How the Current Ideological Challenges Differ from the Older Forms of Misguidance

New and Old Misguidance

Taken from the Urdu book 'Jadidiyat' by Prof. Hassan Askari

(Translated by Dr. Md. Habeeb Haris)

This chapter focuses on the challenges posed by the new forms of misguidance that have emerged. 

In the history of Islam, various misleading ideas, heretical beliefs, and doubts have emerged from time to time. Our scholars say that those influenced by Western education cannot raise any objections or doubts that the scholars of the past have not already addressed. This statement is absolutely true. All the new forms that misconceptions can take, or the new ways they can appear, are essentially the same as those that scholars have already dealt with in the past. Therefore, it is quite easy for the scholars to respond to them. However, there are a few new characteristics of these new misconceptions that make it difficult for the scholars’ responses to be completely effective.

Here are some points to consider:

* The Scope of Misconceptions: In the past, misconceptions were limited in scope, both geographically and in terms of the number of people they affected. As soon as scholars clarified the misconceptions, they would disappear or their influence would be significantly reduced. However, the new misconceptions have a global reach, and they are impacting a much larger number of people than before. Muslims all over the world are being affected by these new ideas, and they are spreading rapidly.

* Previously, misconceptions arose from within the Muslim community itself, but new misconceptions have come from the West. Moreover, these Western misconceptions are backed by their financial and military power.

* In addition, these misconceptions come with scientific innovations that gratify worldly desires and amaze ordinary people. Ordinary people do not use their minds and consider any observation to be a logical argument. Therefore, when scholars respond to these objections, their impact is not very effective.

* The Western mind has been gradually deteriorating for the past six hundred years (since the fourteenth century CE) and has been losing the ability to understand truth. In six hundred years, the West has produced all the misconceptions that have attacked us all at once. Because of this, an ordinary Muslim, despite his devotion to Islam, cannot withstand this onslaught. He gets rid of one misconception only to fall into another. In the same way, even among us, the minds of ordinary people, and especially those who have received a modern education, have gradually been deteriorating over the past century and a half.

* Old misconceptions used Islamic terminology and Islamic concepts incorrectly; therefore, they were very easy to dispel. However, new misconceptions come with a new language and new terminology. Thus, even the most disregarded and discarded ideas hide behind a veil of complex and obscure terminology, and a person becomes impressed for no reason. Since our scholars are not fully aware of the nature of this new language and these new terminologies, and their long and complex history, sometimes their responses miss the mark.

These new terms are of three types:

A. Misappropriation and Distortion of Terms

In the realm of Western thought, there has been a widespread and indiscriminate use of terminology. This includes both terms that are uniquely Christian in origin and those that are common to all religions. While these terms are employed extensively, their meanings have been completely altered. This practice can be traced back to the early stages of intellectual deviation in Europe.

B. Shifting Meanings and Lack of Consistency

The meanings associated with these terms have not remained constant over time. Instead, they have undergone continuous change, often at a rapid pace. In the 20th century, the meanings of these terms have been shifting every five years or so. In the West, the situation has become even more extreme, with different authors using the same word in ten different ways within the same era. A prime example of this ambiguity is the term "nature." The word "religion" itself has been used in such a multitude of ways that it has lost all specific meaning.

C. The Fad of Coining New Terminology

 Western writers have a peculiar penchant for inventing new terminology, regardless of whether they have anything new to say. These newly coined terms typically fall into two categories:

- Onerous and Complex Terms: These terms are often cumbersome, intricate, and sometimes devoid of any clear meaning. Their primary purpose seems to be to convey a sense of erudition. The abundance of such terms in the writings of these authors makes it difficult for readers to grasp the intended meaning, leaving them confused and disengaged.

- Emotionally Charged Terms: These terms are designed to appeal directly to the emotions, often at the expense of rational thought. 

Both types of these newly created terms are meant to hinder the reader from using his own mind.

The preaching of our scholars cannot be effective unless they are aware of the structure and methods of the present Western mind. This is why it is important to learn the intellectual history and degradation of Western thought.