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3. Historical Experience Shaping How West Views Islam
The book “Islam at Crossroads” by Muhammad Asad deals with the fall of the Muslim world. It laments the imitation of the West which is in its spirit (materialistic) diametrically opposite to the Islamic spirit (spiritual and harmony between subtle and mundane). It argues that the imitation of the West can only be at the cost of Islam, the two being incompatible. It discusses the attitude the Muslims must adopt towards the West. It further argues that the practical aspect of the spirit of Islam lies in the Sunnah of the Prophet, which has been shunned for the visible impossibility of implementing its seemingly trivial aspects in life, the weakening…
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The Good & the Bad & the higher Self of Man
The human heart thinketh both good and bad, for man prays for evil as fervently as he prays for good, for he is given to haste and rush devoid of sabr. We have knowledge of both the good and the bad, for we have been shown both the highways. The virtue (and the vice) is here, the Prophet (saw) pointed towards his chest thrice. Our reflection of the world outside is the reflection of the world inside. Shams of Tabriz says, “The whole universe is contained within a single human being – you. Everything that you see around, including the things that you might not be fond of and even…
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Resolution of Conflicts
Democracy isn’t just about equality, liberty, secularism, and other such loaded terms that fill the popular narrative. We have far moved beyond the French Revolution, however our obsession with these terms continues. We often forget another pillar of democracy, a pillar of successful society rather, “Resolution of Conflicts”. Though a ranking or hierarchy of various aspects of a thriving state can’t be made, or at least is difficult to make, we can be relatively certain that “resolution of conflict” is an important aspect which we often miss in our discussions. Conflicts keep lingering along and often end up shaping the sentiments of communities in a long run. Such a happening affects…
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Holding Pride in Ancient Science
More than anyone else, I am fairly certain in my personal assessment that Muslims and Hindus hold huge pride in their ancient achievements. Each one claims to be the genesis of modern civilization and root of all modern knowledge. Irony dies a million deaths when we see the state of affairs in both the Muslim and Hindu nation, holding pride in Camel Urine and Cow Urine respectively and discovering medicinal benefits in Zam Zam Water and Ganges Water respectively, yet not able to sort out public health issues in their respctive nations. Understand the fact that everything that we know today and study in science is not a product of…
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Excerpts from Maryam Jameelah’s “Islam Versus the West”
“From my Jewish textbooks I learned that Abraham was the father of the Arabs as well as the Jews. In these same books I read how centuries later when in medieval Europe, Christian persecution made lives intolerable, the Jews were welcomed in Muslim Spain, and it was this same Arabic-Islamic civilization which stimulated Hebrew culture to reach its highest peak of achievement.” (Islam Versus The West, Page 5) “Sayed Qutb points out that while the teaching of Christianity are confined to individual spiritual salvation and while Communism looks at human needs from a purely economic angle, Islam maintains that the soul cannot be seperated from the body and that spiritual…
Renaissance, Reformation, Enlightenment
