(Naive) Jimmy Stewart says to (questioning) Doris Day, eleven minutes into the film "The Man Who Knew Too Much"
I know this is mysterious Morocco, but let's not lose our heads.
Film:
The Man Who Knew Too Much (1955), Alfred Hitchcock's remake of his 1934 film: the first half of the movie takes place in Marrakech, in "French Morocco", and contains a bit of Arabic and quite a bit of French dialogue. The Hotel La Mamounia is there, as well as some scenes in the famous quaint old marketplace of Marrakesh. The only direct cultural reference: a key (French) character declares that a Moroccan wife will never allow her face to be unveiled in public. Otherwise there is little specific reference to Morocco -- though Jimmy Stewart wryly agrees when his little son says that the name "Marrakesh sounds like a drink" !
Book:
In God's Path: The Arab Conquests and the Creation of an Islamic Empire, by Robert Hoyland.
(2015)
This book brings some objectivity to the typical sweeping claims about the explosive Islamic expansion in the 7th and 8th centuries. Ironically, in demystifying the implied claims that the Qur'an was the primary driver of the conquest, the author removes the rationale for the title of his book. According to the preponderance of the various contemporary sources, and the latest historical evidence, the conquests were mostly Islamic, and mostly Arab; but a substantial proportion was neither Islamic nor Arab. The original conquerors from Arabia were not innocent shepherds suddenly motivated by the will of Allah; rather, they were nomads with a long fighting tradition, and had long served (and trained) in other armies. His more radical conclusions are couched in careful language: for example, the Qur'an itself makes little mention of iconography, and mostly approves of Judaism and Christianity; he notes that later authors added a focus on iconoclasm and apostasy, perhaps as a response to their main surviving enemy, the Byzantine Christian empire.
The original impetus of Islam was aimed at Arabia, written in the local language, describing local traditions. Other peoples were originally not targets of conversion -- in fact, there was evidence of religious exclusivity among the conquerors. Christianity faced similar controversies in its expansion, noted in the New Testament, wherein the original followers considered it exclusively for themselves, and hesitated allowing Gentiles to join. This was of course resolved by later writers, but all religious movements struggle with the desire for expansion/conversion versus the need to define boundaries. Also, the author notes in several places the crucial nature of the lack of religious hierarchy in Islam, which allowed for more flexibility in absorbing new peoples.
I was interested in the author's analysis of Shi'ism success in Iran: because the Persian empire was completely crushed by the invaders (unlike the Byzantines, who survived and remained enemies), its cultural mores were more readily assimilated -- perhaps more specifically, its educated elite continued to exercise great influence. Thus their culture was more amenable to an inherited religious power that establishes a hierarchy but also emphasizes spiritual fervor in itself, as opposed to the more orthodox Sunni approach of simply following the right path with the best leader.
I would like to know more about the civil wars, beyond the Sunni-Shia split. Suffice it to say that Abd Al-Malik was the key consolidator of Arab/Islamic power at an important turning point of the conquest, two generations after the Prophet Muhammad.
The lack of hierarchy and central authority in Sunni Islam makes change even more difficult, as conservative elements can obstruct, and accuse modernizing factions of deviancy (shirk) -- whereas a more structured religious hierarchy can often direct change and legitimize modernization. The sultan (or cherif) can attempt some modernization as he assumes a religious mantle, but he can never claim full sacred authority.
One current example of the resistance to change: the divorce laws in India (in cases of social arrangements, carefully divided by religious affiliation) only recently changed to require muslim spouses to seek court approval to dissolve their marriage -- the old patriarchal talaq-e-biddah declaration is no longer sufficient.
The book is an excellent example of historical inquiry, gathering sources and discussing the adequacy of those sources from all possible contemporaries, and weaving an appropriately complex narrative that helps us understand the reasons for success of the Arab/Islamic conquest. It is extensively footnoted, with a confusing profusion of similarly-named characters. A more apt title for the book might simply be The Creation of An Islamic Empire.
Cross-referencing another book The Tenth Parallel wherein the author summarizes the similarities between the three Abrahamic religions as monotheistic and propagated by nomads.
Travel Article:
Washington Post of 01September2019, Travel Section cover story "Serendipity in Morocco" by David Brown. The author chronicles his short stay in the mountain town of Bhalil with a friendly host, Kamal Chaoui. The overall essay was rather slight, but it represents American interest in exotic Morocco!
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