al-Istishraq wa al-Tabshir
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al-Istishraq wa al-Tabshir (Orientalism and Christian Missionary Work) is a treatise by the Egyptian scholar Muhammad al-Sayyid al-Julaynd that examines the historical origins, methods, and ideological objectives of Western Orientalism and Christian proselytization in the Islamic world.
Background and Purpose
The work was composed as a concise study in response to a request from the Faculty of Sharia at Qatar University. Al-Julaynd states that he undertook the project after observing the cultural, educational, and media impact of Orientalist and missionary ideas in various Arab countries, citing debates surrounding family structure, divorce, and inheritance.
In his introduction, the author makes distinctions regarding the subject matter: he distinguishes between Christianity (al-Masihiyyah) as a revealed faith and contemporary "Crusaderism" (al-Salibiyyah al-muʿasirah) as a political and cultural ideology aimed at cultural hegemony over the Muslim world. He also notes that not all Orientalists hold identical views and that some approached Islamic studies with fairness and produced scholarship beneficial to Muslims, while maintaining that Orientalism and missionary endeavors served historically as instruments of Western colonialism.
Structure and Contents
The book is structured into two main parts followed by specific thematic discussions:
- Part One: Orientalism and Orientalists (al-Istishraq wa al-Mustashriqun): Traces the historical emergence of Orientalism and links its development to the European failure in the military Crusades, which led Western scholars and clergy to study Eastern languages, thought, and culture as an alternative means of engagement. It highlights early pioneers, such as the French monk Gerbert of Aurillac (Pope Sylvester II), Constantine the African, Peter the Venerable, and Gerard of Cremona, as well as the institutionalization of Arabic chairs following the Council of Vienne in 1311–1312 CE. It analyzes Orientalist scholarship regarding the Quran, the Prophet Muhammad, and Islamic thought, addressing arguments concerning originality versus imitation (al-asalah wa al-taqlid).
- Part Two: Missionary Policy in the Muslim World (Siyasat al-Tansir fi al-ʿAlam al-Islami): Explores the terminology of tabshir (evangelization) versus tansir (Christianization) and details the organizational links between Orientalist scholarship and missionary campaigns. It surveys missionary institutions, methods, and conferences, with a specific focus on missionary activities in the Arabian Peninsula targeting the region surrounding the Two Holy Mosques, efforts around al-Azhar in Egypt, and the status of migrant labor under church programs.
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