The Main Reasons for the Decline of Muslims
By Prof.
Atique Ahmad Farooqi
Translated by New Age Islam Edit Desk
How Are Fatwas Seriously Causing Muslims
To Decline?
Main Points
- Islam was in the midst of
its scientific Golden Age about a thousand years ago.
- Muslims suddenly began to
decline.
- This decline was
principally caused by a fatwa issued by Imam al-Ghazali (1058-1111).
- A fatwa prohibiting the
use of printing presses that was issued by Sheikh Al-Hadith of the Ottoman
Caliphate was another factor in the decline.
- But we are still the same
as we were back then. Even today, we continue to accept strange fatwas
without objecting to them.
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In the eleventh century AD, around a thousand
years ago, Islam was in the midst of its scientific golden era. During this
time, Baghdad was the epicentre of modern science and technology. Baghdad once
served as a hub for international students seeking advanced science education.
Europe was education-wise in the dark throughout this time. Muslims were
revered as being scientists. During this time, Muslims were seen as an
identity in all areas of global education, including mathematics, science,
psychology, agriculture, medicine, and shipping. Then all of these activities
abruptly came to an end. Philosophy, invention, and wisdom abruptly vanished
from the Muslim world. This was principally caused by a fatwa that was
published in the well-known book Tahaaft al-Falasafah by Imam al-Ghazali
(1058-1111), a well-known religious expert of his time. This interpretation of
the book holds that manipulating numbers is the work of Satan. Muslims should
therefore refrain from using mathematics.
Imam al-Ghazali was born in Tabarân-Tûs
province of Khorasan, Iran. He was known as Mujaddid and Hujjatul
Islam at the time because of his prominence among the Muslims of that
period. Obviously, Muslims at the time believed that disobeying his edict
(fatwa) was against Islam. As a result, Muslims disregarded any scientific
discoveries and investigations that incorporated mathematical procedures of any
kind. As we all know, modern technology cannot succeed without the use of
mathematical procedures. Muslims disregarded science. American astronomer Neil
deGrasse Tyson claims that Imam Ghazali made this crucial error, which caused
Muslims to turn away from all forms of knowledge. Everything came to a halt
once Imam Ghazali issued this fatwa. It appeared as though someone had
handicapped the Muslims. His incorrect understanding has prevented this Muslim
nation from emerging until this day, and the harm done centuries ago has not
yet been remedied.
The second significant shock was the ban on
printing press use after its invention. Following the invention of the printing
press in Germany in 1455, Sultan Salim (I) prohibited the printing of any form
of a book at the request of Sheikh Al-Hadith, a member of the Ottoman
Caliphate of Turkey (1299-1922). It was also stated that anyone found using a
printing press would be put to death.
The caliphate at that time encompassed not just
Turkey but also sections of South-Eastern Europe, Central Europe, Western Asia,
and North Africa. The Muslims' progress at the time quickly came to a stop as a
result of this edict. Once other nations started using the printing press,
science-based publications, research papers, and articles on new discoveries
began to appear in newspapers all across the world. As information spread,
other countries began to profit from it.
The first book printed in the Muslim world was in
1817, despite the fact that this self-imposed ban on Muslims using printing
presses was lifted around 1784. The fountain of knowledge among Muslims first
emerged 362 years after the printing press was invented, but where did the rest
of the world get to in that time? For a long time, Muslims were denied access
to the new information and technologies made possible by the printing press.
These two fatwas were the main reasons why Muslims are not where they
ought to be today.
What specifically was regarded as un-Islamic and
why was it forbidden, we just marvel as we think back on these fatwas
now. But even now, we remain the same as we did then. We continue to
accept bizarre fatwas even today without objecting to them. When the
aeroplane was created, a fatwa from the subcontinent stating that flying is
prohibited was issued. The fatwa claims that travelling at such a high altitude
is equivalent to opposing the authority of God. So, when the radio was created,
a fatwa was issued declaring it to be the voice of the devil. Fatwa is still
broadcast on television and on cameras. Similar to this, someone today has
declared genetic engineering, hair transplants, and blood transfusions to be
prohibited (Haraam).
The age of cosmic exploration is at its height
right now. We learn that the cosmos is currently in a quantum condition.
Research focuses on the surface of Mars. In addition to genetic engineering,
medical research has also advanced to the point where the world is now on the
verge of wiping out devastating diseases like cancer. Where are we now, and how
far has the world progressed? At our present level of comprehension, we
nevertheless find it fascinating to find the names of Allah or Muhammad written
on a cucumber.
Our degree of intelligence is such that if the
name of Muhammad is discovered on a goat used as a sacrifice, we deem the goats
to be Muslims. What is this, and how are we benefiting religion? Jews,
Christians, Japanese, and every other nation in the world attempted to keep up
with the pace of the time and succeeded in new heights. However, our nation is
still at the bottom of the food chain, and as a result, we are now behind other
countries. Strict accountability is required.
Urdu
Article: The
Main Reasons for the Decline of Muslims مسلمانوں کے زوال کے بنیادی اسباب
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