Thread by @PenAbdull

Thread:

Is Islamic civilization outdated?

I begin with the Name of Allaah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.

“Truly, the religion with Allaah is Islam…” Qur’an 3:19

At various stages of human existence, there has been some sort of organized social and cultural development which defined a particular epoch in human history. The world saw the rise and the fall of ancient civilizations.

They started small and reached their peak and quickly got overtaken by a new civilization.

Accordingly, the sun will set over every empire and civilization that is established and driven by human thought and whimsical material inclinations.

Thus, the great Roman Empire collapsed after reaching its peak and so did the Persian empire and all the civilizations that the world can pride itself on.

The Pharaonic civilization reached its peak and afterward saw its rapid decline until it left the world with nothing but the relics of the past that cannot solve the problems of the present.

Evidently, it took each of the past civilizations many hundreds of years to reach their peak and so is the current civilization.

However, the Islamic civilization brought an unprecedented organized spiritual, social, economic and cultural development and revolution within a record period of twenty-three (23) years.

Undoubtedly, no any other civilization before Islam has perfected all aspects of human development.

In terms of spirituality, other civilizations were short of meeting up with the purpose of creation which is to worship Allaah Alone. Hence, despite their advancement in material development, they could not reason beyond the realms of this quick-passing life.

As a result, even after traveling to the moon, those deprived of the benefits that the Islamic civilization offers still come back confused about the Creator of the universe.

So much so that Goldstein, a historian of science said that had the Muslims stayed longer in Spain, then man would have landed on the moon at least 200 years earlier.

Allaah says: “They know only the outside appearance of the life of the world (i.e. the matters of their livelihood), and they are heedless of the Hereafter.” Qur’an 30:7

Certainly, the most successful civilization is that which has been structured by the Supreme being Himself. The Islamic civilization began when Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was called to prophet-hood approximately 1450 years ago.

This civilization cropped up in the midst of barbarism, lewdness, godlessness when humans were at their lowest ebb of social development and cultural backwardness. An era that was characterized by decadence and perversion.

Allaah the exalted says: “…..(This is) a Book which We have revealed unto you (O Muhammad SAW) in order that you might lead mankind out of darkness into light by their Lord’s Leave to the Path of the All-Mighty, the Owner of all Praise.” Qur’an 14:1

Consequently, humanity was ushered into an era of utopic civilization where monotheism dislodged polytheism, morality displaced immorality, justice overshadowed oppression, and rights and dignity of humans were restored and a new chapter was opened in human history.

This civilization though happened so quickly, was designed to remain dated till the end of time. The world saw advancement in science and medicine and got ideas from great mathematicians and polymaths that graced the annals of Islamic history.

To this, Allaah says: “You (Muslims) are the best of peoples ever raised up for mankind; you enjoin the good and forbid the evil, and you believe in Allaah.” Qur’an 3:110

By the pronouncement of the Qur’an, the Islamic civilization is the best ever. It has been dated not-to-be outdated.

Indeed, the Islamic civilization which offers the world a flawless manual (Qur’an and Sunnah) has left nothing unattended to from the most complex issues of the past of the creation of the universe and its contents

and of the future of the end of the universe and the resurrection of humanity to the simple issues of how to sleep, how to eat, how to drink, how to wear cloth, how to put on shoes to how to relieve oneself in the restroom.

Additionally, it has broken down the complex issue of sociology by directing humanity on how to set up a functioning human society.

Allaah says: “And We have sent down to you the Book (the Qur’an) as an exposition of everything…” Qur’an 16:89.

Alas! After honoring us with Islamic civilization, instead of priding ourselves with what this civilization represents we end up retrogressing by mortgaging it for man-made civilization.

Subsequently, some Muslims now think that the Islamic way of life is not consistent with the present civilization. Their exposure to the arsenals of mental warfare waged against them in the clash of civilizations seem to have affected their reasoning.

Analytically, holding onto the ways of Islam has never been harmful nor detrimental to human progress…

and this leaves us wondering as to why some Muslims are desperate to relegate it to the tail end for an imperfect way of life inspired by Satan, designed by humans and presented to humans for their self-destruction. This comes well-packaged in the form of freedom and rights.

Instructively, Muhammad Assad wrote in Arafat Magazine that, “a world in upheaval and convulsion; this is our world. An embittered all-round fight for new ways of life. At a time like this, we Muslims must take stock of our cultural holding…

He continues, “It is not enough to say we are Muslims and have an ideology of our own; we must be also in a position to show that our ideology is vital enough to stand the pressure of the changing times.”

I conclude with the words of Umar bin al-Khattab (RA), he said: “We were a humiliated people and Allaah honored us with Islam. If we seek honor from anything besides that with which Allaah honored us, Allaah will disgrace us.” al-Mustadrak.

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