Orientalism and

the Quran

Dr. Ahmad Sanusi Azmi

What is Orientalism?

The Orient means the East. It is a traditional designation for

anything that belongs to the Eastern world

Traditionally the term 'Orientalism' has denoted the study of

the languages, cultures or religions of the Orient. (Hauser,

Stefan R)

The term “Orientalism,” later known as “Oriental Studies,”

began in reference to the study of languages and cultures of

the so-called Orient.

Although initially focused on the ancient and modern Near

East, the term “Orient” was indiscriminately used for all of the

Asian civilizations encountered by Europeans in their eastward

imperial and colonial expansion. (Oxford Bibliographies)

The Origin of the Term

The term “orientalist” first occurs in English around

1779,

in French in 1799; “orientalism” had then the

broad meaning of “being oriented towards an

oriental culture”.

Edward Said’s Definitions

Said offers three key definitions for 'Orientalism' that in

his opinion are interrelated:

1) the academic discipline of Orientalism,

2) more generally, a “style of thought based upon an

ontological and epistemological distinction made

between 'the Orient' and (most of the time) 'the

Occident'” that is found among writers, philosophers,

economists, politicians, etc. and,

3) resulting from both, “a Western style for

dominating, restructuring, and having authority over

the Orient ”[30. 2-3].

(Brill New Pauly by Hauser, Stefan R. (Berlin))

Why Did They Learn About East?

Theological/

Polemical

Encounters?

Pure

Academic?

Colonial

Apparatus?

Economic

Motives?

Religious Factor

Muṣṭafā al-Sibāʿī ranked religion as the main factor behind the

western’s interest in pursuing research on the east.

This was based on his study of the major pioneers who explored

this area. Most of the patrons who inspired the ideas, advocated

and encouraged the orientalist’s enterprises were priests or those

who were related to the church in some way.

He named the Cluniacs, Benedictines, Dominicans and

Franciscans as a few of the main church establishments which

undertook an important role in the western’s research on Islam

Colonialism Factor

Having failed totally in the Crusades, the

west did not give up their efforts to conquer

the eastern territories.

They began their quest to study the east in

order to find the way to physically conquer

the Arabs in general and Islam in particular.

Colonial

For example, the encyclopaedia about

Egypt entitled Description de l’Egypte

which was compiled between 1809 and

1822 was produced by French scholars

during France’s occupation of Egypt, led

by Napoleon Bonaparte. In fact, this work

was written by or at the very least

commanded by Napoleon himself.

Similarly, a work by Christiaan Snouck

Hurgronje (1857-1936), who for several

years was the adviser in religious matters

to the government.

Economic and Political Factor

The establishment of Chairs of Arabic, academic positions which

were created in western universities such as at Oxford and

Cambridge were often supported financially by British traders or

companies who wished to expand their business network and

beyond the Mediterranean areas.

Waardenburg, furthermore, explains that economic, politics and military progress under the reign of the ʿUthmāniyyah Empire

became the main factor which spurred studies on social and

cultural aspects of the east. Strong development in the middle

of the 16th century attracted many western researchers to

conduct studies on the success of the Uthmāniyyah Caliphate

CRITICISM ON THE QURAN

Early Non Muslims Views on the Quran

John of

Damascus:

“Heresy of

the

Ishmaelites

1- Peter the

Venerable

2- Rober of

Ketton

8th Century 9th Century10th Century-

12 century 13-14 Century 15-16 Century

1-Refutation of the Qurʾān.

(Tafnīd al-Qurʾān)

2-Apology of al-

Kindī”

3-Niketas of

Byzantium

4- Eulogius of

Cordoba

The conquest of

Constantinople in

1453

1- Dionysius Rijkel

2- John of Segovia

3-Nicholas of Cusa

4- Petrus de Pennis

5- Alfonso de Spina

6- Juan Andrés

1- Mark of Toledo

2- Liber

denudationis

3- Raymond Lull

4- Jaen, Pedro

Pascual

5- William of Tripoli

6- Riccoldo da

Monte Croce