Third of the Trinity: The Christians - Lessons From History

Third of the Trinity: The Christians

An interesting theme that is common to all pagan religions  is  the  idea  of  “henotheism”;  wherever  there  was  a group of people that worshipped a number of divine beings, we find that there was always a Supreme Deity that was considered to be above all other gods and goddesses. This trend is most prominent in Hinduism, in the Greek and Roman mythologies, and among the pagan Arabs of the pre-Islamic era. However, what is really important to note in such religions is that, in actual practice, the smaller gods and goddesses always get the lion’s share in the attention and devotion of their worshipers, while the Supreme God disappears in the background, as He is carelessly ignored and casually brushed aside by the worshipers.

Applying this analogy to the three Abrahamic faiths, we can say that although Christianity is the biggest among them in terms of the number of adherents, yet in reality — except for the name and personality of Prophet Isa (AS) — there is hardly any thing in this religion that can be described as “Christian.” That is to say, the doctrines and practices of Christianity, as they exist toady, have more to do with the innovations of St. Paul than with the real teachings of Prophet Isa (AS). As such, the present-day Christianity actually belongs to the realm of philosophical religions — along with Hinduism, Taoism, and Confucianism — instead of the domain of Revealed religions like Judaism and Islam.

Coming back to the original topic of our discussion, it is significant  to  note  that  the  Christian  nations  have  played  a crucial role vis-à-vis the second phase of decline with regard to both the Jews and the Muslims. Thus, we find that the torture, persecution, genocidal killings, and exile suffered by the Jews during the last sixteen hundred years were caused exclusively by the Christians. Ever since the conversion of Romans to Christianity in the fourth century C.E., Jews have continuously been made the target of various allegations, and executed by the thousands on one pretext or the other. Similarly, it was the Christians who were responsible for the brutal massacre suffered by the Muslims during the Crusades, and then the subjugation and exploitation of the Muslims at the hands of Western Imperialism. From even a superficial survey of Jewish and Muslim  histories,  therefore,  it  becomes  clear  that  Almighty Allah  (SWT)  has  been  using  the  Christian  nations  as  an instrument of His punishment, or the whip of His retribution, for both the Jews and Muslims of the world.

However — and this is vital for us to keep in mind — there has been a profound metamorphosis in the nature of the relationship between the Jews and Christians; this change has started from the days of the Renaissance, reaching its climax only during the present century. As a result of this change, the Christian world — particularly the White Angle-Saxon Protestants or WASP — have become devoted comrades and staunch supporters of the Jewish nation, although they are, in fact, only being cleverly used and manipulated by the latter. On the  other  hand,  the  highly  ruthless  historical  role  of  the Christians in relation to the Muslim Ummah is still very much intact. As such, there is a clear possibility of another massive assault, a ‘la Crusades, that can work havoc upon the Muslims, particularly the Arab world. Such an event can obviously result in killings and destruction on a huge scale, a minor glimpse of which has already been witnessed by the world during the Operation Desert Storm.

The way in which the “threat” of militant and fundamentalist  Islam  is  being  hyperbolized  by  the  Western media betrays an attempt to create public hatred against the Muslims,  as  was  done before and during the Crusades. This process of brainwashing is exemplified, at the popular level, by the PBS documentary Jihad in America and the Reader’s Digest article A Holy War Heads Our Way; prominent examples of the same trend at an intellectual level include The Clash of Civilizations by Samuel P. Huntington and The Roots of Muslim Rage by Bernard Lewis. Similarly, a campaign was recently launched in the Western media so as to inculcate the notion, with reference to the writings of Nostradamus, that the “Anti- Christ” is going to be a Muslim leader from among the Arabs.

The very idea of Muslims going back to their roots — the Holy Qur’an and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) — is being depicted as a dangerous combination of extremism, terrorism, and fanaticism. Unfortunately, after the end of Cold War and the demise of Communism, Islam and Muslims are increasingly  being  used  to  fill  the  vacuum  of  the  “Great Menace” against which the West can test her powers. With ever rising zeal, Islamic fundamentalism is being portrayed as the ultimate evil against which the forces of decency must unite. Despite this continuing campaign of disinformation about the horrible hazard of Islam, the fact remains that, in the history of Muslim-Christian relationship, it was always the Muslims who suffered heavily at the hands of various Christian nations and not the other way round. It appears that the history might repeat itself in the form of a real clash of civilizations.

Source:Lesson from History (Book) by Dr. Israr Ahmad

The Humiliated Ummah - Lessons From History

The Humiliated Ummah

As for the present condition of Muslims, there are unfortunately few things to boast about. For all practical purposes, the Muslim Ummah as an integrated global entity does not exist anywhere in the real world. The authentic and genuine “Ummah” has long been reduced to a mere academic concept. In reality, we are left with a large number of Muslim “nations” and their respective “nation-states.” We are further divided into even smaller  linguistic, racial, and sectarian groups — along with inevitable hostilities and conflicts. The inescapable result has been that although we are at least 1300 million in number, our combined weight in the global policy making process is never more than zero.

It is indeed amazing that we are so many, yet we count for so little. All international disputes are being decided today by  the  United  States  and  her  allies,  especially  Britain  and France, under cover of the UN Security Council. Our national policies — interior, foreign, and fiscal — are being formulated and dictated by the guardians of the New World order, by means of such organizations as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. Our natural resources are being controlled and exploited by them. The wealth belonging to most of the affluent Muslim countries is practically at their disposal; as a matter of fact, Western powers can “freeze” this wealth as soon as the country in question attempts to take any step which is opposed to their wishes. The Arab monarchies — despite material prosperity, majestic palaces, and luxurious life style — are nothing but puppets in their hands. Muslim rulers all over the Islamic  world  are  desperately  vying  to  win  favors  from  the West; the interests of Islam and Muslims hardly ever bother them. Most of the Muslim world is dressed in the garb of fear and hunger, and disharmony, disunity, poverty, mediocrity, mismanagement, and corruption are reigning supreme. Even in countries where there is some material prosperity, the ubiquitous humiliation — in the form of disgrace on a global level and lack of genuine autonomy — is still there, as exemplified by the fact that the richest of the Arab Sheikhs are a common laughingstock of Western media.

On top of this, there are the massacres and other forms of sufferings being endured by Muslims in India, Kashmir, Palestine, and elsewhere. The brutalities committed against the Bosnian Muslims are still fresh in our memories. The anguish of hearing how our sisters were raped by the thousands and how our brothers were mercilessly tortured and slained is not something that we can easily forget. To add insult to injury, and much to the satisfaction of our enemies, there are Muslims who kill — or conspire with non-Muslims to suppress — other Muslims, and are often proud of their “achievements.”

Who can deny that we are, indeed, a disgraced and dishonored community in the comity of nations?

Going through the Qur’an, we often come across words of severe condemnation which specifically berate the Jews for their sins. We tend to pass over these verses with a smug self- righteousness, satisfied that these admonitions are meant for a corrupt people and that these words have nothing to do with us. But consider the following Qur’anic words with an open mind and an objective attitude, and it would not be difficult to see that, much more than the Jews, these Divine words are actually applicable to the Muslims of today :

Humiliation and misery were stamped upon them, and they drew upon themselves the anger of Allah. (Al- Baqarah 2: 61)

Isn’t it a fact that our politics today is nothing but an ignominious slavery to the West? That our economy is based upon nothing but shameful mendicancy? That we are, on the whole, the most ignorant, undisciplined, corrupt, and uncivilized people on the surface of earth? Isn’t it true that we are intellectually effete and academically dependent on the West? That  we  are  willing  and  even  eager  to  collaborate  with  the enemy so that we may kill our brothers? If all this doesn’t constitute the worst form of humiliation, then what does?

A common Muslim may plead before Almighty God: Aren’t we supposed to be the best of communities? Aren’t we among the followers of your most beloved Prophet (SAW)? Aren’t the Christians and the Jews and the rest of them enemies of Islam? Then how can anyone justify their domination and opulence and our miseries and destitution?

This most disturbing of questions demands our deepest attention, especially because of the following two reasons:

First, it is imperative that we familiarize ourselves with the  Divine  Law  that  has  been  operating  throughout  human history. We must understand that instead of being innocent victims of the vagaries of fate, we ourselves are responsible for our pathetic state of existence. We need to clearly realize that mere grumbling and complaining will not solve our problems, and that we need to confess our sins and repent with the true spirit of repentance.

Secondly, just as a correct diagnosis is an indispensable prerequisite for proper treatment, in the same way we need to identify the real cause of our miseries before we can formulate and chart a plan of action. This is important so that the limited amount of energies and resources available to us are not lost in superficial and useless undertakings. Instead, a precise appreciation of the seriousness of our situation, and a correct interpretation of that situation in terms of its etiology — both are essential steps as far as any hopes for a successful revival are concerned.

Source:Lesson from History (Book) by Dr. Israr Ahmad