The Hijaz at the beginning of the 20th century through the lens of a European traveller (Eldon Rutter’s Hajj in 1925)

Omer, Spahic (2024) The Hijaz at the beginning of the 20th century through the lens of a European traveller (Eldon Rutter’s Hajj in 1925). IIUM Press, Kuala Lumpur. ISBN 9789674913687

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Abstract

Through the prism of Eldon Rutter’s travelogue, this book deals with the challenge of a Muslim transition from the old to a new order, especially in the Hijaz. The focus is on the following themes: Eldon Rutter and his hajj mission; the age of socio-political uncertainties; the genius of Abdulaziz b. Al Saud; and the scale of future challenges. Accordingly, the book has four chapters. In the first chapter, the main aspects of Eldon Rutter’s historical hajj journey are presented, highlighting how both dramatic and consequential the journey had been. The conundrum of whether Eldon Rutter was a spy is also discussed, establishing that, in fact, such was a far-fetched proposition. Apart from mere assumptions, there was no concrete evidence whatsoever supporting the contention. The second chapter delves into the subject matter of socio-political uncertainties in the Hijaz region at the outset of the 20th century and how Rutter perceived them. The focus is on the questions of norms and people’s general welfare. Dramatic transformations loomed on the horizon. And when they eventually arrived, people wondered if the presence of Abdulaziz b. Al Saud and the Wahhabis was a new hope or just another chapter in the history of the region’s protracted tensions and confrontations. The third chapter is about the genius of the new political master in the country: Abdulaziz b. Al Saud, as a result of which, geopolitically, nothing was to be the same again in the Hijaz. Abdulaziz b. Al Saud’s propensity for moderation, farsightedness, and administrative, as well as diplomatic intelligence, are discussed. These qualities impressed Rutter, and he believed that it was them that enabled the new leader to appease the Wahhabis and stave off most of their radical components. The fourth chapter discusses the broad topic of the nature and scope of future challenges that awaited the region of the Hijaz and its new leadership. Those challenges were no longer local in character. They were transnational and were affecting not only the rest of the Muslim world, but also the entire globe. The most serious issues were such as pertained to the prospect of abolishing slavery, pan-Islamism or global Muslim unity, education and modernization. Writing the book is carried out from an interdisciplinary perspective, combining descriptive, analytical and historical qualitative research methods. The book intends to create a unique perspective for the theme in question by thinking and researching across traditional boundaries that define established academic disciplines. For achieving its objectives, the book taps into the methods and insights of several academic fields of study.

Item Type:	Book
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Eldon Rutter; Hijaz; Hajj; Abdulaziz b. Al Saud
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BP Islam. Bahaism. Theosophy, etc > BP1 Islam > BP173.5 Islam and world politics
Kulliyyahs/Centres/Divisions/Institutes (Can select more than one option. Press CONTROL button):	Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences > Department of History & Civilization
Depositing User:	Omer Spahic
Date Deposited:	03 Sep 2024 10:51
Last Modified:	04 Dec 2024 15:40
URI:	http://irep.iium.edu.my/id/eprint/114220

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