A STUDY ON ARABIC PATRIOTISM, SUPPLEMENTED BY A TRANSLATION OF THE ’KITABAL-HANIN ILA-L-AWTAN’ BY AL-JAHIZ

174 Pages·07.315 MB·English

by  HABAL, SALEH ZAHED

A STUDY
ON
ARABIC PATRIOTISM
Supplemented
By
A TRANSLATION OF THE
"KITAB AL-HANIN ILA-L-AWTAN" BY AL-JAHIZ
A DISSERTATION PRESENTED TO
THE FACULTY OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF
THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS
FOR THE DEGREE OF
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
DEPARTMENT OF ORIENTAL STUDIES
BY
SALEH Z. HABAL
PHILADELPHIA, PA
194-9
Supervisor of the Dissertation
(-]
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
PREFACE............ I
PART I
CHAPTER
I. INTRODUCTION: THE HUMAN PHENOMENON OF PATRIOTISM 1
THE ARABIC TERMINOLOGY FOR PATRIOTISM 5
II. HISTORICAL EVOLUTION OF THE CONCEPT OF ARABIC
PATRIOTISM: 10
ASPECTS OF ARABIC PATRIOTISM BEFORE THE
PERIOD OF THE MUSLIM CONQUESTS
ATTACHMENT TO THE LAND AND HOW IT WAS
CONCEIVED:
BEDOUIN PATRIOTISM, INFLUENCE OF THE 13
DESERT
URBAN PATRIOTISM, INFLUENCE OF THE 16
CITY
■ • ATTACHMENT TO PEOPLE: INFLUENCE OF THE TRIBE 22
III. EVOLUTION OF THE SPIRIT OF ARABIC PATRIOTISM
AFTER THE RISE OF ISLAM. NATIONAL MISSION OF THE
PROPHET MUtfAMMAD. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE NEW
NATION CREATED BY ISLAM. 26
IV. ASPFCTS OF ARABIC PATRIOTISM IN THE TRANSITIONAL
PERIOD BETWEEN THE RISE OF ISLAM AND THE PERIOD
OF THE CONQUESTS 37
V. EVOLUTION OF THE CONCEPT OF ARABIC PATRIOTISM
AFTER THE CONQUESTS:
RISE OF THE CONCEPT OF TERRITORIAL AFFILIATION
AND PROPAGATION OF THE SPIRIT OF LOCALIZED
PATRIOTISM 43
APPEARANCE OF A NEW TENDENCY TOWARD LOCAL
HISTORIOGRAPHY 55
VI. ARABIC LITERATURE ON PATRIOTISM 58
VII. ANALYSIS OF THE SPIRIT OF ARABIC PATRIOTISM AS
REFLECTED IN THE ARABIC PATRIOTIC LITERATURE 75
FOREIGN INFLUENCES 84
PATRIOTISM AS ATTACHMENT TO LAND .... 94
PATRIOTISM AS ATTACHMENT TO PEOPLE
. •' PART II
STUDY ON THE AUTHENTICITY AND TRANSLATION OF KITAB
AL - HANiN ILA -1 - AWTAN
I. GENUINENESS OF THE ATTRIBUTION OF AL-HANIN TO
AL-JAHIZ 101
II. TRANSLATION OF THE KITAB AL-HANIN ILA-1-AWTAN 123
BIBLIOGRAPHY
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I
Preface
This Thesis is not devoted to the philosophical analysis of
patriotism in general. It only deals with the study of this
phenomenon as conceived by the Arabs and the historical evolution
of this concept from the earliest recorded stages of Arabic history
until the beginning of the modern times. It is, thus, limited to
its appearance and to its later development throughout the middle
ages. Modern Arabic patriotism which is connected with the
rise of modern national political consciousness has no place in
this study.
The Thesis, therefore, begins with a study of Arabic patriotism
in the pre-Islamic period. The main feature of patriotism at that
time was strong devotion to the tribe and to ancestral pedigrees, as
well as strong attachment to the land, /.ith respect to the land we
have to distinguish the attitude of the urban Arabs characterized by
their loyalty to their different cities, in contrast to the patriotism
of the Bedouins who were deeply attached to the desert and desert life
and disliked the cities. The next chapter of the dissertation deads
with the evolution of the concept of Arabic patriotism after the rise
of Islam. Under the influence of the new religion of Islam, the con­
cept of Arabic patriotism underwent a fundamental change, particularly
as far as tribal loyalty is concerned. Islam tried to abolish the
tribal system of the Arabs, and out of the tribal chaos the word of
Mutyammad created a nation. Although this nation was a religious com­
munity based on the brotherhood of Islam, yet,its inspiration, spirit*
and characteristics (language, cult of the Hajj, holiness of Makkah and
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II
the Kacbah, episode of Abraham), were Arabian and particularly its
representatives were, in the Vegtrmiogjalmost exclusively Arabs.
Therefore^ the new loyalty claimed by Islam is no more a loyalty to
the tribe or to the clan but rather to the Muslim Arab nation and
ultimately to the Muslim community as a whole.
The effect of Islam in this respect, however, was not quick .
The change in the general psychology of the Arabs
needed time in order to be accomplished. The result was that during
the transitional period between the rise of Islam and the period of
the conquests, the aspects of Arabic patriotism did not change much*
they remained loyalty to the desert and desert life (for the Bedouins)
and more or less strong attachment to the tribe (for all the Arabs in
general). The expansion of the Arabs beyond their peninsula brought,
however, this change. Bedouin tribes, now, settled in the
different conquered territories^ to which they, ultimately, became ex­
tremely attached. The spirit of tribal pride and loyalty as well as
the concept of tribal affiliation (Nisbah) , by that time,
an
gave way to A pride in and affiliation to the particular homeland
or birthplace; hence the appearance of such different groups of the
Arabs as the Syrians, the Iraqians, the Egyptians and others. The
local patriotism was even narrowed down, in some cases, to city groups
such as the Kufians, the Basrians and the like. Along vdth this, a
new trend toward localized historiography, made also its appearance.
The next chapter "VI" deals with the Arabic literature
on patriotism: my concern here is with the most prominent writers who
treated the subject of patriotism either in the form of poetry or prose
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Ill
as a description of their own patriotic feelings, or in the form of
monographs or separate chapters as an objective study of patriotism.
The last chapter of the essay deals with the analysis of the
spirit of Arabic patriotism as reflected in Arabic literature. This
chapter is subdivided into three sections: the first deals with the
analysis of the foreign influences on the Arabic patriotic literature,
the second with the analysis of Arabic patriotism as attachment to
land, and the third finally with the significance of people in Arabic
patriotism.
As a supplement to this previous study, I translated the Book
"Al-Hantn ila-l-awt&n", of Al-Jahiz. The translation is preceded by
' Ik
a study on the genuineness of the attribution of this book to its
author. The result of this study was positive.
Acknowledgement is hereby made to Professor Ephraim A. Speiser,
chairman of the faculty of the department of Oriental studies for his
generous help in facilitating my study at the University of Pennsylvania.
His kind assistance encouraged me greatly. I am also espetialiy iftdebt,edL
to Professor Franz Kosenthal under whose direction the ;vork was done
and whose many valuable criticisms and advice on this subject have made
more definite, than would otherwise have been the case, the problems
involved.
I have also to acknowledge my debt to the late Professor John L.
LaMonte and to Dr. Jamil Sultan of the Syrian University of Damascus,
\
for their valuable advice and help.
A debt of gratitude is finally owed to the authorities of the
Syrian Ministry of Education for granting me a leave of absence to pursue
my studies in the University of Pennsylvania and to bring this work to a
successful end.
Saleh Habal
, .
Philadelphia, December 1 1949
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1
The human phenomenon of Patriotism
Aristotle has long ago argued that man is a social animal.
Under the impetus of his gregarious instinct as well as of
other forces he is instinctively drawn to live with company
and feels unhappy if he happens to live in solitude separated
from the group.
Common interests and common feelings have, Indeed, always
caused individuals to unite in their struggle with the forces
of nature. This solidarity of individuals as well as of groups
and their dependence upon each other are basic elements in the
development of mankind and the growth of civilization. Starting
(1)
from this point of view many sociologists and philosophers
have discussed the sociability of man and his need to live in
a group for the ultimate purpose of security and sustenance.
Before the modern era of scientific progress, this phenomenon
of human nature was analyzed with the greatest detail and
( )
2
accuracy by the famous Arab historian Ibn Khaldun (1332-14.06 A.D.)
This scholar states that "the union of men in society is an absolutely
(1) Cf. for instance: E.A. Ross, Social psychology. New York
.
1908
W. Trotter, The Instincts of the herd in peace and war.
New York 1917.
(2) R. Flint, History of the philosophy of history. New York
1894-> devotes a whole section of his work to an analysis
of Ibn Khaldun* s philosophy, cf. op. citv pp. 158-172 .
For fuller literature on Ibn Khaldlin, cf. C. Brockelaann,
Geschichte der Arabischen T.itteratur. Weimar 1898-1902,
Vol. 2, pp. 24.2-5; Supplement. Leiden 1937-4-2, Vol. 2,
pp. 34-2-4-
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necessary need"; in order to prove this idea the author explains
why man by his very nature necessarily depends upon his fellow
citizens for his life, sustenance, security and protection. He
says: "God the Almighty has created man in such a condition
as to make it impossible for him to live without food. Further­
more He created in him the instinct of seeking his food and
at the same time gave him the power to satisfy that instinct.
But the power of an isolated individual is insufficient to
obtain the necessary quantity of food he needs. Even if he
could sustain his life merely by eating grains, yet how many
different processes are required until the grain at last would
be ready for him. Those processes could by no means be left
to one individual. It is thus indispensable that men depend
upon each other and help each other in order to make life possible."
The sociability of man, however, does not manifest itself
in his seeking the society of all men without distinction, as
much as it manifests itself in his inclination to some special
group of men with whom he has certain feelings in common.
Community of race, language, country, religious beliefs, customs,
political aspirations, past and future, all these factors act
upon individuals to bring them together in groups for which they,
ultimately, generate an extremely strong feeling of attachment,
sympathy and affection. This feeling which causes the individual
(1) Cf. Ibn Khaldun, Prolegomenes. ed. Institut Imperial de
France, Paris 1858, Vol. I, "(Vol. 16 in the series),
pp. 68-69.
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3
to cling to his group and ultimately to his country, his social
customs, beliefs and ideals, and the collective political aspir­
ations of the community and to hate to be excluded from them,
leads to the human phenomenon of patriotism.
This phenomenon is not,of course,a simple aspect of human
psychology like the instincts of thirst or hunger. It is a very
complex sentiment and involves many factors among which the
stimuli people and country are but the most noticeable and
probably the strongest. So that patriotism is generally defined
as an individual* s attachment to the group and land to which he
belongs^either by birth or through circumstances or even personal
choice.
In the first place man loves his people and feels a strong
attachment to them because they are similar to him in many
respects. He was brought up with them, he has many things in
common with them? the family, the land, the language, the
history of the past, the tradition and culture, the fears and
hopes concerning the future of the community.
Besides his attachment to his group, man feels also a strong
attachment to his home and to his soil, because he grew up
(1) W.G. Sumner defines patriotism as being? **loyalty to the
civic group to whom one belongs by birth or other group
bond. It is a sentiment of fellowship and cooperation in
all the hopes, work and sufferings of the group.” Cf.
W.G. Sumner, Folkways. Boston 1907, p. 15>quoted by
C. Reidenbach, A Critical analysis of patriotism (Ph. D.
thesis for Yale University_19l8), p. 11. -
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under its sky, ate its food, enjoyed its resources whether
they were rich or poor, breathed its air; In brief^his whole
life is determined by it.
From these two very important elements there results the
individual’s devotion and loyalty to the nation and ultimately
to the state. And patriotism thus becomes devotion to the
cause of one’s couhtry and nation which, in reality, is one’s
own cause. The reason for this devotion lies in the fact that
the state is the institution that integrates all citizens and
embodies the general will of all. It is the mainstay of the
welfare of the community as well as its protector against dangers
and aggressions from outside.
These are in general the fundamental elements involved in
patriotism. Their effect on human psychology appears to be
almost the same throughout human history, though its intensity
of expression is different.
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5
The Arabic terminology for patriotism
In the Arabic speaking countries of today, patriotism is
CD
. .
generally expressed by the word wataniyyah , a derivation
from watan ’’homeland”.
i--
In the medieval Arabic literature, it was generally called
A A A
al- hanin lla-l-awtan. or simply al-hanln meaning attachment
to the homeland and ultimately to the people, and al- ‘asablyyah
meaning loyalty to the tribe and the people.
The word hanifn cyC> is derived from the Semitic root hnn
• - " - *■ i
which means to yearn or long for, to be merciful, compassionate,
()
2
favorable, inclined toward something or someone.
The task of tracing the historical development of the root
hnn in the Semitic languages cannot be undertaken here. Therefore
I shall confine myself to s*uad^ljh€ the word in Arabic usage.
It is quite obvious that the root existed in the North Arabic
language and literature of pre-Islamic times of which we have
a more or less vast record. However, comparing the original
(1) This word is a new term created by the Arabs in the modem
times under the influence of their national awakening, and
it reflects.rather the political aspect of patriotism. It
was not used and probably was not known by the Arabs in the
middle ages. It does not occur in^any of the dictionaries
which I consulted such as: Al-Zabidt»s, Ta.1 al-arus.
and Ibn Mansur* s, Lisan a3.-Arab. For the modern use of
the word cf: Muhammad Mukht4r. Al-Watanlyah. Cairo 1310 A.H.;
Anls K. Al-Magdisl, Background of modernArabic literature.
Cairo 1939.
(2) Cf. W. Gesenius, Handworterbuch uber das Alte Testament.
16th ed., Leipzig 1915, p. 245 a.
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