(حضارة الإسلام) للشيخ أسامة خياط

(حضارة الإسلام) للشيخ أسامة خياط


Summary

1) The unjust judgment against Islamic culture.
2) The virtues of Islaam with regard to:
a. The field of belief.
b. The field of knowledge and science.
c. Addressing the materialistic aspect of life.
d. The field of human rights.
e. Addressing human nature.
3) The decline of the Muslims.

Fellow Muslims! When rationality and common-sense are not valued; when hostilities and wishful desires become the order of the day and when injustice and oppression reign supreme, a section of mankind will certainly stray from the correct path. They will utter false statements and give arbitrary judgments that are unfounded. Due to this, innocent people will be wrongfully accused and attacked. Wise people should therefore attempt to discover the truth behind the lies, basing all their evidences on facts and rationality.

Among the baseless utterances one often hears is that other cultures and civilisations are superior to that of Islaam. These statements should be regarded as a product of ignorance about the teachings of Islaam and the light and guidance that it brings to mankind.

Brothers in faith! The religion of Islaam is the system by which Allaah established the best of all civilisations. It was a great source of happiness and prosperity for those nations and individuals who sincerely followed its teachings and it shall continue to be so – If Allaah wills – in this present age, as well as in the future.

The Islamic civilisation succeeded where others failed because it calls people to shun the worship of false deities and worship the Only Lord.

“Say, ‘O people of the scripture, come to a word that is equitable between us and you – that we will not worship except Allaah and not associate anything with Him and not take one another as lords instead of Allaah’. But if they turn away, then say, ‘Bear witness that we are Muslims.’" (Aal-Imraan: 64).

In recent years there has been a spiritual and intellectual resurgence in the Muslim world and marked progress has been made in diverting people from worshipping false deities and enjoining them to worship Allaah alone. It is on this principle that human civilisation should be based. Acceptance of this principle makes people aware that no race or colour should be regarded as superior and that the only criterion for superiority should be piety and righteousness. Allaah says that which translates as: “… The most noble of you in the sight of Allaah is the most righteous of you …" (Al Hujuraat: 13).

Islaam encourages the acquisition of both religious and scientific knowledge. In fact, it commands that they should be sought. Allaah honours the knowledgeable and deems them to be far superior to the ignorant. Allaah says that which translates as: “Allaah will raise those of you who have believed among you and those who were given knowledge, by degrees." (Al Mujaadilah: 11).

Islaam does not preach asceticism, nor does it shy away from the material aspects of this life. Islaam teaches man how to make use of all the worldly treasures with which he has been blessed to the best advantage; in such a way that will guarantee for him and his fellow human beings a fulfilling, meaningful and rewarding life. It teaches man not to take his material possessions as an end in itself but as a means to an end.

Islaam comes with a unique set of rules that leaves no right of man unaddressed. It clearly stipulates the rights of every individual member of the society in a comprehensive manner that could only be possible from a divinely inspired system. Its rules and regulations are free from error, injustice and inconsistencies which typify and characterise all man-made systems. Islaam controls the ardent human passion by obligating and enforcing the institution of marriage and forbidding adultery and fornication.

All these, dear brothers, are some of the excellent blessings that Islaam has to offer and which are attested by its friends and foes alike. Remnants of the Islamic heritage in Andalusia, or Spain are also a living witness to the greatness of Islaam.

Brothers in Islaam! The current predicament of the Muslims must not be made a criterion for judging the Islamic civilisation, instead, the Islamic civilisation should be judged by its basic principles, fundamentals and ethics.

The retrogression, backwardness and sense of inferiority that has plagued the Muslims in recent times are the results of their negligence of Islamic principles, adoption of inferior cultures and their turning away from the remembrance of Allaah. Allaah says that which translates as: “And whoever turns away from My remembrance – indeed, he will have a depressed (i.e. difficult) life." (Taa Haa: 124).