The Controversy of Orientalism and Cultural Identity: A Critical Reading of the Thought of Mahmoud Shaker and Edward Said – A Descriptive Analytical Study –

Abstract

The era of Islamic Enlightenment, with its interactive literature among Arabs, has largely ended, reflecting the prevailing perceptions and publications that shaped the image of the East in the Western consciousness. Arabs hold differing views on this movement and on Orientalists. Among them is Mahmoud Shaker, who began by defending heritage and cultural identity. Shaker argues that these "Orientalists" distorted our Islamic heritage, driven by ideological or colonial bias. However, Edward Said offered a more distinctive perspective, studying the movement. Edward Said offered a more nuanced reading, viewing Orientalism as a comprehensive discourse grounded in the authority of logic and the authority of knowledge. He saw Orientalism as Western hegemony over the East. Other Arab critics have advocated welcoming Orientalists, while still others have called for a re-examination of their work, examining it with a spirit of engagement and learning, and employing a neutral critique that criticizes and refutes Orientalists with compelling evidence.