By
Abdul Hannan Siwani Nadvi
How Muslims to be a super power nation? A question that always bubbles in the minds of each Muslim.
Poverty, illiteracy, lack of confidence and lack of great personalities who lead them toward straight path, Muslims have been swimming in the ideas and ways to be a strongest nation overnight.
Majority of Muslims in India, especially Muslim intellectuals of universities and colleges have adopted one policy unanimously to put Muslims on the path from where they able to initiate the way of progress.
This unanimous policy is a modern education means "education of sciences and new technologies". It seems that same policy has been adopted by Muslim intellectuals globally.
As far as modern education and Muslims concerned, Islam never stops Muslims to get each kind of education. Being IPS officers, doctors, scientists, engineers, accountants are not a great job in Islam as Islam always encourages Muslims and none-Muslims to think how Allah made this world. Various Qura'snic verses ask Muslims and none-Muslims to see around the world and know who Allah is? Qura'an says;
"And say; Glory to Him who has subjected this to us, and we could have never had it (by our efforts)".
(Surah Al-Zakhraf-13-14) و َتَقُولُوا سُبْحانَ الَّذِي سَخَّرَ لَنَا هَذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لَهُ مُقْرِنِينَ{13} وَإِنَّا إِلَى رَبِّنَا لَمُنقَلِبُونَ{14 (الزخرف)
"Do they not look at the camels, how they are created? And at the heaven, how it is raised? And at the mountains, how they are rooted and fixed him? And at the earth, how it is outspread?" (Surah Al-Ghashiyah) "أفلا ينظرون إلى الإبل كيف خلقت وإلى السماء كيف رفعت (وَإِلَىَ الْجِبَالِ كَيْفَ نُصِبَتْ) وإلى الأرض كيف سطحت"
These and other Qura'anic verses courage Muslims to get all educations and be good people on the earth of Allah.
Indeed, Muslims must learn modern education so that they able to understand the message of Islam. Modern education is not a forbidden way, like that, being a religious person is also not mandatory for each Muslim. Each student goes to Madarsas not mandatory for him to be a great religious person, nor have the doors of other educational fields been closed for him.
The problem does not lie in modern education. The problem lies in the thinking of our Muslim educationists and thinkers who sense modern education, sciences and new technologies are the way that can put Muslims on the path of progress.
In my eye, sensing modern education a solution of Muslims poverty, decline and fall a great historical irreversible mistake that is being made by them.
History is an open book for those who desire to learn something from it. The study of this history suggests that Muslim educationists, thinkers and reformists, who see modern education a sole solution of all problems of Muslims in this world, are on the path of their big irreversible historical mistakes.
Have a look on entire India, historical places and the technologies used by Muslim rulers to defeat British forces state their high qualified educational development, sadly, those historical places and Muslim rulers scientific approaches in various fields are still alive on the ground and in historical books, but where Muslims are. Why did these scientific approaches not protect them from their decline?
Taj Mahal, Lal Qila, Qutub Minar, Bhul Bhulaiyan etc historical places in India remind us the advancement of Muslims and Muslim rulers in the fields of sciences and technologies at that time.
That advancement could not serve and protect Muslim community from fall and defeat in a country where they ruled more than seven hundred years. Today, the same people have been living in same country as a minority community. Why these scientific approaches failed to keep them a well advanced nation forever?
Have a look on Al-Andalus which is now known Spain. Muslims governed there since 711 to 1492. Muslim and none-Muslim historians give their full attention over the fall of Al-Andalus. Go; and read the history, you will find what the sacrifices had been made by Muslims in that country. Jame Masjid, Al-Hamra and other historical places are still exit there and state Muslims' scientific approaches. In the same country, Muslims maimed, beheaded, raped, killed, converted to Christianity, their religious places turned into graveyard or into churches or into stables of horses. Their advancement, educational power, their Islamic art cannot prevent them from fall and destruction. Today, the same country does not know; how many years Muslims ruled there? This time, in the same country, a few Muslims live? Did sciences and new technologies save them in that country? A question, our Muslim intellectuals must think hundred times.
Leave these issues as they are much old, as well as, there is no comparison between them and today's atmosphere.
We talk about the historical facts that had been taken place in 1980s. Britain and Soviet Union who were the most powerful countries in 1980s, they defeated by the people of Afghan one by one. Even Soviet Union defeated by these un-educated people within ten years and forced to leave Afghan after receiving deadliest and unforgettable loses. Who were the people of Afghan? Had they been educated like Russia and Britain? What was the worth of them before Soviet Union and British Empire? These imperialist powers not only defeated in Afghanistan but also crushed into many parts. Does this history not exit?
Leave this issue too, as it is old too. Let me talk about 21st century. There is no power in world in the face of US; its forces have been fighting in Afghanistan since last ten years with the help of other countries without registering any remarkable breakthrough. Is there any comparison between US and Afghanistan? Did US get victory over Afghan people despite of having all kinds of new technologies, equipments, machines, helicopters, navy etcetera?
Leave this issue too as Afghans have been in a gorilla war. Come inside US and European Union. This time, these imperialist powers have been facing financial crises; they never ever experienced such crises in their entire history. Many projects have been canceled. Many funds have been halted. Various Banks got corrupted. Poverty rate is on rise; unemployment rate is on rise. It is being said that economic crises pushed US and EU ten years back. British Prime Minister asks people to be prepared for worse time in the history of Europe. Did the advancement of these countries in the fields of sciences and technologies prevent them from this crisis? What are the reasons of the failure of these world powerful countries to overcome their economic crises? What are the reasons stopping them while they have all kinds of weapons, technologies, equipments, machines and computers? You would hear in coming years how US and EU suffered same fate as it had happened with Soviet Union. These technologies would not prevent them from that worst situation that had to come in days ahead.
Take a look on Palestine. Is there any comparison between Israel and Palestine? Palestinian fighters had captured one Israeli soldier Gilad Shlit and kept him in Gaza. Israel seized Gaza from all corners, by see air and land, even it placed war on Gaza in 2008-2009. Used all tactics and stratagems against Hamas but got failed in tracing its soldier. At last, in 2011, after 6 years, it accepted its defeat; an agreement is made with Hamas; it accepted most of the demands put by Hamas; and agreed to release 1027 Palestinian prisoners in two phases. The first phase has been completed and the second one will be finished after two months since the release of the first one.
See in India, where Sharukh Khan, Amir Khan, Salman Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Dilip Kumar, Qadir Khan, Farah Khan, Shabana Azami and Javed Akhatar and thousands of Muslim actors and actresses have been dominating in bollywood film industry for decades.
Do these Muslim actors and actresses' role in the film uplift Muslims condition in country or in world?
Muslims, in Gujarat, and Babri Masjid, in Ayodhya could have not been protected despite of the domination of these film stars in film industry. They are not Madarsas's students. They are the students of great and famous universities and colleges. What their modern education served for Muslim community since they have jointed business and became famous in world?
Zahiruddin, Zahir Khan, Irfan Pathan, Yusuf Pathan and other great Muslim players' role in Indian cricket cannot be ignored. These Muslim cricketers brought fame and honor to country; but, is there any effect of them we see on ground? Did their batting and bowling develop Muslim community? What their effects wee see on the Muslims who have been living in slums; live there and die there?
Nobody is refusing the significant role of modern education. These educations are helping us in making our life easy.
It is a fact, TV, Mobiles, Internet, laptop, I-Pad and I-phone, and lots of advancements made the life easy and have been saving thousands of lives. These things have a limitation. Nobody can use mobile, TV, Internet, laptop 24 hours. Even Doctors advise for not using these things much as they affect the body.
Like that, each Muslim cannot become a doctor, each Muslim cannot become an engineer; each Muslim cannot become an IPS officer, civil engineers, scientist etcetera. Some of them can be judge, engineer etc. These jobs can help Muslims in achieving some targets and some goals in world but they cannot protect Muslims from fall and poverty.
If you are a student of history, then; go; and read historical books, you would find the reasons how Al-Andalus fallen, How Muslim rulers lost India, and what were the reasons behind the fall of Soviet Union, British Empire and now US and EU, and what are the reasons of Muslim's fall in world at a time, when Muslim countries produce and export oil and gas to entire glob.
Science, new technologies or modern education cannot save Muslims. They cannot revert Muslims fall into rise. Those who had made US and Europe their Qibla, they must know that they have lost their economic power; they are on the verge of collapse. If they do not think so, then read the statement issued by David Cameron on 11-11-2011.
Conceding the history and fact are a significant lesson. This time, Muslims in India have been paying the prices of these irreversible historical mistakes are being made by Muslim intellectuals, reformists, and thinkers who have been dreaming of being all Muslims APJ Abdul Kalam at once. These Muslim reformists must realize their mistakes and make efforts to re-correct them.
Muslims must understand that the path of Islam is the sole solution of all problems. They must follow the role of Islam in their daily life. They must and must move on the path stated in Islam. Their future lies in the glorious and enlightened past. Muslims must stand with it. If they did not stand with it, the history of Al-Andalus would be revised in India too and these universities, colleges, sciences and technologies cannot prevent them as we have seen a scene of them in Gujarat in 2002 and in Ayodhya in 1992.
Now it is upon Muslims to decide how they want to live; as an advanced nation or as a Muslim who be Imam in modern education and be true believers of Islam that follow Islamic rules in their daily life.
Qura'an says;
So relate the stories, perhaps they may reflect (Surah Al-A'araf-176) فَاقْصُصِ القَصَصَ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ] الأعراف:176
Indeed in their stories, there is a lesson for men of understanding. It is not a forged statement but a confirmation of which were before it and a detailed explanation of everything and a guide and a Mercy for a people who believe (Surah Yusuf-111) لَقَدْ كَانَ فِي قَصَصِهِمْ عِبْرَةٌ لِأُولِي الأَلْبَابِ مَا كَانَ حَدِيثًا يُفْتَرَى وَلَكِنْ تَصْدِيقَ الَّذِي بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَتَفْصِيلَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةً لِقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ يوسف:111
Qura'an states the point that can put Muslims on top and revert their fall into rise; it says;
So do not become weak nor be sad, and you are superior if you are indeed (true) believers
Surah Al-Imran-139 ﴿وَلَا تَهِنُوا وَلَا تَحْزَنُوا وَأَنْتُمُ الْأَعْلَوْنَ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُؤْمِنِينَ﴾
13-11-2011
