Napoleon Bonaparte Had No Genuine Interest In Islam

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 12 July 2023 “I hope the time is not far off when I shall be able to unite all the wise and educated men of all the countries and establish a uniform regime based on the principles of Quran which alone are true and which alone can lead men to happiness." Napoleon Bonaparte, quoted by a reader Napoleon Crossing the Alps by Jacques-Louis David via Wikimedia Commons ----- "Almost all historians are convinced of the genius and cunning intelligence of Napoleon Bonaparte during the testing and difficult military campaign in Egypt, his stay there and the formulation of policy according to the needs and objectives of the country. There, Napoleon attributed the reason for his adopting the Muslim attire to the conditions in Egypt and not to himself converting to Islam or having any kind of relation to the religion. In connection to Napoleon’s entry into Egypt, we find that he entered Cairo, Egypt on a June morning in 1798. He was accompanied by 36,000 troops. Napoleon had studied the history of Islam extensively before his campaign in Egypt and knew how to channel the emotions of the Muslims living there and also learnt some basic Arabic words to make him more agreeable to the locals." Awwab Saad Hayat, Al Hakam The reader, who has quoted Napoleon Bonaparte with an intention to get an endorsement of authority and supremacy of Islam from the redoubtable French General, must know the context and circumstances. Haven't you heard the famous aphorism, in Rome, do as Romans do? Napoleon Bonaparte followed this dictum in toto during his French campaign in 1798. Napoleon was an astute statesman who extolled Islam and Quran only when he realized that his eulogy of Islam would make things easier in a part of the world dominated by Islam. He had no genuine interest in Islam. He was a Catholic Christian who believed in religion but did away with its customs and rituals. Relate this phenomenon to Indian political context to understand why all demagogues (Napoleon was also a demagogue, albeit far better and more dignified than all our politicians put together) talk about religion only when the hustings are round the corner. Why've Modi, Shah and Doval suddenly started praising Muslim community? Are they interested in knowing Islam as a faith and serious about tackling the issues of Muslims? It's obvious that these people have general elections on their mind. Napoleon also had the same intention of expansion behind his paeans to Islam and the Quran. So, please stop quoting western scholars, statesmen, kings and emperors to prove that the whole world recognises the value and importance of Islam and Koran. Religion, not just Islam, has often been a political tool for the rulers. By the way, modern French philosopher Paul-Michel Foucault wrote about Napoleon in Le Figaro (1970): 'Napoleon knew how to use religion to reach out to people belonging to some other faiths.' ---- A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. URL: https://newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/napoleon-bonaparte-genuine-islam/d/130196 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism