New Year's Eve, 2012

Bismillahir rahmanir raheem...

New Years Eve. Extremist groups in Russia and Belgium continue to associate the way of our noble prophet (peace be upon him) with ignorance and intolerance. So sad. As I listen to NPR at 8am while my wife sleeps and my son crawls around the playpen, I pray for a global revival of spirituality that will remove both fanaticism as well as apathy.

Lately I've been trying to understand the appeal (and prevalence) of Wahhabi-Salafi ideas among Muslims worldwide. How is it that so many, particularly of the younger generation, can be driven to reject the long history of tolerance and spirituality that typifies the Islamic tradition?

Curriculum Resource Guide

In the name of God, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate

People often tell me, "I don't know much about Islam". Sadly, for many of us living in the United States, the only time we hear about Islam is on the news, when we hear about suicide bombings and other actions of violent extremists. 

Truthfully, such actions are inconsistent with the long history of the Islamic state, where Muslims, Jews, Christians and others created a civilization of learning, peace and tolerance unparalleled in human history, best exemplified in the West as Al-Andalus (Moorish Spain).

Since one of our goals as educators is to encourage students to consider multiple perspectives, I believe it is important to teach about the Islamic faith not as a monolithic entity, but as a religion with various interpretations and expressions. For this reason, as well as for the requirements of this graduate-level course, I have undertaken this work of providing educators with materials for teaching about Islam in the modern world, from the end of the Ottoman Empire until today.

The highest goal of educators in the Humanities and the Social Sciences is to increase awareness of the human condition to create a more peaceful, and just, world. 

Europe, China and Dar-al-Islam.

Salafi-Wahhabism is an Islamic revival movement that has sprung up in the last 200 years. It traces its origins back to Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahhab, who lived in the Nejd (central Arabia) during the 18th century. He wrote the 'Kitab at Tawhid' (book of the oneness) that remains central to the Wahhabi/Salafi canon. Most followers of Wahhab prefer to be called Salafi, for they aspire to be like the salaf, or the pious first generations of Muslims who lived in the time of the Prophet Muhammad, some 1400 years ago. Followers are critical of what they see as innovations (bidah) and polytheism (shirk) in the practices of other Muslims, including Shi'a and Sufis, who traditionally venerate the tombs of holy people. As such, certain extremists have made a point of, to this day, of destroying the elaborate (and architecturally unique) shrines that mark the final resting places of saints (awliya) and other pious persons. However, it must be stressed, that while Salafi-Wahhabis represent a small (but growing) minority of Sunni Muslims worldwide, violent extremists (the likes of Al-Qaeda, Al-Shabab and ISIS) represent the fringe of the fringe. Certainly only a tiny minority of Salafis condone their actions. In truth, the vast majority of followers of Ibn Abdul Wahhab are, despite their objections to certain Sufi and Shia practices, moderate Muslims with every intention of living peaceably with members of all religions.

Sufism has been described as the 'spiritual dimension' of Islam. While many claim that it predates and supersedes Islam, in truth it provides the core of Islamic belief, namely, that of honoring tradition and accepting spiritual guidance from a shaykh or qualified spiritual leader. True Sufi shaykhs trace their lineage of teachings back to the prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), who lived in Arabia 1400 years ago, through an unbroken line of transmission. True Sufism, characterized by dervish orders (similar in many ways to trade guilds or Catholic orders such as Franciscans and Jesuits) forms an integral part of traditional Islam.

In an interview with Middle East Quarterly, Shaykh Hisham Kabbani said, "The United States is, to give one example of many, the only country in the world that has created a commission on religious persecution. As a Muslim, I see in this and much else the deep roots of Islam. The Prophet never wanted anyone in his city — not Jews, nor Christians, nor idolaters — to be mistreated; he always extended his hand to everyone." 

"If I can die having brought any light, having exposed any meaningful truth that will help to destroy the racist cancer that is malignant in the body of America, then all of the credit is due to Allah. Only the mistakes have been mine." 

-Al Hajj Malik Shabazz (Malcolm X)

                                                                                                                Ulu Jami, Bursa, Turkey, July 2008. Photo by author

Teaching Resources on the Ottoman Empire, and the making of the modern Middle East

(Includes brief explanation for each)

1. Curriculum Materials

• This website is from the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at Harvard University, and provides teachers with information about the Ottoman Empire, as well as classroom activities involving textiles and the arts.

• This site, from the Middle East Policy Council, provides a brief summary of the Ottoman Empire, as well as a useful list of resources for teachers. 

• This website provides some good resources for homeschoolers, Islamic parochial schools and public school teachers on teaching about the Ottoman Empire. From Islamic Unit Studies, an excellent resource for teachers.

Photo by author, August 2008

• Curriculum plans on Sufism (traditional Islam) from Islamic Unit Studies. Includes a lesson on Sufi folktales that can be used by Language Arts teachers as well.

• For those interested in music, this site provides information about Ottoman traditional music and the use of makams (modes or modalities). Combined with listening to examples of classical Near Eastern music, this could be an excellent way of accommodating students of multiple intelligences.

• A lesson plan for use with excerpts from the film, New Muslim Cool, that deals with the spiritual transformation of Puerto Rican hip-hop artist Hamza Perez. Important because it deals with the Muslim experience in the U.S.

2. Text-based primary documents

Seal of the Ottoman Empire

• 1876 Constitution of the Ottoman Empire. This document is important because it is the first constitution written outside of Europe and the Americas, and the first such document in a Muslim country. Understanding its contents (influenced very much by the ideals of the European Enlightenment), one begins to see the connection between the late Ottoman period and the founding ideals of the modern Republic of Turkey.

T.E. Lawrence, who fought against
 the Ottomans during WWI

• Ottoman-German Alliance of 1914. Significant as a secret document between leaders, that brought the Ottomans into direct conflict with the British, French, Russians and Italians.

• The Balfour Declaration of 1917. After British takeover of Palestine from the Ottomans, this document paved the way for the modern state of Israel.

• Sir Henry McMahon: Letter to Ali ibn Husain, 1915. Important because it gives the reader a sense of some of the promises the British were making to the Arabs, in encouraging them to fight against the Ottomans. The Hashemite Sharif of Mecca ruled the Hejaz (Mecca and Medina) from 1916 until 1924, when it was conquered by what was to become the Saudi state.

• Ataturk's speech at the National Convention of the "People's Party of the Republic" held in Ankara between 15- 20 October, 1927.

• Interesting Ottoman perspective on the Wahhabis, written in the 1880s. 

• Excerpt from ibn Wahhab's Kitab at-Tauhid, condemning those who venerate the dead. Read the publisher's note to see how this text is viewed from the Wahhabi/Salafi perspective. Ibn Wahhab lived in central Arabia in the 18th century CE, and the theocratic Saudi kingdom is his legacy. 

• United States Congressional Research Service 2007 report to Congress on Wahhabism and Salafiyya. Provides background information on the Wahhabi movement in Saudi Arabia, and the dissemination of narrow-minded literature. It states that "the global spread of Wahhabist teachings threatens the existence of more moderate Islamic beliefs and practices in other parts of the world, including the United States." The goal of conscious educators in the 21st Century AD (14th Century AH) should be to uphold ethical and moral standards by facilitating understanding of other cultures and belief systems, and respecting freedom of conscience. Different religious traditions should be respected, in order to promote interfaith cooperation on the greater social and environmental problems affecting us all.   

• Shaykh Hisham Kabbani, Islamic Extremism: A Viable Threat to U.S. National Security. An Open Forum at the U.S. Department of State, January 7, 1999. This powerful address, given under the Clinton administration two years prior to 9/11, warns of the growth of Wahhabi extremism both at home and abroad. Hisham Kabbani is a classical Muslim scholar and Sufi Shaykh of the Naqshbandi-Haqqani order. Originally from Lebanon, he now lives in Michigan. 

• Sufi perspective on ziyara, the visitation of graves. From the As-Sunnah Foundation of America. In many parts of the world, traditional Muslims consider the graves of awliya (saints) to be holy places.

• 

  Crown Prince Charles visits a Sufi tomb in India. Full story here. The tomb is that of Haji Ali in Mumbai.

3. Visual primary documents

• Janat al-Baqi cemetery, burial-place of the companions of the Prophet in Medina, before the Saudi-Wahhabi takeover, and after. These images are significant because they contrast the different opinions of Muslims regarding reverence for the dead, not to mention their views toward architectural heritage. This could be a good segue into a lesson on the Wahhabi takeover of the Hejaz, and in contrasting the Sunni-Sufi and Wahhabi/Salafi interpretations of Islam. See also this site.

• Ataturk instructing his countrymen in the modern Turkish alphabet. This shows clearly one of the sweeping reforms carried out by the 'father of modern Turkey' during the 1920s. 

• Political cartoon from 1877 from Harper's Weekly. Portrays the division of Ottoman territories in the Balkans by European powers. Notice the Orientalist caricature of 'the Turk', looking upset and smoking a hookah, as well as the caption. Good for starting a discussion on racism, stereotypes, ethnic nationalism, and how this could effect a multicultural empire.

• 1911 Political cartoon from the British satirical magazine Punch shows Max von Oppenheim on Germany's Berlin-Baghdad Express. Note, again, the orientalist stereotypes as well as the growing British fear of German influence in the Gulf, where oil had just been discovered. 

Destruction of Sufi shrine in Tripoli, Libya by Salafi extremists, 2012.

It contains the tomb of Abdel Salam al-Asmar, a 15th-century Muslim scholar.

4. Bookmarked websites

• Lost Islamic History website provides information about Abdul Hamid II,

  

  Sultan Abdul Hamid II

  
  the last great Sultan of the Ottoman Empire. Site provides links to videos, maps (using Google Earth) and other online resources.

• How Ataturk secularized Turkey, also from Lost Islamic History, does a good job explaining the sweeping changes that occurred after WWI.

• This article gives a perspective on the rise of Wahhabism from a traditional Sunni Muslim (Ahl as-Sunnah) perspective. It suggests that "government officials, researchers, and media (need to) understand Islam on a deeper level, rather than making rash generalizations based on superficial understandings". As such, it could be particularly useful for classroom discussions, debates and other activities relating to current events and foreign policy.

• Middle East Quarterly interview with Shaykh Hisham Kabbani, who states, "Yes, in sha' Allah [God-willing]. If Sufism does well, Muslims will stop receiving negative press - you won't hear anything bad about Islam or Muslims. Sufism is the message of love. If the leadership of Muslims would get this message, Muslims around the world would live in peace, among themselves and with their neighbors".

5. Non-fiction readings (age appropriate)

• New Zealand History Online describes the Arab Revolt of 1916, the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, weapons of the Ottoman Empire in WWI, and other chapters from this time in history.

• This history of Saudi Arabia, from the Saudi Embassy, provides an 'official' history of that country.

                                                   Map of the Hejaz Railroad, 1914.

• Turkey and Islam, 1876-1930. Provides a chronological account of the reign of Sultan Abdul Hamid II, the rise of the Young Turks, the Armenian massacres, Arab resistance, and the secularization of Turkey.

• The Ottoman Empire in WWI. Short reading about how the Ottomans entered the war between the European colonialist powers on the side of Germany and Austria-Hungary.

• Kaiser Wilhelm II's 1898 declaration to Muslims in Damascus, written in both German and either Arabic or Ottoman Turkish (original primary source document) English translation: "May the 300 Million Mohammedans be assured, that the German Emperor will at all times be their friend!" 

6. Visual Media/Literature

Prophet's Mosque in Medina

• 1918 Full Text of Oriental Encounters, Palestine and Syria 1894-5-6. Novel by Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall. Pickthall, an English convert to Islam, is credited with translating the Qu'ran into English.

• Five minute video about the end of the Ottoman Caliphate. Lots of primary source images from this time period, including the resignation of the Caliph, and Ataturk.

• Examples of Sufi dhikr in Chechnya, Turkey, India, Somalia and Senegal.

• Al Jazeera report about Sufi militia in Somalia, fighting Al-Shabaab.

• humorous short video contrasting Sufi and Salafi/Wahhabi interpretations of Islam.

• Respect to John Green of Crash Course World History for the following humorous and informative videos on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, decolonization, that are essential to understanding the events of the 20th Century. Touches on Indian, Indonesian, Egyptian and African nationalist and independence movements.

7. Books

• Bradley, John R. Saudi Arabia Exposed: Inside a Kingdom in Crisis. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2005. Accounts of Saudi society, written by an English journalist many years living and traveling inside Saudi Arabia. 

• Hosein, Imran N. The Caliphate- The Hejaz and the Saudi-Wahhabi Nation State. Long Island, New York: Masjid Darul Qur'an, 1997. A detailed historical account of the events of the 1920's during which the Caliphate was abolished and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia established.

• Toussulis, Yannis. Sufism and the Way of Blame: Hidden Sources of a Sacred Psychology. Wheaton, IL: Quest Books, 2010. Provides a detailed summary of Sufism from its reception in the West to its development in the Middle East, including Persia, Central Asia and the Ottoman Empire. Excellent summaries of important periods in Islamic history in chapters 5-7. For use as a content resource for designing units on the history of Sufism. 

8. Journal Articles 

• Moore, James R., Social Studies Education, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, Ohio. A Challenge for Social Studies Educators: Teaching about Islam, Jihad, and Shari’ah Law. The Social Studies (2012) 103, 179–187

This journal article is intended as a resource for teachers when implementing a unit (World or US History) with regards to Islam and Muslims. It addresses how best to approach teaching concepts such as Jihad and Shari'ah that remain hugely controversial and politically charged. The author heavily cites neoconservatives like Pipes and Huntington who are known for their hawklike stance in the War on Terror, and addresses many of the concerns that conservative parents might have in teaching about Islam in the public schools. It urges teachers not to gloss over teaching these concepts, but to present them, often in the form of a structured debate, and for the teacher to be as unbiased as possible.

While this article references the right-wing concern about 'creeping Shari'ah law' (radical Islam taking over public institutions in the U.S. under the guise of 'multiculturalism'), it fails to address the real and growing concern of 'creeping Wahhabism' that continues to erode tradition in Muslim and non-Muslim societies alike. What this article fails to do effectively is articulate the views of Sufism, and traditional Islam as compatible with multiculturalism and Western democratic society, and define modern extremism as a deviance from the historical norm. As such, it demonstrates the need for a more comprehensive history of Muslims and Islam to be taught in the public schools, to alleviate such misconceptions and avoid rash generalizations.

For these reasons, it becomes necessary to provide curriculum materials that effectively break down the 'monolithic' (and largely negative) view many non-Muslims, particularly in the U.S., have toward Islam, due in large part to the mainstream media, and educate the younger generation about the diverse interpretations of the world's fastest growing religion.

• Dick, James, University of Nebraska, Omaha. Teaching about the Third World in American Secondary Schools. The History Teacher (1980) 14, No.1, 19-30

This article, while not specifically about Muslim-majority nations, nevertheless addresses the growing need to educate our youth about history and current events in Latin America, Africa, Asia and the Middle East.

8. Unit and Lesson Plans by the Author

• This is a unit plan I created for a course at Northeastern, EDU 6064 Curriculum and Assessment. It uses the format of Understanding by Design (UbD), curriculum design built around a series of key skills and understandings culminating in a final project intended to mirror a real-life situation, thus preparing students for real-world skills. The Culminating Performance Task (CPT) of this unit is a scholarly presentation of facts about Muslims' contributions to global civilization over the past 1400 years, as well as the origins of modern Islamic Fundamentalism as a divergence from traditional Islam. The audience is U.S. Military personnel about to be deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan and other Muslim-majority countries.

• This is a lesson on the breakup of the Ottoman Empire, including the video linked to above. The views in this film express that of the filmmaker. The accompanying powerpoint (and video of me teaching) will be uploaded to this blog in the near future, Inshallah. This was taught to a class of graduate students at Northeastern University, including prospective as well as practicing high school history teachers. The complete lesson plan is here.

"The most dangerous thing that is going on now in these mosques, that has been sent upon these mosques around the United States -- like churches they were established by different organizations and that is ok -- but the problem with our communities is the extremist ideology. Because they are very active they took over the mosques; and we can say that they took over more than 80% of the mosques that have been established in the US. And there are more than 3000 mosques in the US.

So it means that the methodology or ideology of extremist has been spread to 80% of the Muslim population, but not all of them agree with it. But mostly the youth and the new generation do because they are students and they don't think except with their emotions and they are rebellious against their own leaders and government. This is the nature and psychology of human beings. When we are students in university or college we always fight the government, whether they are right or wrong, we have to attack the government. This is how they have been raised."

-Shaykh Hisham Kabbani, Islamic Extremism: A Viable Threat to U.S. National Security.

An Open Forum at the U.S. Department of State, January 7, 1999

full text here

Silsila of Naqshbandi-Haqqani Tariqa

(The Golden Chain of the Spiritual Transmission

of the Naqshabandi Khwajagan Masters)

1. The Holy Prophet Muhammad Mustafa (Peace be upon him)

2. Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (ral)

3. Salman al Farsi (ral)

4. Al-Imam Qasim bin Muhammad bin Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (ral)

5. Al-Imam Ja'far as-Sadiq (ral)

6 Abu Yazid al Bistami (ral)

7. Abul Hasan al Kharqani (ral)

8. Abu Ali al Farmadi (ral)

9. Yusuf al Hamdani (ral)

10. Abul Abbas (Khidr, upon whom be peace)

11. Abdul Khaliq al-Ghujadawani (ral)

12. Arif Righwari (ral)

13. Mahmud al Faghnawi (ral)

14. Ali Ramitani (ral)

15. Muhammad Baba Sammasi (ral)

16. Seyyid Amir Kullal (ral)

17. Qutub at Tariqah Shah Bahauddin Naqshband al Uwaysi al Bukhari (ral)

18. Alauddin Muhammad al Attar (ral)

19. Ya'qub al Charkhy (ral)

20. Ubeydullah al Ahrar as-Samarqandi (ral)

21. Muhammad az Zahid (ral)

22. Dervish Muhammad al Bukhari (ral)

23. Hajegi Emkeneki as Samarqandi (ral)

24. Muhammad al Baqibillah as Samarqandi (ral)

25. Mujaddid al Alf ath Thani Imam Rabbani Ahmad Faruq as Sirhindi (ral)

26. Urwat ul Wuthqa Muhammad Ma'sum ar Rabbani (ral)

27. Haji Sayfuddin ar Rabbani (ral)

28. Nur Muhammad al Badwani (ral)

29. Habibullah Mizra Jan i Janan al Mazhar (ral)

30. Ghulam Ali Abdullah ad Dehlawi (ral)

31. Ziyauddin Abu Naasan Muhammad Khalid al Baghidadi ash Shami (ral)

32. Sheikh Ismail an Narani (ral)

33. Khas Muhammad Shirwani (ral)

34. Sheikh Muhammad Yaraghi (ral)

35. Sayyid Jamaluddin al Ghumuqi al-Husseini (ral)

36. Abu Ahmed as Sughuri (ral)

37. Abu Muhammad al Madani (ral)

38. Sayyid Sharafuddin ad Daghistani (ral)

39. Sheik Abdullah Faiz ad Daghistani (ral)

40. Sheikh Muhammad Nazim Adil al Haqqani al Qubrusi (qsa)

Shaykh Nazim is 90 years old and lives in the town of Lefke in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. Shaykh Hisham Kabbani is Shaykh Nazim's son-in-law, married to his daughter Naziha.

Nazim's son Mehmet is 41st in the Silsila, or Golden Chain of the Spiritual Transmission

of the Naqshabandi Khwajagan Masters.