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The associations of the word "dhimmitude" vary between users: The associations of the word "dhimmitude" vary between users:


* ] defined dhimmitude as the condition and experience of those who are subject to ''dhimma'', and thus not synonymous to, but rather a subset of the ''dhimma'' phenomenon: "dhimmitude represents a behavior dictated by fear (terrorism), pacifism when aggressed, rather than resistance, servility because of cowardice and vulnerability. By their peaceful surrender to the Islamic army, they obtained the security for their life, belongings and religion, but they had to accept a condition of inferiority, spoliation and humiliation. As they were forbidden to possess weapons and give testimony against a Muslim, they were put in a position of vulnerability and humility."<ref></ref> The term plays a key role in the theory of ]. * ] defined dhimmitude as the condition and experience of those who are subject to ''dhimma'', and thus not synonymous to, but rather a subset of the ''dhimma'' phenomenon: "dhimmitude represents a behavior dictated by fear (terrorism), pacifism when aggressed, rather than resistance, servility because of cowardice and vulnerability. By their peaceful surrender to the Islamic army, they obtained the security for their life, belongings and religion, but they had to accept a condition of inferiority, spoliation and humiliation. As they were forbidden to possess weapons and give testimony against a Muslim, they were put in a position of vulnerability and humility."<ref></ref> The term plays a key role in the Islamophobic<ref>{{Cite journal | last1 = Carr | first1 = M. | doi = 10.1177/0306396806066636 | title = You are now entering Eurabia | journal = Race & Class | volume = 48 | pages = 1 | year = 2006 | pmid = | pmc = }}</ref> conspiracy theory of ].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Færseth |first1=John |last2= |first2= |year=2011 |title= Eurabia – ekstremhøyres konspirasjonsteori|journal= Fri Tanke|volume= |issue=3-4 |pages=38 |publisher=Human-Etisk Forbund |doi= |url=http://fritanke.no/filarkiv/pdf/fri_tanke_0311.pdf#page=38 |accessdate=22. June 2012 }}</ref>


* A more recent ] usage variant of "dhimmi" and "dhimmitude" divorces the words from the historical context and applies them to situations where non-Muslims in the West and India are championing Islamic causes above others. "Dhimmi" is treated as analogous to "]" within this context.{{fact|date=June 2012}} * A more recent ] usage variant of "dhimmi" and "dhimmitude" divorces the words from the historical context and applies them to situations where non-Muslims in the West and India are championing Islamic causes above others. "Dhimmi" is treated as analogous to "]" within this context.{{fact|date=June 2012}}

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This article is about a neologism. For the 7th century Islamic legal concept, see Dhimmi.

Dhimmitude is a neologism used to describe allegations of non-Muslims appeasing and surrendering to Muslims. The term, in its original French, is derived by adding the productive suffix -tude to the Arabic language adjective dhimmi, which literally means protected and refers to a non-Muslim subject of a Muslim state.

Dhimmitude refers to discrimination against or treating as inferior non-Muslims(dhimmis) where a majority of the residents are Muslim.

In modern usage the term "has come to express the theoretical, social condition" of non-Muslims "under Muslim rule".

The neologism has been criticized. According to Bernard Lewis the assumptions denoted by the term are a "myth" albeit with some elements of the truth.

Origin

The term was coined in 1982 by the Lebanese President and Maronite militia leader Bachir Gemayel, in reference to perceived attempts by the country's Muslim leadership to subordinate the large Lebanese Christian minority. In a speech of September 14, 1982 given at Dayr al-Salib in Lebanon, he said: "Lebanon is our homeland and will remain a homeland for Christians… We want to continue to christen, to celebrate our rites and traditions, our faith and our creed whenever we wish… Henceforth, we refuse to live in any dhimmitude!"

The concept of "dhimmitude" was introduced into Western discourse by the writer Bat Ye'or in a French-language article published in the Italian journal La Rassegna mensile di Israel in 1983. In Bat Ye'or's use, "dhimmitude" refers to allegations of non-Muslims appeasing and surrendering to Muslims, and discrimination against non-Muslims in Muslim majority regions.

Ye'or further popularized the term in her books The Decline of Eastern Christianity: From Jihad to Dhimmitude and the 2003 followup Islam and Dhimmitude: Where Civilizations Collide

In a 2011 interview, she claim to have whispered the "dhimmitude" term to Bachir Gemayel.

Associations and usage

The associations of the word "dhimmitude" vary between users:

  • Bat Ye'or defined dhimmitude as the condition and experience of those who are subject to dhimma, and thus not synonymous to, but rather a subset of the dhimma phenomenon: "dhimmitude represents a behavior dictated by fear (terrorism), pacifism when aggressed, rather than resistance, servility because of cowardice and vulnerability. By their peaceful surrender to the Islamic army, they obtained the security for their life, belongings and religion, but they had to accept a condition of inferiority, spoliation and humiliation. As they were forbidden to possess weapons and give testimony against a Muslim, they were put in a position of vulnerability and humility." The term plays a key role in the Islamophobic conspiracy theory of Eurabia.
  • A more recent pejorative usage variant of "dhimmi" and "dhimmitude" divorces the words from the historical context and applies them to situations where non-Muslims in the West and India are championing Islamic causes above others. "Dhimmi" is treated as analogous to "Quisling" within this context.
  • Anders Breivik, who identified Bat Ye'or as a key influence, used the term "dhimmitude" in his internet postings to describe what he called "jihad against the kaffir".

Criticism

Mark R. Cohen, a leading scholar of the history of Jewish communities of medieval Islam, has criticized the term as misleading and Islamophobic.

Bernard Lewis, Professor Emeritus of Near Eastern Studies at Princeton University, states that,

"If we look at the considerable literature available about the position of Jews in the Islamic world, we find two well-established myths. One is the story of a golden age of equality, of mutual respect and cooperation, especially but not exclusively in Moorish Spain; the other is of “dhimmi”-tude, of subservience and persecution and ill treatment. Both are myths. Like many myths, both contain significant elements of truth, and the historic truth is in its usual place, somewhere in the middle between the extremes."

See also

References

  1. Tibi, Bassam (2008). "The Return of the Sacred to Politics as a Constitutional Law The Case of the Shari'atization of Politics in Islamic Civilization". Theoria. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  2. Perlmutter, Philip (2008). "The Changing Complexity of Prejudice and Discrimination". Society.
  3. "Anti-Semitism in the Arab World". Encyclopedia of Race and Racism. Gale Group. {{cite encyclopedia}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  4. Sidney H. Griffith (2010). The Church in the Shadow of the Mosque: Christians and Muslims in the World of Islam. Princeton University Press. ISBN 0691146284.
  5. ^ Bernard Lewis, 'The New Anti-Semitism', The American Scholar Journal - Volume 75 No. 1 Winter 2006 pp. 25-36.
  6. As reprinted in Lebanon News 8, no. 18 (September 14, 1985), 1-2
  7. Bat Ye'or, "Terres arabes: terres de 'dhimmitude'", in La Cultura Sefardita, vol. 1, La Rassegna mensile di Israel 44, no. 1-4, 3rd series (1983): 94-102
  8. Griffith, Sidney H., The Decline of Eastern Christianity under Islam: From Jihad to Dhimmitude, Seventh-Twentieth Century, International Journal of Middle East Studies, Vol. 30, No. 4. (Nov., 1998), pp. 619-621, doi:10.1017/S0020743800052831.
  9. Bat Ye'or (1996). The Decline of Eastern Christianity under Islam. From Jihad to Dhimmitude. Seventh-Twentieth Century. Madison/Teaneck, NJ: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press/Associated University Presses. ISBN 0-8386-3688-8.
  10. Bat Ye'or (2003). Islam and Dhimmitude. Where Civilizations Collide. Madison/Teaneck, NJ: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press/Associated University Presses. ISBN 0-8386-3943-7.
  11. "I founded the word dhimmitude and I discussed it with my Lebanese friends My friend spoke about this word to Bashir Gemayel who used it in his last speech before his assassination." in An Egyptian Jew in Exile: An Interview with Bat Ye’or, newenglishreview.org, October 2011
  12. John W. Whitehead, An interview with Bat Ye'or. Eurabia: The Euro-Arab Axis, 5 September 2005
  13. Carr, M. (2006). "You are now entering Eurabia". Race & Class. 48: 1. doi:10.1177/0306396806066636.
  14. Færseth, John (2011). "Eurabia – ekstremhøyres konspirasjonsteori" (PDF). Fri Tanke (3–4). Human-Etisk Forbund: 38. Retrieved 22. June 2012. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  15. Liz Fekete. "The Muslim conspiracy theory and the Oslo massacre". Race & Class. 53. SAGE Publications. {{cite journal}}: Text "pages30-47" ignored (help)
  16. Cohen, Mark R. (2011). "Modern Myths of Muslim Anti-Semitism". In Ma'oz, Moshe (ed.). Muslim Attitudes to Jews and Israel: The Ambivalences of Rejection, Antagonism, Tolerance and Cooperation. Sussex Academic Press. pp. 33–34. ISBN 1845195272.

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