A Study on the Role of the Media and Its Effects on the Identity of Muslims (Part 55)
Consequences of Cultural Invasion
Cultural invasion aims to destroy the culture of a society and replace it with another, as culture constitutes the identity of that society. For this reason, cultural invasion can have devastating and dangerous consequences; here are some of them:
1. Destruction of Beliefs and Convictions
One of the most significant dangers of cultural invasion is its potential to destroy or weaken true beliefs and convictions within a society. Beliefs and convictions form the most essential element of a society’s culture, and members generally behave based on these beliefs. If individuals hold true beliefs, their behavior is likely to be logical and Allahly. Conversely, if the true beliefs of society’s members are weakened or destroyed, their behavior will similarly change, giving way to incorrect, ambitious, and harmful conduct, replacing the good, Allahly, and healthy behavior that once existed.
Thus, maintaining correct and true beliefs is critical as it plays a decisive role in correcting the actions and behaviors of individuals within that society. True faith and beliefs serve as the root and foundation; just as a tree that has damaged roots will not bear fruit, so too will a person deprived of true beliefs lack desirable and fruitful behavior.
This is why faith is consistently mentioned in the Holy Quran before righteous actions, indicating that faith is the root and foundation upon which righteous behavior is established. In this regard, the Holy Quran states: «الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَ عَمِلُوا الصَّالِحاتِ طُوبى لَهُمْ وَحُسْنُ مَآب» “Those who believe and do righteous deeds will have the purest (life) and the best of endings.” (Ar-Ra’d: 29)
Indeed, the value and credibility of human beings lie in their true faith and beliefs. If society members lack these true beliefs, they are considered lower than animals. This perspective is why Allah Almighty has described believing humans, due to their true faith, as the best of creatures, while disbelievers, devoid of true beliefs, are regarded as the lowest of creatures. As stated in the Quran: «إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ أَهْلِ الكتاب والمُشركين فى نار جَهَنَّمَ خالدين فيها أُولئك هُمْ شَرُّ الْبَريَّة. إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَ عَمِلُوا الصَّالحات أولئكَ هُمْ خَيْرُ الْبَريَّة» “The disbelievers from among the People of the Book and the polytheists are in Hell. They will abide therein forever. They are the worst of creatures. (But) those who believe and do righteous deeds are the best of (Allah’s) creatures.” (Al-Baynah: 6-7)
The first and most critical tactic employed by cultural invaders to dismantle the culture of their target society is to destroy true religious beliefs and weaken or eradicate the genuine faith of the society’s members. By doing so, they prompt the quick achievement of their goals by undermining the root and foundation of the cultural tree. Enemies of Islam utilize various methods, including distorting facts, lying, spreading rumors against sacred places and religious leaders, as well as casting doubt and misrepresenting the path of truth through media channels.
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