Islam: The ideological superpower

Daily.Pk

Muslims number more than one billion today. If you go round the world to study the minds of Muslims inhabiting various regions you will probably come to the conclusion that Muslims all over the world share the feeling that the history of Islam had reached an impasse. Despite enormous sacrifices no way out is in sight. It is our firm belief that Islam offers guidance at all times and in all situations.

Therefore it must certainly be able to offer us a clear guidance as regards the present state of affairs. I must say that it does exist in a very clear form. The history of Islam provides us two very clear examples of bringing into play the da‘wah power of Islam.

The first guiding example recorded in the early period of Islamic history is that of Sulh-e-Hudaybiyya. As we all know, the Prophet(PBUH) of Islam was compelled to migrate from Mecca to Medina. The majority of Muslims followed him Consequently Medina became a center of Muslims. However, afterwards the event took a more serious turn. The opponents of Islam now started armed onslaughts against the Muslims. Yet after several full scale wars and so many minor armed conflicts the balance failed to tip on any side. Apparently the history of Islam reached an impasse.

At this critical juncture, according to the Qur’an, the Prophet (PBUH) of Islam was shown the straight path in this matter (48:3-4). This straight path was to create a conducive atmosphere for peaceful da‘wah work by ceasing armed conflicts altogether. Accordingly the Prophet in the 19th year of his prophethood entered into a peace treaty with his Arab opponents. This step put an end to the state of war. This event is referred to in the history of Islam as Sulh-e-Hudaybiyya. This peace treaty diverted the field of encounter between Islam and its rivals from the battlefield to Da‘wah field.

This peaceful activism brought incredibly revolutionary results. The power of peace proved itself far superior to the power of war. This treaty rendered a widespread interaction between Muslims and the opposing group possible in normal atmosphere. In this way the peace treaty cleared the path for the direct propagation of Islam to take place. The opponents came to accept Islam in great numbers, ultimately the numerical power alone sufficed for the victory of Islam.

According to Imam al-Zuhari, Sulh-e-Hudaybiyya was the greatest victory in the history of Islam. Prior to this whenever Muslims and their rivals encountered one another fighting ensued. But after the reconciliation the state of war ended and peace prevailed. Now they began meeting one another in normal, tension-free atmosphere. This interaction naturally led to an exchange of ideas. When someone heard anything of Islam and found it appealing, he would go in, without fail, to enter into the fold of Islam. That is why after a mere two years of Sulh-e-Hudaybiyya such large number of people entered the fold of Islam as had never happened before (Al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah Vol. 4, p. 170).

This great increase in term of numbers resulted in making Islam a religion of majority in Arabia, this greatly facilitated its dominance throughout the land. The second well known example of the caravan of Islam having reaching an impasse concerns the first half of the thirteenth century with the emergence of the brute force of the Tartars. They were able to destroy the Muslim power almost completely. It seemed as though the journey of Islam has once again reached an impasse, finding no way out for its further advancement.

At exactly that point in time the ideological power of Islam made its appearance. Muslims being in no position to take up arms to encounter them, diverted their field of action by silently engaging themselves in peaceful da‘wah work among the victorious Tartars. This act of da‘wah verified the dictum of the Qur’an that through da‘wah the opponents of Islam will become its supporters and friends (41:34).

The historians have acknowledged this event in quite clear terms. Philip K. Hitti, for instance, remarks, in his famous book The History of the Arabs: “The religion of the Muslims had conquered where their arms had failed” (p. 488) Now in the twentieth century the history of Islam has once again apparently reached an impasse. Our enormous amount of sacrifices have yet to succeed in taking the caravan of Islam forward. According to al-Imam Malik the state of affairs of Muslim Ummah will be reformed by following the same course of action as were followed by the Muslims of the first phase to rectify their matters. In the light of this remark it can be safely said that we must once again opt for this tested method of the past. We must take such steps as put an end to the hostile situation prevailing between Muslims and non-Muslims. This would result in peaceful interaction between Muslims and non-Muslims in a normal situation. Hudaybiyya symbolizes the greatness of the power of peace as against the power of war. Today once again we need to follow this course of action.

As soon as this happens, the ideological power of Islam will appear to its full force— which is undoubtedly eternally invincible. Afterwards the virtues of Islam will begin reaching people automatically through exchange and interaction. Then it will also be possible to perform da‘wah work properly. Under the influence of their own nature people will start joining the ranks of Islam. And there is no doubt about it that the greatest strength for any group consists in its manpower.

Muslims can be weakened and subjugated at any point in time. But Islam is an ideological superpower forever. It has the capacity to conquer the greatest power on earth through da‘wah. It is the need of the hour to produce conducive conditions, on a universal scale. It is necessary to bring into play the ideological power of Islam in order that da‘wah work could be set in motion in the full sense of the word. And then certainly Islam will emerge as the dominant and conquering force, and Muslims of the world too will receive their place of honour and glory along with Islam.

Maulana Wahiduddin Khan

Turkey’s leadership in Muslim world irks US, EU & Israel

By: RupeeNews

Turkey is warming up its relations with Syria, Palestine, Iran and Pakistan. Israel while still a friend is increasingly being given a cold shoulder. There are clear indications that Istanbul is not longer a Western oriented country. While publicly professing its desire to join the EU, privately the Turks want to build its old alliances with regions its owned and controlled. Turkey is the unofficially accepted successor of the Ottoman Empire. Pakistan as the successor to the Mughal Empire are closer than ever. With Iran being pushed by the West and being stabbed by Bharat (aka India), Tehran is rethinking its policies and trying to make amends with Iraq, Turkey and Pakistan

Amid growing speculation that NATO member Turkey is turning away from the West, the US administration has clearly voiced its appreciation of the role played by Turkey in contributing to the maintenance of global peace. Daily Zaman

The US considers Turkey a key ally in the war in Afghanistan. But a meeting between the two countries’ leaders comes at a time when Ankara has been reaching out to countries that Washington considers adversaries.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkey’s prime minister, had talks at the White House on Monday with Barack Obama, the US president. The US considers Turkey a key ally in the war in Afghanistan.

But the meeting comes at a time when Turkey has been reaching out to countries which Washington considers adversaries like Iran, Syria and Sudan. Nonetheless when the two met in the Oval Office, President Obama talked up Turkey’s role on the international stage. He said:

“Given Turkey’s history as a secular democratic state that respects the rule of law but is also a majority Muslim nation, it plays a critical role I think in helping to shape mutual understanding and stability and peace not only in its neighbourhood but around the world.”

But Turkey is also getting increasingly close with Iran.

It has just signed gas and other business deals with Tehran worth millions of dollars.

It’s threatening to abstain in any future UN vote to punish Iran for building a secret uranium enrichment plant, and Ankara has offered a nuclear storage deal separate from one on offer from the Security Council that involves Russia and France.

Some in Washington wonder if Turkey’s freezing out of European Union membership has made it less willing to act as a mediator in the Middle East.

Bulent Aliriza from the Turkey Project at the Washington think tank the Center for Strategic International Studies told al Jazeera:

“Turkey’s been trying very much to facilitate a settlement between the United States and Iran but its difficult given the fact that, you know, the nuclear talks have not moved very far.

Erdogan was in Tehran at the end of October. In fact, he wanted to come immediately afterwards to convey a message from the Iranians. My understanding was that he wanted to give a special message from the Iranians this time. So it remains to be seen whether Turkey can play a role in that process.”

Back at the White House, Turkey’s prime minister stressed that Turkey IS dedicated to Middle East peace, and that it supports the US role in the region.

“We stand ready, as Turkey, to do whatever we can do with respect to relations between Israel and the Palestinians, and Israel and Syria, because I do believe that, first and foremost, the United States, too, has important responsibility in trying to achieve global peace.”

The thing is, Turkey is known for nurturing diplomatic relations with the East and the West.

Ankara recently mended its broken ties with Israel but it’s the recent warmth of its relationship with Iran and Syria that has some in the Obama administration wondering if the U.S. will be able to count on Turkey as an ally in the future in the wider Middle East peace process.

Turkey’s just taken over the rotating command of NATO forces in Afghanistan.

It’s the only Muslim nation taking part but – despite White House pressure to increase its role – Turkey has refused to commit more than the 1,750 troops which is says focus is on training Afghan forces and development rather than on combat as the US wants. Can the US count on Turkey? By John Terrett in  December 8th, 2009

OIC – 40 years of failure

By Tayyab Siddiqui

THE Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) completed 40 years of its existence last week. It was set up in Rabat, Morocco on September 25, 1969, in reaction to an arson attack on Al-Aqsa Mosque on August 21, 1969, in Al-Quds, carried out by an Israeli. 

The meeting was the first unified expression of the Muslim Ummah of its determination to safeguard its interests, speak with one voice and ensure the progress and well being of the Muslims in the world. 

It took an organised shape in March 1970, setting up a secretariat in Jeddah and appointing a secretary-general as its head. Two years later, a charter was adopted demonstrating that the OIC’s purpose was to strengthen solidarity and cooperation among Islamic states in all fields. 

OIC members represent 22 per cent of the world population, have 2 per cent of the world’s GDP, 1.3 per cent of the world trade and only 1.5 per cent of the investments. Twenty five per cent of OIC population does not have access to medical facilities or safe drinking water. 

Half of the population lives below the poverty line classified as the most poor. No Muslim country is in the top list of the Human Development Index or in any other global economic indicators. 

This depressing picture of the Islamic countries is not limited to the economic and social spheres, in the realm of education and technology the facts are equally disappointing. 

The OIC member countries possess 70 per cent of the world’s energy resources and 40 per cent of available raw material but their GDP is only 5 per cent of the world GDP. Muslim countries miserably lag behind in education and technology. 

They produce only 500 PhDs each year as compared to 3,000 in India and 5,000 in the United Kingdom. None of their educational or research institutions or centres of excellence find place in the top 100 in the world. 

The last regular summit was held in Putrajaya, Malaysia, in 2003. Under the dynamic leadership of Mahathir Mohammad, the OIC’s performance was judged as unsatisfactory. He identified political inertia, economic underdevelopment, lack of democracy and unrepresentative governments as examples of the malaise afflicting the OIC. 

The summit therefore, decided to craft a strategy to suggest reform and restructuring. A commission was set up to draw appropriate recommendations and a special summit was held at Makkah in December 2005 to examine these recommendations. 

The Makkah Summit took stock of the OIC’s performance over the previous years and identified its weaknesses and shortcomings. 

The Makkah summit made an intensive analysis and issued an ambitious plan of action for the next decade. However, as has been the history in the past, these summits and their declarations are long on promises and short on delivery. 

The Makkah Declaration referred to the need for a “fresh vision” to turn the tide in the face of the external threats that have helped exacerbate the Ummah’s current plight and called for a plan for the future of the Ummah. The summit urged the member states to “focus on good governance, wider political participation, establish rule of law, protect human rights, apply social justice, transparency, fight corruption and build civil society institutions”. 

The OIC today has 57 Muslim member-states and has held 10 summits in response to the challenges confronting the Muslim world. Since its establishment, the Islamic world has suffered five major catastrophes which have reduced it to almost a non-factor in international politics. 

The break up of Pakistan through armed intervention by India in 1971 , the invasion of Lebanon by Israel in 1982, the Iran-Iraq war, Soviet intervention in Afghanistan and the US occupation of Iraq, have dealt a mortal blow to the unity, dignity and sovereignty of the Muslim world. 

The OIC has failed to respond meaningfully to any of these crises or demonstrate any unity of thought and action apart from issuing high-sounding declarations at the end of each summit. Nothing was done to contain the crises or avert the tragedies. The OIC remained merely a silent spectator. 

The Muslim world has abjectly failed to grasp the demands and requirements of the 21st century. The absolute need to introduce and embrace modern technology has not dawned on its leaders, reflecting their distressing intellectual poverty. 

Pakistan’s suggestion to establish a multi-billion dollar fund for the promotion of science and technology did not receive support from the GCC countries, who alone could establish or run this multi-faceted fund. 

Pakistan has made some extremely useful proposals to lift the Islamic world out of its present dilemmas. 

The suggestions related to: (i) an institutional mechanism for conflict prevention and resolution with member states; (II) a network of centres of excellence in science and technology; (iii) establishment of a permanent forum of Islamic thought to provide guidance and opinion; (iv) allocation of adequate financial resources to implement these proposals; (v) allocation of at least 0.5 per cent of the GDP by the member states for implementing OIC objectives; and (vi) a dedicated department in the OIC secretariat for promoting intra-OIC trade. 

The OIC has set up a number of institutions to help in capacity building, knowledge networking in areas of knowledge-driven economy, trade and investments, ICT, quality and productivity, sustainable development, governance and poverty alleviation but to date have no achievement to their credit. 

Unless OIC members are willing to face the present challenges boldly and demonstrate political will to assert their role in the world affairs, the OIC will continue to fail its members. The current crisis between the West and the world of Islam is yet another opportunity for the OIC to prove its relevance by playing a constructive role by building bridges through an informed dialogue between Islam and other faiths.

The writer is a former ambassador.