What is the Arab world and how did it evolve? This article will focus on its culture and the development of science, history and worldview features. What was it several centuries ago and what does the Arab world look like today? What modern states relate to it today?
The essence of the concept of the "Arab world"
This concept means a certain geographical region, consisting of countries in the northern and eastern parts of Africa, the Middle East, inhabited by Arabs (a group of peoples). In each of them, the Arabic language is official (or one of the official ones, as in Somalia).
The total area of the Arab world is approximately 13 million km 2 , which makes it the second largest geolinguistic unit on the planet (after Russia).
The Arab world should not be confused with the term "Muslim world", used exclusively in a religious context, as well as with an international organization called the League of Arab States, created in 1945.
Geography of the Arab World
What states of the planet are usually included in the Arab world? The photo below gives a general idea of its geography and structure.
So, the Arab world includes 23 states. Moreover, two of them are partially not recognized by the world community (in the list below they are marked with asterisks). About 345 million people live in these states, which makes up no more than 5% of the total world population.
All countries in the Arab world are listed below, in decreasing order of population. It:
- Egypt.
- Morocco.
- Algeria.
- Sudan.
- Saudi Arabia.
- Iraq.
- Yemen.
- Syria.
- Tunisia.
- Somalia.
- Jordan.
- Libya.
- UAE
- Lebanon.
- Palestine*.
- Mauritania.
- Oman.
- Kuwait.
- Qatar.
- Comoros.
- Bahrain.
- Djibouti
- West Sahara*.
The largest cities in the Arab world are Cairo, Damascus, Baghdad, Mecca, Rabat, Algeria, Riyadh, Khartoum, Alexandria.
Essay on the ancient history of the Arab world
The history of the development of the Arab world began long before the rise of Islam. In those ancient times, the peoples that today are an integral part of this world communicated in their own languages (although they were related to Arabic). Information about what was the history of the Arab world in ancient times, we can draw from Byzantine or ancient Roman sources. Of course, a look through the prism of time can be very distorted.
The ancient Arab world was perceived by the highly developed states (Iran, the Roman and Byzantine empires) as poor and semi-wild. In their view, it was a desert land with a small and nomadic population. In fact, the nomads were the overwhelming minority, and most of the Arabs led a settled way of life, gravitating to the valleys of small rivers and oases. After the domestication of a camel, caravan trade began to develop here, which for many inhabitants of the planet became a reference (template) image of the Arab world.
The first rudiments of statehood arose in the north of the Arabian Peninsula. Even earlier, according to historians, the ancient state of Yemen, in the south of the peninsula, was born. However, the contacts of other powers with this formation were minimal due to the presence of a huge desert of several thousand kilometers.
The Arab-Muslim world and its history are well described in Gustave Lebon’s book, The History of Arab Civilization. It was published in 1884, it was translated into many languages of the world, including Russian. The book is based on independent travels by the author in the Middle East and North Africa.
Arab world in the Middle Ages
In the VI century, Arabs already made up a large part of the population of the Arabian Peninsula. Soon, the Islamic religion was born here, after which the Arab conquests began. In the 7th century, a new state formation began to form - the Arab Caliphate, which spread over vast expanses from Hindustan to the Atlantic, from the Sahara to the Caspian.
Numerous tribes and peoples of the north of Africa assimilated very quickly into the Arabian culture, easily adopting their language and religion. In turn, the Arabs absorbed some elements of their culture.
If in Europe the Middle Ages was marked by the decline of science, then in the Arab world it was actively developing at that time. This concerned many of its industries. The maximum development in the medieval Arab world was achieved by algebra, psychology, astronomy, chemistry, geography and medicine.
The Arab caliphate lasted a relatively long time. In the X century, the processes of feudal fragmentation of a great power begin. In the end, the once-united Arab caliphate broke up into many separate countries. Most of them in the XVI century became part of the next empire - the Ottoman. In the XIX century, the lands of the Arab world became colonies of European states - Britain, France, Spain and Italy. Today, all of them have again become independent and sovereign countries.
Features of the culture of the Arab world
The culture of the Arab world does not appear without the Islamic religion, which has become its integral part. So, unshakable faith in Allah, veneration of the Prophet Muhammad, fasting and daily prayers, as well as a pilgrimage to Mecca (the main shrine for every Muslim) are the main "pillars" of the religious life of all the inhabitants of the Arab world. Mecca, by the way, was a holy place for Arabs in pre-Islamic times.
Islam, according to researchers, is largely similar to Protestantism. In particular, he also does not condemn wealth, and a person’s commercial activities are evaluated in terms of morality.
In the Middle Ages, it was in Arabic that a huge number of historical works were written: annals, chronicles, biographical dictionaries, etc. With particular awe in the Muslim culture were (and are) related to the image of the word. The so-called Arabic script is not just a calligraphic letter. The beauty of the written letters among the Arabs is equated with the ideal beauty of the human body.
No less interesting and worthy of attention are the traditions of Arabian architecture. The classical type of Muslim temple with mosques was formed in the 7th century. It is a closed (deaf) rectangular courtyard, inside which is attached a gallery of arches. In that part of the courtyard, which faces Mecca, a luxuriously decorated and spacious prayer hall, crowned with a spherical dome, is built. As a rule, one or several sharp towers (minarets), which are designed to appeal to Muslims for prayer, rise above the temple.
Among the most famous monuments of Arabian architecture are the Umayyad Mosque in Syrian Damascus (VIII century), as well as the Ibn Tulunn Mosque in Egyptian Cairo, the architectural elements of which are generously decorated with beautiful floral ornaments.
In Muslim temples there are no gilded icons or any images, paintings. But the walls and arches of mosques are decorated with elegant arabesques. This is a traditional Arabic pattern consisting of geometric patterns and floral ornaments (it should be noted that the artistic depiction of animals and people is considered sacrilegious in Muslim culture). Arabesques, according to European culturologists, are "afraid of emptiness." They completely cover the surface and exclude the presence of any colored background.
Philosophy and Literature
Arab philosophy is very closely related to the Islamic religion. One of the most famous Muslim philosophers is the thinker and doctor Ibn Sina (980 - 1037). He is considered the author of at least 450 works on medicine, philosophy, logic, arithmetic and other fields of knowledge.
The most famous work of Ibn Sina (Avicenna) is "The Canon of Medicine." The texts from this book have been used for many centuries at various universities in Europe. Another of his works, The Book of Healing, also significantly influenced the development of Arab philosophical thought.
The most famous literary monument of the medieval Arab world is a collection of fairy tales and short stories "One Thousand and One Nights." In this book, researchers discovered elements of pre-Islamic Indian and Persian subjects. Over the centuries, the composition of this collection has changed, it acquired its final form only in the XIV century.
The development of science in the modern Arab world
In the Middle Ages, the Arab world held leading positions on the planet in the field of scientific achievements and discoveries. It was the Muslim scientists who “gifted” the world algebra, made a huge leap in the development of biology, medicine, astronomy and physics.
However, today the countries of the Arab world pay catastrophically little attention to science and education. Today in these states there are just over a thousand universities, and only 312 of them have scientists who publish their articles in scientific journals. Throughout history, only two Muslims have won the Nobel Prize in science.
What is the reason for such a striking contrast between "then" and "now"?
Historians have no single answer to this question. Most of them explain this decline in science by the feudal fragmentation of the once united Arab state (Caliphate), as well as the emergence of various Islamic schools, which provoked more disagreements and conflicts. Another reason may be that the Arabs know their history quite poorly and are not proud of the great successes of their ancestors.
War and terrorism in the modern Arab world
Why are Arabs fighting? Islamists themselves say that in this way they are trying to restore the former power of the Arab world and gain independence from Western countries.
It is important to note that the main holy book of Muslims, the Qur'an, does not deny the possibility of seizing foreign territories and taxing the seized lands with tribute (this is indicated by the eighth Surah “Production”). In addition, using weapons was always much easier to spread your religion.
Arabs from the most ancient times became famous as brave and rather cruel warriors. Neither the Persians nor the Romans risked fighting with them. And desert Arabia did not attract the attention of large empires too much. However, Arab soldiers gladly accepted into the service of the Roman troops.
After the end of the First World War and the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, Arab-Muslim civilization plunged into a deep crisis, which historians compare with the Thirty Years War of the 17th century in Europe. Obviously, any such crisis will sooner or later end with a surge of radical sentiments and with active impulses to revive and restore the “golden age” in its history. These same processes are happening today in the Arab world. Thus, the terrorist organization Boko Haram is rampant in Africa , and ISIS in Syria and Iraq. The aggressive activity of the latter education already goes far beyond the framework of Muslim states.
The modern Arab world is tired of wars, conflicts and clashes. But how to extinguish this "fire", while no one knows for sure.
Saudi Arabia
Today, Saudi Arabia is often called the heart of the Arab-Muslim world. Here are the main shrines of Islam - the cities of Mecca and Medina. The main (and, in fact, the only) religion in this state is Islam. Representatives of a different faith are allowed to enter Saudi Arabia, but they may not be allowed to enter Mecca or Medina. Also, "tourists" are strictly forbidden to demonstrate any symbols of a different faith in the country (for example, wearing crosses, etc.).
In Saudi Arabia, there is even a special “religious” police, whose goal is to suppress possible violations of Islamic laws. Religious criminals will receive the appropriate punishment - from a fine to execution.
Despite all of the above, Saudi diplomats are actively working on the world stage in the interests of protecting Islam, and are in partnership with Western countries. The state’s difficult relations are developing with Iran, which also claims to be a leader in the region.
Syrian Arab Republic
Syria is another important center of the Arab world. At one time (under the Umayyads) it was in the city of Damascus that the capital of the Arab caliphate was located. Today, a bloody civil war continues in the country (since 2011). Western human rights organizations often criticize Syria, accusing its leadership of violating human rights, torture, and significantly restricting freedom of speech.
About 85% of the inhabitants of Syria are Muslims. However, the “aliens” always felt here freely and quite comfortably. The laws of the Koran in the country are perceived by its inhabitants, rather, as traditions.
Arab Republic of Egypt
The largest (by population) country in the Arab world is Egypt. 98% of its inhabitants are Arabs, 90% profess Islam (Sunni movement). In Egypt there are a huge number of tombs with Muslim saints, which during the days of religious holidays attract thousands of pilgrims.
Islam in modern Egypt has a significant impact on society. However, Muslim laws here are significantly softened and adapted to the realities of the 21st century. It is interesting to note that most of the ideologists of the so-called "radical Islam" were educated at Cairo University.
Finally...
By the Arab world they mean a special historical region, roughly covering the Arabian Peninsula and North Africa. It geographically includes 23 modern states.
The culture of the Arab world is specific and very closely connected with the traditions and canons of Islam. The modern realities of this region are conservatism, the weak development of science and education, the spread of radical ideas and terrorism.