Table Of Content100 Y M
EARS OF THE IDDLE
E
AST
Adnan Khan
2 | 100 Years of the Middle East
MaktabaIslamia Publications
www.maktabaislamia.com
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2016 CE – 1437 H
Translation of the Qur’ān
It should be perfectly clear that the Qur’ān is only authentic in its original
language, Arabic. Since perfect translation of the Qur’ān is impossible, we
have used the translation of the meaning of the Qur’ān throughout the
book, as the result is only a crude meaning of the Arabic text.
Qur’ānic verses appear in speech marks proceeded by a reference to the
Surah and verse number. Sayings (Hadith) of Prophet Muhammad appear
in inverted commas along with reference to the Hadith Book and its
Reporter.
- ملسو هيلع للها ىلص (Peace be upon him)
- لىاعتو هناحبس (Glory to Him, the Exalted)
100 Years of the Middle East | 3
“I think the Sykes-Picot agreement is falling apart, which is an interesting phenomenon.
That is a century. But, the Sykes-Picot agreement was just an imperial imposition that
has no legitimacy; there is no reason for any of these borders – except the interests of the
imperial powers.
I think as far as Sykes-Picot is concerned, it is beginning to erode. Whatever happens in
Syria – it’s hard to imagine – but if anything survives, parts of Syria will be separated.
The Kurdish areas are almost autonomous now and they are beginning to link up with
the almost-autonomous parts of Northern Iraq Kurdish areas, and may spill over to some
extent to south-eastern Turkey. What will happen in the rest of the country is hard to
say.”1
[Noam Chomsky]
“We must face the truth; Iraq no longer exists and Syria no longer exists whilst Lebanon
is virtually a failed state and it is probable that Libya will be likewise. We now have the
Islamic State, Al-Qaeda, Kurds, Sunnis, Shia and Alawites in what was previously
called Syria and Iraq.”2
[Michael Hayden, former Director of the CIA]
100 Years of the Middle East | 5
CONTENTS
1. Preface 11
2. Introduction 15
3. The ‘Sick Man of Europe’ 19
What was the international situation in the 17th century? ........................ 20
Ottomans ........................................................................................................ 23
New World ..................................................................................................... 28
Enlightenment ............................................................................................... 35
Lines in the Desert Sand .......................................................................... 50
4. Artificial Nations 66
Egypt ............................................................................................................... 66
Britain’s Monarchy .................................................................................... 68
Enter the USA ........................................................................................... 69
The Sadat Era ............................................................................................ 72
The Mubarak Era ...................................................................................... 73
Egypt Today ............................................................................................... 75
Syria ................................................................................................................. 79
Alawi’s ......................................................................................................... 81
Lebanon .......................................................................................................... 93
6 | 100 Years of the Middle East
Jordan .............................................................................................................. 99
Iraq................................................................................................................. 103
Ba’thism .................................................................................................... 108
Saddam Hussain ...................................................................................... 110
The Kurds ................................................................................................ 114
Israel .............................................................................................................. 116
Islam .......................................................................................................... 119
Zionism ..................................................................................................... 120
Zionist State ............................................................................................. 123
Peace Process ........................................................................................... 125
Palestine ........................................................................................................ 127
Creating Israel .......................................................................................... 128
Nasser ....................................................................................................... 129
The 1967 Six Day War ............................................................................ 131
The Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO) ................................. 132
1973 War................................................................................................... 133
Two States ................................................................................................ 135
Hamas ....................................................................................................... 137
Saudi Arabia ................................................................................................. 140
The Saud-Wahabi Axis ........................................................................... 141
100 Years of the Middle East | 7
New State and Oil ................................................................................... 146
Politics ....................................................................................................... 147
Islam .......................................................................................................... 151
Society ....................................................................................................... 152
Iran ................................................................................................................ 156
The End of Persia ................................................................................... 158
Post WW2 ................................................................................................ 159
Britain, America and the Shah ............................................................... 161
Islamic Revolution .................................................................................. 164
Clerical Leadership .................................................................................. 167
Foreign Policy .......................................................................................... 168
The Gulf ................................................................................................... 175
Kuwait ........................................................................................................... 178
Bahrain .......................................................................................................... 180
Qatar .............................................................................................................. 182
United Arab Emirates (uae) ....................................................................... 184
Oman ............................................................................................................ 186
Yemen ........................................................................................................... 187
Arab Spring .................................................................................................. 190
Tunisia ........................................................................................................... 191
8 | 100 Years of the Middle East
Egypt ............................................................................................................. 194
Libya .............................................................................................................. 198
Yemen ........................................................................................................... 203
Syria ............................................................................................................... 206
5. Emerging Trends 216
Demographics .............................................................................................. 216
Economy ...................................................................................................... 220
Energy ........................................................................................................... 225
Water ............................................................................................................. 227
Social Media ................................................................................................. 229
Islam .............................................................................................................. 230
US Agenda .................................................................................................... 238
6. Middle East Myths 242
Islam has acted as the obstacle in the region........................................... 242
The Middle East needs a Reformation ..................................................... 244
Islam has caused Extremism in the Middle East .................................... 250
The West faces a major terrorist threat from the Middle East ............. 258
Secularism is needed to tame Sectarianism in the region ...................... 265
The west has always supported democracy in the Middle East............ 273
100 Years of the Middle East | 9
The middle east and the world would have been a much better place if
islam had never existed ............................................................................... 278
7. Bibliography 287
8. Notes 291
10 | 100 Years of the Middle East
