What is the reason for today’s Muslims’ falling behind other societies?

The Details of the Question

What is the reason for today’s Muslims’ lack of development in technology, science and other subjects and falling behind other societies?

The Answer

Dear Brother / Sister,

The reason for this is the Muslims’ moving away from the Qur’an and Sunnah gradually in the last few centuries.

When the Muslims get on the true track shown by Allah, things change, will change and will have changed.

Especially in the last two centuries, ignoring salah (prayer), worshipping and halal-haram balance, not giving importance to the Islamic union and breaking it, not doing enough research on scientific issues despite the encouragement by the Qur’an and Sunnah caused the Muslim World to fall behind.

We can understand this issue more clearly with a few verses in the Qur’an;

But after them there followed a posterity who missed prayers and followed after lusts soon, then, will they face Destruction” (Maryam 59)

For each (such person) there are (angels) in succession, before and behind him: They guard him by command of Allah. Allah does not change a people´s lot unless they change what is in their hearts. But when (once) Allah willeth a people´s punishment, there can be no turning it back, nor will they find, besides Him, any to protect.” (ar-Rad 11)

And hold fast, all together, by the rope which Allah (stretches out for you), and be not divided among yourselves…” (Aal-i Imran 103)

As for technology and exact sciences, the Quran states all the time, especially in the stories of prophets, creation of the universe, plants, insects, stars, in the sun and the moon, in the rain, and in the birth and the growth of man, that there is an infinite number of evidences showing the existence of Allah; and the Quran encourages people to do research by addressing them all the time as follows: “Do you not reason? Do you not contemplate? Do you not consider? Do not you think?”

In the last two centuries, the Islamic community did not only give up reasoning in the face of Allah’s clear commands, ignore  and look on scientific and technological developments but also imitated the west blindly and “copied and pasted”, not the appropriate and useful aspects, but the useless aspects of the west that are totally contrary to Islam, causing the community to fall into its current servile position.

Allah’s mercy is limitless. And in this existing realm before the hereafter, Allah’s mercy reaches both believers and unbelievers.

For example:

If a Muslim did not sow or water his field and prayed only with words, he would harvest nothing. However, if an unbeliever sowed and watered his field and took care of the plants well, he would probably harvest crops without even praying with words.

Or, if a Muslim said that he did not recognize the law of gravity, which Allah created in the world, and jumped down from the third floor, he would crash.

We can generalize this example related to everything.

Allah has two books:

One of them is the Quran, which arises from Allah’s attribute of kalam (speech) and the other is the book of the Universe, which arises from His attribute of qudrah (power). If we act in accordance with the Quran, we will find peace in this universe and in afterlife since we will also have acted in accordance with the book of the universe.

However, if we act in accordance with the book of the universe only, that is, with causes, we may live comfortably in this world, but we will ruin our eternal happiness in the hereafter.

Most of the Muslims have neglected almost both books for the last two centuries; they have ruined their lives in this world and risked their lives in the hereafter.

On the other hand, science and technology should not be like those in the west. Any knowledge and science without the knowledge of Allah, which means knowing that Allah is behind the scenes in every incident and event, in everything, due to His wisdom, will not be real knowledge and science.

Without the knowledge and fear of Allah, aberrations and heresies that exist today will occur.

You can invent atomic bombs as well as MR Device with the same radiation.

You would go to the Mars to find water by spending billions of dollars, but you would not spend only one-millionth of that budget on the poor in Africa who need clean, potable water…

For, if you do not know Allah, you will not have any concerns for the afterlife.

However, we should not forget that if we say “There is no sun” by closing our eyes, we will just ridicule ourselves; and the tragical ending will be inevitable.

In conclusion, we observe with our own eyes in many places, especially in our country, Turkey, that a significant change started in the positive way with the increase of the people who believe in “Allah” and obey His orders.

What changed in our country, which was in debt and poverty, to increase the income level 3 or 4 times in only 20 years? What changed to enable us to host 4 million refugees like Ansar? How come we have been taking firm steps along the way of being one of the countries with the most sophisticated defense industry? How did we manage to leap forward so much in the fields of helicopters, aircrafts, ships, automobiles, smart phones, computers, medical equipment, medicine and hospitals? Is it possible to realize them in only 20 years?

As Allah states,

“Do you not reason? Do you not contemplate?
Do you not consider? Do not you think?”
 

Of course, we started to act in accordance with causes and we started to obey Allah’s orders more than before. Therefore, divine help started to come abundantly because Allah is the promiser and He never breaks His promise.

Be hopeful!

Phoenix is going to rise from the ashes and the Islamic unity will be established as it is necessary if we work with an increasing effort and regard the consent of Allah superior to any earthly thing by doing our best.

We should work in the legitimate (halal) circle as if we shall not die and should hold fast to the prayers and orders of Allah, that is His rope, as if we will die tomorrow.

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