Allamah Sayed Abulhasan Nadwi, May Allah Have Mercy on Him (Part 9)
Alarm Regarding Western Culture
In Fact, the cultural invasion of the West is not culture; rather, it is a chain of colonialism and exploitation that will destroy the foundations of nations. This intellectual and ideological attack by the West is, in fact, a destructive flood and storm that distorts hearts, fills souls with sorrow, stifles humanity in its infancy, and alters healthy minds. Perhaps worse than Genghis Khan of the past, it has entered the field with knowledge and progress. Genghis Khan would destroy homes with weapons and war, while this invasion targets religion and faith. As Dr. Ali Shariati says, “Throughout history, no Genghis Khan has plundered the world to the extent that these people do now. Genghis Khan could not, did not know how to, and had no means to do so. Yesterday, Genghis Khan’s weapon was the sword, his ride a horse, and his shield for defense. But today’s Genghis Khan rides industry and capital, wields science as his sword, and masks himself with freedom, humanism, civilization, progress, peace, socialism, human rights, liberalism, and humanism. Yesterday’s Genghis Khan severed the joints of a body, but today’s Genghis Khan severs the deep, sacred bonds of the soul. Yesterday, Genghis Khan beheaded people; today’s Genghis Khan severs human nature from the body. Yesterday, Genghis Khan crushed homes over people’s heads, but today’s Genghis Khan collapses the sky of love, faith, and everything that makes a person ‘human.’ Yesterday, Genghis Khan stripped people of their clothing, but today’s Genghis Khan strips them of their identity and essence.”
This is why Allama Nadwi, with his sharp and precise observation, saw the devastation caused by Western culture. He witnessed how it removed the essence and honor from the youth, binding them to World Cup competitions, television, and the latest fashion trends. It made the elderly indifferent to religion and faith and threw women into the swamp of immorality and immodesty.
As Allama Iqbal said:
“Look at that disgrace of mankind, who boasts of modernity,
Exposing his body naked like an animal.
He has turned his back on God’s command and rebelled,
Blindly following false trends in imitation.”
Allama Nadwi, in his book The Conflict Between the Islamic Idea and the Western Idea, writes: “This is why we saw and continue to see that colonialism, especially at the beginning of its entry, attacked in the name of combating religious bigotry, condemning backwardness in history, and crushing the superstitions of tradition. Its goal was to create a people without history, without tradition, without culture, without religion, and without anything.”
Allama Nadwi saw Arabs as the most vulnerable to falling into the foul swamps of Western culture, believing that it would erode their identity and essence. He believed this culture would plant the seeds of irreligion, atheism, materialism, and a lust for comfort in the hearts of the people. Thus, he was deeply concerned for the Arab nation and warned everyone—from the leaders of Arab countries to scholars, intellectuals, poets, and officials—about the grave dangers posed by Western culture. As Iqbal said:
“The East has lost itself in the imitation of the West,
These nations must now be critical of the West.”
Sayed Abdul Majeed Ghori writes, “During his stay in the holy land of Hijaz, Allama Nadwi felt that Western culture had affected the Arab cities. Rather, it had destroyed their energy and shattered their nerves. The youths of Hijaz and the Arabian Peninsula, who had brought the blessing of faith and Islam to the world and dispelled its darkness, were not immune from this danger. From among them had arisen a nation capable of leadership and guidance.”
Allama Nadwi was filled with anxiety and restlessness when he saw Arabs eagerly imitating Western culture, believing in its strength and progress to the point where its love had merged with their souls. They never acknowledged the spiritual and moral backwardness and corruption caused by this culture, which even the West itself admits. At this point, removing the love for Western culture from their hearts seemed like a difficult task because this culture had rendered them soulless, devoid of faith and certainty. As a result, flames of sorrow and anguish blazed within Allama Nadwi, leaving him restless. This was the pain he expressed wherever he went, hoping to achieve a positive and desirable outcome. Such are the true and sincere servants of God.
