The Islamic Caliphate: A Dream for the Devout Sunni Muslim
The Islamic world is in turmoil. If I were a Muslim, I would definitely be concerned at the state of ferment all around. Most of this ferment and churning is like chasing an imposible dream: a dream that died in 1253, almost 750 year back. But all men have the right to dream and Most Sunni Muslims yearn for the days when Islamic rule was the centre of the world and Europe was still in the barbarian age. At that time Muslim rule in Central Middle East was like a beacon and men from all over the world flocked there to glean knowledge and wisdom.
The radical Islamic group now referred to as the ISIS and calls itself the Islamic state is intent on establishing a new Sunni Caliphate in the ancient lands. Obviously there is no place for anyone else and hence Shia Muslims and other minorities bear the brunt of the wrath of the iSI, which is entirely a Sunni group.
The ISI promises it's followers a return to the old glory of Islam and the Caliphate. This dream appeals to Muslims both young and old from across the globe. The leader of the ISI is Abu Bakr al- Baghdadi and one must credit him as a great motivator and leader. This man has been able to sell the dream of an Islamic Caliphate to Sunni Mulsims all over the world. This makes Baghdadi a great motivator.
Firstly, let us examine as to what is a Caliph and a Muslim Caliphate. A Caliph is supposed to be successor to Mohammed the Prophet and a Caliphate is the area or land mass over which the Caliph rules and his writ runs. The roots of the Islamic Caliphate thus go right up to Mohammed. To start with there were 4 caliphs who were rightly guided and came directly after Mohammed. These Caliphs knew him well personally and thus had an aura of being in touch with the Prophet himself.
History moved further and from 661-750 AD, history teaches that the Umayyad Caliphate ruled. Their spiritual and adminstrative capital was Damascus, now the capital of Syria. This Caliphate was overhrown in 750 AD by the Abbasid Caliphate which made Baghdad their capital. Baghdad is now the capital of Iraq. The Abbasid caliphate ruled for a good part of 500 years. This was the golden age of Islamic rule and we know that there was great advancement in science and literature, not forgetting medicine in this age. The Abbasid caliphate ruled till 1258 AD. After this year the Caliphate came under attack of the Turks who conquered the Arab lands.
By 1299 AD the Arabs were soundly defeated by the Turks who represented the Ottoman Empire, which some view as the greatest empire ever in the world. The Caliphates also ceased to exist in the classical sense. It is a sobering thought that Turkish rule over this entire area lasted till well into the 20th century and ended only after World War I, when the Turks who had allied with Germany were defeated. The Allies dismantled the Ottoman Empire. One point that needs mention is that right from 1299 to 1923, the Turks kept the Caliph title going, but they appointed the Caliphs. These caliphs were subseverient to the Turks and were just symbolic heads. One can say that they became religious figureheads. They remained under the thumb of the Ottoman Empire and the Sultans who ruled.
After the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, the great Kemel Ataturk seized power in Turkey. He was a modern minded and progressive man and in a far reaching decision he abolished the Caliphate in 1923. From that year the Caliph ceased to exist and there is no caliph right down to the present era.
The Sunni Muslims have fond rememberences of the Caliphate and have a latent desire that the old caliphate that existed at the time when the Abassids ruled should come back. the Caliphs appointed by the Turks are not considered true Caliphs and many consider they debased Islam. Bear in mind that for 90 years or more there has been no Caliph. The Sunni Muslims long for a caliphate again. This is reinforced by centuries of humiliation, first by the Turks and later by the Europeans. This period rankles with the faithful and they are more incensed that after World War I, the European Nations ( France and England in particular) carved up the Arab lands on a study table. This is the Spykes - Picot agreement which is one of the great frauds perpetuated on the Arab world. By this agreement the Arab lands were divided into smaller nations and power handed over to prominent tribes, who had nothing in common with the common Arabs. The Arabs longed for a return to the good old days when the Muslim world was the centre of cultural and scientific knowledge.
This chord among Muslims was exploied first by Al Qaeda and later by the iSIL. Al Qaeda failed as it did not have the intellectual appeal generated by Baghdai of the iSI. The ISi has been lucky as the areas of Syria and Iraq, which were the hub of the earlier Caliphates were in turmoil. This was in great measure due to the actions of the West led by the USA, who completely destablised the area. This led to the rise of the ISI. Thanks to the USA a bloody civil war is on in Iraq for last 12 years and Syria is also in a similar situation, with the West again doing something that should not be done. In such a fluid situation the ISI has captured vast areas in both these nations and dislodging them is not easy. They are the effective governent in these areas and also collect taxes and enforce the most primitive form of Islam in its unadulterated form. The ISi also sells oil and thus finances its activities.
Abu Bakr al- Baghdadi has declared himself as the Caliph and there is no doubt that he has tremendous appeal to Sunni Muslims all over the world. He broadcasts his desire to restore Islam to its old glory and this propaganda is lapped up by gullible Sunni muslims all over the world. Man always chases a dream and Sunni Muslism are also chasing a dream shown to them by Baghdadi. This is playing on psychology and Baghdadi deserves mention as one of the great motivators in history.
Many people who are not part of this dream are aware that what Baghdadi has ushered in is not a Caliphate that existed 7 centuries back buta despotic and cruel regime that beheads and rapes at will. In fact it resembles a state of anarchy, a far cry from the Abbasid caliphate.
So far Baghdadi is in control and despite tens of attempts to kill him, all have failed. However even if Baghdadi goes, someone else will take his place and try and sell the dream to Sunni Muslims. The battle is long and hard and one cannnot say how the world will face the ISI threat of a Caliphate. The dream is enticing and many Muslims are prey to it. One cannot be sure what will happen, the ISi is in a war with non-Muslism and its not a cake walk.
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