one who claims that the Muslims' backwardness is because of adherence to religio
One who claims that the Muslims' backwardness is because of adherence to religion
Q: Some people claim that the reason why
the Muslims are backward is their adherence to their religion.
Their flawed argument is based on the idea that when the west gave
up all religions and freed themselves from them, they reached the
level of civilized advancement that they have reached. What is your
opinion?
A: Praise be to Allah.
Such words can only come from one who is weak in faith or has no
faith at all, is ignorant of history and knows nothing of the means
of success and prevailing. When the Muslim ummah adhered to its
religion at the beginning of Islam, it had power, might and
strength, and were advanced in all aspects of life. Indeed, some
people say that the west did not advance in different branches of
knowledge except after learning and taking knowledge from the
Muslims in the early centuries of Islam. But the Muslim ummah
started to fall short in its commitment to its religion and
introduced into the religion of Allah things that are not part of
it, in terms of beliefs, words and actions. That led to falling
behind and becoming backward to a large extent. We know for
certain, and Allah is our witness, that if we go back to what our
forebears followed in religious terms, we would become great and
honoured and would prevail over all people. Hence, when Abu Sufyaan
spoke to Heraclius, the Byzantine ruler - and Byzantium at that
time was regarded as a superpower - and told him about the way of
the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and his
companions, he said: "If what you are saying is true, then he will
take possession of what lies beneath these two feet of mine." When
Abu Sufyaan and his companions left Heraclius, he said: "The affair
of Ibn Abi Kabshah is becoming so serious that the king of
Banu'l-Asfar [i.e., the Byzantines] is afraid of him."
With regard to what has happened in the western kaafir and atheist
states of progress in terms of industry and the like, our religion
does not forbid that, if we follow its teachings. But unfortunately
we have lost both. We have neglected our religion and we have
neglected our worldly affairs. But Islam is not contrary to such
progress; rather Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):{ وَأَعِدُّواْ لَهُم مَّا اسْتَطَعْتُم مِّن
قُوَّةٍ وَمِن رِّبَاطِ الْخَيْلِ تُرْهِبُونَ بِهِ عَدْوَّ اللّهِ
وَعَدُوَّكُمْ وَآخَرِينَ مِن دُونِهِمْ لاَ تَعْلَمُونَهُمُ اللّهُ
يَعْلَمُهُمْ وَمَا تُنفِقُواْ مِن شَيْءٍ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ يُوَفَّ
إِلَيْكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ لاَ تُظْلَمُونَ}
"And make ready against them all you can of power, including steeds
of war (tanks, planes, missiles, artillery) to threaten the enemy
of Allah and your enemy, and others besides whom, you may not know
but whom Allah does know. And whatever you shall spend in the Cause
of Allah shall be repaid unto you, and you shall not be treated
unjustly." Transliteration: Wa 'A`iddū Lahum Mā Astaţa`tum Min
Qūwatin Wa Min Ribāţi Al-Khayli Turhibūna Bihi `Adūwa Allāhi Wa
`Adūwakum Wa 'Ākharīna Min Dūnihim Lā Ta`lamūnahumu Allāhu
Ya`lamuhum Wa Mā Tunfiqū Min Shay'in Fī Sabīli Allāhi Yuwaffa
'Ilaykum Wa 'Antum Lā Tužlamūna.[al-Anfaal 8:60] {هُوَ الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الْأَرْضَ
ذَلُولاً فَامْشُوا فِي مَنَاكِبِهَا وَكُلُوا مِن رِّزْقِهِ
وَإِلَيْهِ النُّشُورُ}
"He it is Who has made the earth subservient to you (i.e. easy for
you to walk, to live and to do agriculture on it); so walk in the
path thereof and eat of His provision. And to Him will be the
Resurrection" Transliteration: Huwa Al-Ladhī Ja`ala Lakum Al-'Arđa
Dhalūlāan Fāmshū Fī Manākibihā Wa Kulū Min Rizqihi Wa 'Ilayhi
An-Nushūru.[al-Mulk 67:15] {هُوَ
الَّذِي خَلَقَ لَكُم مَّا فِي الأَرْضِ جَمِيعاً}
"He it is Who created for you all that is on earth"
Transliteration: Huwa Al-Ladhī Khalaqa Lakum Mā Fī Al-'Arđi
Jamī`āan.[al-Baqarah 2:29]
And there are other verses, which clearly state to man that he
should earn and work and benefit, but not at the expense of his
religious commitment. These kaafir nations were originally kaafir,
and the religions that they followed were false religions; their
religion and their rejection of their religion is all the same,
with no difference. Allah says (interpretation of the
meaning):{وَمَن يَبْتَغِ غَيْرَ
الإِسْلاَمِ دِيناً فَلَن يُقْبَلَ مِنْهُ وَهُوَ فِي الآخِرَةِ مِنَ
الْخَاسِرِينَ}
"And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be
accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he will be one of the losers"
Transliteration: Wa Man Yabtaghi Ghayra Al-'Islāmi Dīnāan Falan
Yuqbala Minhu Wa Huwa Fī Al-'Ākhirati Mina Al-Khāsirīna.[Aal
'Imraan 3:85]
Although the Jews and Christians have some characteristics in which
they differ from others, with regard to the Hereafter they and
others will all be the same. Hence the Prophet (peace and blessings
of Allah be upon him) swore that any Jew or Christian among this
nation who heard of him and did not follow what he brought would be
among the people of Hell. So they are basically kaafirs, whether
they follow Judaism or Christianity or not.
With regard to what they have of rain and other blessings, this
happens to them as a test from Allah, to hasten their good things
for them in this world, as the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him) said to 'Umar ibn al-Khattaab, when he saw the
marks of his reed mat on his side, and 'Umar wept and said: "O
Messenger of Allah, the Persians and Romans [Byzantines] are living
a live of ease and you are in this state." He said: «O 'Umar, these are people for whom their
good things have been hastened in this world. Doesn't it please you
that this world should be for them and the Hereafter should be for
us?»Moreover, they are faced with drought, calamities,
earthquakes and destructive storms, as is well known and is always
broadcast in the media, in newspapers and elsewhere. But those who
make the claim referred to in the question are blind; Allah has
blinded them to the truth and they do not know what is really going
on.
My advice to them is to repent to Allah from such thoughts before
death takes them unawares, and to turn back to their Lord. They
should realize that we will have no might or pride or strength or
leadership unless we come back to the religion of Islam in a true
sense, in word and deed. They should realize that the path these
kuffaar are following is false and is not true, and their final
destiny will be the Fire, as Allah has told us in His Book and on
the lips of His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon
him). This blessing that Allah has given them of ease is nothing
more than a test and a trial, and hastening of good things in this
world, until they die and leave behind this comfort and go to Hell,
where the loss, pain and grief will be increased for them. This is
the wisdom of Allah behind the ease that these people enjoy. But as
you say, they are not free of calamities that befall them, such as
earthquakes, droughts, storms, floods and so on. I ask Allah to
guide this questioner and bring him back to the truth, and to give
us all insight into our religion, for He is Most Generous, Most
Kind. End quote.
And Allah knows best.
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