The Role of Orientalists In Presenting "Arabic" to the World

Abstract

Almost all Oriental studies agree on the concept that Orientalism is a scholarly research based on survey and comprehensiveness, undertaken by European elites to comprehensively understand the East and to formulate a discursive image of its conditions. It has been agreed that the Orientalist is a researcher who is interested in the deep knowledge of the religions of the East, its cultures, languages, and literatures. It is certain that Orientalist knowledge does not stop at all; it extends as it accumulates to form different and contrastive contexts, and operates according to specific methods. Under our chosen title we intend to show the different various schools of orientalism and their methods of introspection. We also intend to explore the difference between the two concepts of "Orientalism" and "Occidentalism" and the roles they have taken. We will also show how the heritage written in Arabic has been undertaken as the necessary condition for Western institutions to acquire the keys of entering into the East and possessing its grand wealth. It was not possible for the West to succeed in its project had it not began working on possessing Arabic language and the culture in which it is written. That was the first codified step which was seen as the most important factor in learning Arabic and teaching it to future generations of the West, and which perhaps linked the Arabic linguistic lesson with Islam. In this study we will also discuss the most important goals sought by the orientalists as they are doing great services to the West in its discursive progress, as it was strongly shown in their interests in the Holy Quran translations, a phenomenon which is worthy of attention. We studied this matter in comprehensive characterization and analysis. We tried also to find justifications for the Orientalists' interests in modern Arab literary works. Finally, we have reached some notable conclusions in this regard, the most important of which is the mission of the Orientalists. At the same time, we have shown how the Orientalist research has helped spread Arabism outside the geography of the Arab world. Our main goal in all of this is the supplication to Allah the Almighty to extend our nation, language and culture with prosperity and continuity.

Keywords: Orientalism, occidentalism, Arabic language

DOI: 10.7176/JLLL/52-10