| Hasan A. Yahya, Professor of Philosophy | | | | easily seen by beginners in the study of social |
| Working on Crescentologism as a philosophical | | | | sciences. I would respect his analysis more if. |
| research approach, Maxim Rodinson critics of | | | | applied the rules of Crescentologism which I |
| Said Orientalism, makes me respond in this article. | | | | termed to include both the East and West in his |
| It is too late now, but necessary, after both had | | | | attacks. There was the point He as well as Said |
| died in sequent years 2003 and 2004. Maxime | | | | fell into. (3) |
| Rodinson, in his thoughts on the future of | | | | In Three Arab Criques of Orientalism, Donald P. |
| researches in Islam, advises students not to be | | | | Little examines the works of Tibawi, A. |
| too dogmatic about the phenomenon called | | | | Abdul-Malik and Edward Said. For example he did |
| Orientalism. He goes as far as to point out that, | | | | criticizes Tibawi’s view that Orientalism close |
| “There is,… no such thing as Orientalism, | | | | the door to study Islam by non-Muslims, |
| Sinology, Iranology, and so forth. Rather there are | | | | Abdul-Malik too, was having the same critique, but |
| scientific disciplines defined both by the object of | | | | accepted his Marxist inclination, where colonization |
| their study and by the direction the study takes, | | | | goes hand in hand with Orientalism. (4) After all, |
| such as sociology, demography, political economy, | | | | Said was right, in describing Post Colonialism |
| linguistic, anthropology, ethnology or the various | | | | domination. After leaving the Arab and Muslim |
| branches of general history. (1) | | | | world Colonialism continues to work through other |
| Rodinson did not deny the existence of a | | | | means, for example through Christian missionaries |
| particular field of study labeled | | | | which was not only supported but initially |
| “Orientalism” as such but is merely stating | | | | accompanied colonial powers for the OBJECT |
| that this method of study is supposed to be | | | | and DIRECTION of studies of the Orient |
| scientific. What makes his statement nullified his | | | | (according to Rodinson use of the terms) to |
| recognition that the studies “defined both by | | | | change the language and religion of the colonized |
| the object of their study and by the direction the | | | | people as it was the case in Algeria, Libya, |
| study takes.” Which opens the door wide for | | | | Lebanon, Syria, Morocco and Egypt. |
| errors in the object of these studies concerning | | | | Before I conclude this part, there was an |
| Orientalism and the errors direction which these | | | | anecdote, I like readers to know. It is about one |
| studies make. | | | | missionary priest in Nigeria, he called the people |
| The object and directions of Orientalism were | | | | in a small village to follow Jesus in his first visit. |
| guided reinforced by European dominance over | | | | The next visit he brought food and western |
| other societies especially the Middle Eastern and | | | | clothes telling the people that Jesus sent for them |
| African societies. He himself agrees that “the | | | | as his people. The third visit he asked their |
| result was a greatly distorted vision of things.” | | | | permission to let Jesus visit their village, so he |
| In spite of these errors of object and direction of | | | | built a small church suit Jesus presence. Few days |
| Orientalism, he criticized Edward Said’s | | | | past, a helicopter began to bring wood and irons, |
| severely. Western scholars self satisfaction does | | | | and crosses. The church was built. The villagers |
| not mean that their studies are completely valid. | | | | were invited to celebrate Jesus in his Church on |
| But he carries his views to attack Said’s | | | | time of Sunset. In the inauguration day, he called |
| militant philosophy and his nationalistic views. | | | | for the Chief of the village to open the ceremony. |
| These views in fact, were behind the object and | | | | The Chief stood and shouted: Hay Sa’eed: |
| directions of their studies of Arab, Islam and | | | | Go up over the tower and call Sunset Athan, |
| Muhammad, the Prophet of Islam. Others, | | | | for prayer. (5) (861 words) |
| however, consider Said’s Orientalism as a | | | | Apprviations of Journals consulted in this article: |
| “counter-attack” against Western | | | | MW The Muslim World., IJMES International |
| Orientalists. (2) | | | | Journal of Middle East Studies., IQ Islamic |
| In my opinion, supporting other scholars in the | | | | Quarterly |
| field of sociology and cultureolgy, Said’s work | | | | Notes: |
| as a serious study has achieved tremendous | | | | 1.M. Rodinson, Europe and the Mystique of Islam. |
| success among scholars in both East and West, | | | | Trans. From the French by R. Veinus (1988), p.117. |
| and instigated enormous debate. The terms | | | | 2. Hassan . Gai Review of Said’s Other |
| used by Said in Orientalism open the eyes toward | | | | Work Covering Islam,IQ, Vol.29, No.I (First |
| them such as “ Ethnocentrism, Imperialism | | | | Quarter, 1985)pp.52-55. |
| and racism and essentialism, etc., Said’s | | | | 3. Orientalism and its Critics, IJMES, Vol. 20, No. 2 |
| attack on “Foucaultian perspectives” was | | | | (1993), pp.158. |
| because these perspectives reflect the desire for | | | | 4. MW, Vol.69, No.2 (April 1979)pp.110-31. |
| power over others. While I accept his ciritics to | | | | 5. Jabal Muhammad Buaben has an excellent book |
| Said for being one-sided, I deplore his statement | | | | on the subject titled: Image of the Prophet |
| that Orientalism studies were pure of errors of | | | | Muhammad in the West: A Study of Muir, |
| object and direction of Orieantalist studies. Even | | | | Margoliouth, and Watt, The Islamic Foundation, |
| historical analysis of Orientalist studies can be | | | | London 1996. |