Page 9 - Pakistan Link - August 13, 2021

OPINION AUGUST 13, 2021 – PAKISTAN LINK – P9

n By Professor Nazeer Ahmed Signs from Allah: History, Science and Faith in Islam
Concord, CA tains of the joint stock companies
for local initiative and decision-
n the year 1700, the prin- 193. Marginalization of Muslims – A Brief Review - 4 making.
cipal Muslim dynasties in The first skirmishes were
Ithe world were all absolute between the joint stock compa-
monarchies. The triumphs and nies and the centralized, despotic
tribulations, the structures of Portugal and Spain.
hopes and disap- The Portuguese governors in
pointments, the Goa, for instance, had to look to
successes and fail- Lisbon for instructions on major
ures of a people decisions. By the time a decision
depended entirely arrived, circumstances had often
on the person of changed, making the decision
their monarch. His training outdated. By contrast, the Dutch
and disposition, his religious and British administrators of East
inclination or lack thereof, his India Companies could make im-
abilities and foibles all had a mediate decisions to take advan-
direct bearing on the empire. tage of a local situation as long as
Neither were the rules of succes- it helped increase profits. The ef-
sion clearly defined. A reigning ficient structure of the companies
monarch could not be removed prevailed over the despotic struc-
except through assassination, ture of the Iberians. The North Eu-
blinding, imprisonment or ropean trading companies quickly
military defeat. In much of the supplanted the Spanish and Por-
Islamic world, the rules of suc- tuguese monopolies in the Indian
cession followed the Mongol- and Atlantic Oceans. By the year
Tatar-Turkish tradition and had 1700, it was the Dutch, the Eng-
nothing to do with the legacy of lish and the French, who were the
Islam. In this tradition, a king- the throne went from brother to chies were Muslim but the process new institutions of the future with real masters of the oceans of the
dom was considered a joint brother until all the brothers in a of ascension to the throne was de- an enormous potential to harness world.
property of all the princes. The generation died and then the el- cidedly tribal. the energies of men and material. When the centralized, des-
death of a sovereign, or his ill- dest surviving member of the next In the 17th century, the abso- With a singular focus on profits, potic structures in the Muslim
ness, was a signal for a “win- generation. Meanwhile, the princ- lute monarchies came up against they had no religious baggage empires came up against the far
ner take all” orgy of slaughter es were kept in the harem and had the joint stock companies. In to contend with or trainloads of more efficient structure of the
among the princes. For instance, no opportunity to develop their 1600, Queen Elizabeth I granted priests looking over their shoul- trading companies, they fared
in Moghul India, the illness of administrative or military skills. no better. In the match between
Shah Jehan in 1657 triggered a Two consequences followed. The the soldier and the merchant,
bloody struggle among his four ascension of a new prince now In the match between the soldier and the merchant, the merchant won hands down.
sons. Dara Shikoh in the Pun- became subject to the intrigues The two operated in different
jab, Shuja in Bengal, Aurangzeb of the harem and the eunuchs. the merchant won hands down. The two operated paradigms and played by differ-
in the Deccan and Murad in In addition, the rules of succes- in different paradigms and played by different ent rules. For the soldier-king,
Gujrat, each had his own parti- sion had no criteria of valor or rules. For the soldier-king, personal trust was personal trust was of paramount
sans, and his own army. These merit built into them. The caliber importance and a treaty was an
four armies, totaling more than of the Sultans suffered. As long as of paramount importance and a treaty was an instrument that was to be hon-
a million armed men, roamed the empire was well served by the instrument that was to be honored and kept. By ored and kept. By contrast, to the
the vast subcontinent, hunting grand viziers and the centralized managers of a joint stock compa-
each other out. When the dust bureaucracy, the weakness at the contrast, to the managers of a joint stock company, ny, a treaty was but a milestone on
settled, more than a hundred helm of affairs was concealed. But a treaty was but a milestone on the way to more the way to more profits. It could
thousand young men had died, when the Ottomans suffered their be overlooked when convenient.
Aurangzeb emerged victorious. first major defeat at the second profits. It could be overlooked when convenient. Deception couched in diplomacy
Shuja and Murad were killed. siege of Vienna (1683), an inexo- Deception couched in diplomacy and backed by and backed by intelligence, was
And the head of Dara Shikoh, rable process of steady collapse a devastating tool in the hands
the Crown Prince, was present- began. intelligence, was a devastating tool in the hands of of the company managers. For
ed on a tray to the aging Em- In Safavid Persia, when Shah the company managers. For instance, the English instance, the English East India
peror Shah Jehan. The fratricide Abbas I passed away in 1626, all of Company discarded the treaty it
left a legacy of bitterness from his brothers and most of his sons East India Company discarded the treaty it signed signed with Hyder Ali of Mysore
which the Moghul Empire never who would have a claim on the with Hyder Ali of Mysore (1781) at Madras as soon (1781) at Madras as soon as Hyder
recovered. throne had been either blinded or Ali died. The British proceeded to
The law of fratricide was ap- executed. When no prince from as Hyder Ali died. The British proceeded to form form an alliance with the Nizam
plied with equal ruthlessness among his own progeny was avail- an alliance with the Nizam of Hyderabad and the of Hyderabad and the Marathas
in the Ottoman Empire. When able, a grandson, Sa’am Mirza was Marathas of Central India to isolate and destroy of Central India to isolate and
Mehmet III became the Sultan in crowned as Safi I. Abbas I, under destroy the growing power of My-
1595, he executed all of his nine- whom the Safavid Empire reached the growing power of Mysore (1789-1799). The sore (1789-1799). The despotic
teen brothers, leaving no claim- its zenith, also instituted the prac- despotic structure of the kings, an inverted pyramid structure of the kings, an inverted
ant to the throne beside himself. tice of confining the princes in the pyramid pivoted around the mon-
When Mehmet died in 1603, he harem. No opportunity was pro- pivoted around the monarch, provided abundant arch, provided abundant oppor-
left two sons Ahmed, age 14, and vided to a prospective monarch to opportunities to the merchants. As long as the king tunities to the merchants. As long
Mustafa, age 12. Ahmed became learn the affairs of state through as the king was the sole owner of
the new Sultan, but the execu- training as governor of a province was the sole owner of wealth and power, some in his wealth and power, some in his
tion of Mustafa was stayed out of or as commander of a military entourage aspired to his riches. The company men entourage aspired to his riches.
concern that if Ahmed were to campaign. The rituals of blinding The company men were alert to
die before he had a male heir, the and execution were carried out were alert to opportunities for bribes, or promises opportunities for bribes, or prom-
Ottoman lineage would come to with such efficiency in succeeding of advancement, to topple the king. Thus it was that ises of advancement, to topple the
an end. Ahmed did have a son in generations that in 1666, when king. Thus it was that Nawab Siraj
1604 but Mustafa was spared once Safi II was invited before the court Nawab Siraj ad Daulah of Bengal who fell in the ad Daulah of Bengal fell in the
again because infant mortality nobles for his coronation, he was Battle of Plassey in 1757 through the perfidy of his Battle of Plassey in 1757 through
was high and the concern about a afraid to leave the harem because the perfidy of his own Chief of
male heir remained. Instead, Mus- he thought he was invited only to own Chief of Staff, Mir Ja’afar and Tippu Sultan fell Staff, Mir Ja’afar and Tippu Sultan
tafa was confined to the harem, be blinded or murdered. in the Battle of Srirangapatam in 1799, through the fell in the Battle of Srirangapatam
there to spend his time among the The Islamic paradigm for the treachery of his Finance Minister, Mir Saadiq. In in 1799, through the treachery of
eunuchs and the ladies. This was selection of a ruler was through his Finance Minister, Mir Saadiq.
the first instance of the Ottomans consultation. The Mongol-Tatar- the competition for wealth, the merchant enjoyed In the competition for wealth, the
not applying the law of fratricide. Turkish paradigm was through a significant, perhaps decisive advantage over the merchant enjoyed a significant,
The Mongol-Tatar-Turkish fratricide. Muslim politics had perhaps decisive advantage over
tradition of a contest of power be- long since moved away from soldier. Greed has been a more potent force in the soldier. Greed has been a more
tween competing princes for the that moment when Abu Bakr (r) history than valor potent force in history than valor.
throne had its own ruthless logic. was elected the Caliph, or when (The author is Director,
Faced with the prospects of mor- Ali ibn Abu Talib (r) was nomi- World Organization for Resource
tal combat, the princes vied with nated as the head of state. It was a charter to the English East In- ders. They did not answer to the Development and Education,
each other to hone their battle now governed more by the rules dia Company. Two years later, the Pope; they answered to a Board Washington, DC; Director, Amer-
skills and cultivate influence in of conquering tribes who had Dutch granted a similar charter to of Directors. Their structure was ican Institute of Islamic History
the kingdom. The outcome, pre- entered Islam 500 years after the the Dutch East India Company. more efficient than anything that and Culture, CA; Member, State
sumably, produced a prince most death of the Prophet. Tribal cus- In 1613, the Dutch Stock Market the despot kings could conjure up Knowledge Commission, Ban-
fit to rule. After Ahmed, a new toms had supplanted the Sunnah opened up in Amsterdam. Lon- and it gave considerable latitude galore; and Chairman, Delixus
arrangement evolved whereby of the Companions. The monar- don followed suit. These were the to the administrators and sea cap- Group)
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