Author: Abu Raef
Colonialism (3rd part)
Modern colonialism and its methods
Colonialism has gone through different periods, throughout its history we examined one of its most important periods, which was old colonialism. Then we intend to examine the new and modern example of colonialism, which the world is dominated by today in this article.
This colonialism is known as “new-colonialism” and ” Upper new colonialism” is not like any of the past kinds of colonialism; Because in new-colonialism, the colonizing country does not directly and physically attack the colonized country and does not appoint a ruler for it, but indirectly and far away dominates it by changing the culture, political visions, beliefs, and type of governance.
This colonialism unfortunately has dominated the Islamic world today and many Islamic lands have become intellectual, cultural, political, economic and commercial colonies of non-Islamic and European countries such America and English.
New-colonialism effects in two ways :
1-By sending educated people in colonial countries and are completely aligned with them ideologically and intellectually; as examples, we can mention “Jamal Abdul Nasser” and “Taha Hussein” in Egypt, “Ziaguk Alp” and “Kemal Atatürk” in Turkey, “Pahlavi Family” in Iran, and “Amanullah Khan” in Afghanistan.
They were trying to inject Western ideas into the Islamic world regardless of the Islamic culture of their countries. For example: Jamal Abdul Nasser, the Egyptian leader, in his words considered Egypt an “independent” and “irreligious” country and said: “We are looking for planning a new culture and civilization that will be based on unity, freedom and communism. In this culture, Islam will not be the official religion of Egypt but one of its religions.
Jamal Abdul Nasser estranged Al-Azhar University from traditional thoughts and placed new thoughts; He abolished religious courts and judgments; He created mixed education mandatory in schools; spread dance and music. In short, Jamal Abdul Nasser intended to remove Islamic teachings from Egyptian culture and replace it with Western culture and civilization.
Taha Hossein, an Egyptian researcher and writer, explicitly calls to the western culture even though he was a memorizer of the Qur’an and had written countless books in the field of Arabic literature. Taha Hossein considered it necessary for the Egyptian people to consider themselves a part of Europe and to follow them in way of life, culture, civilization. In his book “The Future of Culture in Egypt” Taha Hossein writes: It is foolish to consider Egypt as a part of the East and to consider Egyptian thought and rationality as Eastern rationality, like China and India.
Taha Hossein says in another place: “It is necessary to live like Europeans and follow their way so we can be on the same level with them in all matters and be their partner in culture Whether it is good or bad, useful or useless; So that the Europeans understand we also think like them and examine and analyze things as they do.
Ziyaguk Alp propagated and promoted the theory of imitation of the West and the colonization of that nation in Turkey. Ziyaguk Alp was one of the first people who expressed the motivation of imitating western culture and the need for the growth and development of the country and the Turkish nation by following the culture of western countries.
He is considered the basis and the main source of Atatürk’s ideas and his cultural and intellectual master. He always said: “We need to choose one of these two ways: either we accept Western civilization; Or be a slave to the power of the West. Therefore, it is necessary to dominate the western civilization and culture in order to be able to defend our independence and freedom.
Abu al Hasan Nadavi writes about Ziaguk Alp: “Ziaguk Alp has a high position among the new Turkey creators; Because he presented the basis of the new thought and ideas was founded on the new state and society of Turkey.
Niyazi Barks the professor has written the same sentence in introduction of his “Collection of Articles” and sas: “The thought of Ziyaguk Alp still dominates the new reforms in Turkey.
Niyazi Barks says: “Despite the fact that Ziyaguk Alp died in the initial stage of Atatürk’s revolutionary progress, but in his writings, there are ideas that are considered as the foundations of these reforms; And his thoughts on the reform of Islamic affairs caused the emergence of unrestrained secularism, which began after he died. However, I believe that if he had survived, he would have been able to convince himself with Atatürk’s policy and position.
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk after him, eradicated Islamic civilization and culture in Turkey. When he talked about the beauty of Western culture, his eyes sparkled and a deep light on his face appeared.
He canceled the Islamic Caliphate and destroyed all connections with the Osmani Empire. Islam was no longer the official religion and religion and politics were separated. He canceled Sharia law and courts. He copied political, civil, and commercial laws from European countries and enforced them. He banned the hijab. he freed bad relations and mixing of men and women. He banned the Arabic language and Latin letters were replaced.
He told his citizens every time: “We need to wear the clothes of civilized and advanced people. It is necessary to prove to the world that we are a great and advanced nation. We don’t let people who don’t know us laugh at us and our old culture. We want to move with time.
Totally, he did not believe to religion and faith and made Western coverage mandatory in Turkey. He had a great hatred for religious affairs and belief in fate and destiny. He did not allow anyone to talk to him about God, religious matters, and fate and destiny.
Reza Shah Pahlavi and his family in Iran, started changing the religious and cultural culture of Iran with a term called “Reforms”. By this way, he took big and decisive steps that left a deep impact on Iranian society. He tried to bring Iran same with the new age in terms of education and society. For this reason, in 1927. It approved the implementation of the French constitution in Iran. This caused marginalization of religious courts and the issue of “separation of religion from politics” has been created.
Reza Shah Pahlavi declared religious matters and themes unnecessary in primary schools. He considered ethnic and national issues very important. Reza Shah Pahlavi gave special importance to sports events. Reza Shah Pahlavi banned the traditional dress and replaced the European dress with the Iranian traditional dress. Reza Shah Pahlavi allowed women to work in offices.
Reza Shah Pahlavi gave the woman the right to divorce. He banned hijab and tried to distance the Persian language from Arabic words and expressions.
Amanullah Khan tried to expand the culture, way of life, thinking and belief of the West and replace the Islamic and national culture in Afghanistan, which had a devout, pious society that adheres to its national traditions and customs.
Amanullah Khan removed the title of “Amir” from himself. Amanullah Khan weakened the role of scholars and clergy in the society. He supported the fall of the “Othman Caliphate” in Turkey and considered it necessary for Islamic countries progress. Amanullah Khan weakened the functions and social role of the scholars and removed them from the courts and judgment, established “systems”.
Amanullah Khan issued new decrees regarding women and established the Association for the Protection of Women for them. He banned the marriage of young girls and encouraged women to complain to court against their husbands. The husband could not divorce his wife without reason.
he issued many orders that were mainly against Islam and national culture and tradition after returning from his famous trip to European countries. Things like: holidays on Thursday instead of Friday, banning going out with a burqa, the obligation to wear a headscarf, banning shaking hands and say Salam with tongue and replaced removing the hat instead like the western people. banning marriage to more than one woman, removing the hijab, etc. were of his most important orders that he did.
These kind of people thinking created intellectual conflict and a complex and violent battle in Islamic countries and caused the different between cultural, religious and Islamic perspective among a lot of Islamic scholars and philosophers.
