In Search of the True Political Position of the 'Ulama: An Analysis of the Aims and Perspectives of the Chronicles of Abd al-Rahman al-Jabarti (1753-1825).

• Author: Hatina, Meir
• Position: Book review

In Search of the True Political Position of the 'Ulama: An Analysis of the Aims and Perspectives of the Chronicles of Abd al-Rahman al-Jabarti (1753-1825). By LARS BJORNEBOE. Proceedings of the Danish Institute in Damascus, vol. 5. Arhus: AARHUS UNIVERSITY PRESS and the DANISH INSTITUTE IN DAMASCUS, 2007. Pp. 358. [euro]50.95.

Scholarship has long depicted the entry into modernity of Muslim society as a watershed in the history of Sunni religious thought, marking the declining status of the ulama following the establishment of the centralized state and the rise of lay professionals. The paradigm of decline, winch was long under the influence of modernization theories, has been seen in recent years, however, as too sweeping and as one that ignores the voices of vitality and assertiveness of the ulama ranks and their continued function as cultural brokers of Muslim society. Nevertheless, this paradigm rightly pointed out a general pattern of erosion, manifested in the incorporation of the ulama into the state machinery and their loss of monopoly as arbiters of religious knowledge. The writings of the Egyptian historian 'Abd al-Rahman al-Jabarti (d. 1825) capture the moment prior to the intensive encounter with modernity as well as the divide between seniority and erosion of the ulama. Al-Jabarti became an authoritative source for many scholars in reconstructing the features of Egyptian society of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries.

Himself a scion of an ulama family, al-Jabarti wrote extensively on the religious community of his time. In his Islamic hierarchy, the ulama were ranked second only to the prophets and above the rulers, who were required to consult with them. In due course al-Jabarti's admiration for the ulama became more ambivalent, given their craving for worldly goods and honors. The detailed and rich information he provided has inspired much research, not to mention translations and editions of his chronicles. Lars Bjorneboe's recent study offers a fresh perspective, as it highlights the evolution of al-Jabarti's political thought in direct relation to key political events. These events were centered mainly on the French occupation (1798-1801) and on the early years of Muhammad 'Ali's reign (1805-1815), thus positioning al-Jabarti as a contemporary historian involved in the life of his community and eager to mold its course.

The format of the book, based on a revised doctoral dissertation, is systematic. It...