Islamic Archetypes of the Jews: Then and Now

Abstract

Born in the early years of Islam’s self-determination, Islamic archetypes of the Jews and Judaism have, over the ages, remained firmly rooted, if not always vital and active. In recent times their original uncompromising tenacity, buttressed by certain congenial changes in the political milieu, has become stronger than ever. Especially since 1948 and against the background of Islam’s centuries of slow decline, the archetypes have in fact attained an intensity comparable to that of their original appearance in Islam’s well-known early trials with the Jews. Indeed one might say that Islam has thought about the Jews most intensely, creatively and productively in two main periods: the classical Medinian era and our own mid-to-late twentieth century. Hence contemporary Muslim attitudes, at least in their own perception, can best be understood with reference to the formative period of Islam’s encounter with the Jews. At the level of archetypes, history would appear in Muslim terms to be repeating itself.