Modern Middle East Terms

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Caliph

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the successor to the Prophet as the head of the universal Islamic community; the institution known as the caliphate

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Devshirme

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The Ottoman levy of Christian youths of Balkan origin to be trained for service in the administration or the military

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Janissary

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The Ottoman infantry corps recruited mainly through the devshirme and the spoils of war. Professional army - they don't have other jobs or responsibilities. They are treated very well and are loyal to the Sultan only. This solidifies the power of the Sultan.

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Millet

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A recognized religious community in the Ottoman Empire; the Ottomans administered their non-Muslim subjects through the millets and allowed them a large measure of internal autonomy in religious and legal affairs.

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Rashidun

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"The rightly guided ones," a title given to the first four caliphs.

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Shari'ah

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Literally "path" or "way". The divinely ordained law of islam that governs all aspects of Muslim behavior.

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Shi'a

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The group of Muslims who regard Ali and his descendants as the only legitimate successors to the Prophet. In the Shi'a view, Ali and his line are divinely guided Imams.

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Sunnis

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Those who accept the sunnah and the historical succession of caliphs as opposed to the Shi'a; they are the majority of the Muslim community.

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Ulama

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Literally, "those learned in the ways of Islam"; the collective term for the members of the Islamic religious establishment, including preachers, judges, teachers, scholars of religion, and administrators of the religious hierarchy.

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Organic Law

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of 1925. made Iraq as a heredity constitutional monarchy: Elected parliament. Islam was the state religion. Shari’ah and Sunni courts maintained jurisdiction. Establishment of a public school system. Development of an army
Significance: Blueprint for modern Iraq. Enshrines conflict among the three regions.

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6 Tenets of Kemalism

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1.) Reformism - people should have a say - a vote. educational reform. Pushes for equality between women & men.
2.) republicanism - elect people to govern
3.) secularism - separation of church & state. 180 from Ottomanism.
4.) Nationalism - commissions Turkish alphabet. Abolishes the fez. Forms Turkish Historical Society. Gives people a stake in country & government.
5.) Populism - listening to peoples' needs & designing responses to help them.
6.) Etatism - "state capitalism". Trying to make Turkey more independent economically. Building factories. Helping Turkish businesses.

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Balfour Declaration

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November 1917. British guy who issues a policy statement that they support a Jewish national home in Palestine. Significance: Formalizes the conflict we still have today. Sets stage for conflict in Palestine.

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Young Turks

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1890s-19teens. Civil servants, students (medical school), military, exiles ("young professionals") looking for reform. Wanted to restore the constitution. They believe in Ottomanism & constitutionalism. Established a secret protest society in 1889 - CUP (Committee of Union & Progress). Significance: successful in restoring constitution & they replace the Sultan. "Ultimate reform movement." Lay the foundation for nationalistic modern Turkey.

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Dinshaway

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1906. British officers go pigeon shooting in Dinshaway. Accidentally wounded a prayer leader's wife & set a threshing floor on fire. A riot. 2 brits are wounded, one died. British authorities punished inhabitants by trying 52 of them for premeditated murder. 32 were convicted, 4 hung. Significance: Fires up Egyptians. Lays bare the hypocrisy of British rule. Created a certain common ground between the fellahin & the urban nationalists & demonstrated to both that Britain was not a benevolent protector but an alien occupier.

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Ataturk vs Reza

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• Ataturk: republican, democracy, secular, reforms (establish strong republican gov), etatism
• Reza: authoritarian, monarchy, secular + ulama, reforms (make sure he stays in power), “subletting” oil to British.

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Ataturk vs Reza - treatment of women

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Reza Khan banned the wearing of the veil, but did not give women the right to vote. Ataturk did not ban the veil, and did give women the right to vote.

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Reza Khan

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pushes & shoves his way into becoming the Shah of Iran. Goal of consolidating his own power. Does things Ataturk did – “halfway” Traditional Authoritarian Monarch…who is also committed to some Western reforms. Believes he is good for Iran. Changes name from Persia to Iran.

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Sykes-Picot Agreement

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May 1916 - Between British & French to divy up the Middle East. British get nearly everything but Syria & Lebanon. Blueprint for Treaty of Versailles, draws the "lines in the sand". Brits want to "make nice" with the French, don't want Husayn to have a lot of power. Contravenes portions of the pledge that Britain had given to Husayn.

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Sharif Husayn

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Distrusted CUP. 1915 sent a letter to British high commissioner in Egypt, McMahon - resulted in an exchange of letters that lie at the root of the controversy over whether Britain pledged to support an independent Arab state and then reneged on the pledge. Husayn allied with the British and ld a rebellion against the Ottoman sultan. Wanted a hereditary kingdom for his family.

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12er Shi'ism

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Belief in twelve divinely ordained leaders, known as the Twelve Imāms, and their belief that the Mahdi will be none other than the returned Twelfth Imam who disappeared and is believed by Twelvers to be "concealed".

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Tobacco Protest

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1890
The shah (Nasir al-Din) granted a concession to an English company - the exclusive right to produce, sell, and export Iran's entire tobacco crop. A mujtahid issued a decree declaring the use of tobacco unlawful until the concession was cancelled. The community rallied behind its religious leaders, and the shah was unable to enforce his will, and had to cancel the concession two years later.
Significant because it showed the Iranian people were receptive to calls for political activity based on Islamic frames of reference.

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Wahabi Movement

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1800
Islamic puritanical movement. Believed the Quran & hadith were the only reliable sources through which the divine will could be comprehended. Believed in the responsibility of the individual Muslim to learn and obey the divine commands.
Significant as an example of self-generated purification and the movement became influential among 20th century reformers, who adopted many of its principles.

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Pan-Islamism

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Late 19th-early 20th centuries
A political movement calling for the unity of Muslims worldwide
Sought to create a single, unified Islamic state
An ideology championed by Abdul Hamid II
An effort to fight against westernization
An example of religious nationalism
Different from other nationalist movements because it "excluded culture and ethnicity as primary factors toward unification"

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High Islam

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Late 1800s. The urban idea. Accommodating European achievements in science & technology within the framework of Islam.
Significant because of the divide caused by the differences between the urban & rural views, creating major internal problems.

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Zionism

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Late 1800s. Belief that the Jews should have a legally recognized national home in Palestine.
Significant because it created massive amounts of problems between the Jews and the Palestinian Arab Community.

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Aliyahs

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Beginning in 1882. Waves of Jewish immigration to Palestine.
Desire to flood Palestine with Jews to shift the population percentage. Provided a place for Jews fleeing persecution.

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Tanzimat

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Tanzimat: literally means reorganization. Most intensive phase of 19th century Ottoman reformist activity. Inspired by Europeanized Ottoman bureaucrats, not the sultans.
An attempt to reform the Ottoman empire, tried to balance westernization with Islamic traditions.

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5 pillars of Islam

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declaration, prayer, zakat (alms-giving), fasting, pilgrimage

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CUP

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1889. Committe of Union & Progress. Established by the Young Turks. Believed in the urgency of restoring a constitutional regime. Committed to Ottomanism.
Significant because after the deposition of Hamid, the Young Turks/CUP seized power. They struggled to find a balance between European ideas & Islamic traditions.

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Jihad

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The exertion of effort in the cause of Islam; an inner struggle against impious temptations; religiously sanctioned warfare by Muslims against non-Muslims.

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Suez Canal

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Completed in 1869. Led to British occupation in order to safeguard it. Allows transportation by water between Europe and Asia without navigation around Africa.

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Muhammad Ali (Egypt)

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1805-1848 His regime represented the first sustained program in the Middle East of state-sponsored Europeanization of the military and of the institutions that supported it. Refashioned the armed forces, reogranized the administration, installed a centralized bureaucracy...

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Lord Cromer

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Presided over the British occupation of Egypt. 1883-1907.
Believed that "Orientals" could never improve their lot until they had mastered the ways of the West and for this they required a long apprenticeship under the enlightened tutelage of "advanced" countries like Great Britain.

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Mandate System

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1920s - on A result of the Treaty of Versailles, League of Nations, zones of influence created by Sykes-Picot, the mandate system codifies the existing understanding. Imperialism disguised.

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Abdul Hamid II

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Last Sultan to practice unrestrained authority. Lived in luxury. 1876-1909. People were exiled by him because he was paranoid. Represents everything the Ottoman Empire was. The target of the Young Turks & CUP. He’s the target for overthrowing the old order.