Luke.Schleuse...@... wrote:
> running dogg wrote:
> > What if the nascent Islamic empire decoupled religious and political
> > authority?
Let me insert the rest of the original post for possible later
references:
> > In this TL, the Caliph is the leader of the Muslim religion,
> > but not of the Muslim empire. The Caliph becomes a Muslim Pope who has
> > ecclesiastical influence but no political influence. Maybe he controls
> > the Hejaz (the holy region where Mecca and Medina are located) but
> > nothing else politically. How would this affect the development of
> > Islam? Would it be easier to keep the religion from fragmenting and
> > eventually keep cults like Wahhabism from forming?
>
> Man, I love all the post 9/11 coffee table crap, which makes people
> think they know something about Islam.
>
> The short answer to your question is just that you're wrong.
>
> The longer answer is something like what can be found here:
> http://groups.google.com/group/soc.history.what-if/browse_frm/thread/242d=
c1d03f72ae36/a0e31436f0dbf7c5?q=3Dtaqlid&rnum=3D1#a0e31436f0dbf7c5
>
> Which actually deals with real Islam, rather than the Chris
> Hitchens-Tom Friedman school of Islamic studies.
>
> Cheers
>
> L
I am really not sure if this reply is that helpful. Yes, it does
achieve to convey the point
that people should not post about things they are not deeply
knowledgeable about,
but IMHO it could be even argued whether that actually is desirable.
Just to add a few more, undoubetdly also very shallow, details to the
OP: Could it happen
around 656 to 61 that Ali was neither deposed nur killed but
restricted by force to a more
or less spiritual role in guiding the Holy Cities, whereas a less
successful Muawiyah as
governor of Syria manages to become the real political and military
leader. Ali=B4s son
Hasan later is kept in Medina as a ceremonial figurehead, not too
opposite from his OTL
life as Muawiyah=B4s pensioneer. From him, a Hejaz-based line of *Shia
Imams descend,
whereas the Umayyads rule from Damascus as Commanders of the Faithful.
The very
title of Caliph may fall out of use, even.
No doubt, I may suggesting impossible develpoments, too. But I would
like if you indicated=20
what there are.
Thanks,
J=F6rg
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