Mechademia 2017 Science Fiction Utopias and Dystopias from ... · Future as the Present: Science Fiction UtopiasandDystopias from the Muslim World Muhammad Aurangzeb Ahmad dsd Founder

FutureasthePresent:ScienceFictionUtopias and DystopiasfromtheMuslimWorld

dsdMuhammadAurangzebAhmad

FounderandEditorIslamandScienceFictionProject

CenterforDataScienceDepartmentofComputerScienceUniversityofWashington

ProjectWebsite:Islamscifi.com

MeaningsofUtopias/Dystopias

• Utopiasareareflectionofagroup’shopeandaspirationsforhowaperfectsocietywilllooklike• Dystopiasareareflectionofhowthesocietywilllooklikeifthingswentterriblywrongsocially,culturally,environmentallyetc.• TheMuslimworldisanartificialand realconstructspanning57countriesandthreecontinents• Islamicate:ComingfromorrelatingtoIslamculturallyorcomingfromtheMuslimworld

Al-Farabi’s CityofFelicity

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• Al-Farabi isconsideredtobeonethegreatestoftheearlierMuslimPhilosophers• Wroteārā ahl al-madīna al-fāḍila (TheVirtuousCity)whichisinspiredfromPlato’sRepublic• DescribesaperfectsocietyruledbyenlightenedPhilosophersrulingonthebasisofIslamicPrinciples• Alsodescribesrecipesfornear-perfectsocieties• BecamethebasisofpoliticaldiscourseintheIslamicworldformanycenturies

Author:AbuNasrAlFarabiYear:early10th CenturyType:UtopiaTheme:PhilosophicalUtopia

Sultana’sDream

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• WrittenbyRuqaiya Sakhawat Hussain,aBengaliMuslimwomanin1905• ConsideredtobetheoldestworkofFeministScienceFiction• Ruqaiya alsofoundedAnjuman eKhawateen eIslam (IslamicWomen'sAssociation)tofostereducationamongMuslimwomeninBengalIndia• Describesanalternateworldwheretheworldisrunbywomen• Aworldwhichisfocusedongainingknowledgeandimprovingsocialconditions• Societyisrunontheprinciplesofnon-violence,cooperationandwarisoutlawed

Author:Ruqaiya S.HussainYear:1905Type:UtopiaTheme:FeministUtopia

Semavi Ihtiras

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• AnumberofsecularistutopiaswerewritteninKemalist Turkeyinthe1930sand1940s• Semavi İhtiras (TheCelestialPassion)isoneoftheearliestTurkishutopias• DescribesthefutureofsecularandrepublicanTurkey• ThestoryisaboutNobel-prizewinningTurkishauthorsandwomenwhohavemanymorefreedomsascomparedtotherestoftheworldincludingthecontemporaryWest• Thewomeninthenovelhaveprivatejetswhichtheyusetoflyovertheworld(freedomofmobility)• Religionhaslostitsholdoverthemasses

Author:Raif RecdetYear:1933Type:UtopiaTheme:SecularistUtopia

Al-Budal-Khamis

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• WrittenbyamemberoftheMuslimBrotherhoodwhileinjailinthelate1960sbutwasnotpublisheduntil1987• AgroupofpeoplegetfedupbytheproblemsandconflictsonEarthandtakearockettoMars• ThealiensocietyisruledbyjustrulersandthesystemoftheplanetisverysimilartothemoralandlegalsystemofIslam• TheutopiaenvisionedhereisareflectionofhowtheMuslimBrotherhoodenvisionedajustsociety• Ittakeatopdownapproachtogovernancebutwherepeoplehaveinternalizedthesystemsothatthereisnocoercion

Author:AhmadRaifYear:1987Type:UtopiaTheme:ReligiousUtopia

Uzay Ciftcileri

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• AgroupofpeoplelandonaplanetinhabitedbypeoplefromEarthwhocomefromaSufiMuslimbackground• ImaginesasocietythatisrunonIslamicprinciplesofbrotherhoodandmysticism• Ittakeabottomupviewofhowtogovernsociety• Aperfectsocietyisachievedbyinnerreflection

Author:AliNarYear:1988Type:UtopiaTheme:ReligiousUtopia

Utopia

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• DescribesanearfutureDystopianEgyptiansocietymarredwithdeepsocialandclassdivisions• TherichliveisElysianlikeconditionswhilethepoorarelivinginforthworldconditions• MiddleEasterneconomieshavecollapsedaftertheinventionofasuperfuel intheUSandOilreservesbecomeuseless• TheEgyptianmiddleclasshasdisappearedandthepoorhavedegradedintobarbarianism• ExtrapolatesthedownwardspiralofEgyptiansocietyinrecentdecadesintothefuture• ThenovelhasbecomepopularespeciallyafterthefailureoftheArabSpring

Author:AhmadTawfikYear:2011Type:DystopiaTheme:ClassDivisions

TheQueue

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• ThenovelisareflectiononthefailureoftheArabSpring• SetintheaftermathanunspecifiedeventknownastheDisgracefulEvent

• MarriageofKafkaesquebureaucracyandOrwellianGovernment

• Peoplearelinedupagainstagovernmentoffice(TheGate)togettheirpleasheard

• Thequeuehasgowntobekilometerslong• Awholecommunityspringsuparoundthequeuewithitsownsystemsofbarterandtrade

• Phonesaregivenforfreetothepeopleinthequeue(surveillance)

• Thereissinglepapercalled TheTruth• LawsarearbitrarilyhandeddownbytheGate

Author:Basma AbdelAzizYear:2016Type:DystopiaTheme:TotalitarianRegime

Conclusion

• Thefutureisthereflectionofthepresentcapturingourhopes,aspirationsandfear• Justthepastcanbemoldedtofitone’sagendasocanthefuture!• ThesameistruefromUtopiasandDystopiasfromtheMuslimWorld

PrideandPrejudiceandRobotsbyMuhammadAurangzebAhmadandZaidAli

AdditionalResources

IslamandScienceFictionProjectwww.islamscifi.com

Contactinfo:

MuhammadAurangzebAhmadFounderandEditorIslamandScienceFictionProject

CenterforDataScienceDepartmentofComputerScienceUniversityofWashington

email:[email protected]:www.aurumahmad.com