BOOK REVIEW

Al-Muqaddimah and Asabyyiha By Ibn Khaldûn

17 March 2016 Rachel Naguib

Ibn Khaldun’s Al-Muqadimah, prolegomena to the personal attitude and class position, and his study of history is a “narrative of human emotions influence his thinking. 3 He recorded aggregation” 1 . Ibn Khaldun is regarded as the with his pen Al-Muqaddimah that “develops a founder of sociology and Al-Muqaddima is realistic kind of logic” 4 , that contains unusual considered as one of the most important knowledge and emphasis on verifiable monographs in general sociology. The question is: information. Even though he died in 808 in Cairo, what makes the work of Ibn Khaldun unique and Egypt, his works and legacy he left behind are still relevant in the study of both politics and society in alive. His works is still appreciated and inspired an today’s world? My study focuses more specifically immortal memory of both Arab and Islamic on the concept of asabiyya and its relationship thoughts. with religion, which is one of the core thoughts of Ibn Khaldun regarding the rise and fall of Ibn Khaldun bounded the extant knowledge of his civilization, the basis form of human political and time such as Islamic ethics, Neo-Platonic social organization, and the source for economic philosophy, historiography and natural science development as well as political stability. with a self-conceived science of “human To begin with, Wali ad-Din Abu Zaid Abd ar- civilization and social organization” 5 . This new Rahman b. Muhammad Ibn Khaldun as-Hadrami ‘science’ is amalgamated to the study of sociology, al-Ishbili was born in Tunis in 1332. 2 He belonged politics and economics in order to build a holistic ethnically to the Arab tribes in Southern Arabia. In basis of civilization. Therefore, this science is the eighteenth century, his family immigrated to unique in its own with immense interest as well as Andalusia (Muslim Spain) and just before the fall strange orientation. According to Ibn khaldun, of Cordova in 1248, they moved to Morocco. He truth is a complicated phenomenon and hence it belonged to an influential family that had should be seen from different perspective or a important positions, in both North African Muslim multifaceted triangle. It is “by looking into human states and Andalusia. Ibn Khaldun wrote Al- society which is sociology, and to distinguish the Muqaddimah in his forties and was influenced by conditions which appertain to it and are different three main factors: cultural outlook, social position in its nature from those which are only occasional and personal inclination. In other words, Ibn and others which cannot rise. By [looking into Khaldun was influenced by the political affairs of human society], we apply a science which Western Islam and their natures at his time, his writings and thinking were influenced by his 3 Baali, Fuad, and ʻAlī Wardī. Ibn Khaldun and Islamic Thought-styles, a Social Perspective. Boston, MA: G.K. 1 ʻAẓmah, ʻAzīz. Ibn Khaldūn in Modern Scholarship: Hall, 1981. Pp. Viii-ix Print. A Study in Orientalism. London: Third World Centre 4 Ibid.pp. 6 for Research and Pub., 1981.pp.9. Print. 5 Ibn-̱Haldūn, Yaḥya Ibn-Muḥammad, and Franz 2 ʻAẓmah, ʻAzīz. Ibn Khaldūn, an Essay in Rosenthal. The Muqaddimah. Princeton: Univ., Reinterpretation. London: Cass,.1982. pp.1. Print. 1967.pp-38-39 Print.

1 distinguishes truth from falsehood in records and the Muqqadimah, asabiyyah is associated with in a method supported by proofs which admits of “isaba and the Quranic usaba” which simply mean no doubt.”6 More specifically, in Al-Muqaddimah, “group”. 11 Asabiyyah has a great implication on the central topics are civilization, the association people in terms of conducting their affairs properly and the history of humans. Ibn khaldun deals with and more efficiently; to be socially embedded the state as the basis for man’s social and political individuals. It is a ‘tool’ that is used to measure organization and sheds lights on crucial political both the stability as well as the strength of social theories related to its establishment, sustenance groupings and it reflects concrete group cohesion. and decline. Ibn Khaldun was the founder of his own science as well as the master of his subject in According to Ibn Khaldun, it was not only about writing history using new methods of reasoning blood relationships but also, the people who share and explanation and how it should be read and a similar relationship. In other words, “respect for understood. He has his own discourse of recording blood ties is something natural among men...one a new system of understanding, analyzing, feels shame when one’s relatives are treated criticizing the social phenomena and history. unjustly or attacked, and one wishes to intervene between them and whatever peril or destruction For instance, according to Ibn khaldun, asabiyyah threatens them.” 12 This means that some has a key role in the formation and sustenance of a relationships can lead to close contact as the one of state, it “means superiority and the power to rule descent such as the one between clients, master by force”. 7 To begin with, Asabiyyah means and allies who belongs to the same category. “spirit of kinship” in either a tribe or family.8 It is Asabiyyah comes from social interaction and a derived from the Arabic root asab, to bind people man is naturally inclined to help any true or false into a group. Asabiyyah was first used by the relatives. This asabyyiah is one of the most Prophet Muhammad in numerous hadiths texts to coercive powers and motivating force of history. emphasis the important of the spirit of Islam.9 One When assabiyyah is present amongst individuals, it can say that though asabiyyah, the religious can ultimately leads to an influential and powerful doctrine has a crucial role in strengthening the group. In addition, asabiyyah is also an indication state. This makes Ibn Khaldun believes that of high qualifications and good character of asabiyyah and religion are interconnected; where relationships in terms of avoidance of fraud, deceit there is group solidarity, there is a more strong and and cunning, tolerance of the other and the weak, efficient social control and social institution. Many forgiveness of errors, mutual respect between the Western scholars refer to asabiyyah as “ leader and his followers. Thus, this will help in patriotism”, “ esprit de corps”, “the motor of the holding, stretching and endurance of the development of the state”, “national awareness”, asabiyyah. “collective consciousness” and “feeling of solidarity”.10 To Franz Rosenthal, the translator of The principal goal that asabiyya should naturally achieve is leadership or authority. Politics requires 6 Enan, Mohammad Abdullah. Ibñ Khãldûn: His Life a single person to exercise power and control. Ibn and Works. New Delhi: Kitab Bhavan, 2000.pp.110. Khaldun argues that a “group feeling gives Print. protection and makes possible mutual 7 Baali, Fuad. Society, State, and Urbanism: Ibn defense...according to their nature, human beings Khaldun's Sociological Thought. Albany: State University of New York, pp.53. 1988. Print. 8 Gibb, H. A. R., J.H. Kramers, E. Levi-Provencal, J. 2004. Montreal: Faculty of Graduate Studies and Schacht eds The Encyclopaedia of Islam. Leiden: Brill, Research, 2004. P.31.Print. 1960. Print. p.31. 9 Richard Walzer, “Aspects of Islamic Political 11 4 Franz Rosenthal, lxxviii. Thought,” Oriens 16 (1963): 58. Print. 12 Ibn-Ḫaldūn, Ibn, and Franz Rosenthal. The Muqaddimah: An Introduction to History; in Three 10 Esteban, Damian. Religion and the State in Ibn Volumes. Princeton, NJ: Princeton Univ., vol. 1,264. Khaldun’s Muqaddimah. Diss. McGill University, 1967. Print.

2 need someone to act as a restraining influence and desires, competition, struggle, greed and mediator...that person must, by necessity, have temptations, individuals may sometimes serve their superiority over the others in the matter of group own self-interest and priorities and undermine the feeling.” 13 The group and the leader depend on interest of the whole group and thus society at each other. On the one hand, the members of a large. Therefore, asabiyyah among them was less group depend on a leader to provide restraint. On evidenced and weakened by luxury. In other words, the other hand, the leader as well depends on a Ibn Khaldun argues that the “immorality, group to help him to reach this position and make wrongdoings, insincerity and trickery, for the others obey him. Therefore, thanks to asabiyyah purpose of making a living in a proper or an that helps the leader to achieve his goal, group improper manner, increase among them. The soul feeling and solidarity. comes to think about (making a living), to study it, and to, use all possible trickery for the purpose. Another natural goal of asabiyyah is conquest. In People are now devoted to lying, gambling, Al-Muqaddima, Ibn Khaldun argues that there are cheating, fraud, theft, perjury and usury”. 15 varying degrees of power in asabiyyah. For Asabiyyah can sometimes be completely destroyed. instance, one may find that in a certain tribe, there might be numerous ‘houses’ each with several In addition, asabiyyah can become weak, docile group feelings. In the same respect as in an and meek in other circumstances. According to Ibn individual group, “once group feeling has Khaldun, political instability and economic established superiority over the people who share conditions are interconnected. When a state (in that particular group feeling), it will, by its very declines, the economic life is deteriorated. At a nature, seek superiority over people of other group early period of a statehood, all the revenues among feelings unrelated to the first”. 14 Hence, diverse the subjects of the same asabiyyah and the share of groups will try to emerge above and achieve the ruler was “restricted to the very small amount dominance over the others. When a group he needs” 16 However, the ruler prevents his overpowers another one, the subordinate group and subjects from the revenues once he obtains control the powerful one enter into close relationship. In and he begins by supporting those who follow him other words, the stronger incorporates the weaker and defend his power. Consequently, revenues are into its power structure. Also, the defeated group more and more needed for his supports to help him feeling adds more power to the victorious one. maintain both his rule and position. Thus, the Consequently, the dominant group begins to feel revenues are appropriated for himself and his pride as it achieves its goal of both domination and entourage and inner circle. As a result, the state superiority than ever before. This naturally leads to becomes detestable and thus suffers. The state seek and to desire more power. “loses its entourage and great personalities and its rich and wealthy intimates. A great part of the Asabyyiah is stronger and evidenced more in edifice of glory crumbles, after having been nomadic tries rather than in urban society and supported and built up to a great height by those sedentary people. On the one hand, the nomads live who share in it.17 Due to the insufficiency of the a simple and a ‘peaceful’ life and do not enjoy revenues, the state faces financial straits. As a luxuries. There is a transition from badawa to result, the state imposes on its people custom hadarah in those societies. On the other hand, life in duties and it applies torture to its officials and tax an urbanite society is characterized by luxuries, collectors and sucks their bones dry of a part of tranquility and extravagant lifestyles, which have a their fortunes. This means that the power and negative and deleterious effect on people’s morality. Due to various worldly motivations, 15 Al-Muqaddimah 293 16 Baali, Fuad. Society, State, and Urbanism: Ibn Khaldun's Sociological Thought. Albany: State 13 Ibid., 283. University of New York, 1988. Pp. 62. Print. 14 Ibid. Pp. 1285. 17 Ibid.

3 cooperation are taken over by a group who has a ploughing the soil, there will be a certain amount strong, stable asabbiyah. of food, for more people and hence more prosperity and satisfaction. 20 Thus, it is essential to inculcate asabyyiah in people in order to bind them together as well as to However, according to Ibn Khaldun nothing strong promote a sense of cooperation in term of trust, endures forever since everything including code of behavior, norms and culture. asabiyyah, states and dynasties are subject to Consequently, this leads to social harmony and a natural law. For example, all social and political force in the development as well as the rise of a achievements and strengths are temporary in the civilization. Social solidarity is thus a uniting force world. When they develop, they achieve an that establishes equilibrium in terms of fulfilling optimal point in which they cannot go beyond it its purpose of cooperation among people for their and at a certain point they decline and dissolute, if common goals as well as mutual benefits, stability not completely disappear. In the same respect, a and a successful living. Ibn Khaldun insisted that civilization, just like a living organism, goes homogeneity is necessary in order for a stable state through the phase of a natural process of growth to exist. and then rot. To Ibn khaldun, a dialectical process rules a state and society: a rise and a fall based on There are another factors that are related to the the criterion of asabiyyah particularly in the North ruler that lead to the decline of a civilization. African governments. One should bear in mind Firstly, an intelligent leader is a drawback in a that the decline of a state does not mean the end of ‘politician’ since he overlooks the needs of his society. people, imposes tasks that are beyond their capacities and neglects his feeling. Thus, the The question is can we in today’s modern states people become victims of this intelligence. A apply the theory of asabiyyah where religion is an ‘middle’ intelligence is praiseworthy. Secondly, important factor of it? One the one hand, we do not the use of the subjects for forced labor is seen to live in homogenous societies but rather Ibn Khaldun as “one of the greatest injustices and heterogeneous ones. There are multi-ethnic and one which contributes most to the destruction multi-cultural and religiously diverse societies in civilization.”18 Thirdly, Ibn Khaldun believes that today’s world. In numerous states in today’s world the confiscation of personal properties and money there is a separation between the state and religion. from an owner with compensation or a cause is an Therefore, asabiyyah could not exist. On the other unjustified activity. He said, “the religion law hand, in some states such as Syria, Alawi legalizes the use of cunning in trading, but forbids assabiyah still exists in the regime of Bashar al- depriving people of their property illegally”. 19 Assad “the group feeling mountain people who had jumbled mix of persecution and superiority Economic prosperity and business activities cannot hammered into them by history.”21 Heterogeneity be achieved without the combination and the and secularism cause a threat to the traditional cooperation, asabiyyah, between labors that can socio-political cohesiveness among people and produce more than the needs and the necessities. thus asabiyyah. Also, other circumstances do not A person cannot obtain all the needs of life. For offer the same conditions for asabiyyah such as the example, a human being cannot by himself obtain erasure of the border between urban and rural the share of the wheat he needs, hence, when many world since it has developed at different stages in people are involved in this agricultural activity, regions. Nevertheless, asabiyyah can exist in including, one who is in charge of the oxen, others who are in charge of harvesting the ripe grain, 20 Khaldūn, Ibn, and Franz Rosenthal. The making the tools such as a carpenter or a smith and Muqaddimah; an Introduction to History. New York: Princeton Univ.,pp. 273. 2005. Print. 18 Ibid. pp58 21 Ajami, Fouad. The Syrian Rebellion. Stanford, CA: 19 Ibid. Hoover Institution, Stanford U, pp.13.2012. Print.

4 existing tribal societies, political parties, multinational firms and other organizations.

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