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| The Hindu Phenomenon |
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RETREAT AND RAGE |
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reference to the rise of the Wahhabi movement, which has doubtless
deeply influenced the course of Muslim history, Choueiri adds: "More
importantly, the dominant position of the British in Indian
textiles, spices and indigo diverted the Gujarat-Red Sea trade route
away from Arabia. The British ascendancy precipitated the commercial
collapse of the foremost Arabian ruler, the sharif of Mecca. He
consequently lost his ability to act as patron of various tribes or
to continue to employ those of Central Asia in his trading
activities. Wahhabism managed to rally under its banner tribes which
were most adversely affected by this turn of fortune." 9
Choueiri lists other similar
movements resulting from European economic penetration -the Padri
movement in sumatra between 1837; the Faraizis in Bengal from 1820
to 1860; the Sunusiyyas in the tribal region between the
Mediterranean coast and Chadian territories; and those in Sudan and
Somalia. Though not always,as in the Indian case, the revivalist
centers of action were often geographical peripheries of areas lying
outside the control of central authorities, their social composition
consisting mainly of tribal confederacies or alliances organized
into new orders. |
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