8. THE TYRANNY OF MATERIALISM ON MUSLIM LAND
The Europeans worked assiduously in trying to immerse (the world) in materialism, with their corrupting traits and murderous germs, to overwhelm those Muslim lands that their hands stretched out to. Under their authority the Muslims suffered an ill fate, for while they secured for themselves power and prosperity through science, knowledge, industry, and good organisation, the Muslims were barred from all this. They laid the plans for this social turmoil in masterly fashion, invoking the aid of their political intellect and military might until they achieved their goal. They deluded the Muslim leaders by granting them loans and entering into financial transactions with them – An easy task which enabled them to infiltrate the economy and flood the country with their capital, their banks, and their companies; Thus they ran the economic machinery, exploiting the enormous profits and vast sums of money. All to the exclusion of the inhabitants. Hence, they were able to alter the basic principles of government, justice, and education, and infuse in the most powerful Islamic countries, their own peculiar political judicial, and cultural systems. They imported their semi-naked women into these regions, together with their liquors, their theatres, their dance halls, their amusements arcades, their stories, their newspapers, their novels, their whims, their silly games, and their vices. Here they allowed for crimes intolerable in their own countries, and beautified this tumultuous world to the deluded, naive eyes of wealthy Muslims and those of rank and authority. This was not enough for them, so they built schools and scientific cultural institutes, casting doubt and heresy within the hearts of people . They taught them how to demean themselves, to vilify their religion and their homeland, to detach themselves from their beliefs, and to regard anything Western as sacred, in the belief that only that which is European can be emulated. These schools were restricted to the upper class, the ruling body, the powerful and the future leaders. Those who were unsuccessful in such places were sent abroad to complete their studies. This drastic, well organised social campaign was tremendously successful since it appealed to the mind. It will continue to exert its strong intellectual influence over a long period of time. Thus, it was far more dangerous than any political or military campaign. Some Islamic countries went overboard in their admiration for the European civilisation and their dissatisfaction with the Islamic one, to the point that Turkey declared itself a non-Islamic state, imitating the Europeans in everything that they did. Aman Allah Khan, King of Afghanistan, tried this, but the attempt lost him his throne. In Egypt the manifestations of this mimicry increased and became so serious that one of the intellectual leaders could openly say that the only path to progress was to adopt this civilisation: good or evil, bitter or sweet, praise worthy or reprehensible. From Egypt it spread with strength and speed into the neighbouring countries, to the extent that it reached Morocco and encircled the holy sanctuaries within the midst of Hijaz. We may subdivide the Muslim nations that were affected by this materialistic civilisation, into three categories:
1) Countries in which this influence has reached serious proportions.
Not only is this seen outwardly but has gone so far as to penetrate the minds and feelings of the people. Among these countries are Turkey and Egypt, where the slightest trace of an Islamic ideology has disappeared from all walks of life, banished to mosques and Sufi retreats.
2) Countries which have only been influenced outwardly. Emotions and feelings However remaining intact. Such as Iran and North Africa.
3) Countries which have not been influenced by this civilisation, except for a particular class consisting of the well educated and the ruling group, to the exclusion of the common people and the masses. Such as Syria, Iraq, the Hijaz, many sections of the Arabian Peninsula, and the remaining Muslim countries.
Nevertheless, this current is spreading with the speed of lightning reaching those it has not struck yet. The enemies of Islam can deceive Muslim intellectuals and draw a thick veil over the eyes of the zealous by depicting Islam as defective in various aspects of doctrine, ritual observance, and morality. What helps them to carry out this deception is the Muslims ignorance about the intrinsic nature of Islam, such that many of them are quite happy to accept the status quo. They have been ingrained in this for such along time now that it is difficult to explain to them that Islam is complete, social system encompassing all aspects of life.
Thus we can say that the Western civilisation, has triumphed over the Islamic civilisation in its social struggle. This has occurred on Muslim land, not only militarily but also spiritually and ideologically. Small wonder, for what is strong is wholly strong, and what is weak is wholly weak:
‘These are the days which we apportion to mankind in turn.’
(Surat-aal-Imraan (3), ayah 140)
Even if the ideology and teachings of Islam have gone astray, it is powerful in its essential nature, full of life and vitality, attractive and enchanting in its splendour and beauty, and it will remain so because it is the truth, and human existence will never achieve perfection and virtue through any other means. It is the work of Allah and under his protection:
‘Lo, We have sent down the Reminder, and lo, We are its Protector.’
(Surat-al-Hijr (15), ayah 9)
‘God refuses ought but that He should perfect His light, though the unbelievers feel aversion’
(Surat-at-Tawbah (9), ayah 32)
Awakening: Just as political aggression had its effect in arousing nationalist feelings, so has social aggression in reviving the Islamic ideology. Voices have been raised in every land, demanding a return to Islam, an understanding of its precepts, and an application of its rules. The day must soon come when the walls of this materialistic civilisation will come down upon the heads of its inhabitants. Then their hearts and souls will burn with a spiritual hunger, but they will find no sustenance, no healing, no remedy, except in the teachings of this Noble Book:
‘O man, an admonition from your Lord has come to you, and a healing for what is in your hearts, a guidance and a mercy for the believers. Say: ‘In God’s bounty, and in His mercy: let them rejoice in that.’ It is better than what they hoard.’
(Surat-Yunus (10), ayah 58-59)
Source: IslamBasics by Hassan Al-Banna
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