On behalf of myself, Fr Badaoui and my Brother Priests, we would ...

Methods and Principal Results of the Arab Conquest of the Levant
By Fr Charbel Habchi
The Arab method of conquest and expansion was in complete contrast to
that of the Phoenicians. This latter is well known for its pacific, humane and
liberal approach. This includes its policy of cultural and commercial
e x c h a n g e . I n c o n t r a s t , a c c o r d i n g t o t h e A r a b p h i l o s o p h e r I b n K h a l d o u n , t h e
Arab conquest is crushing and devastating, “under its domination, ruin is
r a m p a n t … . e s t a b l i s h e d o r d e r i s u p - e n d e d , a n d c i v i l i z a t i o n r e c e d e s … ” , “ W e s e e
t h e c o u n t r i e s w h i c h t h e A r a b s h a v e c o n q u e r e d s i n c e a n c i e n t t i m e s ;
c i v i l i z a t i o n h a s d i s a p p e a r e d f r o m t h e m , a s h a s t h e p o p u l a t i o n , t o t h e p o i n t t h a t
even the soil seems denuded of nature…”.
“ T h e t r a d i t i o n a n d n o m a d i c w a y o f l i f e t u r n e d t h e A r a b s i n t o n o m a d s , a
v i o l e n t a n d u n t a m e d p e o p l e . T h e r o u g h n e s s o f t h e i r c u s t o m s b e c a m e s e c o n d
nature to them. Such a tendency militates against progress and civilization. A
settled life style favours progress and growth while a nomadic life style does
n o t , i n f a c t i t i m p e d e s p r o g r e s s . I t i s s a i d t h a t i f a n A r a b n e e d s a s t o n e t o
s u p p o r t h i s p o t , h e w i l l d a m a g e a b u i l d i n g t o g e t a s t o n e t o m e e t h i s n e e d , i f
h e n e e d s a p e g f o r h i s t e n t , h e w i l l d i s m a n t l e a w h o l e r o o f j u s t t o g e t o n e p i e c e
of wood to make the peg”.
Statue of Ibn Khaldoun in
Tunis, North Africa
I n c o n t r a s t t o t h a t p o i n t o f v i e w , t h e E g y p t i a n h i s t o r i a n P h i l l i p A z i z , t h e a u t h o r o f “ P a l e s t i n e o f t h e C r u s a d e s ”
e x p r e s s e s a m o r e s y m p a t h e t i c o p i n i o n o f w h a t h e c a l l s “ I s l a m , t h e g r e a t t o l e r a n t o n e ” w h e n h e s a y s “ I t i s t r u e
t h a t a t i t s b i r t h I s l a m w a s p o r t r a y e d a s a r e l i g i o n o f v i o l e n c e , a n d i t m a d e a h o l y w a r , “ J i h a d ” , a s t r i c t o b l i g a t i o n
o f t h e M u s l i m c o m m u n i t y ” . H o w e v e r , t h e K o r a n d i s t i n g u i s h e s w i t h g r e a t c l a r i t y b e t w e e n t h e P e o p l e o f t h e B o o k ,
J e w s a n d C h r i s t i a n s , a n d a t h e i s t s . L i k e t h e f o r m e r s , t h e M u s l i m s a r e b o n d e d t o t h e B i b l e e s p e c i a l l y t h e 1 s t f i v e
books of the Old Testament, the Torah. As far as the Muslims are concerned, and according to the teaching of
the Koran, these people of the Book (Bible) share the same faith and believe in the same God, the God of the
Old Testament. Because of this belief, they have right to certain considerations, which the atheists have not”.