An-Nahdah
(Revival) – Linguistic and terminological meanings: The word ‘An-Nahdah’ is an
Arabic word derived from the verb Nahada (َضهنَ)
which means Qaama (to stand) however it has begunَ َ to be used
with an Istilaahi (terminological definition) meaning which indicates a
specific reality. This meaning that has been provided in the modern time was
not used by the Arabs previously. This is because its linguistic meaning
according to what the Arabs laid down differs from this terminological meaning.
Therefore the word should not return to its linguistic meaning without a
Qareenah (indication/linkage) as its new terminological meaning has become widespread,
dominant and it represents the meaning that comes straight to the mind when it
is mentioned or heard by social scientists, the majority of educated people and
even the general masses. As for its linguistic meaning then the following was
stated in the dictionary ‘Lisaan Al-‘Arab’: Nahada: The departing/rising from a
position/placement and standing from it. Nahada, YanHadu, Nahdan, Nuhoodan i.e.
Stood up.
Intahada
Al- Qawm (the people raised up) meaning: They stood up for battle. An-Nahdah:
The strength (energy) and power (Taaqah and Quwwah). A Naahid place means:
Elevated (place). It is therefore evident that the terminological meaning
representing the subject of our study cannot be found within the linguistic meanings
mentioned above. Introduction: It could come to the mind that the Nahdah
represents scientific progress, increased production, the abundance of
factories and the use of technology and innovation in the material forms used
in life with the consideration that the Nahdah only means progress and the moving
of the society and people from one condition to a better one.
This understanding reached the point to where
some imagined that every land that experiences economic affluence is revived
despite this statement being contradictory to the witnessed sensed reality in
many of the lands that enjoy economic flourishing, abundance in the material
forms of life and affluence in living whilst in reality being from amongst the
most backward and declined countries. For this reason it is necessary to give a
definition of An-Nahdah, define its meaning and the manner of achieving it. Is
it as some have claimed: the spread of education, the increase of riches or
combating illnesses and diseases? And based on this understanding the reasons they
claim to be the cause of backwardness i.e. Poverty, ignorance and disease need
be cancelled out and removed? Is the abundance of schools, educational
institutes, universities, large numbers of university graduates carrying higher
certifications in all disciplines a proof of the revival of the country or that
it is upon the path leading to revival? It can be clearly sensed that many of
the backward countries have suffered due to the great number of graduates
holding higher certifications.
This
has reached the point where they have become a burden and strain upon them and
a heavy weight, as they have been unable to provide them with a dignified
income which has compelled these graduates as a result to leave these lands and
seek their Rizq (sustenance) elsewhere. This has made it necessary to implement
an education policy to meet the challenge of the large number of graduates in a
large number of fields and this is done through putting down a policy based on
a specific percentage of passes in addition to a specific number of admissions
to absorb those graduates who one day will be standing at the doors of the
departments seeking work or a position that will provide them with a living.
The
percentage of graduates and those carrying higher certifications in many of the
lands that are considered to be backward and are categorised under what they
have called third world countries is much greater than the percentage of
graduates and those holding higher certifications found in the most progressive
countries. Indeed what has happened is that these graduates (from the Muslim
lands) have been exported to all corners of the world and particularly to the most
revived and progressive states and on top of that many of them have even given
up their nationalities in order to live in those foreign lands. Therefore if we
examine for example any land from amongst the lands of the third world (i.e.
the lands of our Islamic world) then we would see that which amazes the minds
and baffles those of understanding.
Take
for example Egypt, Pakistan, Jordan, Syria or Turkey amongst others and you
will find that tens of thousands of the sons of these states hold higher
certifications in education and across all areas including medicine, physics,
engineering, chemistry, atom studies and technological areas. They have left
their lands and gone in search for a source of sustenance and as such many have
settled in America, Germany and many other lands from amongst the revived and
progressive nations in addition to other lands in the world. This issue has
given rise to many points of discussion and many writers and thinkers have
spoken about it under titles such as: ‘The ripe minds have been stolen’ or ‘The
flight of the minds to the land of the minds’ or ‘America has bought our minds
with money’ amongst other similarly provocative headings and titles. Despite
this, these minds and this plentiful number of graduates have been incapable of
reviving the Ummah (Moslems Society) and elevating her.
By
taking a simple look at these states we find within them an abundance of raw
materials, natural resources and manpower which is beyond words and we can
summarise this in the summarized statement: ‘They represent the richest part of
the world in terms of what Allah has granted it with and the favours that he
has specifically chosen for it’. In spite of this they suffer from extreme
poverty and languish under the heavy burden of debts to the point that it
borrows more just to pay the interest on the previous loans. They are unable to
fulfil what is demanded from them and persist upon demanding revisions to the
loan schedule so that one crisis does not end before a new one begins which is
even greater and the situation becomes worse than before.
The
reason for this does not go beyond one of two matters: It is either the
ignorance of those who are responsible for the Ummah (Moslems Society)’s affairs,
in regards to the meaning of Nahdah and the way of achieving it, so they
stumble about randomly in their policies and caretaking of the people’s affairs.
Or they are merely agents to their masters and traitors to their Ummah (Moslems
Society) whose job is to tame the people and keep the lands a fertile ground,
open mine and vast market for their masters who placed them in the positions of
authority over the people. They could also be a combination of the two matters combining
their ignorance to their servitude and agency to their masters. In light of
this it is necessary to understand what the Nahdah is, the foundations that it
is established upon and the path that leads to its achievement.
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