Page 9 - Pakistan Link - July 30, 2021

OPINION JULY 30, 2021 – PAKISTAN LINK – P9

n By Prof Nazeer Ahmed Signs from Allah: History, Science and Faith in Islam
Concord, CA navy had no bases on the Atlantic
Ocean. As a result, the Atlantic be-
191. Marginalization of Muslims – A Brief Review - 2 came an exclusive preserve of the
t was in the last third of the European powers, and America an
16th century that the focus extension of Europe.
Iof history shifted to northern The tension between the rul-
Europe. The confluence of several ers and the society had disastrous
critical events helped the North long-term effects on the develop-
Europeans in their emergence on ment of trade and technology in
the world stage. In the Maghrib. What was good for
1571, the Battle of the society was not necessarily
Lepanto contained good for the emirs and vice versa.
the expansion of The emirs and Sultans had noth-
the Ottoman navy ing to gain from any improvement,
and prevented the which would help either the Jazuli
Turks from project- shaykhs, or the rich merchants
ing their power into the Atlan- along the Mediterranean coast. For
tic Ocean and the Americas. In instance, cultivation of sugarcane,
1578 the Moroccans, under Sultan which had been introduced into
Ahmed al Mansur, crushed the Morocco around 1570, was aban-
Portuguese at the Battle of al Qasr doned because the primary benefi-
al Kabir and with it the curtain fell ciaries of this cultivation were the
on the Portuguese global venture. Sufi zawiyas. Even though there was
Sebastian, the King of Portugal, a ready market for Moroccan sugar
was killed and within two years in Elizabethan England, the Sa’adid
after the debacle Portugal itself emirs saw no advantage in further-
became a protectorate of Spain. In ing this trade. Similarly, profits that
turn, Spain tried to leverage its po- were made by a few merchants on
sition as the colonial power in the trade. Italy and France. The Sa’adids were inherently anti-central, focusing the Mediterranean coast benefited
Americas to solidify its global na- From the vantage point of the therefore perennially short of cash more on individual salvation and neither the emirs nor the society
val supremacy. In this effort it was year 1600, a historian may see a and became increasingly coercive the welfare of the local community, at large. A few merchants became
doomed to failure. window of opportunity in North in their tax collection. as opposed to a centralized admin- wealthy from the trade, but it did
The lure of Incan gold from Africa and Western Europe. Portu- It was the pressure of an empty istration. Only a centralized power not help the consolidation of po-
Peru and Aztec silver from Mexico, gal was defeated and had become treasury that drove the Sa’adid Emir, could have mustered the capital to litical power in the Maghrib or
hauled aboard Spanish ships, was a protectorate of Spain. The Span- Ahmed al Mansur to his ill-fated invest in a strong navy capable of provide a channel for the energies
too strong a temptation for English, iards, their ambitions frustrated in invasion of the Songhay Empire in competing with European navies. of the masses in the direction of
French and North African pirates. North Africa and England, could West Africa (1592). Although the The Sultans of Marrakesh, perenni- the increasingly important Atlantic
Spain tried diplomacy to stop the pi- not defend their far-flung posses- emir obtained a substantial amount ally short of cash, could not afford Ocean.
racy but to no avail. In desperation, sions. The Dutch and the English of loot from this adventure, the such major investments. The only In contrast to the accelerat-
King Phillip III of Spain attempt- fleets were still in their infancy. ing social and political fragmenta-
ed an invasion of England. With This was an ideal opportunity for tion in the Maghrib, England went
the combined resources of Spain the Maghrib to venture forth and The lure of Incan gold from Peru and through a political consolidation
and Portugal, the Spanish armada compete for the wealth that lay under the stimulus of similar im-
sailed towards London. The inva- beyond the oceans. But it was not Aztec silver from Mexico, hauled pulses. English pirates were equally
sion had the blessing of the Pope to be. North Africa surrendered active against Spanish and Portu-
who declared a Crusade against the Atlantic Ocean to the Europe- aboard Spanish ships, was too strong guese shipping. However, the im-
England because Queen Elizabeth ans. The wheels of fortune turned. pact of piracy was to hasten the
I (d. 1603) had taken England out Wealth and power gravitated to- a temptation for English, French and demise of feudalism in England.
of the orbit of Rome and had joined wards northern Europe and left Af- North African pirates. Spain tried Rich merchants, noblemen, even
the Protestant League. The planned rica in poverty. the crown, invested in this trade
invasion was a disaster. The Span- These developments were a diplomacy to stop the piracy but to no and benefited from its profits. The
ish armada was sunk in the Eng- logical consequence of the politi- infusion of wealth created a new
lish Channel in 1588. The pride of cal fragmentation that existed in avail. In desperation, King Phillip III of class whose interests lay more in
the Spanish and Portuguese navies North Africa in the 15th and 16th the ships that plowed the ocean
went down to the bottom of the sea centuries. The Ottomans advanced Spain attempted an invasion of England. than in exploiting the land. As the
and with it died the Spanish dream from Egypt to control Tunisia and newly rich made a bid for power,
of dominating the world. Algeria (1572) but halted their With the combined resources of Spain there was resistance from the es-
Meanwhile, a new naval power advance when the Sa’adids of Mo- tablished feudal lords. Tensions
emerged in northern Europe. Hol- rocco showed their military prow- and Portugal, the Spanish armada sailed developed between the city and the
land, which had been a colony of ess against the Portuguese at the countryside. Bold forays were made
Spain, threw off the Spanish yoke Battle of al Qasr al Kabir (1578). In towards London. The invasion had the in the Parliament by both sides. Af-
in 1572 and declared its indepen- Morocco itself, there was tension ter Oliver Cromwell (d. 1658), the
dence. Antwerp and Rotterdam between the rulers and the soci- blessing of the Pope who declared a debate between the trader and the
were important trading and ship- ety. Real power in the countryside landlord was decided in favor of the
building centers for Spain and lay with the Jazuli (belonging to Crusade against England because Queen former and power shifted inexora-
Portugal. When they wrested their the Shadhuli order) Sufis and the Elizabeth I (d. 1603) had taken England bly in favor of the merchants.
independence, the Dutch inherited Sa’adid emirs ruled only with the (The author is Director, World
not only these trading posts but support of the Jazuli shaykhs. Un- out of the orbit of Rome and had joined Organization for Resource De-
acquired the shipbuilding docks like the emirs, the Jazulis had roots velopment and Education, Wash-
as well. Following the unsuccessful in the countryside. They organized the Protestant League. The planned ington, DC; Director, American
Spanish attempts to invade Eng- local schools around zawiyas, pro- Institute of Islamic History and
land (1588 and 1598), the weak- vided social services and spear- invasion was a disaster. The Spanish Culture, CA; Member, State Knowl-
ness of Spanish naval power led to headed the resistance to Portuguese edge Commission, Bangalore; and
increased piracy against its ship- incursions in southern Morocco armada was sunk in the English Channel Chairman, Delixus Group)
ping. As piracy took its toll, Spain and Mauritania. The money re-
was forced to increase the rate of quired to support these activities in 1588. The pride of the Spanish and COST FROM P6
production of its ships to replenish came from ziyara, a charitable con- boundaries.
its vast fleet. Quality suffered. By tribution offered by the faithful to Portuguese navies went down to the Nevada – Your local Depart-
contrast, the Dutch focused on im- the local zawiyas, which were often bottom of the sea and with it died the ment of Social Services may be able
proving the range as well as the fire- built around tombs of Sufi shaykhs. to provide payment to pay for the
power of their ships. Holland had, By the same token, this was mon- Spanish dream of dominating the world cremation, funeral, or burial costs
in addition, large resources of tim- ey denied the Sultans and emirs. for a deceased indigent person.
ber from the Rhineland and a vast Sources of revenue from the Medi- New Hampshire – Any assis-
reservoir of German mercenaries terranean were equally elusive for tance will vary by county and mu-
to draw upon from the northern the central administration. Much long-term effect of the invasion was Muslim power that did have the re- nicipality. Call a local social service
counties. A weakened Spain, over- of the trade in the western Mediter- to disrupt the north-south trade be- sources, namely the Ottoman Em- office.
extended across the globe, could ranean was controlled by Genoa, tween the Sudan and North Africa, pire, was precluded from doing so New Jersey – The State can help
not defend its positions as well as Italy. The interests of the Moroc- further hastening the disintegration by the emergence of independent the needy and low-income pay for
those of its Portuguese allies. By can merchants were therefore more of both. In turn, the resulting dis- Morocco. The Spanish emperors, funeral bills through the Depart-
1620, the Dutch had occupied Bra- closely allied with those of the Ital- locations helped the African slave from Charles V (d. 1558) onwards, ment of Human Services, or DHS.
zil, displaced the Portuguese as the ian merchants than with the Sa’adid trade, which was at this time gain- recognized that independent Mo- You can also call (609) 588-2000 for
dominant naval power in the In- emirs in Marrakesh. In addition, ing momentum in the Sene-Gam- rocco was a useful bulwark against a list of local Department of Human
dian Ocean and replaced the Span- there were profits from piracy, but bia region on the Atlantic shores. Ottoman expansion and did every- Services offices.
ish as the most important European the capital for this activity was con- The Jazuli Sufi movement, like thing in their power to encourage New Mexico - The County may
power engaged in the African slave trolled from abroad, primarily from its sister movements in Asia, was this independence. The Turkish COST, P23
www.PakistanLink.com