Based on Record of Spanish Islam by Reinhart Dozy (1820-1883Ce)
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology (IJCIET) Volume 8, Issue 11, November 2017, pp. 852–866, Article ID: IJCIET_08_11_086 Available online at http://http://www.iaeme.com/ijciet/issues.asp?JType=IJCIET&VType=8&IType=11 ISSN Print: 0976-6308 and ISSN Online: 0976-6316 © IAEME Publication Scopus Indexed SERIAL WARFARE IN AL-MAGHRIB AND AL-ANDALUS (8-11TH CENTURIES CE) BASED ON RECORD OF SPANISH ISLAM BY REINHART DOZY (1820-1883CE) Ezad Azraai Jamsari (Corresponding Author) Department of Arabic Studies and Islamic Civilization, Faculty of Islamic Studies, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia Nurliyana Mohd Talib Philosophy and Civilization Section, School of Humanities, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Pulau Pinang, Malaysia Suhaila Abdullah Philosophy and Civilization Section, School of Humanities, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 11800 Pulau Pinang, Malaysia Adibah Sulaiman Centre of Core Studies, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Bandar Baru Nilai, 71800 Nilai, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia ABSTRACT This article discusses the serial warfare, specifically, in al-Maghrib and al- Andalus, which is one of the main themes in the analysis of the historical masterpiece by Reinhart Dozy, namely, Spanish Islam: A History of the Muslims in Spain. In this regard, the research objective is to showcase a brief background of Dozy and his writing, Spanish Islam. In addition, the purpose of this reseach is to examine the serial battles which occurred in North Africa and al-Andalus from the 8th to 11th centuries CE based on Spanish Islam. This research uses a qualitative approach through historical study and content analysis by examining Dozy’s work, Spanish Islam, and other related sources. Research results argue that Dozy was one of the 19th century CE Dutch Orientalists renowned for his study in the field of history and lexicography. His study of the Islamic history and civilization in al-Maghrib and al-Andalus enabled him to accomplish his magnum opus, Spanish Islam: A History of the Muslims in Spain, which recorded the historical sequence of Muslim politics and military conflict in al-Maghrib and al-Andalus until the year 1110CE. Keywords : Reinhart Dozy, Spanish Islam , warfare in al-Maghrib and al-Andalus http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/index.asp 852 [email protected] Ezad Azraai Jamsari, Nurliyana Mohd Talib, Suhaila Abdullah and Adibah Sulaiman Cite this Article: Ezad Azraai Jamsari, Nurliyana Mohd Talib, Suhaila Abdullah and Adibah Sulaiman, Serial Warfare in Al-Maghrib and Al-Andalus (8-11th Centuries Ce) Based on Record of Spanish Islam by Reinhart Dozy (1820-1883ce), International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology, 8(11), 2017, pp. 852–866 http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/issues.asp?JType=IJCIET&VType=8&IType=11 1. INTRODUCTION Reinhart Dozy (1820-1883CE) was one of the great 19th century CE Dutch Orientalists renowned for his study and writing relating to Islamic history and civilization. His work, Spanish Islam (1861CE) is the magnum opus of his lifelong study and writing. It is frequently a secondary source of reference, particularly in the study of Islamic history and civilization in al-Andalus. The work Spanish Islam is distinct in that its writing is based on primary and authoritative sources of Islamic history and civilization in al-Andalus, particularly Arabic manuscripts and Latin Christian narratives (Dozy 2001). Weststeijn (2004) however, stated that Dozy’s writing highlights more the conflict between two races, the Arabs and the Berber which triggered wars between them. In this regard, this research attempts to analyze the warfare aspect in his work by focusing on the serial battles which occured in al-Maghrib and al-Andalus from the 8th to 11th centuries CE. Such research has been previously done by Jamsari, Yaacob & Ashari (2013) in their research ‘Rentetan peperangan dalam Kitab Bidayah wa al-Nihayah karya Ibn Kathir al-Dimashqi ’ (The chain of wars according to al- Bidayah wa al-Nihayah by Ibn Kathir al-Dimashqi). Hence, the objective of this research is to briefly show the background of Reinhart Dozy and his work, Spanish Islam , in addition to focusing on the study of the serial warfare from 8th to 11th centuries CE recorded in it. Studies relating to the greatness and excellence of Arabic studies generally and Islamic history and civilization particularly are also assayed by local scholars, covering various issues such as discussion of Islamic history in India by Ibn al-Athir (Ashari, Nor & Jamsari 2013), al-Salawi’s records of the Marinid military from the point of war (Jamsari et al. 2012), al- Ghazali’s views on family development (Sulaiman, Jamsari & Noh 2014), Ibn Firnas’s contribution to aviation technology (Jamsari et al. 2013), Reinhart Dozy’s bio-bibliographical aspect (Jamsari & Talib 2014; Jamsari et al. 2014), strategic leadership of Sultan Muhammad al-Fatih (Jamsari, Isa & Ashari 2014), concept of knowledge according to Syed Sheikh Ahmad al-Hadi (Sulaiman, Jamsari & Talib 2016), as well as the scholarship of Sheikh Muhammad Rif‘at in the science of tarannum (Abdullah et al. 2014), astrolabe as portal to the universe, inventions across civilizations, multipurpose astrofiqh instrument, functions in sloving astrofiqh issues and general similarities of Malaysian observatories (Safiai et al. 2017; Safiai et al. 2016; Ibrahim, Safiai & Jamsari 2015; Safiai, Jamsari & Ibrahim 2014), the approach of knowledge transfer in deriving Shafi‘ite hukum (Wan Hassan et al. 2015), as well as the purification of historical facts in selected Malay novels (Kamaruzaman et al. 2017). 2. A BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF DOZY Reinhart Dozy or his real name, Reinhart Peiter Anne Dozy was born on 21st February 1820CE in Leiden, Netherlands. He was the offspring of the married couple, Francois Jaques Dozy and Sara Maria van Lelyveld. Dozy’s father was a doctor in Leiden and his mother had died when he was aged nine years old (Stokes 2001; De Geoje 2012). His family tree originated from Valenciennes, France and adhered strongly to the Protestant Christian sect (Stokes 2001; al-Zirikli 2002). They later migrated to Netherlands in the year 1647CE (Rawlinson, 1884). According to De Geoje (2012) and Badawi (1993), Dozy became related to the Schultens family, famous Orientalist scholars in Netherlands. There was a lady from the Dozy family by the name Esther Elisabeth Dozy (1684-1717CE) who married Albert http://www.iaeme.com/IJCIET/index.asp 853 [email protected] Serial Warfare in Al-Maghrib and Al-Andalus (8-11th Centuries Ce) Based on Record of Spanish Islam by Reinhart Dozy (1820-1883ce) Schultens (1686-1750CE), an Orientalist. Other Dutch Orientalists born from this family were John James (1716-1778CE) and Henry Albert Schultens (1749-1793CE). His vitality and ingenuity were obvious from a young age. This is evidenced by his ability to master several languages including French, German and English. At the age of 14 years, he was admitted to a university preparatory school where he expanded his language skills by learning Arabic from a theology lecturer, Dr. J. J. de Gelder (Brugman 1989: 62; Stokes 2001: xvi; Jamsari et al. 2014). In the year 1837CE, he furthered his study at the Faculty of Arts of Leiden University where he pursued his interest in Arabic language under Professor H. E. Weijers (1804-1840CE), a philology professor there. In addition to mastering Arabic, Dozy also learnt other Semitic languages such as Hebrew, Chaldea and Syriac from Professor Weijers (Stokes 2001; Inayatullah 1960; Badawi 1993). His interest and seriousness in mastering Arabic literature and history was evident when he was hailed as the first prize winner in a writing competition held by the Royal Institute in the year 1843CE. The title, as determined by the Royal Institute, was ‘De vestibus, quibus Arabes utriusque sexûs diversis temporibus et in diversis terris usi sunt, aut etiam nunc utuntur’, a writing on the dressing of Arabic men and women according to the time and the country (Stokes 2001; Inayatullah 1960; Badawi 1993; De Geoje 2012). Dozy’s winning dissertation was later published in the year 1845CE, after it was improved and renamed Dictionaire Detaille des Noms des Vetements Chez les Arabes (Detailed Dictionary of Names of Arabic Clothes). This dictionary was his first publication and the foundation-stone of his career in lexicography and Oriental scholarship (Inayatullah 1960; Badawi 1993; Brugman 1989). Professor Weijers held the opinion that Dozy’s winning the competition held by the Royal Institute was due to his talent and ability, particularly his mastery of Arabic language. Hence, he suggested Dozy to study and produce a work on history of the Arabs in al-Andalus. He introduced Dozy to the best and most famous contemporary work on the Islamic history and civilization of al-Andalus, Historia de la Dominacian de los Arabes en Espana (History of Arab Domination In Spain) (hereafter referred to as Historia) which was written by José Antonio Conde (1725-1820CE) and published in the year 1820CE, after the author’s demise. Professor Weijers introduced Historia to him as a beginner to understand and master the Islamic history and civilization of al-Andalus (Stokes 2001; De Geoje 1883; De Geoje 2012). However, Dozy found many errors of fact in the writing of Historia. He asserted that other than errors of historical facts, Conde’s writing also did not follow the principles of true historical criticism. Thus, Dozy asserted that Historia needed to be improved. The shortcomings of Historia attracted him to study and master the Islamic history and civilization in al-Andalus (De Geoje 2012). In fact, Dozy also learnt Spanish language in order to obtain more accurate facts on the Islamic history and civilization of al-Andalus. He was determined to write an accurate and true history of the Muslim Caliphate in al-Andalus. In the year 1844CE, Dozy continued his study at the doctoral level.