@LenteCurrite @BharatDharma I think the story is not that simple - we are seeing the results of a careful British (and of course rival European powers like Germans or French) nurturing of jihadis& intervention in any trend towards criticism/destruction of mullahs over the last 3 centuries.
@LenteCurrite @BharatDharma The very first spread of Islam shdnt be seen in the grand narrative of sweeping devotion of millions and fabulous battles of 100's of 1000's. Most early "successes" were within small tribal factional skirmishes - in a backdrop of a no-mans land between two exhausted superpowers.
@LenteCurrite @BharatDharma its almost certain if either of Roman or Parthian empires had a strong presence in the zone, and not neglected administration after an exhaustive war - the founder and his band of raiders wd hv been quickly crucified or cut to pieces, or they wdnt hv even dared to expand.
@LenteCurrite @BharatDharma that the raiding and looting had to start so quickly after "hijra" was allowed by the supposedly inimical Meccan kin of the founder: itself points to lack of rapid initial growth by gentle persuasion. Even after relative success ag settled Jews around Yathrib,
@LenteCurrite @BharatDharma the first open assault ag Rum under the founder was a disaster, and the brave jihadis - as they hv always subsequently done when faced with annihilation - fled helter skelter. for remainder of his life it was back to ambush/stealth. This is when bulsters ag "hypocrites" appear.
@LenteCurrite @BharatDharma the end of founders life, and immediate after - there were huge factional infighting - and with indications of explicit ideological challenges to the doctrine, splits, and violent warfare among the "faithful". It was a perfect storm that allowed the expansion.
@LenteCurrite @BharatDharma Islam succeeds on success, and that success is primarily military coercion in form or another: that is each of battles/raids that do not cost severely in retaliation - is seen as proof of their religions strength and its "god".
@LenteCurrite @BharatDharma Every concession or "act of kindness" by the non-Muslim is seen as forced by Islam's "god"'s strength - not out of any humanitarian or cultural values of the non-Muslim. Hence at every point of history Islam suffered treatment that it meted out through jihad on others - it bent.
@LenteCurrite @BharatDharma Even now the jiahdi section of muslims admire the "west" for the west beat them to a pulp during colonial expansion - and most muslim rulers including influential mullahs quickly rationalized their reasons for collaboration and submission to Europeans.
@LenteCurrite @BharatDharma That shd indicate that Muslims admire China most now - for China's treatment of Uyghur muslims. The fact that Islamic radicals "respect" Hindus less indicates Hindus treated them with dignity or humanity even when Muslims were defeated.
@LenteCurrite @BharatDharma @BharatDharma is right in the Indian muslims looking upto Iran and Saudis but I am not so sure that any form of rejection of Islam/mullahs there will demoralize Indian Islam. Over the last 300 years the "Arabist" faction of ulema has won.
@LenteCurrite @BharatDharma Not many know the role of Indian ulema in ideological fight to chastize and revive the "Arabic" spirit of Islam, with a string of critical pieces from 18th c, on how "Arabia" was falling from its historical role, and how Indian ulema were preserving that "Arabic" spirit.
@LenteCurrite @BharatDharma the ulema form a flexible and highly opportunist politico military matrix which can suitably pretend to be "pure theology" when facing annihilation to try and manipulate enemy sentiments/values and deflect attention from their textual repositories of theory& tools of jihad
@LenteCurrite @BharatDharma and when suitable numbers of jihadis have been grown through deception of a penetrated host non-Muslim society - the same mullah matrix will bring up the very same texts it once deceptively "interpreted" in ways to allay suspicion - as same old 7th c jihadi takeover of state.
@LenteCurrite @BharatDharma note that all the ideological HQ's of Barelvi, Nadwatul, Deoband, or Tablighi's - descend from ulema who had been at forefront of jihadi ideology in earlier centuries - none mo from their bases in indep India after partition. But simply branched out into Pakistan.
@LenteCurrite @BharatDharma In fact all have their centres in UP. Thus the ulemaic network spanning the subcontinent remained intact - with full utilization of the bindings imposed on indep India to continue Islamization project while Pakistan provided greater direct jihadi opportunity.
@LenteCurrite @BharatDharma whenever they feel they hv the numbers, Ulema will do a Khomeini as has happened in every country where Islam gained numerical significance to bid for direct imposition of an Islamic state. Until that time Ulema will do "nuance& conext" trying to prevent pre-emptive elimination.
@LenteCurrite @BharatDharma I am inclined to believe, given strong Arabist tendencies in Indian ulema since indep - even if mullahs r bypassed/weakened in Iran& Saudi (even if not expected) - Indian ulema will claim their preserved "Arabist" pure-Islam as a source of revival.
