The side
(spin-off) diseases: Indeed had the issue only remained with the damage and
disruption caused to the fundamental elements of the components of the society it
would have been serious enough. However the issue extended beyond this, to
additional side diseases that were no less dangerous and serious compared to
the fundamental diseases. This is because it is not possible to achieve the fundamental
treatment unless these side diseases are removed first. This is because they
represent a preventative barrier in the face of reaching the core and essence
of the problem. Two factors have led to the accumulation of these diseases: The
first relates to the leftover affects from the period in which the downfall of
the Ummah (Moslems Society) took place and the second factor is the removal of
the Islamic State, the control of the western states over our entire Islamic
world and its direct or indirect ruling over us.
These two factors did not stop
and they were not restricted to one aspect of our lives but rather they had the
greatest impact and indeed a complete affect upon the fundamental components of
our society. Due to these two main factors the Muslims were silent over the removal
of their State, the tearing apart of their society and the end to their unity.
And due to these two factors some corrupt thoughts entered into the society and
some nationalistic, regional and patriotic sentiments manifested themselves
within it. And due to these two factors the West was made the Ka’bah of the
educated and the focus of their vision so that they became imprinted with its
culture and adopted their belief or nearly adopted it due to our Lord’s mercy.
In addition these two factors led to the Islamic world becoming subservient to
the systems of Kufr (disbelief) and their agents who they established upon the
necks of the people to continue to implement their commands, foster their
interests and fulfil their objectives.
For this reason it is necessary to fully
encompass these side diseases, completely comprehend them and then work to
remove them so that we are able to arrive at the core of the problem. This is done
at the same time as efforts are expended to treat the main fundamental
diseases. The first factor: The leftovers from the time of downfall – The effect
of the time of downfall upon the thoughts upon which the society is
established. The Islamic society fell to the lowest depths of decline when its
sons began to help the disbelievers to remove their State and to tear apart their
society in the First World War. And before this their decline had begun to take
place quickly following the Mogul conquests.
The numerous movements and many
changes that happened to the society were not able to revive it or even halt
its decline and this is because they did not comprehend the meaning of revival
and did not understand the effect of the thoughts within the life of the
people. Indeed they became even more stuck when they separated the power or
potency of the Arabic language from the power of Islam and they declared the
closing of the doors of Ijtihaad. So the minds froze and thinking based upon a
firm fixed principle was taken away and as a result the Ummah (Moslems Society)
as a whole became dominated by a mentality of imitation and following. The eyes
of the people were dazzled by the industrial revolution that occurred in Europe
whilst the State and its officials did not take care of the intellectual or
cultural dimension within the life of the people.
They believed that the
strength of the military and its power represented revival and the key to
advancement. So the State poured all of its attention into the military aspect
and when the conquests halted in the midst of Europe the state found that it
had become a target and prey that is hunted. This was because it did pay
attention at the time of its military strength to the internal diseases that
were destroying it from the inside. And the simplest of examples to illustrate
the extent of the intellectual decline and the mentality of imitation is the
example that we can take from the Khutabaa’ (Khateebs) of the Masaajid whilst
considering them to be leaders of thought within the Ummah (Moslems Society).