The Implosion Within the Islamic world
Feb 19, 2006
Iqbal Latif Paris, Persian Journal
Lessons from the past! What were than the cause of decline, similar 'ailments' inflict the nation of Islam!
"External enemies and personal failings do not, however, provide the full explanation. The system as a whole, like that of Ming China, increasingly suffered from some of the defects of being centralized, despotic, and severely orthodox in its attitude toward initiative, dissent and commerce...Without clear directives from above, the arteries of the bureaucracy hardened, preferring conservatism to change, and stifling innovation. The lack of territorial expansion and accompanying booty after 1550, together with a vast rise in prices, caused discontented Janissaries to turn to internal plunder.... To a distinct degree, the fierce response to the Shi'ite religious challenge reflected and anticipated a hardening of official attitudes toward all forms of free thought....With this array of adversaries, the Ottoman Empire would have needed remarkable leadership to have maintained its growth; but after 1566 there reigned thirteen incompetent sultans in succession."
Very Familiar words, sounds as if someone is describing a crumbling state, region or a thought in context of present times. This is the description of the reasons of the 'fall of the great Ottoman Caliphate' as enunciated by the Paul Kennedy. To study the implosions of today, I traced the events of the past!! How Empires are created and how do they fall to disgrace!
Lack of tolerance, dismissiveness towards invention, conservative orthodoxy and stifling of free thoughts symbolizes the arc of crises that extends from Maghreb to Afghanistan. Self destructive streak and killing of innocents have become a norm; the region stands at a brink of self flagellation, as a student of history I search for causes of rise and fall, this race to humiliation and disgrace reminded me of the circumstances that led to rise and fall of the great Ottoman caliphate.
It is sad to see that the true followers of Caliphate, the Muslims of sub-continent who lacked the pedigree of being Persian or Arabs, as converts like Turks that had no problem in accepting the 'new identity' of being part of the greater nation of Islam, but neither Arabs not Persians ever accepted the rule of the Ottomans, they hoped to destroy it, today their descendants once again carry the banner of Islam to unite the Muslims, but it was the schism between 'great Shiism' and the Arab revolt of nejd and Hijaz in 1916 that plunged the dagger in the heart of the Islamic Caliphate.
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