Futuwwa

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Futuwwa leagues are corporate-oriented forms of organization of young men ( men's leagues ) in Islamic societies, particularly in the Middle Ages in the Near East. In the 8th century AD, the term " Futuwwa " ( Arabic الفتوة, DMG al-futuwwa ) generally stands for “youth” and describes the qualities and character traits of the “young man” (arab. “Fatā”, pl. “Fityān”). It bears the meaning of "youth, young manhood, youthful behavior". The appearance of the Futuwwa frets is a widespread multifaceted phenomenon. The term “Futuwwa” can refer to movements and organizations with a wide variety of orientations.

Concept and ideal

While the term “Futuwwa” did not appear as an abstract formation until the early Middle Ages, the word “Fatā” on which it was based can often be found in ancient Arabic poetry and describes the much-praised main virtues of the nobleman as an ideal: generosity and hospitality on the one hand, and bravery on the other and fighting for one's own tribe. With the rise of Islam, the term also acquired a religious component as a complex of virtues of those who campaigned for jihad (Arabic: ğihād) or who committed themselves to self- renunciation with the emerging Sufism .

Initially, the focus here was on the virtues of the individual. Over time, the person of the fourth caliph and son-in-law of the prophet Ali developed into the unsurpassed idol of “Fata” . Because of the bravery attributed to him, he became the prototype of "Fatā" in Islam and thus the patron of the Futuwwa. The saying “no sword but D ū l-Fiqār ! no Fata except Ali! ”should become the motto of the Futuwawa circles.

Since the word “fatā” is already used in positive contexts without exception in the Koran, figures like Ibrahim , Yusuf or the companions of the cave أصحاب الكهف could be called “fitjān” and traded as bearers of the Futuwwa.

In addition to the designation of individual virtues, the Futuwwa developed distinctly “covenant” traits by developing fixed customs and rituals for groups of young men who committed themselves to shared ideals. For adepts, girding with the “pants of the Futuwwa” and drinking from the “cup of the Futuwwa” filled with salty water as a sign of initiation into a community dressed with the touch of the elite.

Admission to the federal government took place in several stages. A postulant first had to contact a full member who cared for him and who accepted him on a trial basis. After passing the probationary period, he was first girded with a simple apron as a novice, and only after some time did he become a full member with the "pants of the Futuwwa".

The Futuwwa developed a pronounced social structure. The relationship between the members was hierarchically structured and characterized by relationships between the “younger” and the “older” or with terms from the family area, such as “son”, “father” and “grandfather”. Thus, with regard to initiation into the community, ideal lineages were constructed which could be traced back to Ali or the Prophet Muhammad himself.

In parallel, the community was divided into different classes. It comprised on the one hand members who had only spoken about the Futuwwa, on the other hand those who had consumed the commitment drink. Sometimes there were also members who were also belted with a sword.

Ideal and social reality

With the spread of Islam, the term “Fitjān” in the plural came into circulation more and more and now referred to groups of young men of different social, ethnic and denominational origins who lived in small communities and who were independent of family, profession or ties Tribal affiliation came together in a common life. What united them was solidarity, mutual care and camaraderie up to and including community of property.

On the other hand, “Fitjān” is also reported as a constant element of social disorder in urban life. As "followers of the Futuwwa" they are often put in one place with the vagabonds, vagabonds and outlaws called "'Ajjārūn" (Arabic: "' ajjār", pl. "'Ajjārūn"). They often appear as the epitome of gang-like groups of socially marginalized young men, who either represented a factor of social unrest, or at times took advantage of the lack of social order to hire themselves out as irregular police or auxiliary troops. While some groups may also put themselves in the service of the authorities, social-revolutionary groups were able to gain some respect from the lower social classes.

In the 11th century the picture changed: the groups of “Fitjān” or “'Ajjārūn” increasingly developed an attractive charm for members of the upper classes of society, and a widespread literature about idealized values ​​and ideals developed in contrast to social reality the Futuwwa. Sufism also began to take an increasing interest in the Futuwwa at this time. The old Arabic Fatātum had always found its way into the collections of sayings of famous Sufi empires, now a literature developed in which the Futuwwa was presented as an integral part of Sufism.

The term “Futuwwa” has established itself in the course of history as a designation of a fixed code of conduct and honor. It is also often referred to as the oriental noble ideal. The most diverse social groups could be assigned to this ideal. Consequently, many phenomena, legitimately or unjustifiably, have been and are identified with the concept of Futuwwa. "Futuwwa" can stand for the Muslim model of later European " chivalry " as well as for the ideal of brotherhood within the Sufi communities. It is associated with the rites and customs of the guild-like craftsmen's associations as well as with the corps spirit of urban militias or aristocratic youth clubs. In Persia, the Futuwwa appears as the ideal of courtly princes' mirrors as well as in folkloric literature.

The Futuwwa is a concept that has developed from various influences. When the Arabs conquered the Middle East in the 7th century AD, they brought the old Arab noble ideal of "Fatā" with them and transformed it into the religious ideal of the believer in the Jihad (Arabic ğihād). This then mixed with pre-Islamic traditions in the conquered countries. In particular, the corporate or “alliance” forms of social organization can be viewed as relics of the Persian culture of the Sasanid Empire , which lived on in Muslim times. These forms of society were widespread among the craftsmen in the Sasanian metropolis of Seleukia-Ctesiphon. In particular, the ritual of initiation through girdling, which is associated with corporate life, was the inspiration for later developments and refers to a Zoroastrian influence.

Pre-Islamic models can also be adopted for the irregular militia-like associations of young men in Islamic cities known as "'Ajjārūn". In part, the "'Ajjārūn" are seen as descendants of the Sasanid minor princes and the lower land nobility. After the Islamic conquest in the time of the Umayyads, they initially lost their social position, but were then increasingly able to bring their ideals of chivalry back into Islamic society during the Abbasid period . Part of this social class functioned as an elite troop as early as the Sasanian period and in this context developed a corresponding corps spirit with associated etiquette, ethos and manners. The independence of these associations earned them a sometimes negative reputation. On the other hand, this circumstance offered the opportunity for the later transfiguration of the Persian past in the literature of Persian writers who were outside the military context. The knightly ideal of the Futuwwa was contrasted with the synonymously used term “Jawānmardī” in Persia.

In contrast to this, another branch of tradition sees the "'Ajjārun" as the bearer of the Futuwwa in a close connection with the voluntary associations of religious fighters, which in the 7th / 8th It was a common phenomenon in Islamic societies in the 19th century. In the centuries that followed, these religious fighters had a close relationship with the forerunners of the later Sufi orders in the border fortresses. Since the 9th century there has been a partial amalgamation of the “Ajjārun” with the ascetic Sufism under the code of the “Futuwwa”. As a result, by the 11th century, the Futuwwa was refined on the one hand to court knighthood and on the other to become a mystical ideal of life.

The reorganization of the Futuwwa leagues under the caliph an-Nāsir li-Dīn Allaah

The reform policy of the caliph an-Nāṣir li-Dīn Allāh (r. 577/1180 - 620/1223) represents an outstanding turning point in the history of the Futuwwa leagues . In view of the caliphate's increasingly weaker position in the course of history, he strove afterwards to bind all forms of religious organization to his person. Since the Futuwwa leagues had already developed fixed organizational structures in his day, they offered him an ideal instrument to consolidate his own position by placing himself at the head of the Futuwwa. He seems to have joined the Futuwwa early (1182/1183 AD) and by no means as a simple member. It is his merit to have brought together the previously separate lines of development, on the one hand in Sufism and on the other as a social phenomenon, by founding the Futuwwa.

At the time of an-Nāṣir, the Futuwwa was divided into countless competing subgroups. An-Nāṣir joined the strongly Sufi-oriented Futuwwa of the sheikh 'Abd al-Ğabbār, who was respected in Baghdad and whom he met in 578 AD (1182/1183 AD) through the mediation of confidants. The accession took place in the same year through the traditional dressing in the "pants of the Futuwwa". This step by the caliph made the Futuwwa increasingly popular among the population and at the same time strengthened the Sufi element of the Futuwwa and strengthened the link between the federal system and dervishism.

Shortly after joining, the caliph was able to use the customs of the “Fitjān” as a means of realizing his own social and political goals. So he used the widespread custom of bird breeding to monopolize the carrier pigeon system. For the purpose of granting privileges and control of the intelligence system, only pigeons were allowed to be received from his hand. He was also able to control the favor of participating in the widespread sport of crossbow shooting and assign it to favorites. It was also he who was able to decide on his own behalf by sending the coveted Futuwah pants about the admission of regents and princes to the Futuwwa. By joining the Caliph's Futuwwa, the princes and regents of the surrounding local dynasties were confirmed as fitjān rulers of their territories. At the same time they recognized the caliph as head.

But it is precisely in the capital, Baghdad, that many of the corporated Futuwwa groups could not be forced into order without resistance. Tumults and uprisings prompted the caliph to issue an edict that included a rigorous reshaping of the previous structure of the Futuwwa. The anarchist wing in particular should be disciplined and legalized in a new form. The Futuwwa was dissolved on pain of death and centralized under the following demands of the caliph: 'Ali is considered the incontestable basis of the Futuwwa and the caliph an-Nāṣirs as its express emulator. It is the task of the Futuwwa to perform a “purified imāmitic service” and to give victory to the religion of Allah. Anyone who abuses an ally is excluded from the Futuwwa. An-Nāṣir not only had a Futuwwa genealogy created and led to his name. He also granted himself the sole right to grant Futuwwa titles, orders, privileges and powers and to organize the Futuwwa into a hierarchical system related to him.

The survival of the Futuwwa after the end of the Abbasid caliphate

After the conquest of Baghdad by the Mongols (1258 AD) and the dissolution of the Abbasid caliphate, the courtly Futuwwa fell. At most, the practice created by An-Nāṣir was still cultivated by the Mamluk Sultan Baibars (r. 1260–1277 AD) in Egypt, only to lose its importance with his successors.

On the other hand, the Futuwwa experienced growing popularity in the social classes of craftsmen and traders and developed here into the organizational principle of guild-like associations. In Anatolia in particular, the people referred to as “Achi” (Arabic “ahī”, “my brother”; or Southwest Turkish “ahı”, “generosity, generosity, chivalry”) became the bearers of the Futuwwa. The "Achi" has appeared here since the middle of the 13th century as the head of a guild-like association of young unmarried men, primarily of the craft trades, who founds a clubhouse to hold regular meetings or maintains one to entertain travelers. The "Achis" attain a socially respected position and often appear in the absence of official government representatives as authorized representatives of the sultan or emir.

The Futuwwa as the organizational principle of brotherhoods and guilds

In the Ottoman Empire, a guild, that of tanners, continued to cultivate the Achitum. It refers to the guild saint Achi Evran, who is said to have lived in Kırşehir around the year 1300 . Through the skill of the sheikhs at his grave shrine in Kırşehir in Central Anatolia, who gave themselves the title "Achi Baba", Achi Evran has become the patron saint of the entire Turkish guild system. In this way the Achi Babas gained the privilege of admitting all adepts of all guilds to the guild system through girding.

Sources and literature

  • Claude Cahen, Franz Taeschner : Futuwwa . In: Bernard Lewis et al. a. (Ed.): The Encyclopaedia of Islam. New Edition . Vol. 2, Leiden / London 1965, p. 961 ff
  • Franz Taeschner: Guilds and brotherhoods in Islam. Zurich / Munich 1979 ( The Library of the Orient )
  • Angelika Hartmann : An-Nasir li-Din Allah (1180-1225). Politics, religion, culture in the late Abbasid period. Berlin / New York 1975
  • Mohsen Zakeri: Sasanid Soldiers in Early Muslim Society - The Origin of 'Ayyaran and Futuwwa. Wiesbaden 1995
  • GD Tor: Violent Order: Religious Warefare, Chivalry and the 'Ayyar Phenomenon in the Medieval Islamic World. Wuerzburg 2007

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Teascher, Franz, Guilds and Brotherhoods in Islam, Zurich and Munich 1979, p. 13
  2. ↑ Cf. Zakeri, Mohsen, Sasanid Soldiers in Early Muslim Society - The Origin of 'Ayyaran and Futuwwa, Wiesbaden, 1995, pp. 1 ff.
  3. ↑ See: Tor, GD, Violent Order: Religious Warefare, Chivalry and the 'Ayyar Phenomenon in the Medieval Islamic World. Würzburg 2007, pp. 13 ff, 289 ff.
  4. ↑ Hartmann, Angelika. An-Nasir li-Din Allah (1180-1225). Politics, religion, culture in the late Abbasid period. Berlin / New York, 1975, p. 101.
  5. ^ Taeschner, Franz, Guilds and Brotherhoods in Islam, Zurich / Munich, 1979, p. 277.