Jerry Brotton Quotes
The Ottoman authorities saw their ability to absorb people of all faiths as a sign of power, not weakness, and observed the Protestant-Catholic conflicts of the time with detached bemusement.
The Ottoman Empire was a word Superpower for over 1,000 years, longer than any other in history, One of its great strengths was its pluralism and ability to not only absorb and assimilate people from other nations, cultures and religions, but also to utilize those people in key positions and contributions to their society. Christians and Jews rose to the highest positions under the Sultans. They became Governor’s of Provinces, manages of departments and even Grand Vizier to the Sultan himself. Jewish and Christian physicians, attorneys, traders were all valued in the Empire even though the had a second class status relative to Muslims. The opportunity was always there to convert to Islam and many did, but many did not and thrived, The Ottomans saw Christian Europe, not only in continuous religious conflict, but individual nations were never able to use the talents of the religious minority, the way that the Ottomans did, and later the United States did. Not only did the Ottomans allow immigrants from all over the world to become part of the Empire Government or Economy, but they actually send agents throughout the empire to find the best and the brightest of young men—regardless of religion or nationality—and bring them to the Sultan’s court for education, training and service. IT should be noted however, that the motivation was in no way moral or a desire for fairness. It was totally pragmatic. Exceptional manpower was not to be wasted.
Jerry Brotton, “England’s Forgotten Muslim History”, The New York Times, September 18, 2016
Sourced by: Eigen's Political and Historical Quotations
Locke wrote the Charter of South Carolina in which any 7 people could assemble and form a church including:
Half the population of Amsterdam was at the time non Western in origin including many Muslims. Cohen was one of the few major Dutch leaders who worked to make multiculturalism work. However, there were so many religious Muslim extremists already active in the Netherlands, that it was very difficult. The Dutch had elected a Muslim as a member of Parliament and whole many Muslims were very proud of this, the religious extremists were furious. She was a woman, and she did not believe or advocate that Holland adopt Sharia (Islamic) law. She was an Islamic reformer who was opposed to Sharia even in Muslim states. The most successful Islamic nation, Turkey, does not allow Sharia law, and Indonesia, the largest of the Muslim nations also does not follow it.
While not in the Koran, this attributed statement is the basis for the ban on non-Muslims going on a Hajj and going to the most holy Muslim places—Mecca, Mina, Muzdalifa, and Arafat as well as the anti-religious hostility to all religions but Islam which is present in some Muslim countries.
I was born in Bradford and educated at state schools in Leeds before studying for a BA (Hons) in English at Sussex University, followed by an MA at Essex University in the Sociology of Literature. I lived in East Berlin before returning to study for a PhD in early modern mapping at Queen Mary. After a research fellowship at Leeds University and a lectureship at Royal Holloway, I returned to Queen Mary in 2003, and was appointed Professor of Renaissance Studies in 2007. My first book, Trading Territories: Mapping the Early Modern World (1997) began an interest in mapping and east-west cultural exchange. This was followed by collaborative work with Lisa Jardine that led to Global Interests: Renaissance Art between East and West (2000). I have since written The Renaissance Bazaar: From the Silk Road to Michelangelo (2002), The Sale of the Late King’s Goods (2006) shortlisted for the Samuel Johnson Prize, The Renaissance: A Very Short Introduction (2006), Great Maps (2014) and the bestselling A History of the World in Twelve Maps (2012), translated into eleven languages which won book of the year in Austria and was shortlisted for the Hessel Tiltman Prize. My books have been translated into eighteen languages. I am a regular broadcaster, critic and feature writer, presenting BBC4’s three-part TV series, ‘Maps: Power, Plunder and Possession’ (2010), BBC NI’s ‘Mapping Ulster’ (2013) and BBC Radio 3’s ‘Courting the East’ (2007). I have also co-curated and edited the catalogue of ‘Penelope’s Labour: Weaving Words and Images’ (with Adam Lowe), an exhibition at the Venice Biennale of 2011. I am Associate Director of the Queen Mary/Warwick University project Global Shakespeare. I am an Associate of the People’s Palace Projects, where I work on a variety of projects in Brazil on subjects including Shakespeare and utopia. My next book is This Orient Isle: Elizabethan England and the Islamic World (Penguin, 2016).
