From historical unification to the conflict of minorities and the dilemma of the majority
Introduction:
“If the Phoenician sect is These and the Arab sect is Antthese, or vice versa, that is, if the two religious sects put forward two opposing theories, then there is no doubt that the principle of the unity of the Syrian nation, composed of two basic Mediterranean and Aryan lineages, is
Here, Saadeh points to the religious root of Arabism. It was not nationalism in the scientific sense, tied to a specific territory, but rather a continuation of the Islamic call. This religious root is what made it a fluid concept, incapable of geographical definition, thus creating chaos in defining the identity of the various nations of the Arab world, because belonging became linked to a religious community extending without borders, rather than to a tangible homeland and a real people.
The aim of this study is not merely to dismantle a passing phenomenon, but to delve into the depths of a deep-seated identity crisis that has plagued the Arab region for decades, The crisis we are experiencing is not simply political or economic; it is an existential crisis connected to questions of destiny and belonging: Who are we? Where do we belong? And on what basis do we build our states and societies?
Arabism as an Islamic mask
The crucial observation that sets us on the right path is that made by the thinker Antoun Saadeh, when he distinguished between nationalism in the scientific sense (a group of people sharing a common land and common interests) and the prevailing Arabism, which is essentially an extension of the Islamic call. Islam united the Arabs under the banner of religion, and then Arabism emerged in the twentieth century to maintain the same sense of solidarity but in a modern language.
This concept explains several phenomena:
Arabism cannot be defined by clear geographical boundaries, because it is based on an extended religious nation.
Criticizing Arabism becomes similar to criticizing Islam in the minds of many.
Arabism quickly transforms into a direct religious discourse whenever crises intensify.
Exclusion of minorities and revealing the true face
What takfiri movements (ISIS, al-Qaeda, etc.) have done is expose the practical face of this fanaticism. They have revealed that “Islamic brotherhood” means nothing in the face of eliminating the “other” within the same faith, whether they are Shiites, Alawites, or even moderate Sunnis. More importantly, they have confirmed to minorities (Christians, Yazidis, Alawites, etc.) that they have no place in this project, even if it speaks of Arabism.
The reactions of minorities were predictable: either retreating into their sects, seeking external protection (jumping from the frying pan into the fire), or rushing towards building national, civil states. But the last option remained trapped by the culture of the majority, clinging to its tribalism.
The dilemma of the Sunni majority in the Levant and the Shiite majority in Iraq
The Sunni and Shiite Arab majority faces a real dilemma: why cling to this sectarianism despite its abject failure to achieve any progress or stability?
This adherence can be explained by several factors:
1. Ideological vacuum: The other alternatives (secular nationalism, the left, liberalism) have lost their luster and popularity.
2. Fear of fragmentation: Abandoning Arabism means facing the reality that the Islamic/Arab nation is merely a collection of nation-states, and this is frightening for those who were raised on the dream of a single nation.
3. Psychological comfort: Arabism offers a simple explanation for crises (external conspiracy) without the need for painful self-examination.
4. Lack of a convincing alternative: Although theoretical alternatives exist, they remain unmarketed in the media and do not have influential institutions.
Saadeh thought: A solution is necessary.
Here, Antoun Saadeh’s thought emerges as the indispensable solution to escape this predicament. Saadeh did not merely offer philosophical theorizing; rather, he laid the foundations for a comprehensive renaissance project based on clear scientific principles.
First: Syrian Social Nationalism as a scientific concept
Saadeh defined the Syrian nation as: “The unity of the Syrian people, generated from a long history dating back to before recorded history.” He defined the Syrian homeland as: “The Syrian homeland is the natural environment in which the Syrian nation arose. It has geographical boundaries that distinguish it from others, extending from the Taurus Mountains in the northwest and the Bakhtiari Mountains in the northeast to the Suez Canal and the Red Sea in the south, including the Sinai Peninsula and the Gulf of Aqaba, and from the Mediterranean Sea in the west, including the island of Cyprus, to the arc of the Arabian Desert and the Persian Gulf in the east. It is generally expressed as: the Fertile Crescent of Syria, with the island of Cyprus as its star.”
The Syrian nation is a blend of lineages that have interacted horizontally and vertically with the land over time, forming a single identity that distinguishes its national character. This definition puts an end to the vagueness and ambiguity that characterize Arabism, and establishes a nation that is geographically and demographically defined.
Second: Separation of religion from the state
One of the most serious things Saadeh rejected was the mixing of religion and politics under any pretext. Saadeh’s thought advocates a radical separation of religion and state, while respecting religion as a spiritual and moral framework for society. This principle is the only guarantee for protecting minorities and building genuine, equal citizenship.
Third: Nationalism as a civilizational ideology
Saadeh argues that nationalism is a nation’s self-awareness, thus elevating it to the level of a civilizational ideology that replaces religious fanaticism. For him, nationalism is not merely an emotional attachment, but a comprehensive developmental project that liberates humanity from subservience to the past and propels it toward building the future.
Fourth: Comprehensive secularism
Saadeh laid the foundations for a comprehensive secularism that is not limited to separating religion from the state, but extends to liberating the mind from superstition and thought from stagnation, and unleashing human energies in creativity and construction.
Fifth: Unity of national destiny
Instead of a unity based solely on religion or language, Saadeh’s thought offers a unity of actual participation in life within an environment that has geographical boundaries that distinguish it from others, regardless of race, religion, and language, thus becoming a unified life and a unified destiny. This unity does not negate particularities but rather integrates them into the crucible of active citizenship.
Why did Saadeh think that this was the solution?
Because it answers the questions that Arabism has failed to answer:
It defines the nation with clear geographical boundaries, so that belonging is no longer vague.
It establishes equal citizenship for all members of the nation, regardless of their religion, sect, race, or language.
It liberates the mind from the dominance of religious discourse over politics and society.
It presents a comprehensive development project instead of dwelling on the past and invoking glories that do not belong to reality.
· It protects minorities by building a state of institutions and law, based on a new moral mindset, not a state of tribalism and favoritism.
in conclusion
The civil wars, foreign interventions, and international collapses currently plaguing the Arab region represent the arduous labor pains of a new birth. However, this birth will only be complete with a fundamental reassessment of the foundations upon which previous political projects were built.
Saadeh’s thought presents us with this review, and puts us before a clear choice: either to continue with a religious, linguistic, and ethnic fanaticism that has proven its historical failure and led us to fragmentation and conflict, or to engage in a secular national social project that lays the foundations for a modern state capable of accommodating everyone and building a common future.
The intellectual tools are available, bitter experiences are driving change, and the alternative is clearly defined. All that is needed is the will to break free from the shackles of the past and the courage to embark on the path of true renaissance.
You are absolutely right, and this is an important and accurate correction.
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Apologizing for the mistake