Original: Abridged Form of “Islami Shobbhota bonum Pashchatto Shobbhota” in Bangla by Prof. Golam Azam

Introduction

In the contemporary world, discussions revolving around Islam and Muslims are widespread in the media, especially regarding the similarities and differences between Islamic and Western civilizations. Prof. Sam Huntington’s “Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order” was a national best seller; a book that argues that the world’s main conflicts result from the clash between countries and cultures who base their values on religious faith and dogma. We see conciliatory moves like President Obama’s address to the Muslim world counterbalanced by legislations, such as France banning the Hijab, Switzerland banning the building of minerets and a number of other European nations banning the Niqab (face veil) for Muslim women. The time for an in depth analysis of the foundational philosophies of two distinct civilizations has long been overdue. If we are to understand this modern conflict of values and ideas, we must first understand our differences, rather than attempt solutions through the blind biases. With a brief introduction of the definition of civilization and culture, I wish to point out some of the primary differences between Islam and the West with the hope of educating and enlightening ourselves to better understand each other’s platforms. Finally as a person who believes in the supremacy of Islam, I invite the world to study Islam through it’s original sources and then to make an informed decision whether or not to accept it as their complete code of life.

Civilization and Culture

The word “civilization” is typically used as an antonym of “barbarism”. Not all people hold the same views on human life and the Universe, however. How did this world come into existence? Is there a Creator behind this creation? How does the great system of nature function? How did living beings come into existence? Is there any meaning or purpose to life? If there is a Creator, then who is He? What is His relationship with human beings? Why did He create the Universe with us in it? Has He given any laws or guidance for us to follow? Is there any need of divine guidance in human life? What is the true nature of death? Is there anything else after death or do we simple perish and cease to exist?
These and similar questions naturally come to mind and there is no way to avoid them as they are ingrained within our very nature. Due to different responses to these questions, various faith systems have been established in the world. Civilizations are manifestations of Culture, and Cultures are manifestations of Faith. The foundation of all civilizations can be found from within the people that exist therein; their values and their ideas about reality.

Conflict of Civilizations

When a civilizations flourish, they takes the shape of living machines, complete with their own unified social, legal, and educational systems supported by the might of a potent military force. This state may grow more advanced, eventually transforming itself into an empire. Then if another civilization rises, with a competing set of beliefs and values, it is only natural that the existing civilization will consider the new one as a possible threat to their own way of life. This is how a clash between civilizations begins.

In 7th century Arabia, when Muhammad (saw) established a state based upon the foundations of the teachings of Islam. The Prophet (saw) sent messages to contemporary world states and civilizations inviting them to accept Islam. The Roman Empire and the Persian Empire were already at this time at odds with one another. The beginning of Surat Ar-Rum in the Holy Qur’an briefly sheds light upon that conflict. When the invitations of the Prophet (saw) reached these two civilizations, they both resisted the new emerging Islamic civilization. During the Caliphate of Umar bin Al Khattab (RA), both these civilizations were defeated by the military might of the Muslim army. Persia later opened it’s doors to Islam whereas Rome continued to resist. Centuries later, the Romans would rejuvenate, only to entangle themselves in a much lengthier struggle with the Muslims, which would later evolve into a number of future conflicts called the Crusades.. Today’s west carries the moral and cultural legacy of the Roman civilization.
These historical facts should make evident that conflict among civilizations are inevitable.

Triumph of Western Civilization in Muslim World

During the 18th and 19th centuries, being equipped with advances of science, technology and modern weaponry, western nations occupied the Muslim world. They imposed Western political, diplomatic, educational, cultural and social models upon the populace.

By the middle of 20th century, after the Second World War, Muslim countries gradually obtained political independence, but such independence became fruitless as those societies continued to function by the systems set up by their former masters. As the foreign powers were more capable of understanding and controlling these governments, the quality of local leadership succumbed to the deterioration due to their inability to work within the Western framework.

Fundamental Differences between Islamic and Western Civilizations

1. Is Divine Guidance Necessary?
Islam proclaims that Allah (swt) has created the entire Universe based on truth and wisdom. He has made mankind His vicegerent on Earth and has provided guidance for us on how to live and manipulate our natural surroundings. Islam in essence, is not just a set of metaphysical beliefs, but a complete code of life. Humans are spiritual beings and divine guidance is a must for their survival; their only guarantee of peace and security in this world and success in the next.

On the other hand, the western civilization doesn’t feel the need for divine guidance in human life. With the beginnings of the Protestant Reformation –begun by Martin Luther– from the Roman Catholic Church, the idea of separation of Church and State was born. The Christian holy texts in their current forms also are not free from human tampering. In other words, the West doesn’t have access to pure and unadulterated divine guidance. The source of guidance for Western civilization is not God, but knowledge derived through human subjective experience and observation. In essence then, they are bound to be secular.

During the Golden Age of Islamic civilization, The Qur’an was the inspiration for Muslims to learn about the world around them, which resulted in the world’s leading advances in both the sciences and humanities. It is through the translated works of Muslim writings that the famed Renaissance of Europe was brought about. Students of knowledge from all over the world used to flock to educational institutions harbored in Muslim lands. Since Muslims have strayed from the inspirations and influence of the Holy Qur’an, they have fallen behind only to allow the West to take lead.

2. What is the source of flawless knowledge?

According to Islam, only divine knowledge provided by Allah (swt) is authentic, flawless and eternal. Such knowledge can never be corrupted. That is, as long as human beings are guided by the flawless knowledge of Allah (swt) they will never face self contradictions and internal conflicts.

On the other hand, Western civilization negates the necessity of divine guidance and therefore is built upon the theory of “Dialectism” as presented by the German philosopher Fredrerick Hegel. Dialectism involves a thesis, anti-thesis and synthesis approach to knowledge. This is the “trial and error” method through which human beings are said to progress. One negative aspect of this theory is, anything that appears to be outdated must be rejected. People indoctrinated into this ideology like to ask the question of how the teachings of something brought to the world1400 years ago can still be applicable today? But how flawed is this thinking? Honesty and telling the truth are praiseworthy qualities. Isn’t this statement old in and of itself? So, just because it is old, should we leave honesty? Aren’t all human values as old as human beings themselves or is this the reason why people who believe in “modernity” don’t tend to give value to age old human morals?

3. Is Liberal Democracy a complete code of life?

Western civilization is proud of its ideology of “liberal democracy”. The underlying philosophy of “liberal democracy” is that the opinion of the majority will always count without exception. Communism in Soviet Russia was the main rival of liberal democracy for seventy long years. Since Communism failed by the early 1990s, Liberal Democracy is perceived as the only way of life to be followed by the rest of the world. Prof.Samuel Huntington, in his book, “The Clash of Civilizations and The Remaking of World Order” has made such claims.

In the contemporary West, the principles of liberal democracy are applied even onto moral values. In Western countries, the majority of people believe that two intimately involved individuals living together outside of marriage is perfectly acceptable. many European countries allow homosexuality by law due to majority consensus. A number of states in the U.S. have also legalized homosexuality due pressure by the majority.

Islam categorically rejects “liberal democracy” as a complete code of life. It’s true that The Islamic principle of “shura” is a democratic system for forming governments, however, Divine guidance lays down the principles that can never be overrun by majority opinion.

4. Islam’s stance on Materialism

During the Enlightenment Era when the conflict between Church and science was at it’s peak in Europe, philosophers such as Thomas Hobbes and Pierre Gassendi promoted a Materialist conception of the Universe: the metaphysical belief that there is nothing beyond that which is physically knowable. Our lives are limited to those things that we can touch, feel, taste, hear, and see. The ideology of materialism has paved the way for secularism. Darwin’s theory of evolution was based upon a materialists foundation while individuals such as Karl Marx came up with “Dialectic Materialism” for his Communist theory, integrating Hegel’s “Dialectism” and Materialism along with accepting Darwin’s theory on ‘The Origin of Species”. People who believe in Materialism do not believe in a higher power, so naturally they subscribe to the Epicurian philosophy of enjoying life to the fullest, “eat, drink and be merry” and based on the “constructivist approach”, they construct their own life values and purposes.

According to Islam, Materialism is nothing more than pure ignorance. If we accept Materialism, then we are rejecting the very essence of human existence, because human beings are much more than a body. We are also spiritual beings. Some of the most important things in life like love, hatred, affection etc. cannot be understood through our senses. A mother’s willingness to sacrifice everything for her son cannot be measured scientifically. It has no weight. It has no mass. It has no length. Matter is not everything, and truth exists beyond human material perception.

5. Faith in Life Hereafter

One of the fundamental principles of Islamic civilization is faith in the Hereafter. Human beings are answerable to Allah (swt) for the consequences of their actions in this world.

Although faith in Hereafter is part of the Christian faith as well, it is a confused philosophy as it also incorporates an understanding that Christ died for human sins, and through His blood, wiped away human misgivings. In that case, where does individual responsibility and accountability stand? Even then, Western civilization is not governed by Christian principles for it has confined Christianity within the four walls of the Church and has adopted Secularism for the rest of human affairs. So the west as a civilization, is not governed by nor concerned about faith in Hereafter.

To the West, honesty is the best policy as long as it is beneficial or practical. But in Islam, Honesty is a value. This and many other similar differences in outlook are based on faith in Hereafter or the lack thereof.

Conclusion

It’s true that today’s West has offered us modern technology and means of communication, but it has also offered two World Wars, the Cold War, Imperialism, Occupation, Ultra Nationalism, Fascism, Communism, Nazism, double standards in domestic and foreign policy and world diplomacy, WMDs, STDs and countless other evils. Any civilization that does not accept Allah’s (swt) divine guidance as supreme is bound to prove itself harmful in the long-run and be a source of mischief and misguidance for the rest of humanity.

During the Golden Age of Islam, there was not a single poor person eligible to receive Zakat in the entire Islamic Caliphate that extended from China to the shores of Spain. Such exemplary implementation of justice was only possible due to te practical application of divine guidance without exception.

Although Islam has basic fundamental differences with the West as a civilization and as a way of life, there are commonalities as well. If the Western populace wishes so, it is easy to Islamize their ideologies and institutions. In conclusion, I would like to appeal to Western conscience and intellect in the words of Prince Muhammad Al Faisal of Saudi Arabia:

” You are witness to the state of affairs with which man is confronted today. Please do not judge Islam in the light of the failings of the Muslims. We may not be the best specimens of Islam, but then Islam is not the property of any one group of human beings. It is the message of God and is meant for all human beings. I urge you to try to understand Islam in the light of the original teachings of the Qur’an and Sunnah. .. Technology has brought us to a stage at which man, in order to survive, needs and ideology, which is based on truth, which is universally applicable and which provides an effective control mechanism, a moral and spiritual discipline for man. Let us examine the message of Islam with openness and without prejudice. If Islam has nothing to offer, why worry about it; if it has something life-giving to offer, why deny it to ourselves?” [ Prince Muhammad Al Faisal's Address at the "Islam Expo" Royal Albert Hall, London 1976]