Causes of Downfall of Muslim Community: How To Regain The Honour and Progress
Muslims
Who Excelled In The Sciences And Arts Were Admired By People From All Walks Of
Life All Around The World
Highlights
1. When did the
Muslim Ummah start to fall apart?
2. There are
numerous reasons for the Muslim Ummah's collapse.
3. Muslim
backwardness has also been attributed to a lack of interest in education and
technology.
4. We would not
be in such a state of deterioration if we were real believers.
5. In today's
Muslim community, moral values guided by Islam are on the decline.
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By
Kaniz Fatma, New Age Islam, New Age Islam
12 January
2022
When did
the Muslim Ummah start to fall apart? Nothing can be said for definite, but
history shows that the Muslims began to decline in every sector around the end
of the twelfth century, when they endured political and military collapse and
became stagnant, leaving the road of research and writing, ijtihad, and
inventions. The Muslim Ummah plunged from here, having attained the zenith of
development in technology, industrialization, civilization, culture, sciences,
and arts.
There are
numerous reasons for the Muslim Ummah's collapse. The main reasons are: lack of
religious education, faith weakness, Muslims attacking one another, failure to
judge with justice in affairs, adopting extremist attitudes, distancing oneself
from wisdom, not caring about Haram and Halal, lying, betrayal, lack
of sincerity and love, unjust occupation of one another's property and lands,
lack of respect for saints and religious leaders, increase of enmity, doing
religious work for the sake of fame, and in short doing what is forbidden in
Islam, etc.
We will discover
that we are not sincere believers if we analyse our beliefs today. We would not
be in such a state of deterioration if we were real believers. Today,
oppressive rulers are imposed on the Muslim Ummah in various parts of the world
because Allah Almighty says that if the Ummah is involved in evils, an
oppressive ruler will be imposed on it, but if they come out of the mire of
evils and walk on the path of goodness, they will be protected from the tyrant
rulers. Our obsessions with worldly issues, as well as our ignorance of the
light of faith, show that our faith has weakened significantly. So, first and
foremost, we must illuminate our faith and belief within our hearts.
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Distancing
From Education
Muslim
backwardness has also been attributed to a lack of interest in education and
technology. Even small nations are developing through education today all
throughout the world. Muslims, on the other hand, are at a disadvantage in
terms of education and technology. Muslims who excelled in the sciences and
arts were admired by people from all walks of life all around the world.
There are
57 Islamic countries that are autonomous and independent. Their overall
population is estimated to be around a hundred billion people. An estimated 40%
of the population is illiterate. The entire manpower in the disciplines of
science and technology in these Islamic countries is only about 8 million, or
about 4% of the global population working in these fields. Every year, about
100,000 scientific books and 2 million scientific articles are published around
the world. While there are fewer than a thousand scientific and research books
and articles published each year in Islamic countries.
Sectarian
Clashes and Disagreements among Muslims
Muslims’
backwardness is primarily due to sectarian conflicts and disagreements within
Muslims. Allah and His Messenger have constantly admonished Muslims to stay
united and avoid strife. Allah said, “Obey Allah and His Messenger, and do
not dispute, lest you falter and your strength departs; and be patient. Indeed,
Allah is with the patient” (Al-Anfal 45-46). As a result, disagreement is a
source of stumbling and the enemy's win over you. And dispute is a gateway for
evil and hate to infiltrate your relationship.
There have
also been numerous hadiths recounted in this regard. According to a hadith,
Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) stated, “A believer is like a building
for another believer, with each part strengthening the others” (Sahih). Despite
all of these commands, the Muslims grew increasingly split, as a result of
which they declined, becoming backward in several fields.
Decline
of Moral Values
In today's
Muslim community, moral values guided by Islam are on the decline. This has
also contributed to their downfall. The renowned historian Ibn Khaldun writes
in his work 'Muqaddama,' that a nation that has gained prosperity and
advancement in the world is always seen as having good morals, whilst a nation
with evil morals collapses.
If the
Muslim Ummah is to restore its magnificence and avoid the traps of humiliation
and dishonour while also ending oppression, it must address the flaws, which
can be accomplished through education and reformation. The Holy Qur'an also
emphasises the significance of first gaining knowledge and then reforming in
accordance with the criteria.
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Kaniz
Fatma is a classic Islamic scholar and a regular columnist for New Age Islam.
URL: https://www.newageislam.com/islamic-society/downfall-muslim-community-honour/d/126138
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