What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
Islam is facing a crisis, as evidenced by the prevalence of violent strains across more than 50 Muslim-majority countries and among Muslim populations living in non-Muslim countries
When Islam is mentioned in today’s world, it evokes various images. On one hand, there are peaceful scenes of thousands of people praying, Sufi qawwali music, lyrical poetry, mystical practices, impressive shrines, and grand architecture.
On the other hand, there are also negative associations such as Muslim mobs rioting, hijackers committing acts of terrorism by flying planes into buildings, bombings, shootings, stabbings and extremist religious leaders issuing fatwas that call for the beheading of non-Muslims and the murder of Muslims accused of blasphemy.
Unfortunately, there is a significant lack of knowledge and understanding among non-Muslims and Muslims alike about the vast and diverse civilization that unites Muslims of all sects, races, and beliefs. This ignorance extends to Muslim history, culture, dissenters, and different points of view and opinions.
Islam’s theology is grounded in the dichotomy between the spiritual (din) and the material (dunya), with some Asharite interpretations emphasizing the importance of a balance between the two.
However, certain radicalised and extremist interpretations of Islamic scriptures prioritise din (the afterlife) over dunya (this world), making it easier for radical mullahs, terrorist groups such as Hezbollah, al-Qaeda, ISIS, Hizbul Mujahideen, Lashkar-e-Toiba, Boko Haram and extremist political parties like the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas, and the Taliban to influence and indoctrinate generations of Muslims.
These groups promote the idea that armed Jihad is the only way to live in this world and prepare for the afterlife according to Islamic beliefs about preparation for akhirah.
Islam represents a complete civilization, encompassing a way of life, philosophy, and sociology. Its theology gives rise to specific social practices related to culture, manners, food, and language. The Prophet’s teachings, transmitted through the Hadith and Sunna (sayings and traditions), primarily emphasise warm greetings, avoiding gossip and slander, accepting invitations, visiting the sick, participating in funeral processions, and promoting social activities that foster a strong sense of community, belonging, and peace.
There are numerous instructions regarding the importance of children respecting their parents, and parents showing love and affection to their children, reflecting an entire philosophy of love and tolerance.
Islam is facing a crisis, as evidenced by the prevalence of violent strains across more than 50 Muslim-majority countries and among Muslim populations living in non-Muslim countries. Extremism, radicalism, and terrorism have become synonymous with Islamism, and the reluctance to name it as such due to political correctness is gradually fading.
It is essential to acknowledge this problem to find solutions, as no amount of concealing, denial, or dismissal can erase the dissatisfaction and resentment among Muslim masses and their attitudes towards people of other faiths. The 21st century requires that we challenge the orthodox and conservative Muslim attitudes towards their community and others, as well as the organised minority that silences the peaceful majority.
This challenge is often referred to as modernization, and it is crucial to address the need for reform, even in India, where reformist movements such as the Deobandi and Barelvi drew inspiration from Salafis, Wahhabis, Tayyimism (Ibn Tayymiyah), or Hanbalism (Imam Hanbal), leading to the Partition of India into East (now Bangladesh) and West Pakistan, which is currently facing internal strife.
The crisis faced by Islam can be attributed to the fact that it has been utilized as a tool for political gain since the time it started developing into a growing empire with its own distinct culture and aspects.
The initial idea of the “state of Islam” envisioned by the Prophet during the creation of Medina has now been replaced by the idea of Islamic states all over the world, first by imperialist and colonial Arabs and then by converts from Hind (Bharat), who have adopted concepts like Dar ul Harb (House of War) and Dar ul Islam (House of Islam) for expansion and domination.
This focus on conversion and domination has even led to the division of a civilization that existed for over 5000 years in the Indus Valley and extended from Afghanistan to Cambodia. The creation of Pakistan as an Islamic State, which has failed as a state, illustrates the consequences of deviating from the original message of the Prophet and abandoning Quranic principles and values, which have harmed the indigenous populations of the region.
Today’s Muslims must educate themselves about Islam, which has been politicised for centuries and used as a tool for colonisation, leading many Muslims to be addicted to a “forced sense of victimhood” or ‘Oppression Olympics’. The political leaders and radical preachers, including those claiming lineage from the Prophet’s family, such as the Ashrafs in India/Hind/Bharat, need to be held responsible for this.
It is now the perfect time to separate the truth from centuries of lies, deceit, and obscurantism, using modern tools such as social media, technology, connectivity, communication, and research, without the fear of censorship, judgment, or ostracism that has become synonymous with “Muslim” or Islamic scholarship.
Obtaining knowledge and improving our lives is a Quranic mandate, and therefore, reformation must focus on an individual’s relationship with their faith. There are several ways of approaching this, ranging from the literal and ultra-conservative to the agnostic and even cultural ways of reconciling faith with one’s reasoning.
It is crucial for Muslims today to become knowledgeable about Middle Eastern colonialism, which involved the invasion of non-Islamic nations intending to eliminate their indigenous cultures and belief systems while labelling them as “infidel” faiths, and then justifying these conquests as God’s will.
Since the 18th century, Muslims have resisted Western colonialism with comparable force, but the hypocrisy of these actions is not lost on those with rational viewpoints. Recent women’s movements in Muslim countries like Iran and Afghanistan have exposed the dishonesty of claims that women have equal rights under Sharia law.
Meanwhile, certain groups continue to defend oppressive practices like halala, FGM, muta marriage, triple talaq, mandatory hijab, armed jihad, and the Islamist agenda of establishing Houses of Islam everywhere, often citing misogynistic Hadiths that discriminate against women.
There is also a lack of clarity when it comes to abolishing slavery, and instances of institutionalized slavery and a caste system against menial workers persist in Muslim-majority countries.
The internal civil war within Muslim minds, hearts, spirits, communities, neighbourhoods and countries is all about the state of Islam as envisioned by the original ‘reformer’ the Prophet vs the Islamic state as envisioned by the radical mullahs in Ashari interpretations of the Scriptures and faith. This civil war needs to be won at all costs by the 174 million Indian Muslims, once they can throw away the yoke of the regressive ulemas and agenda-driven Muslim politicians.
(Arshia Malik is a Delhi-based writer, blogger and social commentator.)
Disclaimer: Views expressed above are the author’s own
