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TheMysteryofPoliticalStabilityintheHashemiteKingdomofJordan…
andJordan,whoalsoconsiderthemselvestobeHashemites,ordescendants
ofHashimibnAbdManaf,thegreat-grandfatheroftheprophetMuhammad.
ThegenealogicallinkwiththefounderofIslamgivesspecialweighttothese
dynasties.
TheAlaouitesofMorocco,rulingthecountrysincethemid-18thcentury,
citethiskinshipasthemainreasonfortheirpower.Thisgenealogymaybe
doubtedbysome,butofficiallythesharedancestrywiththeprophetremains
atthecoreofthedynasty’slegitimacy.5
ThesameancestryisclaimedbytheroyalhouseofJordan,whosimply
callthemselvestheHashemites.Theirgenealogyisbetterdocumentedthan
thatoftheAlaouites.Membersoftheroyalfamilybearthehonorifictitle
ofsharif—“noble”inArabic—whichbelongstodescendantsofAl-Hasan,
agrandsonofMuhammadandsonofhisdaughterFatimahandherhusband,
Ali.Thedescendantsofthecouple’ssecondson,Al-Husayn,arereferredto
assayyids.Importantly,theHashemiteshave,sincethe10thcentury,been
stewardsintheholycitiesofMeccaandMedina,andheldtheofficeofsharif
ofMecca.6
ThistypeoflegitimacyislinkedtotheIslamictradition,andis
characteristicofclanswithextendedgenealogies.Furthermore,claiming
descentfromthefamilyofMuhammadcouldbeofhelpinrulingvast
territories.InNorthAfricaandtheMiddleEast,whereMuslimswere
dividedintotribesandclans,Hashemiteancestrywasinstrumentalingaining
prestigeandinfluencethattranscendedlocalboundaries.Suchaleaderwas
oftenchosenbymutuallyantagonistictribesasthearbiterintheirdisputes.7
InMuslimtradition,authorityoveralargeanddiversifiedsocietycould
alsobelegitimisedinanotherway,whichIcallIslamist.Itinvolvedfamilies
withabsolutelynoclaimtoHashemiteancestry,sotheirrulehadtobejustified
bytheirdeeds,primarilyconqueststhatexpandedtheIslamicterritoryand
victoriesoverinfidels.Thewinningcommandercouldarguethathissuccess
wasanindicationofGod’ssupport.ThisisthecasewiththefamousOttoman
dynasty,which,inthe14thcentury,capturedsuchlargeareasfromChristians
astoearnuniversalacceptanceamongMuslims.Theythemselvespreferred
thetitleofghazi,orconquerorofinfidels.Inthe16thcentury,thedynasty
5
J.Danecki,Arabowie,PaństwowyInstytutWydawniczy,2001,p.146;A.Dziubiński,
HistoriaMaroka,ZakładNarodowyim.Ossolińskich,1983,pp.180,256.
6
M.M.Dziekan(ed.),op.cit.,pp.317,340.
7
A.Dziubiński,op.cit.,p.180.
ThePolishQuarterlyofInternationalAffairs,2016,no.4
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