The Legend of the Arab Conquest - Alaxon (original) (raw)

Abstract

The Legend of the Arab Conquest - Alaxon In recent years, critical studies of the Quran and early Islam have experienced significant growth. For historians, non-Islamic sources, as well as archaeological, epigraphic, papyrological, and numismatic evidence, provide far more reliable testimony for understanding this period than oral traditions transmitted across generations. Christian chronicles written by Byzantine authors contemporary with the conquests, who were often direct witnesses to the events, serve as invaluable sources. These accounts, free from apologetics and anachronisms, are far more reliable than Islamic traditions written down at least two centuries after the events. As for the concept of conquest, it generally implies the entry of soldiers into a territory or city, accompanied by sieges, massacres, pillaging, and the seizure of spoils for the conquerors' benefit. Yet, according to archaeological evidence, such events did not occur in the eastern part of the Byzantine Empire, despite traditional accounts of grand, heroic battles. Furthermore, the conquerors typically did not settle in the territories they overtook. These "conquests" were instead preceded by the gradual weakening of the two empires of the time: the Byzantine and Sassanid Empires, both exhausted by incessant wars that had destroyed their administrative systems, particularly tax collection. In the end, there was no violent conquest but rather a shift in power, with no evidence of significant resistance. Moreover, it seems that the conquerors did not originate from the Arabian Peninsula but from the Syro-Christian world. Egypt, North Africa, and Spain, for instance, were conquered by soldiers recruited from regions already under their control. These conquerors were not Muslims; they were Christians belonging to various theological traditions prevalent in this Syro-Christian world. Historical sources describe them by various names, reflecting their affiliation with diverse cultural and religious groups within Greater Syria.

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First, let us clarify two important concepts that might cause confusion. The term Arab at the time referred to a person who spoke the Arabic language, much like a Greek speaks Greek or a Syrian speaks Syriac, or someone who lived within the cultural and geographical area of Greater Syria. It can be assumed that, by the 7th century, the most educated among Arabic speakers were also proficient in Syriac and Greek. For instance, the inhabitants of the Ghassanid, Lakhmid, and Nabatean kingdoms spoke Arabic. The peoples of the Himyar, Saba, Qataban, and Aksum kingdoms used various Arabic dialects written in a script distinct from that used in Syria. However, it is crucial to note that the term Arab at the time bore no connection to the modern populations of the Arabian Peninsula. The events leading to the collapse of the Byzantine | Empire are commonly referred to as "the conquests of Islam." However, this raises several questions: were these conquerors actually Muslims? Were they Arabs originating from the Arabian Peninsula? And more fundamentally, can we truly speak of conquests? These questions, which may seem surprising, have been revisited and reinterpreted by scholars over the past twenty years, leading to conclusions that challenge traditional perceptions.

First, let us clarify two important concepts that might cause confusion. The term Arab at the time referred to a person who spoke the Arabic language, much like a Greek speaks Greek or a Syrian speaks Syriac, or someone who lived within the cultural and geographical area of Greater Syria. It can be assumed that, by the 7th century, the most educated among Arabic speakers were also proficient in Syriac and Greek. For instance, the inhabitants of the Ghassanid, Lakhmid, and Nabatean kingdoms spoke Arabic. The peoples of the Himyar, Saba, Qataban, and Aksum kingdoms used various Arabic dialects written in a script distinct from that used in Syria. However, it is crucial to note that the term Arab at the time bore no connection to the modern populations of the Arabian Peninsula. The events leading to the collapse of the Byzantine | Empire are commonly referred to as "the conquests of Islam." However, this raises several questions: were these conquerors actually Muslims? Were they Arabs originating from the Arabian Peninsula? And more fundamentally, can we truly speak of conquests? These questions, which may seem surprising, have been revisited and reinterpreted by scholars over the past twenty years, leading to conclusions that challenge traditional perceptions.

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