˓ASABIYYA

The English equivalent of the term ˓asabiyya is akin to "social solidarity" or "tribal loyalty." It is an abstract noun that derives from the Arabic root ˓asab, meaning "to bind." It refers to a special characteristic or set of characteristics that defines the rather vague essence of what constitutes a particular group. As a sociological principle, it would be especially significant within the political thought of Ibn Khaldun (1332–1406). ˓Asabiyya, according to him, is the social bond that is particularly evident among tribal groups and is based more on social, psychological, physical, and political factors than on those of genetics or consanguinity. It is not unique among the Arabs; rather, each group possesses its own distinct ˓asabiyya. In this way, Ibn Khaldun identified a Jewish ˓asabiyya, a Greek ˓asabiyya, and so on. He also perceived an intimate connection between ˓asabiyya and religion. For a religion to be effective it must evoke a feeling of solidarity among all the members of the group. In this way one could have diverse ˓asabiyyat; for example, an ˓asabiyya to one's tribe, one's guild, and ultimately to one's religion. Ibn Khaldun argues that Islam brought a strong sense of ˓asabiyya to the Arabs and was responsible for the benefits that Islamic civilization produced.

See alsoIbn Khaldun .

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Baali, Fuad. Society, State, and Urbanism: Ibn Khaldun's Sociological Thought. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1988.

Aaron Hughes