Why Did the Caliphate Collapse during the Ninth and Tenth Centuries - Assignment Example

Amir al-Muminin, the first caliph, was the commander of the believers and had his Medina as his capital until the time of his death. Abu Bakr Sadidique was the first to be appointed caliph, then followed Umar ibn al-Khattab, third came Usman bin Affan and the last was Ali bin Abi Talib and after the four were appointed as caliphs, the title later turned into a monarch. After the end of the first four caliphs, other dynasties led the Kahlifahs until the end of Ottoman’s empire when caliph ended. The significance that caliph had been huge, which led to the separation of Sunni faith and establishment of Turkey. Sunni has since sustained avowedly professing faith of Muhammad and it was one big blow upon another Islamic sect in Persia, this act is similar to the one that took place in the Roman Empire. Despite the presence of discernment present in Muhammad, he lacked insight in the leader who will succeed him after his death.1 Despite Muhammad’s effort in making caliph grow, he did not prepare Ummah for its continuation after his death. The community did not believe Muhammad had passed away and did not know the person to take over and fill the role of Muhammad, Ali who was Muhammad’s son-in-law was recommended by some people to succeed Muhammad. Successor of Muhammad First successor after the death of Muhammad was Abu Bakr whose roles were more secular as compared to playing a religious role. Abu Bakr encountered cries that were based on the people’s psychology, religion, political and from other nations. He managed to make Islam a world force although during his time, the Islam participated in Apostasy war, which was because of dispute between Makkan emigrants and Ali Bakr’s supporters. During the war, many people died including those who were recognised for the compiling of Quran. Compiling Quran was the biggest achievement of Abu Bakr as compared to other encounters such as the apostasy war. There was a systematic employment of slave soldiers, which was one major innovation that characterised many Muslim regimes.2 Caliphate Umar gave people determination, especially in participating in the Jihad; hence, he wanted to continue conquests that were set by Abu Bakr, targeting Persian Empire and the Byzantime. Caliphate Umar took part in the Damascus conquest including the conquering of Saida. He was responsible for fixing many Islamic traditions including the Muslim calendar. Uthman succeeded Umar and he had both practical, intelligent military and political leadership style. Moreover, Uthuman faced opposition from other Muslims but he continued the wars of conquest despite the fact that there were many internal problems faced by his people. Political fragmentation processes that were witnessed affected the imperials of the treasury in a cumulative way.3 There was poor management of finances that led to a riot that took place in 656; he was later killed in his house. Uthman resented the Quran and invited other people to Islam during his leadership period. Caliphate Ali had his authority weakened and many people wanted Abd Allah to take the position of Ali as the caliphate. These family members revolted against the murder of Uthman and it was during these times that the families began having wars of revenge. Ali exceeded in knowledge and thus earned great affection from Prophet Mohammed. Ali was able to risk his life for the sake of Mohammed during Hijrah. Ali, being a caliphate, had significant aspects during his leadership that touched on religion and intellectual life. After the reign of al-Mamun, the practice that was adopted during the appointment of rulers from the ruling family ended and the appointment came from Bagda or Samarra. The Umayyad later split and formed two separate groups with separate candidates who fought for power. With the war that broke out, but later Ali’s son took power and he was able to conquer other lands and increase prosperity in the Islamic land. The Spark of Caliphate From the onset, Islam was destined to reach all humankind after Mohammad had a defining struggle and established an Islam state, which was to challenge the various world super powers. Not long, the Islam opened land after land and implemented the Islamic laws, in 638 Palestine adopted Islam and an Umar Treaty was ratified which ensured there was a lasting coexistence between the Christians and the Muslim. For many centuries, Islamic societies prospered and set unprecedented example to humanity, which earned resentment and jealousy from Western Europe. Soon the enemies embarked into a campaign to try to win back this land from the Islam. Pope Urban II sparked the struggle for Christians to reclaim Muslim land in his sermon in a church. The crusaders attacked the Caliphates, this took place at the time when the Muslims were divided, and they captured Jerusalem, leaving the Muslims in disbelief. The news reached the city of Damascus, which aroused resentment towards their fellow brothers and sisters who were massacred during the capture of the city of Bethel Mantes. Furthermore, the Muslims united under Salahuddin Ayubi and made an attack to the crusaders in July 1887 during the battle of Hattin. The general took the fight at the Western part of the city, teaming up with Mujahideen to fight for Allah defeating crusaders in 583 and taking back Jerusalem. Muslims from various parts of the world continued practising their religion as they prospered. Constantinople was conquered in the sixteenth century sweeping through Southern and Eastern Europe; millions in Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, among other areas came to embrace Islam. The Missionary Strategy The siege of Vienna made Europe to form alliances to prevent the expansion of Islam in Europe; this is the point where crusaders animosity against Islam was revived; in addition, there were plans hatched in order to deal with oriental promo. Crusaders among other Europeans attempted to destroy the caliphate in a military way, turning to another strategy of weakening the source of the Islam strength. There was the sowing of poisonous concepts such as nationalism took root through the Western agents who were disguised as missionaries who were involved in the fields of science and humanitarian aid. The missionaries consisting of Americans, British, and the French strategized on ways of separating Muslims from Islamic religion and practices by ensuring they had doubts and conjecture in their minds. The arousal of national feeling was one of the chiefs of this plan to make people identify themselves as Persians, Arabs and Turks instead of Muslims. The missionary centre was established in Malta although they had a mineral effect until the time the Muslims declined in 18th and 19th century. Therefore, the American missionaries managed to penetrate Ascham, British established in Syria, establishing the Syrian Protestant College. This organization amongst others carried the Arab nationalist touch spreading across the Arab masses where the missionaries’ enflamed religious divisions were resulting in disturbances between Christians and Jews leading to the involvement of the Muslims. Impact of Missionary Invasion Missionary invasion had a devastating effect as it sow the seeds of division and declining thoughts as Western laws were introduced into the Islamic state criminal courts and education systems. This distanced the Muslims from their traditions and their day-to-day affairs. Samuel Zwemer reminded the missionaries of the objective of straying the Islam in order to become individuals without a relationship to Allah, hence pave the road in an imperialistic era. Thus, the Muslim mentality will be prepared to go in a path that the Europeans had prepared for them. The Western nations also aroused Turkish nationalism and it established Young Turks in Paris, which was a devastating blow to Islamic states because it added to the nationalistic sentiments that were present. Moreover, the constitution of new Turkey abolished Islam rules, heralding other measures that eventually humiliated and weakened the Islamic rules previously used.4 In addition, the Young Turks seized power and gained explicit approval of the West because they were made up of light-minded nationalist. Later some of the Young Turks urged the Arabs to maintain unity among all citizens in the presence of Arabs. The speech considered patriotic and consolidated patriotism and distanced the idea of Islamic unification. Opportunities presented themselves for the Europeans to attack and weaken the Muslims with Russia and France attacking Uthman caliphate in the second half of 1700. In 1798, witnessed Russia’s occupation of Egypt, French seizing Algeria and Tunisia by the end of 1881 as well as Morocco by 1912. Britain on the other hand occupied Aden, Lahej, and some Southern Yemen protectorates to the Far East boarder of the island. British had already occupied India taking away Islamic sovereignty from former Islam ruled land. Britain went and captured Egypt spreading its influence over Sudan by 1889. The campaigns against the Islam became intense until the Umma got exposed to final deceive blow where the caliphates had to accept any condition for the purpose of halting advancement of the Westerns or decrease the weight of the nightmare. Compromises took place and resistance movements emerged to protest against the West from the Muslim world. Algeria was where the revolution broke out, Muslims in China revolted, Sunusi revolution, Mehdi in Sudan, and the growing cold for the caliphates that were strengthened by Alheen. All the upheavals that were taking place proved to be vitally inherent for the Muslims despite the fact that they were weakened and they were declining. Despite their struggles, to reclaim their religion and cultures, they were all in vain and colonialists began writing epitaph for ottoman caliph. During the World War one, Germany convinced the sultan to participate in the war as an opportunity for reversing the Western occupation of the various Islamic states. The Ottoman Empire went ahead and participated in the war to try to stop the aspirations of the missionaries of abolishing Muslim caliphate. Moreover, they made a disastrous alliance with the Germans during the First World War in order to fight against their enemies. One of the defying moments during the war that triggered a series of political events, that later abolished caliphate was the rise of Mustafa Kamor. He was a little officer who was later known and celebrated after the war at Gallipoli, in addition, the Australian and New Zealand armies were sent to land an effective blow to the attempt made to capture Istanbul, and the battle lasted several months, with neither of the parties getting an upper hand. The Allies failed to maintain the war and later in 1915, they withdrew in secrecy without informing Ottoman. Simultaneously the Allies gained Arab support through the crotchety of King Faso who built an enemy within the ultimate state. British gave independence to the Arabs promising autonomy over Arab land. The Ottoman Caliphate was weakened, and although they repelled the external enemies, the internal Arab rebellion became difficult to counter. Mustafa Kamal, after becoming famous after Gallipoli battle, promoted the idea of the withdrawal of Ottoman caliphate despite the victory they had at Gallipoli. He made public his opinion about Britain over German and with the political manoeuvres he made, he gained power which he used to eliminate caliphate. Effects of the Destruction of Caliphate The destruction of the Kalifah made Islam devastated and the lands were divided, Sheria made irrelevant in most places, while the Arabic language became unutilised and the courts of law were abandoned in several places. Many Muslim resources were spilled and there were countless atrocities done against them. When an individual wonders the meaning of caliph, the individual will wonder whether the enemy of tahid are still doing utmost to ensure there is receptions of the Islamic ways of life; moreover, plots are hatched to tear Muslims apart. In addition, the Muslims wanted to see their sovereign and be able to fling upon it.5 The greatest nations raised up for humankind will realise its obligation and called for the system once again. Therefore, Khalifah’s return will require some time before it implements fully. References Effendi, S. (1980). The Promised Day is Come. USA: Bahai International Community. Lapidus, I.M. (2002). A History of Islamic Societies. New York: Cambridge University Press. Miskawayh, A. A. (n.d).The Eclipse of the Abbasid Caliphate. Trans. D. S. Margoliouth. Vol 1, p262-271. Sussane. (2010). The Rise and Fall of the Islamic Caliphate. This and That. [Online] Available from http://susanne430.blogspot.com/2010/09/rise-and-fall-of-islamic-caliphate.html [Accessed 7/02/2013] Waines D. (1977). “The Third Century Internal Crisis of the Abbasids” Journal of the Economic and Social History of the Orient. 20.3, 282-306. Read More