Authority Quote by Gertrude Bell
“We as outsiders can't differentiate between Sunni and Shi'ah, but leave it to them and they'll get over the difficulty by some kind of hanky panky, just as the Turks did, and for the present it's the only way of getting over it. I don't for a moment doubt that the final authority must be in the hands of the Sunnis, in spite of their numerical inferiority; otherwise you will have a mujtahid-run, theocratic state, which is the very devil.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Desert and the Sphinx by Gertrude Bell, 1927
She argues that external powers should not intervene in Sunni‑Shi'a disputes, trusting internal resolution, and warns that a theocratic rule by scholars would be disastrous.
In simple terms: Leave sectarian issues to locals; avoid external meddling.
Key Takeaway
Trust local resolution, reject theocratic rule.
Themes
politics
religion
conflict resolution
authority
intervention
secularism
Mood
cautious
analytical
skeptical
Type
political
historical
commentary
When to use this quote
- Diplomatic negotiations
- community mediation
- policy advising
- academic analysis
- media commentary
Key Concepts
Sectarianism
theocracy
power dynamics
historical precedent
Questions to Reflect On
- What are the risks of non‑intervention?
- How can external actors support peaceful dialogue without imposing authority?
A Different Perspective
External actors may lack nuanced understanding, risking escalation or bias.
![“Until quite recently I've been wholly cut off from [the Shias] because their tenets forbid them to look upon an unveiled woman and my tenets don't permit me to veil Nor is it any good trying to make friends through the women - if they were allowed to see me they would veil before me as if I were a…” quote by Gertrude Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3f9/gertrude-bell-36791_cutting_until-quite-recently-i-ve-been-wholly-cu_13723.jpg)
![“The rationale which accompanies that imposition of male authority euphemistically referred to as 'the battle of the sexes' bears a certain resemblance to the formulas of nations at war, where any heinousness is justified on the grounds that the enemy is either an inferior [part of the] species or…” quote by Kate Millett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/895/kate-millett-7301_accompany_the-rationale-which-accompanies-that-imp_8896.jpg)