Arab Identity The views of Sayyid Qutb, Sati al-Husri and Taha Hussein Essay Example

Arab Identity: The views of Sayyid Qutb, Sati al-Husri and Taha Hussein Paper The first text in question is Milestones by Sayyid Qutb. One of the pioneers of the idea of Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, his martyrdom for his cause has enhanced his standing in contemporary Islamic revivalist movements. Qutb is a passion advocate of his beliefs about nationality in the Islamic context. He begins his essay emphatically by stating â€Å"The day Islam gave a new concept of values and standards to mankind and showed the way to learn these values and standards, it also provided it with a new concept of human relationships. Islam came to return man to his Sustainer and to make is guidance the only source from which values and standards are to be obtained, as He is the Provider and Originator. All relationships ought to be based through Him, as we came into being through His will and shall return to Him†¦Islam came to establish only one relationship which binds men together in the sight of God, and if this relationship is firmly established, then all other relationships based on blood or other considerations become eliminated†. (Qutb, 1981, p.117) We will write a custom essay sample on Arab Identity: The views of Sayyid Qutb, Sati al-Husri and Taha Hussein specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Arab Identity: The views of Sayyid Qutb, Sati al-Husri and Taha Hussein specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Arab Identity: The views of Sayyid Qutb, Sati al-Husri and Taha Hussein specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer It is quite obvious from the above passage that Sayyid Qutb’s views on national identity are quite liberal. Indeed, he is one of the more progressive thinkers in the Arab world, who put shared heritage ahead of recent sectarian divergences. His essay seems to suggest that the ‘cause of God’ is the highest principle of aspiration for the Arab faithful and any other goal would be decidedly deficient. Rather than disparate identities within the Arab world, Qutb believes in a pan Arabic Islamic state, where the Shariah law would be the ultimate authority for conflict resolution. The world beyond the Islamic state would be regarded as the Dar-ul-Harb, the perpetual home of hostility bordering on warfare. Even when it comes to family relationships, Qutb places the Creator ahead of mother, father, brother, wife and other human relations. He qualifies his views by adding that the strong affinity to the Divine need not impel a Muslim from treating his parents with kindness and consideration. However, if they (human relatives) â€Å"openly declare their alliance with the enemies of Islam, then all the filial relationships of a Muslim are cut off and he is not bound to be kind and considerate to them.† (Qutb, 1981, p.118) Thus Sayyid Qutb offers a nuanced interpretation of the holy texts in laying out divinely mandated codes for the Islamic community. In the example of Abu Lahab and Abu Jahl, we see two brothers united by faith than by blood. Their relationship created a new brotherhood of Muslims that included both Arabs and non-Arabs. â€Å"Suhaib from Rome and Bilal from Abyssinia and Selman from Persia were all brothers. There was no tribal partisanship among them. The pride of lineage was ended, the voice of nationalism was silenced, and the Messenger of God addressed them: â€Å"Get rid of these partisanships; these are foul things. He is not one of us who calls toward partisanship, who fights for partisanship and dies for partisanship.†Ã¢â‚¬  (Qutb, 1981, p.123) Hence, it is amply clear what Sayyid Qutb’s stance on nationalism and sectarianism is in the context of Islam in Arabia. The article by Sati al-Husri presents a slightly different perspective on contemporary Islamic affairs. His article titled Muslim Unity and Arab Unity concerns itself with identifying which of these two concepts of community should take precedence. Other questions relating to the issue are: â€Å"Is Muslim unity a reasonable hope capable of realization? Or is it a utopia dream incapable of realization? And assuming the first alternative, is its realization easier or more difficult than the realization of Arab unity?†, etc. (al-Husri, p.148) Sati al-Husri goes on to answer these questions by taking a historical and cultural take on factions within Islam. He observes that major religions of the world have not been able to unite peoles speaking different languages. This is most clearly evident from the attempts made by the Christian Church across its history. This is equally applicable to the Muslim world, where â€Å"the political unity which existed at the beginning of i ts life was not able to withstand the changes of circumstance for any length of time†. (al-Husri, p.150) Even the most powerful Abbasid caliphate could not hold together the lands ruled by it for long. At times, it could not preven the secession of provinces into smaler politically coherent units. Hence, political unity was never fully accomplished in the past, at a time when society was organized in a simple fashion and religion assumed a greater importance in all affairs of life. That makes the task of pan Arab unity in the contemporary socio-political context even more improbable. In the word of al-Husri, â€Å"it will not be possible to realize political unity in this century, when social life has become complicated, political problems have become intractable, and science and technology have liberated themselves from the control of tradition and religious beliefs.† (al-Husri, p.151) In this context, modern proponents of Islamic political unity across Arabia will have to pay attention to historical evidence as well as geographic constraints. Also, the author prudently warns, â€Å"whoever opposes Arab unity, on the pretext of Muslim unity, contradicts the simplest requirements of reason and logic, and I unhesitatingly say that to contradict logic to this extent c an be the result only of deceit or of deception.† Hence, in al-Husri’s view, aspiring for Islamic Brotherhood (a notional construct) is a more feasible and practicable goal than Islamic unity across Arab and beyond. In The Future of Culture in Egypt, author Taha Hussein looks into the particular case of Egypt. Hussein’s approach is slightly different from the other two authors, in that, he sees culture as a powerful characteristic that unifies a group. To this extent he regards it to be as important as religion (if not overlapping with it). In trying to figure where Egyptian culture starts to deviate from the contrasting Western culture, Hussein notes â€Å"the essence and source of Islam are the essence and source of Christianity. The connection of Islam with Greek philosophy is identical to that of Christianity. Whence, then, comes the difference ni the effect of these two faiths on the creation of the mind that mankind inherited from the peoples of the Near East and Greece?† (Hussein, p.8) This sort of deep inquiry has implications for the question of nationality in Arab geopolitics. The analysis offered by Tara Hussein also brings a measure of balance to the study of rel igion in Arabic countries, as he analyzes its founding and function as a necessity within the historical realm. In conclusion, the three authors whose texts were analyzed for this exercise – Sayyid Qutb, Sati al-Husri and Taha Hussein, all offer interesting perspectives on the role and relevance of nationality, religion and culture in the contemporary Arab scene. They all espouse erudite interpretation of the current problems facing the region and offer liberal resolutions. These solutions have at their core a philosophy of tolerance, cooperation and compassion toward the larger Islamic Brotherhood, which transcends the confines of Arabia and includes the global Muslim Diaspora. Works Cited: Sayyid Qutb, Milestones, Unity Publishing Co, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, 1981 Sati al-Husri, Muslim Unity and Arab Unity, Arab Nationality: An Anthology, p. 147-153. Taha Husein, translated by Sidney Glazer, The Future of Culture in Egypt, p.1-9.

21 Words Stemming from the Latin Word for Look At

21 Words Stemming from the Latin Word for Look At 21 Words Stemming from the Latin Word for Look At 21 Words Stemming from the Latin Word for Look At By Mark Nichol A surprising number and array of English words derive from the Latin verb specere, meaning â€Å"look at.† Each word, and its meaning and related forms, appears below. 1. aspect: a part or quality of something, the way someone or something appears, or the direction that something faces (adjectival form: aspectual) 2. circumspect: reflective about the consequences of doing or saying something (noun form: circumspection; adverbial form: circumspectly) 3. conspicuous: easy to see, or attracting attention (noun form: conspicuousness; adverbial form: conspicuously) 4. despicable: obnoxious or worthless (verb form: despise; noun form: despicableness; adverbial form: despicably) 5. expect: look forward to something or think that something will happen, consider something necessary or reasonable, or, as expecting, being pregnant (noun forms: expectedness, expectation, expectancy; adjectival form: expectable; adverbial forms: expectably, expectedly) 6. frontispiece: an illustration opposite the title page of a book, or the front of a building, or an architectural feature over a window or other opening (the final syllable is not cognate with piece) 7. inspect: look at something carefully (noun forms: inspector, inspection; adjectival form: inspective) 8. introspection: examination of one’s own feelings or thoughts (verb form: introspect; alternate noun form: introspectiveness; adjectival forms: introspective, introspectional; adverbial form: introspectively) 9. perspective: point of view, a literal or figurative view, or a way to represent an image by using converging parallel lines to give an illusion of depth and distance (or such an image) (adjectival form: perspectival) 10. prospect: as a verb, scout, or search for mineral deposits; as a noun, an opportunity or possibility, or someone likely to be chosen (alternate verb form: prospecting; alternate noun forms: prospector, prospecting; adjectival form: prospective) 11. respect: as a verb, to admire or regard; as a noun, admiration or regard (adjectival form: respective) 12. retrospect: as a noun, review; as an adjective, relating to the past or a past event (alternate noun form: retrospective; alternate adjectival form: retrospective) 13. species: related living things capable of interbreeding with other members of the species, one of several kinds of atomic particle, or a thought or mental image, or, loosely, synonymous with kind or sort (adjectival form: species) 14. specimen: a thing typical of its kind, or a remarkable example of something, or a minuscule amount or piece of a substance to be examined or tested 15. spectacle: an impressive show or sight; in plural form, a synonym for eyeglasses (adjectival form: spectacular; alternate noun form, spectacular) 16. spectator: a person who watches an event (verb form: spectate; adjectival form: spectator or spectatorial; alternate noun forms: spectatorship, spectatory) 17. specter: a ghost or spirit, or something that bothers or haunts one; British English spelling is spectre (adjectival form: spectral) 18. spectrum: range of light or sound waves, or range of people or things; scientific plural form: spectra 19. speculation: guess or idea, or financial activity with high risk but possibility of high profit (adjectival form: speculative; adverbial form: speculatively) 20. speculum: a medical instrument inserted into a body passage, or an image showing the relative positions of the planets, or a patch of color on a bird’s wing 21. suspect: as a verb, think that a crime has been committed or someone has done something wrong or that something is the cause of something bad; as a noun, someone or something that has caused something bad to happen; as an adjective, causing doubt or a feeling that someone did something wrong or that something bad is likely or true (alternative noun form: suspicion) Todays YouTube video: Program vs. Programme Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Dialogue Dos and Don'tsWhat is the Difference Between Metaphor and Simile?What the heck are "learnings"?

High end wedding Business Plan Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

High end wedding Business Plan - Assignment Example The proposed business is unique in terms of meeting the needs of its clients. The proposed business firmly ensures to provide unwavering attention to its clients. The proposed business further focuses on the needs and expectations of the clients and work according to the requirements of the clients so that highest level of customer satisfaction is provided. The services of the proposed business include weddings, honeymoons, receptions, anniversary, wedding hair makeup, special event make up, musicians, entertainers and budget planning. The proposed business aims at providing the best service to each time to the clients of Houston, Texas. The objective of the proposed business is to provide top class services to clients whether it is wedding, anniversary or any other special events in order to make the experience of the clients pleasurable and memorable. Thus, the proposed business is committed towards offering services that are specially tailored according to the needs of respective couples and their families. In order to achieve the broad objectives of the proposed business, special attention will be focused upon the quality and timeliness of the services offered to the clients. The proposed business will thus, ensure that services are promptly and efficiently offered in accordance with the needs and expectations of the clients. ... The wedding industry in the United States can be recognized as an important industry that has a major impact on almost 100 other industries. The portion of contribution made by the wedding industry to the national economy is constantly increasing. Over the last few decades, the industry has witnessed significant growth in the country. However, the recent economic crisis situation in the US has dramatically influenced the growth rate of the industry. It is expected that the wedding industry in the coming years will again be able to touch new heights with rising revenue. Nonetheless, it is firmly advocated that the proposed business is required to formulate and implement suitable strategies in order to efficiently meet the rising demands of the customers. It has been ascertained that despite the recessionary situation, there has been slight increase in the number of couples getting married. It has been projected that this increasing pattern will continue in the coming years thereby pro viding significant opportunity for the wedding industry to earn and expand the proposed business. At the same time, it has been observed that the guest attending the wedding has also affected by the recession which has caused a slight reduction in their numbers. However, it is estimated that in the future years the figure shall improve. The spending of couples is also estimated to increase in the coming years. During the year 2011, it had been reported that there was slight positive shift of 1% in the total spending made by the customers in the wedding industry of the USA. At the same time, it has been ascertained that the couples in the recent times are inclined towards planed weddings as well as more couples are observed to prefer outdoor ceremonies rather than indoor