Daily Times

Dr Iqbal Syed Hussain is the author of eight books and hundreds of articles that regularly appear in the European, Middle Eastern and Pakistani media. His works include Islam and Western Civilisations, Terrorism in Action, The Qur’an and Modernism, Islam and the Clash of Civilisations, Pakistan in Crises and Tears for Pakistan.

His book, The Muslim Delusion, sheds light on the current Muslim culture and its continuing decline towards oblivion with decadence, illiteracy and orthodoxy being pronounced factors. While the western world is looking forward, the Muslim world at large is deluded in its fantasies, which are entrenched in the tentacles of illusions, vanities and misconceptions. He writes, “The Muslim delusion, based on past achievements, is not likely to play any significant role in the transformation of our destiny. The Muslims in general live in past glory, relish in self-delusion, and waste time in divisive and contradictory controversies. They have a grandeur story to tell and a phony dialectic to inject.” The writer has built his case on the sound fundamentals of the Prophet’s (PBUH) vision, creativity, renaissance and the enlightenment of the Quran.

Muslims have fallen prey to educational and intellectual backwardness, resulting in the rise of pseudo-intellectuals and the so-called religious elements that are interpreting religion according to their own personal ambitions. They are caught in a web of self-deception by hiding behind delusional misconceptions. “They brush aside the realities by declaring that they are the darlings of Allah and everything will be finally resolved in their favour,” writes Hussain. This has resulted in their technological backwardness with almost nothing to their credit to feel proud of. Instead of addressing their ignorance and obscurantism, the easier path of blaming the west with anti-western hysteria comes handy. In the absence of any direction, society is further falling into the depths of darkness, fanaticism, extremism and obscurantism with no hope in sight.

The main theme of the book revolves around the fact that Muslims are the main architects of their own multi-dimensional depravity and backwardness: “Naked in mind and body, sterile in soul and spirit.” Their delusion, what the writer calls the “futility of fantasies”, is based on past achievements that certainly are not going to play any significant role in positive synergy or transformation towards creativity. The book is a penetrating study of religion, culture and the historical evolution of Islamic thought. Most of the theories and practices together with their relevance to contemporary life have been explained. “Portraying the spiritual roots of Islam we have tried to make it more relevant by integrating important scientific and intellectual features.”

The book also counters the hysteria of ‘Islamofascism’, an American far right wing and the Christian fundamentalist’s apocalyptic view of Islam that views all Muslims as Islamic fascists, not distinguishing them as tolerant, moderate and full of humility. The writer stretches this attribute of attaining this humility to the beauty that lies in charity, “There is certainly a piece of divinity in us. Let us find it in charity, in humanity.” This coupled with scientific spirituality can turn back the clock towards true enlightenment.

The book has certain light but pinching moments when the state of Muslims is compared to that of Washington Irving’s story character Rip Van Winkle who falls asleep and wakes up 20 years later having missed the American Revolution, the death of his wife, the marriage of his daughter and the birth of his grandson. It is a commendable effort on the part of the writer to create fresh avenues of awakening and enlightenment in harmoniously interlinked chapters, focusing on knowledge and creativity that can move towards goals that remain obscure under the debris of ignorance and obscurantism.

The reviewer is a social activist. He can be reached at drirfanzafar@gmail.com