in the beginning of the
19th century the number had reached up to 250,000. If that figure was reached at the beginning of
colonialism, you may guess the total number of stolen Islamic books and manuscripts at the official
end of colonialism in the mid 20th century. It is important to note that Islamic books, in languages
other than Arabic, have not been taken into account here, like in Turkish, Persian, Urdu, Bangla,
Malayu hausa, and Swaheli languages, etc.

Dear Brothers, there is a very big confusion even among the Muslim Intellectuals and youngsters,
about the orientalists work and its real value. Many of us believe that orientalists have saved our
intellectual heritage and brought it into daylight. They consider the orientalists work as great service
to Islamic culture and civilization. There are even a number of our Professors and Scholars who
believe that without the work of the orientalists Islam could have become just a legend in the course
of time. Actually some of them are unaware, and others fear they may be considered as backward if
they do not glorify the orientalist contribution.

Dr Abdul Azeem Al-Deeb has beautifully remarked: It is quite strange to see a nation like ours being
thankful to someone who has stolen his documents, and praises him only for the fact that the thief
has saved her precious documents and provided her with photocopies of some documents! In fact,
orientalists work is not at all praiseworthy both quantity and quality wise. The assumption that
orientalists have done a great job in editing and publishing Muslims manuscripts is indeed baseless.
Dr Abdul Azeem has made a deep research in the matter and finally he concludes that their
contribution does not exceed 10%, and the rest in fact, has been done by Muslim scholars. The
reason behind this misunderstanding is due to the inferiority complex of our so-called intellectuals.
There are also other reasons: (1) the well-organized way of orientalists work and activities; (2) their
close relationship with universities; (3) the widespread publicity of their work by the media; (4) the
ready patronage by their governments; (5) the well-planned and frequent oriental conferences.

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Hence, we come to know that orientalists contribution through editing, publishing and distributing
is about 10% only. Quantity-wise such is the actual position of their work. If we examine the quality
of their work, we will find that whatever they have done, it was for a certain purpose but not for the
service of Islam or knowledge.

Every nation has two kinds of academic heritage: the positive and the negative; the serious and the
trivial, the bright and the obscure. Every nation takes pride from the positive heritage, saves it, and
works to bring it into broad daylight and tries to hide the negative one. Like all other nations,
Muslims nations too have both kinds of work in their heritage. If we look deeply into the orientalist`
contribution, we will find out that they have emphasized on the negative part of our heritage.
Their favourite subjects are:
1.

Ilm-e-Kalam by which they try to highlight disputes among Muslim groups and schools.

2.

Tasawwuf: Among the tasawwuf books, they deliberately choose books written by so-called
Sufis, and books which deal with Shat haat of Sufis.

3.

Literature:

Among the literature books, they deliberately choose books like Alf Laila,

Maqamaat and immoral poetry which presents a bad picture of Muslim culture.
4.

Philosophy: They deliberately edited and printed such philosophical books that are in
contradiction with Islamic ethics.

5.

Fiqh: Through Fiqha books, they stress very much on disputes among the different Islamic
schools of jurisprudence.

Hence, we can say that the contribution of orientalists is not only negligible but it is also harmful and
blameworthy. If there is any aspect of service, it is only the service towards the church and Western
power!

Dear Brothers, today, nearly all Muslim countries have acceded to political independence, but that
independence will not be complete unless Muslims get back to their academic heritage, and their
huge patrimony restored to them. In fact, that patrimony has no less value than the land restored to
Muslims. It is the legitimate rights of Muslims to strive and struggle for the sending back of their
legitimate patrimony, and it is the responsibility of ancient colonial powers to give it back! No
doubt, this patrimony is worth more than gold. If one can get ones gold back, why should we not
ask for our academic heritage and legitimate patrimony, and why should we not get it back?

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