Caliphate To The Rescue

 By  Sharique Naeem

Some people tend to cling to the myth that an Islamic state is by default against technological progress. History, however dispels such a notion. When Islam emerged for the first time as a way of life, the Prophet Muhammad sent Muslims on a special mission to al-Sham (modern day Syria, Jordan and Palestine). At that time al-Sham was dominated by the then superpower, the Romans, who were Christians. The Romans were very skilled in military technology and had developed two kinds of catapults. The Muslims acquired this technology which played a key role in the later Muslim conquests.

The Muslims also acquired the 'trench' technology from the second superpower of the time, the Persians, via Salman al-Farsi and it was put to good use in the Battle of the Trench. The Muslims did not take anything from the beliefs, values and systems of life of the Roman and Persian infidels.

They only took the technology from them, which in fact belongs to no particular belief and is the property of all humankind. Thus, Prophet Muhammad, by his example showed us that technology in its origin is permitted in Islam, but it must only be used in a manner that is permissible under the Islamic law.

So a surgeon's scalpel can be used to heal, but not to abort an innocent baby. Television, internet and DVDs can all be used to propagate the truth or for educational purposes but not to exploit women as material objects. Ironically today, in the absence of the Islamic Caliphate, we find the reverse taking place.

The Western ideologies, beliefs and system are being imported at a pace far faster than the instruments of technological progress. And worst of all, their systems, like democracy, capitalism etc are being forced onto the Muslims in Iraq and Afghanistan. On the other hand, immense hurdles are being created in the way of Muslims' pursuit of technology, see for instance Iran. The Caliphate will change all that.

 The Nation (21^st May 2006)

Also Published as:  “Selective Westernisation”- The Frontier Post (10^th May 2006)