al-Istimaar fi al-Asr al-Hadith wa Dawafihi al-Diniyya
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- al-Istimaar fi al-Asr al-Hadith wa Dawafihi al-Diniyya
Al-Istimar fi al-Asr al-Hadith wa Dawafihi al-Diniyya (Colonialism in the Modern Era and Its Religious Motives) is a historical and polemical treatise by the contemporary Saudi scholar Munqidh al-Saqqar, written in Mecca in Muharram 1427 AH (February 2006 CE) . The book examines the historical development of modern Western imperialism over the eighteenth to twentieth centuries, arguing that modern colonial expansion into the Muslim world was intrinsically linked to Christian missionary aims rather than solely driven by political and economic interests .
Structure and Scope
The work is organized into an introduction, three main chapters (mabahith), and a concluding bibliography :
- Introduction (Muqaddima): Frames the subject by situating modern colonialism within the broader continuum of military campaigns against the Muslim world, from the Crusades and the Mongol invasions to modern times . It questions whether modern Western interventions were genuinely benevolent civilizing missions or whether they concealed enduring religious motivations .
- Chapter 1: Colonialism (al-Istimar): Analyzes the linguistic and conventional meanings of the term istimar, contrasting its original Arabic sense of "development" or "cultivation" with its historical reality of subjugation and exploitation . It surveys the early phase of European geographical exploration, including Vasco da Gama's circumnavigation of Africa in 1499 CE, early Portuguese dominance across the Indian Ocean and Gulf coasts, and the later commercial and military rivalries between British and French East India companies .
- Chapter 2: Christian Missionary Work (al-Tabshir): Examines the history, primary objectives, and institutional strategies of Christian evangelism directed toward Muslim societies .
- Chapter 3: The Relationship Between Missionary Work and Colonialism (al-Alaqa bayn al-Tabshir wa al-Istimar): Explores how imperial administrations and Christian missionary bodies operated in tandem throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries .
Core Themes and Arguments
The central argument of the book posits that colonialism and missionary work represent "two sides of the same coin," where evangelists provided the religious and cultural cover for colonial expansion while colonial armies secured the political framework necessary for missionary operations . To demonstrate this institutional alignment, the author highlights historical precedents such as fifteenth-century papal bulls—issued by Popes Nicholas V, Callixtus III, and Alexander VI—which granted Portuguese and Spanish monarchs territorial claims in Africa and the Americas on condition of converting native populations .
The book further documents how European powers used missionary networks to cultivate domestic goodwill among colonized populations, citing figures such as Cardinal Lavigerie in Algeria and Syria . It notes that geopolitical tensions between European nations directly affected missionary organizations, leading colonial administrations to expel rival foreign missions from their protectorates . Al-Saqqar also discusses the suppression of Islamic institutions under colonial rule, documenting incidents such as the conversion of the historic Ketchaoua Mosque in Algiers into Saint Philippe Cathedral by French authorities under General Rovigo .
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