Write a 750-word essay addressing the following prompt.
This course started with the claim that the following three separate events in 1979 helped spread Islamism: the Iranian revolution, the hijacking of the Grand Mosque in Mecca, and the Soviet Union invasion of Afghanistan. What if none of these three events happened? What would have happened to national Islamism in Pakistan and Egypt? What would have happened in Saudi Arabia and Iran? Would nationalist (Palestinian, Afghan, Chechnyan, Dagestani, etc) Islamism have developed? Would transnational Islamism have developed? Would militant (jihadist) Islamism of al-Qaeda and ISIS have developed?
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
The Impact of Absence: A Hypothetical Analysis of Islamism Without Key Events in 1979
The events of 1979, including the Iranian revolution, the hijacking of the Grand Mosque in Mecca, and the Soviet Union invasion of Afghanistan, have been pivotal in shaping the spread of Islamism globally. These incidents have had far-reaching consequences, impacting countries like Pakistan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Iran. However, what if none of these three events had occurred? How would national and transnational Islamism have evolved, and would militant jihadist groups like al-Qaeda and ISIS have emerged?
National Islamism in Pakistan and Egypt
Without the catalyzing events of 1979, national Islamism in countries like Pakistan and Egypt may have evolved differently. The Iranian revolution, which inspired Islamist movements worldwide, would not have served as a model for Islamist groups in these countries. In the absence of external influences, domestic Islamist movements might have developed along different ideological lines, focusing more on local issues and grievances rather than global jihad.
In Pakistan, where Islamist groups have significant influence, the absence of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan could have altered the trajectory of Islamist militancy. Without the opportunity to join the Afghan jihad against the Soviets, Pakistani militants may have been less organized and cohesive. Similarly, in Egypt, the lack of external events fueling Islamist fervor might have led to a less radicalized Islamist movement focused on social reform within the country.
Saudi Arabia and Iran
Saudi Arabia and Iran, two major players in the Islamic world, would have also experienced different trajectories without the events of 1979. The Iranian revolution, which established an Islamic republic in Iran, would not have served as a revolutionary model for other Muslim-majority countries. Without the rise of Khomeini’s regime, Iran might have continued on a more secular path, potentially affecting the spread of Shia Islamist ideology globally.
In Saudi Arabia, the hijacking of the Grand Mosque in Mecca was a turning point that reinforced the kingdom’s commitment to conservative Wahhabi Islam. Without this incident, Saudi Arabia may have pursued more moderate religious policies and reforms, potentially reducing the influence of ultra-conservative Islamist groups within the country.
Development of Nationalist Islamism
In the absence of key events in 1979, nationalist Islamist movements in regions like Palestine, Afghanistan, Chechnya, and Dagestan may have taken different forms. The Soviet Union invasion of Afghanistan played a crucial role in mobilizing jihadist fighters from various countries to join the Afghan resistance. Without this conflict as a focal point, nationalist Islamist movements in these regions might have remained more localized and less interconnected.
Emergence of Transnational Islamism and Militant Jihadism
The interconnected nature of global Islamist movements could have been significantly altered without the events of 1979. The absence of key catalysts for transnational Islamism, such as the Iranian revolution and the Afghan jihad, might have limited the spread of radical ideologies across borders. Without these events, the emergence of militant jihadist groups like al-Qaeda and ISIS could have been delayed or prevented altogether, as their origins were closely tied to the geopolitical landscape shaped by events in 1979.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the hypothetical scenario of imagining a world without the events of 1979 offers insights into how key historical incidents have shaped the evolution of Islamism globally. The absence of these catalysts would likely have led to different trajectories for national Islamist movements in countries like Pakistan and Egypt, altered the political landscapes of Saudi Arabia and Iran, and influenced the development of nationalist and transnational Islamist ideologies. While it is challenging to predict with certainty how history would have unfolded without these pivotal events, it is clear that the interconnected nature of global Islamist movements has been profoundly influenced by the events of 1979 and their aftermath.
