Jolting Out Of A (Religious) Slumber
By
Sumit Paul, New Age Islam
3 May 2024
Muslims seem to see their glory only in the
past. And they want to take the rest of the world back to those
"glorious" days!
By Ghulam Mohiyuddin 01/05/2024 23:41:01
You said
it, Mr Mohiyuddin! Discussing Indian society from a socio-psychological
perspective, commenting on Hindu society from Prehistory to modern times,
maverick writer Nirad C Chaudhuri wrote in his 1965 book The Continent of
Circe that when a community, race, religion or civilization tends to look
back and bask in its past glories, its wistful nostalgia has a sense of
desperation, despair and resignation. Rest assured, its decline has begun.
In his
later works, he said this in the context of Bengal and the Bengali community.
Look at today's Bengal and look at its intelligentsia. Just like Muslims of
today, Bengalis have been cashing in on their past glories and living in the
times and works of Rabindranath Tagore, Vivekananda, Aurobindo, Satyajit Ray, J
C Bose, Uttam Kumar, among others. What has this community done and achieved in
recent times? The same can be said about the Muslims. Undoubtedly, Islam
enjoyed a long period of supremacy (specifically, intellectual supremacy) in
all spheres.
The Islamic
Golden Age was a period of scientific, economic and cultural flourishing in the
history of Islam, traditionally dated from the 8th century to the 13th century.
But it ended with the rise of Islamic gunpowder empires. Sadly, today's Islam
is known for violence, fanaticism, obscurantism and extreme primitivism. Just
the way Bengalis did nothing to stem the rot and remained nostalgic, Muslims
also keep harping on their glorious past. This is defeatism. Bengalis and
Muslims suffer from what's known as Nostalgia Syndrome or Beckoning Back
Proclivity (BBP) in Behavioural Psychology.
People,
groups and communities who don't do much and achieve precious little, often
resort to eulogising the 'achievements' of their ancestors to prove that
they're not good-for-nothing! This has a ring of inferiority complex. To be
proud of one's (magnificent) past is alright but dwelling upon that all the
time is a pathological state of mind.
Looking
back with pride shouldn't hamper your looking forward. To quote Altaaf Hussan
Hali from his 'Musaddas-e-Hali,' " Soo-e-Maazi Dekh Magar/ Daur-e-Guzishta
Se Seekh Sabaq " (look at the past but also learn from it). Muslims Must
Read Hali's Musaddas, Madras Lectures on Islam by Dr Allama Iqbal
delivered in January 1929 and Shibli Nomani's 1892 book, "Safarnama-e-Rum-o-Sham.
"
In this
volume, Shibli spoke of orientalism in his journey across Islamic lands- a full
century before Dr Edward W Said. The exhortations of these modern greats from
the sub-continent must jolt today's fanatic Muslims out of their religious
slumber and sickening complacency. But do zealots read an array of books? This
is a million-dollar question.
-----
A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul
is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He
has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several
languages including Persian.
URL: https://newageislam.com/spiritual-meditations/jolting-religious-slumber/d/132251