4.2 Affection of Foreign Economy and its consequences on the basic
Islamic Life
It is highly important before treating this point to shed the light on an important fact that is in the Muslim ummah the alien rulers subjected the people to all kinds of oppression and inequity. They destroyed the old Muslim empires, deprived the Muslims of their riches land, took over their religious trusts and trifled with their lives, honor and property. But far more deadly for the Muslims than any of these inequities was the destruction of the old educational system and its replacement by a new system of norms. Through this new intellectual instrument they sought to that they would treat themselves with contempt, feel ashamed of their own history and traditions, disdain their own culture s out of date and retrogressive, and reject their own distinctive system of life as impracticable. On the positive side, the new education sought to inculcate in the future generations of Muslims the belief that all knowledge, culture and morality belonged to the West and that the ideal conception of humanity was that of the West.
This was indeed the worst of the crimes that the alien masters perpetrated upon the Muslims of the Muslim lands. The old system of education had enabled us to maintain our links with our past and keep ourselves acquainted with our religion; it has served to the community anchored to its traditions and culture. The new system of education supplanted the old made it practically worthless from the economic point of view. All Muslims who aspired for progress and success in life abandoned the old system education and adopted its alien substitute. This great change in the educational system had deep and far reaching effects on the life of the community: under the force of circumstances nearly all the effective elements in society- those that were relatively well off and were also intelligent and educated, ambitious and active, and endowed with the qualities of leadership turned to the new system of education, which tended to alienate them from and make them disdainful of their own religion, culture and history.
4.2 Affection of Foreign Economy and its consequences on the basic
Islamic Life
The new system of education introduced to the Muslim world restricted the avenues of progress. It was a deliberate policy which all Western powers pursue on a large scale. Unfortunately political and economic subordination and control have passed in all these countries into the hands of those who have little knowledge of their religion and less pride in their cultural tradition. Indeed most of them treat all the traditions of the Muslim nation with contempt and think that the Muslims will be unable to make any progress in life and to achieve an honorable position in the comity of nation if they adopt the Islamic way of life and stick to Islamic principles and values. To them, the only road to redemption and progress lies through wholesale adoption of Western ideas, theories and values. This is indeed their considered opinion: and it could hardly b otherwise, for, their education and training was designed to produce precisely this kind of attitude and approach. The alien rulers deliberately fostered and strengthened such elements and pitched them in key positions in all departments of life. This happened more or less in all the Muslim countries. The wars of liberation were fought in the name of Islam, but after the people had won the hard way, through untold sufferings, and sacrifices, Islam was practically thrown overboard.
The latest instance in point is that of Algeria. After its Muslim population had succeeded in liberating its homeland through superhuman sacrifices and at the cost of hundred of thousands of lives, the leaders suddenly proclaimed that Algeria would be a secular, socialist state. Turkey, Pakistan, Tunisia and Egypt have witnessed more or less similar phenomena during the past few decades, take Tunisia, for instance. The Muslim bulk of its population were called to battle in the name of Islam, and it was for the sake of the faith that they challenged the French rule and ultimately overthrew it through a struggle in which they had won, President Bourguiba told the Muslims that their fasting in the month of Ramadan adversely affected production.
4.2 Affection of Foreign Economy and its consequences on the basic
Islamic Life
He thus tried to undermine the faith of the Muslims of Tunisia much in the same way as the Soviet Union. The contention that fasting hampers production is obviously aimed at abolishing the institution of fasting, for nearly all the relatively young and able bodied members of a community are engaged in production, and the old and the sick are anyhow exempted from fasting.
It is to be noted that the replacement of the educational system of the Muslim world had resulted the economic subordination of the Muslim world to the West and subordination in all walks of life as shaken the Muslims' trust in their ability to work, invent, produce, develop and prosper. This economic subordination could be clearly seen in the foreign aids. As an example, the impact of these foreign aids on Pakistan and Egypt's economy which consists of loans and grants that should be spent in a way predetermined by the foreign country offering this aid.
In fact, the economic circumstances of many countries in the Muslim world lag behind that of the West. On the contrary, in the golden age of Islam, Muslim societies led the world in science, philosophy, culture and prosperity. Since then, Muslim empires have been defeated, Muslim countries invaded and colonized, and humiliation has been suffered at he hands of the Christian West. Since the age of imperialism, independence has been gained, but many Muslim countries still fall into the category of "less developed country". Those that are not in this category generally owe their status to their fortunate possession of natural resources, oil in particular. This relative poverty should, of course, be considered as something that in part at least, has been imposed upon them by the West.
4.2 Affection of Foreign Economy and its consequences on the basic
Islamic Life
The continuing lack of Muslim economic success should be considered as partly a result of incompetence or corruption on the part of their governments as we have explained earlier in this. The success of many East Asian countries, with their rapid economic growth, shows that it is possible to narrow the gap in living standards compared to western countries. But it should be point out that the failure of economic development in Muslim countries as a result of applying western policy. Western society is decadent, immoral, inequitable that the Muslim should cease to emulate. A return to Islamic values is a real solution to our current economic problems.
The debts of the Islamic countries are heterogeneous in nature. The main causes of debt burden of the Islamic countries are among others conspicuous consumption, ambitious development plan, state owned enterprises, and highly military expenditures. And in order to reduce the debt burden of the Islamic countries, a number of measures including reducing extreme fluctuation in exchange rate, converting debt into equity, mobilizing domestic savings, increasing investment in feasible and productive projects and so on.
The internal financing should be reviewed, it can be classified into debt-creating and non- debt creating flows the Islamic financing technique develop a strong linkage between servicing external finance and the foreign exchange earning compatibility of the host country and would have stabilizing effect, on the domestic economy, and ensure equitable distribution of risk and reward. The application of Islamic Financing Technique into the area of international finance must be encouraged.
4.2 Affection of Foreign Economy and its consequences on the basic
Islamic Life
The pursuit of the national economic interest of the Muslim Ummah must be in accordance with the principles of the shari'a which does not allow selfishness nor neglect of moral values in its relation with others, the shari'a rules which cover inter-personal economic relations do also rule over international economic relations.
The economic life of Islam is also based upon solid foundations and Divine instructions. Earning one's living through decent labor is not only a duty but a great virtue as well. Dependence of any able effortless person on somebody else for a livelihood is a religious sin, a social stigma and disgraceful humility.
A Muslim is enjoined by God to be self-supporting and to stay away from being a liability on anybody. Islam respects all kinds of work for earning one's livelihood so long as there is no indecency or wrong involved. With a clear conscience and due respect from society the Muslim can roll up his sleeves and undertake any kind of work available to provide for himself and his dependents. Prophet Muhammad is reported as having said that it is far better for one even to take his rope, cut wood, pile it up and sell it in order to eat and give charity than to beg others whether they give him or not. According to Islam, the status of honest working men cannot be lowered on account of the kind of work they are doing for a living. Yet the laboring workers have no limited scope for improving their lots and raising their standards as high as possible. They have equal opportunities at their disposal and enjoy freedom of enterprise.
Whatever the individual makes or earns through lawful means is his private possession, which neither the State nor anybody else can justifiably claim. In return for this right of private possession he has only to fulfill...
4.2 Affection of Foreign Economy and its consequences on the basic
Islamic Life
...certain obligations to the society and pay certain taxes to the State. When this is done, he has full rights to protection by the State, and his freedom of enterprise is secure and guaranteed. Under the Islamic system the menace of greedy capitalism and destructive communism never arises. The enterprising individual is responsible for the prosperity of the State, and the State in turn is responsible for the security of the individual. Class conflicts are replaced by cooperation and harmony; fear and suspicion are remedied by mutual security and confidence.
In the system of Islamic civilization there was as unremitting a care for spiritual as for material prosperity. Economic development was matched with moral advancement; political expansion corresponded to spiritual uplift. Islam is based on inviting the Muslims to be victorious, not to be economically and politically subordinate to others. Muslims have to make their preparations for conquest and refuse any law against the Islamic law. And to denounce any entitled ruler who has authority and does not implement regulations of government. If any one looks in the essence of this religion or reads a sura of the Quran, he will understand the Muslims should be the first to sseek the invention of war equipment and to perfect the military sciences and the related sciences of physics, chemistry and engineering.
In fact, some reasons for the weakness and Muslim subordination to the West could be defined here. Among the Muslims, there are men wearing the religious uniform, but they have said a lot of heresy that ahs no relation to religion. Faith in the decree of fate has spread among the Muslims to the extent that they ridiculed work and struggle. Another reason is the behavior of some of the so-called Du'aa who said a lot of heresies, outside...
4.2 Affection of Foreign Economy and its consequences on the basic
Islamic Life
...the frame of religion from everywhere. The problem is not the religion. The problem is frequently the behavior of those duaa, who do not understand accurately the true spirit of Islam. It is not a call for weakness and indifference; it is a call for strength. The weakness is not in the religion but in the way some Muslims understood the religion.
To conclude this topic, it should be stressed that in the system of Islamic civilization there was as unremitting a care for spiritual as for material prosperity. Economic development was matched with moral advancement; political expansion corresponded to spiritual uplift. There is no comparison between the miraculous Divine Revelation and man-made law adopted by the Westerns. It is sufficient to refer to the words of Abd al-Rahman al-Kawakibi, he says "The Western is stubborn, hard-hearted and materialistic. He is malicious, selfish and vindictive. Not would appear that nothing of the lofty idealism of the Oriental Christianity is no left with him. Take, for instance, the German. You will find them dry and rude. He believes that the weak has no right to exist. Power is the sole criterion of greatness with him, and the source of all power is wealth. Learning he dopes value, honor he does admire, but only for the sake of wealth they bring in. the Greek and the Italian are selfish and libertine by nature. With them intellect means freedom, life means shamelessness and prestige means the capacity to show off and to domineer."