Muslims in the Arab world are sparring for freedom from dictatorships. But they must understand that it is Islam that breeds totalitarianism and suppression of freedom. Until they throw away Islam, the Arab slavery, and return to their roots---they will not realize true freedom, liberty and prosperity...
Islam stands for slavery of Arabia
Presently the students and young Muslims in the Islamic world are agitating for freedom from despotic rulers. But real freedom cannot be obtained unless they abandon their evil creed: Islam. There is no doubt that Islam is the real oppressor and slavery of Islam is the curse that stifles freedom of speech and freedom of expression, without which a nation cannot prosper. So, the protesters should target Islam, not only the despotic dictators.
The ideal Islamic state is what Prophet Muhammad founded in Medina after his migration to the city from Mecca. In that Islamic state, Muhammad was the supreme dictator: he was the head of administration and judiciary and chief of army. Therefore, governments in Islamic stated tend to become dictatorial, not democratic. Islam is, thus, fundamentally incompatible with democracy, and breeds dictatorial governments as seen in the Muslim world. To obtain freedom, Islam must be thrown first into garbage first.
Furthermore, Islam is not simply a religion but Arab religious imperialism which uproots a convert from his or her ancestral culture. According to the Nobel Laureate author V S Naipaul,
“Islam is not simply a matter of conscience or private belief. It makes imperial demands. A convert’s worldview alters. His holy places are in Arab lands. His sacred language is Arabic. His idea of history alters. He rejects his own: he becomes, whether he likes it or not, a part of the Arab story. The convert has to turn away from everything that is his.”
He also said,
“Islam asks its followers to abandon their past histories, culture, and identities. …Islam has had a calamitous effect on converted peoples. To be converted you have to destroy your past, destroy your history. You have to stamp on it, you have to say ‘my ancestral culture does not exist, it does not matter’….” (Beyond Belief) [1]
Naipual's observation is beyond dispute--it's all noticeable in naked eyes. There is no taker for the rich ancient Mesopotamian and Babylonian culture in Iraq, no takers for the rich ancient Persian culture in today’s Islamic Iran. Every year, Egyptologists across the world hold seminars and symposia on ancient Egyptian civilization, but few Egyptians acre little for their own heritage; nor do they contribute in it. In Pakistan, there are no takers for the ancient Harappan civilization. No Pakistani historian or person is interested in her pre-Islamic root and heritage. The people of Bangladesh talk as if their existence began with birth of the Muslim state of Bangladesh, or the creation of Pakistan.
Not only that; Muslim invaders, who once massacred their ancestors and converted them to Islam through inhuman torture at the point of sword, are deemed as their saviors. For example, Pakistan has named its most up-to-date long-range missile as Ghauri, to glorify Mohammad Ghauri, one of the most despicable and cruel Muslim invaders. On August 14, 1947, Pakistan, the Muslim country came into existence. Leaders of All India Muslim League decided to celebrate this victory at Karachi, because it is there Mohammad bin Qasem, the first successful Islamic invader of India, brought the light of the Koran and Hadith in 711 AD.
At the stroke of a terrible misfortune, the ancestors of today's today’s Islamic peoples were converted to Islam through bloodshed and torture. In the darkness of a stormy night, a sailor may lose sight and get deviated from his original course. But after the calamity is over, it is natural that the sailor would strive hard to return to his own course. And if he obstinately refuses to mend his way and stay on the wrong course, where he would be led to is easy to understand. The hopeless situation and bleak prospect in the Muslim world makes that clear. Only getting to their original course prior to that calamitous event can lead them to a free, dignified and prosperous future.
Nearly a thousand years ago, the celebrated Persian poet and philosopher Ferdowsi gave such a call to his converted countrymen through his literary epic, Shahnameh. In that epic, he narrated the efforts of the Princes of Samanid dynasty, who revived the Persian cultural traditions after the Arab conquest of Persia. Unfortunately, the Samanids were, later on, conquered by the Ghaznavid Turks. Ferdowsi died in 1020 CE in dismal poverty, but his call still rings in the air in Persia. He was confident that the masterpiece that he had created would last the test of time, and inspire his countrymen to return to their original culture.
In 1979, the Iranian people revolted against the dictatorial rule of Shah Reza Pahlavi, under the leadership of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who led them to a more fierce and ruthless Islamic dictatorship. Today, the world is watching popular revolts in Islamic nations like Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen, Bahrain, Libya and others. Somewhat similar to the Iranian revolution in 1979, they are targeting their autocratic rulers, leaving Islam alone. To achieve true liberation, their first target should be Islam, which creates those demonic rulers. So long Islam is there, there would be no real freedom and democracy. They may get rid of a monarch-like dictator, but another worse Islamic dictator may take its place.
Muslims are most oppressed by Islam
Islam stands for backwardness and it holds the Muslim community behind in the race of progress and civilization. Islam forbids freedom of speech and expression, which stunts creativity in people. Without freedom of expression, a society cannot progress. According to Islamic culture, the thought process of an individual must be guided by the Koran and Sunnah, revealed 1400 years ago. Islam, thus, strives to keep Islamic societies as it was fourteen centuries ago.
In commenting on this aspect of Islam, Sir Winston Churchill said:
“No stronger retrograde force (than Islam) exists in the world. Far from being moribund, Mohammedanism is a militant and proselytizing faith. It has already spread throughout Central Africa, raising fearless warriors at every step; and were it not that Christianity is sheltered in the strong arms of science, the science against which it had vainly struggled, the civilisation of modern Europe might fall, as fell the civilisation of ancient Rome.”[2]
Regarding Islam's oppression of Muslims, he said:
“How dreadful are the curses which Mohammedanism lays on its votaries! Besides the fanatical frenzy, which is as dangerous in a man as hydrophobia in a dog, there is this fearful fatalistic apathy. The effects are apparent in many countries. Improvident habits, slovenly systems of agriculture, sluggish methods of commerce, and insecurity of property exist wherever the followers of the Prophet rule or live. A degraded sensualism deprives this life of its grace and refinement; the next of its dignity and sanctity.” He further said, “The fact that in Mohammedan law every woman must belong to some man as his absolute property – either as a child, a wife, or a concubine – must delay the final extinction of slavery until the faith of Islam has ceased to be a great power among men. Thousands become the brave and loyal soldiers of the Queen: all know how to die but the influence of the religion paralyses the social development of those who follow it.” [2]
In the early 20th century, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk could understand that under Islam a nation cannot progress and hence he tried to liberate Turkey from the fetters of Arab religious imperialism. On March 3, 1924, he abolished the Caliphate and its powers within Turkey were transferred to democratically elected Parliament called the GNA. Other Muslim nations strongly opposed Turkey's unilateral abolition of the Caliphate and debated whether they should confirm the Turkish action or appoint a new caliph. Though a Caliphate Conference was held in Cairo in May 1926 and a resolution was passed declaring the Caliphate "a necessity in Islam", but failed to implement the decision.
Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, popularly known as Kemal Pasha, could comprehend that a new generation of educated people is needed to build a secular Turkey and that should begin from primary schools level. So, he implemented primary education compulsory for boys and girls; and modernized the old madrasa education with modern European system of education. Thus Mustafa Kemal changed the classical Islamic education for a vigorously promoted reconstruction of educational institutions. Thus Kemal could liberate education from religious dogma. In the summer of 1924, Mustafa Kemal invited American educational reformer and philosopher John Dewey to Anakara to advise him on how to reform Turkish education.
The state schools established a common curriculum which became known as the unification of education. At the same time, he abolished the two ministries including the department of religious affairs. Thus he separated religion from politics and thus laid the foundations of a secular Turkey. Beginning in the fall of 1925, Mustafa Kemal encouraged the Turks to wear modern European attire only to discourage Arabic dress-code. He said:
“In the face of knowledge, science, and of the whole extent of radiant civilization, I cannot accept the presence in Turkey's civilized community of people primitive enough to seek material and spiritual benefits in the guidance of sheiks. The Turkish republic cannot be a country of sheiks, dervishes, and disciples. The best, the truest order is the order of civilization. To be a man it is enough to carry out the requirements of civilization. The leaders of dervish orders will understand the truth of my words, and will themselves close down their lodges [tekke] and admit that their disciplines have grown up.”[3]
 Eighteen female MPs of Turkish Parliament |
He made institutional Sufism illegal in Turkey; but allowed a non-political Sufism, functioning as social associations. Such were the steps adopted by Mustafa Kemal to liberate Turkey from the fetters of Arab religious imperialism. On 5 December 1934, Turkey granted full political rights to women, before several other European nations. The equal rights of women in marriage had already been established earlier in the Turkish civil code. Women's place in Mustafa Kemal's cultural reforms was best expressed in the civic book prepared under his supervision. As a result of these measures, eighteen female MPs joined the Turkish Parliament after the 1935 general elections.
But it is really unfortunate that the present rulers of Turkey have revived an Islamic Turkey by abandonment of all the reforms implemented by Kemal Pasha. In this context, the reader may remember the unfortunate demise of the Mutazila movement to liberate science and learning from the Islamic dogma, that flourished in the cities of Basra and Baghdad, both in present-day Iraq, initiated by group of rational thinkers known as Mutazilis.
Dismal state of education in the Islamic world
Well-trained human resources are a key to creating wealth, but Islam does not have any program to raise an educated workforceFor generating wealth, Islam teaches jihad instead. Jihad means killing certain kind of people for grabbing their properties and riches by sword, fire and rape. If young people are imbued with such ideas will robbery, burglary, and theft for the accumulation of wealth, by hard labor. Muslim zealots these days talk about conquering the entire world, particularly the developed countries in the West, so that they could loot the wealth and riches of those countries.
So, the Islamic world does not make the best use of its accumulated human capital. Due this viewpoint, Islamic world is falling behind the other communities of the world in education and creativity. This lack of education, Islam produces ordinary laborers but not an educated and skilled labor force. The governments of rich countries of the Middle East are importing educated skilled labor force from foreign countries, but not trying to develop their own labor force. In fact, Building such labor force is necessary for economic growth, income distribution, and poverty alleviation. It is needless to say that, it can be achieved only by imparting modern scientific education to the people.
So, an investigator laments:
“The Muslim countries of the world are at the bottom of the list when it comes to education and development. Many people have tried to blame the west for the backward Muslim attitude. However, this problem is not an external problem, but an internal one. There are other countries in the world, which are poorer than some Muslim countries, but when it comes to education they are far ahead of Muslim nations.”
He adds:
“India is one example. They were also under colonial rule like Pakistan and are among the poorest countries in the world. However, their education system is better than any Muslim country in the world. They produce more world class scientists and researchers than all the Muslims countries combined. If you go to any major university in the world, you are bound to find Indian professors in the faculty.”
“What is their secret? This question had been on my mind several years ago and I did some research on that. I noticed several differences in ATTITUDE and no major differences in content of what was being taught at their universities compared to Muslim Universities. The main difference was that Indian education system encourages QUESTIONING old Masters, whereas, the Muslim countries' education system DISCOURAGES asking new questions and it encourages following what people in the past did. This attitude is not limited to universities but is also prevalent in other social things, including religion.” [4]
There is another problem. In Islam, women are treated worse than domestic animals. In traditional Muslim societies, Islamic clerics forbid education and jobs to girls. When the Taliban took over Afghanistan, they closed all schools and colleges for girls. On one occasion, Muslim zealots slit the throat of 300 school girls for the offence of attending schools. There so many similar examples in various Islamic nations. But the girl children of the Muslims migrated to the Western countries receive education like the children of the other communities without any hindrance.
In recent past, the World Bank conducted a study regarding the education in the Muslim world and it submitted its report titled “The World Bank Report on Education Reform in North Africa and the Middle East” in February, 2008. The report concluded that the quality of education in the Arab world is falling behind other regions and needs urgent reform to tackle swelling unemployment. The report said unemployment in the Arab world averaged 14%, which is higher than other areas in the world, except Sub-Saharan Africa, with the Palestinian territories coming highest with nearly 26%.
A senior World Bank official, Marwan Muasher who contributed to the report said,
“Educational reform went hand in hand with economic development, especially given the region's extremely high youth population. It's a very youthful region - 60% of the region's population is under 30 years of age, close to 100m new jobs will need to be created over the next 10 to 15 years in the Arab world. If we are to create such jobs, then we have to start with education."
Another study carried out in January, 2008, by the Tunis-based Arab League Educational Cultural and Scientific Organization found that 30% of the approximately 300 million people in the Arab World were illiterate. The report also says,
“The Muslim World has made no contribution to science or contributed anything substantial to technology. It remains today in a state of gloom and anarchy where leaders inherit their thrones for life and ensure the population remains in poverty with little care for the educational needs of the people.”
The report confirmed that the region has only invested about 5% of GDP in education over the past 40 years. Some developments have occurred in countries such as the Gulf States and Egypt, where many children have benefited from compulsory schooling. However, the region as a whole has not made the best use of its accumulated human capital. Unemployment is particularly high among graduates, and a large segment of the educated labor force is employed by governments. Not surprisingly, the link between human capital accumulation and economic growth, income distribution, and poverty reduction in the region is weak.
Another study says,
“What is very clear is that the Muslim rulers are intellectually bankrupt without any vision for the Muslim world and have in fact implemented policies that have contributed to the multitude of problems in the Muslim lands. The royal family in Saudi Arabia spends millions every year on shopping malls and family trips abroad. In Egypt Hosni Mubarak spends more on building palaces than his people, whilst Jordan spends more on renewable energy than on welfare. Education just isn't a priority for the Muslim rulers.”
In fact, Muslim rulers and the cleric are afraid of imparting modern education to the younger generation, because in that case, they will start questioning the Islam. So, they strive to confine education within Islamic schools or madras, where they will learn only the Koran and Hadith. They argue that truth has already been revealed by Allah in the Koran and Sunnah and hence it is useless to spend time and money to rediscover the truth. It is not difficult to understand that such an attitude is extremely detrimental to the progress and development of a society. Most importantly, such a view stalls the creativity of people and we hope to discuss these aspects in the next part of the article.
(To be continued)
References:
[1] http://www.chowk.com/Views/History/A-Convert-s-Complaint-Analyzing-Naipaul-s-Views-on-Islam
[2] http://www.brutallyhonest.org/brutally_honest/2010/02/winston-churchill-on-islam.html
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1592070/posts
[3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mustafa_Kemal_Atat%C3%BCrk
[4] http://www.masjidtucson.org/publications/books/sp/2007/jun/page1.html
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