There are different-kinds of objectives working behind the movement of Orientalism. For instance, religious, political, economic and all these collectively provide fuel to organize and flourish this discipline of leaming. The real motives for the West’s incursions in the die Muslim world in the modem period have been mixed; insatiable cupidity, a craving for power, and a sense of superiority or in fewer judgement terms, the west was driven by economic, political and nationalistic factors and in the first flush of victory, even by sonic missionary fervour.”

With the appearance of USA as a single super-power, the political ends of Orientalism became more obvious, E. Said has shown in his famous book ‘Orientalism* that the relationship between Islam and Christianity or East and West has been essentially political from its casJicst beginning,

Sharif ud-Din says, “The relation between Islam and English literature is basically a relation between two cultures and between two political and religious systems conditioned by historical and geographical factors. There are many factors of Orientals, among them political factor is the major and the most effective one within the term ‘Orientalisin’Iinclude the political and religious views ÿelating to the Islamic orient, though this is not to say that they are interesting politically rather than aesthetically.

Edward Said has argued, “Orientalism” as a western-style for dominating, restructuring and having authority over the orient…… In brief, because of Orientalism, the orient was not (and is not)a free subject of Hiought or action.

Frankly speaking, venture to say, if there is a single objective of orientalism that was (and is) political. The real and primary aim or missionaries to be the total abolition of all religions oilier them Christianity as a mean of enslaving their followers. Omer Farrukh writes,

“The battle between the missionaries and other religions is not one of religious, rather, it is one whose aim is political and economic domination.”

The vice-chancellor of the University of Cambridge mentioned the motives for studying Arabic. “The work itself we conceive to lend not only to the advancement of good literature by bringing to light-much knowledge which as yet in lock-up in that leaned tongue; but also the good service of the king and state in our commerce with those Hasten nations and in Gods good time to the enlarging the borders of the Church.”

The general aim was stated by Samuel Zwemer (1967-1952), “The aim or missionary work is not to bring a Muslim into another religion; it is to bring him out of Islam, so that he may become its opponent and staunch enemy.”

Maryam Jamilah, an erudite scholar of Islam attested to the aim of missionary work as presented by S. Zwcnier, She writes, “Orientalism is not a dispassionate, objective, study of Islam and its culture but an organized conspiracy, to invite your youth to revolt against their faith and scorn the entire legacy of Islamic history and culture.”

Lord Thomas Dabington Macaulay says, “It is impossible for us, with our limited means, to attempt to educate the body of the people. We must at present do our best to form a class who may be interpreters between us and the millions whom we govern; a class of persons, Indian in blood and colour, but English in taste, in opinion, in morals and in intellect.’

Sir William Jones was a scholar of Eastern languages and cultures. He was the first president of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, established in 1784. His translation of literary and legal works from Arabic, Persian and Sanskrit, were decisive in determining one approach that of the orientalist’ to question of how the British might rule India?

Orientalists’ aim was to disfigure and defame Islam and the Prophet of Islam in order to propagate Christianity mainly for their political ends. The starting point of this movement was die results of continuous failures of Christendom in crusades which were fought to reconquer the Holy land. The crusades from eleventh to fifteen centuries (1095-1464) and the reconquest of Muslim Spain (1492) are particular examples of political ends and objectives of Orientalism.

“European response to Islamic hegemony over a large part of the world at the start of fourteenth-century produced ‘a lasting trauma.

Prof. Edwin E. Calverly writes. “Crusades were conducted in the name of religion and to secure support for such political and military objectives. The propaganda used religious motives. Nothing too harsh or too false could be said to excite hostility against the Muslim.”

The post Political Motives of Orientalists to Sirah appeared first on The Global Educationist.

Orientalism is a movement that is flourished under the influence of the Church. It has played a vital role in the accomplishment of political, cultural objectives of imperialism. Through its influence Orientalism has created discontent in subjugating communities towards their religion and culture.

In fact, Orientalism is a broad spectrum enterprise. As Edward Said says, the orient is an integral part of European material civilization and culture. Orientalism expresses and represents that culturally and even ideologically as a mode of discourse with supporting institutions, vocabulary, scholarship, imagery, doctrines, even colonial bureaucracies, and colonial style.

In this quotation, we can see how broad the implications Orientalism has. Said who is one of the major exponents of the theory of Orientalism defines the Orientalist as, Anyone who leaches, writes about or researches the orient and this applies whether the person is an anthropologist, sociologist, historian or philologist, either in its specific or its general aspects, is an Orientalist, and what he or she does is Orientalism.

Orientalism is a style of thought based upon an ontological and epistemological distinction made between “the Orient” and “the Occident”. Orientalism can be discussed and analyzed by the corporate institution for dealing with the orient – dealing with it by making statements authorizing views of it, describing it, by teaching it, setting it, ruling over it, restructuring, and having authority over the orient.

The Orientalists work with a body of theoretical assumptions that are taken for granted. Therefore, Ed. Said has slated Orientalism as a style of thought based upon ontological and epistemological distinction made between the orient and the Occident.

According to the Encyclopedia of Islam, “The term ‘Mustashrikun’ means either “people studying/seeking for the east/orient” or “people becoming (like) Easterns / Orientals”, Orient and Orientals lending to have a somewhat more emotional connotation than East and Easterners. The word Mustashrikun consequently conveys a broader scope of meaning than the present day

The western term “Orientalists,” i.e., “scholars specialized in oriental studied” does. The term “Orientalist” first occurs in English around 1779, in French in 1799. “Orientalism” had them the broad meaning of being oriented towards an oriental culture”/ Orientalism may be defined as the study of eastern people, religions, cultures, and languages by the western scholars. Specifically, the study of the Muslims, Islam, Islamic culture, languages of the Muslims i.e. Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Urdu, etc. and Islamic studies by non-Muslim scholars (maybe western or not) is called Orientalism. “Oriental studies” stands here specifically for that branch of it which is devoted to the study of Islam and Muslim societies and cultures, that is to say, “Islamic Studies” in the broad sense of the word”/ “The word orient means the East and Orientalism means to attain proficiency in Eastern arts and sciences and literature”.

According to the Webster dictionary, Orientalism means:

(I) An Oriental quality or character of thought, speech or manners, or the disposition to adopt such quality or character.

(II)Knowledge of proficiency in an oriental language, literature/

According to the Oxford English Dictionary: Oriental means,

(I) Belonging to, or situated in, that part or region of the heavens in which the sun rises; of or in the East, Eastern.

(II) Belonging to, found in, or characteristic of, the countries and regions lying to the east of the Mediterranean or of the ancient Roman empire; belonging to southwestern Asia, or Asiatic countries generally; also, belonging the east of Europe or of Christendom.

The post MEANINGS OF ORIENTALISM appeared first on The Global Educationist.