Napoleon praised Islam instrumentally while Cromer later demonized it

Evidence

Other than the obvious fabrications about the French being Muslims and destroying the papacy, what is noteworthy about this manifesto is its attempt to win over Egyptians through praise for Islam. Napoleon repeatedly insisted that he was fighting for Islam; the demonization of Islam was not yet part of the repertoire. Unlike Cromer, who stated one century later that the system of “Islam” was responsible for the supposed inferiority of the Egyptians, Napoleon would not disparage Islam. Instead, he harnessed his knowledge of the religion to aid the colonial mission. — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 169

Categorization

• XREF: Contrasts with the good/bad Muslim and pragmatic-vs-deferential frames mapped in ch7/ch9; shows the same colonial end pursued via opposite rhetorical means a century apart. — connects to: Napoleon co-opted Islam to win over Egyptians rather than demonizing it — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of…, 157; Napoleon justified invading Egypt by claiming to defend Islam from the Mamluks; Napoleon exploited praise for Islam rather than its demonization to colonize Egypt. (+3 more)

Broader Connections

• Napoleon won Egyptian cooperation by praising Islam, not disparaging it #exemplifies (0.92) — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 169
• Napoleon exploited praise for Islam rather than its demonization to colonize Egypt. #corroborates (0.90)
• Early colonial rule instrumentally praised Islam rather than demonizing it #expands (0.85) — Deepa Kumar, Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire, 157
• Napoleon’s 1798 invasion of Egypt began serious European conquest of Muslim lands #corroborates (0.75) — Green, Todd H, The Fear of Islam_ An Introduction to…, 172