Albert HouraniRecensioni

CUPRINS

1. Lista hartilor - pag. 7
2. Prefata - pag. 9
3. Prefata (2012) (Malise Ruthven) - pag. 11
4. Multumiri - pag. 17
5. Nota autorului - pag. 18
6. Nota traducatorului - pag. 19
7. Prolog - pag. 21

PARTEA I – CREAREA UNEI LUMI (SECOLELE AL VII-LEA – AL X-LEA)

8. Capitolul 1. O noua putere intr-o lume veche - pag. 27
9. Capitolul 2. Formarea unui imperiu - pag. 39
10. Capitolul 3. Formarea unei societati - pag. 52
11. Capitolul 4. Cristalizarea islamului - pag. 69

PARTEA a II-a – SOCIETATILE ARABO-MUSULMANE (SECOLELE AL XI-LEA – AL XV-LEA)

12. Capitolul 5. Lumea arabo-musulmana - pag. 87
13. Capitolul 6. Zona rurala - pag. 99
14. Capitolul 7. Viata oraselor - pag. 108
15. Capitolul 8. Orasele si conducatorii lor - pag. 125
16. Capitolul 9. Cai ale islamului - pag. 139
17. Capitolul 10. Ulama si cultura lor - pag. 148
18. Capitolul 11. Directii de gandire divergente - pag. 159
19. Capitolul 12. Cultura de la palat si cultura populara - pag. 172

PARTEA a III-a – PERIOADA OTOMANA (SECOLELE AL XVI-LEA – AL XVIII-LEA)

20. Capitolul 13. Imperiul Otoman - pag. 187
21. Capitolul 14. Societatile otomane - pag. 204
22. Capitolul 15. Schimbarea echilibrului de putere in secolul al XVIII-lea - pag. 218

PARTEA a IV-a – EPOCA IMPERIILOR EUROPENE (1800 – 1860)

23. Capitolul 16. Puterea europeana si guvernele reformiste (1800 – 1860) - pag. 231
24. Capitolul 17. Imperiile europene si elitele domoinante (1860 – 1914) - pag. 242
25. Capitolul 18. Cultura imperialismului si reforma - pag. 258
26. Capitolul 19. Apogeul puterii europene (1914 – 1939) - pag. 270
27. Capitolul 20. Noi moduri de viata si de gandire (1914 – 1939) - pag. 284

PARTEA a V-a – EPOCA STATELOR-NATIUNI (INCEPAND CU 1939)

28. Capitolul 21. Sfarsitul imperiilor (1939 – 1962) - pag. 301
29. Capitolul 22. Socientati in schimbare (anii 40 si 50 ai secolului XX) - pag. 316
30. Capitolul 23. Cultura nationala (anii 40 si 50 ai secolului XX) - pag. 329
31. Capitolul 24. Apogeul arabismului (anii 50 si 60 ai secolului XX) - pag. 338
32. Capitolul 25. Unitatea si dezbinarea arabe (din 1967) - pag. 349
33. Capitolul 26. O neliniste a spiritelor (din 1967) - pag. 363

34. Postfata (2012) - pag. 383
35. Harti - pag. 413
36. Familia profetului - pag. 437
37. Imam-ii siiti - pag. 438
38. Califii - pag. 439
39. Dinastiile importante - pag. 441
40. Familiile domnitoare in secolele al XIX-lea si XX - pag. 442
41. Hasimitii - pag. 444
42. Note - pag. 445
43. Bibliografie - pag. 453
44. Index de termeni - pag. 489
45. Index - pag. 493

There is a 2018 version so 20 + years on

This is a reasonably interesting book on the thoughts of various 19th and early 20th century Arab thinkers on governance and secular modernization. These thoughts were for the most part inspired by events in Europe, but Europe remains firmly in the background in this book. The author usually just notes that a particular thinker spent so an so many years in France before returning home, and instead explains in some detail how the person in question wanted to reform his own country. The legitimacy of the Ottoman empire, the preconditions of national solidarity, and nationalism (in the latter part of the period, during the birth of independent nation states in Arab lands) take center stage. It seems like most of the plans and ideas presented in this book did not incite much enthusiasm among a broader public and political developments didn't proceed in the way that any of these authors expected, but it's nevertheless interesting to learn about their worldview.

Political ideas are one central theme of this book and religion is another. Most of the writers presented consider these two themes inseparable. Again and again they return to the same dilemma: modernization can be good only insofar as it accommodates Islam, but Islam cannot be reformed or modernized. There's a passage somewhere in the book about one of these "modern" Arab thinkers (I forgot which one) who considers long and hard if those who convert away from Islam should be allowed to live or not. Others are much more tolerant, but I think this illustrates well how the strength of islamic tradition shackled the development of new ideas on tolerance and freedom in the Arab world. Even enterprising intellectuals with full freedom of expression struggled to reconcile their religious beliefs with political, economic and technical development. In the face of such a fundamental obstacle to modernization, it seems to be no wonder that Arab societies have developed so fitfully and achieved so little political freedom in the 100 years that have passed after these ideas were published.

It was OK, actually pretty interesting.

I listened to the audiobook and the reader, Wanda McCaddon was sooo bored that she was unable to hide it. In her defense I want to note that she, Wanda McCaddon, has done an exquisite, effectively perfect reading of Anna Kareina.

This is one of the best history books of this scope that I have read. We learn about the history of the Arab peoples from the early life of Mohammed and the birth of Islam, through the rapid Arab conquest through the Middle East, North Africa, and up to Spain. We hear of the Islamic golden age, the sporadic fracturing and reshuffling of dynasties across continents, the coming and going of empires, schools of Islamic thought, and their discord over the last 1400 years.
Somehow this account manages to stay engaging and entertaining while remaining even-handed and unbiased. What we come away with is some appreciation of the huge complexity of the political, religious, and cultural situation in the Middle East, based on a fascinating and turbulent history. This book is highly recommended for anyone wanting to gain some understanding of the history and culture of this section of the world.½

I read this book because I have been so confused by the endless troubles in the Middle East. Now I understand that things actually ARE totally confusing and extremely complicated so I feel much better about that. The scope of this book is vast and the range of angles from which the author approaches his subject is remarkable. A great book. I just feel I need to read it all over again.

Albert Hourani - A History of the Arab Peoples, 1992 edition

This book is a mile-high overview of the history of Arab peoples from Mohammed to 1991. I imagine it is standard textbook in an Arab Culture or Middle Eastern studies curriculum. In certain eras, Hourani has little historic and archaeological information to go on but does his best to present what we know. He does not have the space to delve into the details of any particular events, personalities, or tribal distinctions. I would have liked for him to elaborate on the linguistic differences across Arab lands, but instead he closes the book with a look at the modern political languages of Arabs: nationalism, social justice, and Islam. He also is able to give little detail when he reports particular events, such as when a leader was assassinated, and why that event was important and what exactly the context was. If you're interested in a particular region or country, check out more specific books. Histories written with narratives and anecdotes of the time are easier to read, but may contain less information. This book contains nothing of the sort and is all information.

I learned much about Arab peoples and their history, the interaction with Turkish history via the Ottoman age, and a little about how modern borders were formed, although much of explanation of development of modern states is too detailed for this book.

Part I: (Seventh-Tenth Century)
pre-800 A.D. Muslims had copied/studied almost the entirety of know Greek texts, preserving them to be translated back into Latin in the Middle Ages. Arabs also developed on the science and mathematics found in the texts, publishing their own works.

Hourani explains how tradition on Mohammed differs, his sayings were compiled first during the reign of his third successor. There is much debate about his life and the authenticity of what is recorded. Hourani returns to Koranic interpretation throughout the book, explaining how the various schools of religious and philosophical thought developed. He looks at Persian Shiite beliefs as well, the Mahdi belief arose very early. Abbasids vs Shiites, etc. Mystical experiences and writings versus more strict traditions, etc.

Despite Mohammed's wishes, it appears monasticism in Christianity was influential on Muslim scholars, and some issues of Islamic doctrine mirror debates in the monophysite Christian churches as well. Paternalism was present well before Islam (and Judaism) in the Middle Eastern native cultures.

Part II: Arab Muslim Societies (11th-15th centuries)
Hourani looks at the spread of Islam and the interaction of Arabs, Persians, and Turks. There is a look at cities, Hourani notes that Cairo and Baghdad were likely metropolises of 250,000 before the plague. The Mamluk's controlled the land from Mecca to Cairo and ruled via vassals. Mamluk government differed from that of the Seljuk's in Anatolia. He describes the common architecture found in cities, houses, palaces, as well as the importance of Arabic writing in artwork. Wine seems to have been widely consumed despite prohibition. The Arabian Nights and other tales probably originated from other cultures and were translated into Arabic, the earliest roots seem to come from the 10th century.Schools of theology and laws became important. Islamic scholars were expected to travel around learning from various teachers to get a wide range of views. I found his discussion of "ishtihad," or "independent reasoning" in Sunni law as interesting. Only a "mujtahid" is qualified to exercise "ijtihad" in evaluating Islamic law. The Koran and Hadith were not sufficient, knowledge of history and reason were also required. (This is something ISIS apparently rejects, it is a pre-11th century version of Islam).


Part III: Ottoman Age (16th-18th centuries)
While the Ottomans are Turks, they ruled over the Arab people and set the stage for the modern struggles of Arab independence movements. I enjoyed the lengthy look at Ottoman government and culture. The Ottomans were innovative in that they codified their laws, including the Sharia aspects (just as Justinian had done with Roman law during the Byzantine Age, not mentioned by the author). We forget that besides the Crimean War of 1853-1856, there was the previous Russian-Ottoman conflict of 1768-1774 in which the Russians annexed Crimea. This has implications for events of today.

Hourani does a good job looking at reform attempts within the aging Ottoman empire and how that later affected Arab independence movements. Turkey also dominates much of Part IV. Hourani does look at Jewish relations with Arab Muslims over the centuries as well.

Part IV: The Age of European Empires (1800-1939)
As Europe grew stronger and the Ottomans grew weaker, Europe made its presence felt in North Africa and the Middle East. French colonization of Algeria is examined. U.S. aid money for Lebanese survivors of a civil war in 1860 was one of the first examples of a coordinated international aid effort. The U.S. later set up schools in the area, as well as France and other powers. Germany was of large assistance to Turkey and the British took more interest in Middle Eastern oil.
The first Western interest in Middle Eastern philosophy and history came in the early 1900s. Hourani mentions the 1908 Arab revolts and widespread killings of Armenians without the dreaded "g-word."

I learned a bit about the development of Salafism in the 20th century and the roots of Arab nationalism in Syria. He of course looks at T.E. Lawrence and WWI but remarks that the fabled Arab Revolt is of debatable value in the war. The division to modern borders is really only glossed over in Part IV and Part V.

Part V: The Age of Nation-States (since 1939)
As linguistic study and literacy increased in the 20th century, so did Arab/Islamic philosophy and poetry. Hourani makes remarks on several poets who choose to publish works in the colloquial Arabic. Economic growth happened post WWII, but stagnated as countries like Egypt tilted toward Socialism and became reliant on either the West or the USSR for aid and military support. Arabic socialism as promoted by Nasser had little appeal to Islam but rather to nationalism and anti-colonialism.

Hourani describes some of the political intrigue of the 1950s-1970s, with coups and assisinations. Rivalries and wars with Israel, etc. He gives an overview of how Arabs favor strong central governments, partly as a reaction to western colonialism, and partly in order to unite and subdue several competing factions within arbitrary borders (think Iraq). He also describes the evolution of the role of women both in economics and in politics. The rise of the Muslim brotherhood is described as one of several attempts to interpret Islam and its idea of social justice into modern contexts. The competition with Wahabist and Sufi schools of thought, critical today as Sunni Arabs are now at war with one another in Syria. Hourani makes no predictions about the future but clearly does not forsee current developments. The book was written before the Gulf War of 1991, so it is dated (while a later version adds an afterword with updates).

I learned a lot about the Arab peoples and have a greater appreciation for the cultural history. I'm giving it 4.5 stars out of 5. I partly wish the author had broken it down into five larger volumes with more detail, but am glad for this large overview.

This is a classic and much respected history of the Arab world by an author well known for his knowledge and skill.

This book was a good, balanced chronicle of the history and evolution of Islam, the Arabic people, and the nations that arose as a result. It should be required reading for anyone elected into congress or the executive branch and all the empty suits appointed into cabinet or embassy positions that deal with the Middle East and Islamic issues. Very apropos now given the events that have taken place recently in Egypt and other countries.

Hourani takes us from Muhammad to about 1990 and then Malise Ruthven takes us to 2009 in his afterword. It looks like another afterword might be needed soon. It was especially refreshing to read that for much of the earlier history covered in the book and in many places in the Islamic empire that non-Muslims were not only tolerated but made important contributions to the societies. OK, they had to pay a head tax for being non-Muslim but that beats losing your head in a pogrom or purge.

This is stuff you never learned in school and that was probably never even taught. If you are feeling a tinge of Islamophobia coming on this book might help you get over it.

The result of a life time's study, it concisely encapsulates the last millenium or so of Arab history in the Middle East. It's a great introduction and also contains a few useful lists.

http://nhw.livejournal.com/1048242.html

It's an interesting survey - I have been reading a bit about the origins of Islam (both Rogerson's books and this piece by Patricia Crone) but Hourani's book starts from there and takes the narrative up to the late 80s. (The 2002 afterword, by someone else, suffers from not saying enough about Iraq.)

What I most liked about the book was the emphasis on social and economic as well as political history - and that is a big admission for me, because normally I only like the political history bits. Hourani modestly claims that in this he is following the example of the great Ibn Khaldūn, but I'm sure he brings an extra six centuries of historiography to bear as well (I am sorry to say that I have read only extracts of Ibn Khaldūn; I see the Muqaddimah is on-line here though.) By concentrating on philosophy and culture he makes a good implicit case that currents of Islamic thought had a greater direct impact on local politics than perhaps the equivalents for Christianity.

Which links neatly to my only grounds of dissatisfaction with the book; which are (rather unreasonably of me, since he covers a pretty large chunk of the world) that it doesn't look widely enough. Iran and Persia are barely mentioned; likewise India, the Balkans and Cyprus, all of which are important interfaces between Islam and other faiths. Turkey proper, because of the longevity of the Ottoman Empire, gets a bit more coverage, as does Al-Andalus, but sub-Saharan Africa, Indonesia, Central Asia and Afghanistan are basically invisible. OK, the book is technically about Arabs rather than Muslims, but it concentrates so much on Islam (and correspondingly less on Arab Christians, except in Lebanon) that I felt the non-Arab Muslims got rather short shrift.

Anyway, well worth reading.½

An expert exposition on the history of the Middle-East. While it is not about Islam per se, Islam was the catalyst which unified the previously tribal people of the Arabian Peninsula and galvanized their rise to become a player on the world stage. Thus Islam plays a predominant role in the book, and it is a good resource for an understanding of many modern Islamic issues. He also explores in depth the era of European imperialism and its impact on modern Arabian social movements. The writing strikes a nice balance; a scholarly work, it is still not forbidding for a non-academic reader.½

Tenth century dynastic succession is just not my cup of tea, I guess, so I quickly got lost and disinterested, but a friend who has actually studied Islamic history says this is an excellent survey book, so I'll take her word for it.

Desde a Segunda Guerra Mundial, os povos árabes estão no centro das questões mais turbulentas de nossa época. No entanto, sabemos muito pouco deles e de sua história. É esta lacuna que Albert Hourani, durante décadas professor em Oxford, vem sanar, apresentando de forma clara e suscinta um enorme volume de informações. Partindo do aparecimento do Islã, no século VII, até a recente reafirmação da identidade islâmica e disseminação dos grupos fundamentalistas, Hourani proporciona uma rara e equilibrada visão de todos os aspectos da história das sociedades árabes. Tudo isso sem deixar de fazer um exame completo das instituições sociais, da literatura e outras formas artísticas, da situação da mulher, dos deslocamentos demográficos e da multiplicidade de movimentos religiosos e intelectuais.

A solid, readable, informative book. It encompasses the history of the Arabs and Islam in the middle east and does not include the history of Islam in other regions such as Indonesia or non-Arab Muslims such as those who live in modern day Iran and Pakistan.

The book does not focus on "Great Men" and instead describes demographic, economical, ideological and other processes. For example, Suleyman the Magnificent and Salah ad-Din are mentioned only fleetingly.

To people who are not familiar with the basics of Arab history, I would recommend reading up on it on wikipedia before starting with this book, since the writer tends to assume that the reader is familiar with it and almost skips the major events. For example, the Sunni-Shia split is described in a few sentences and can be easily missed leaving the reader confused for the rest of the book.

Hourani usefully pulls together the varied strands of Arab / Muslim history filling in (for me) hazy gaps. There's some pre 7th century scene setting, but it mostly covers the period from the first arab conquests to the present day in a careful even handed way. Overall it's an interesting book about a loose but real cultural/religious identity.

A history of the Arab peoples. El autor, Hourani, es un estudioso del mundo árabe y de Oriente. El pensador Edward Said considera que es una obra libre de prejuicios.

PRIMERA GAVETA ( IZQ. ) PARTE MEDIA