PROTESTS, boycotts and prayers, it seems, are apparently the only tools left in the Muslim world to face any eventuality or aggression. The thing we really should know is that no one attempts to provoke the powerful. In today’s modern world, the real power is not money or land anymore. As everyone knows, it is science. However, the Muslim world as a whole, to put it rather mildly, lags behind in this very field of life.

We live in a utopia with a delusional mindset. In the entire history of Islamic civilisation, there was a brief stint of innovation and progress, from the 10th to the 12th century, when science and philosophy bloomed under the Abbasids. That is it. There has been no period of sustained progress in such fields. The current Muslim world keeps referring to that age to massage its ego and to have some kind of a feel-good factor. But there has been no meaningful contribution to global progress.

Undoubtedly, the Muslims were able to acquire and build major empires and ruled vast stretches of geography later, but they were knowledge-averse empires ruling over equally knowledge-averse masses. Historically, even the mighty Ottomans refused to accept the printing press, which was actually the internet of its time.

As it happens, the majority of countries in the Islamic world are also democracy-averse. And this is no coincidence. It is by design. The ruling elite on purpose keep the public away from deep learning, especially science. In fact, they fear, and rightly so, that any move towards scientific learning will lead to critical thinking. And, say, this is what they, the rulers, cannot afford.

Frankly saying, critical thinking leads to questioning. Questions of all sorts. From religion to those who use religion as a tool to rule them. The ruling classes know this fact very well. And for their own short-term gains, they are keeping almost one-quarter of humanity away from progress, innovation and science. This is not going to change anytime soon.

Today, Muslim societies are not even aware of what they are missing out on. And surely they are missing a big deal. Their contribution to the world simply is that of a consumer.

They are not innovators, manufacturers or providers. Oil is the only exception, and that has nothing to do with the ability of the rulers. As such, it is a natural resource that is explored and pumped out by Westerners. Besides, there is no top-ranking academic institution in the entire Muslim world that may hold its head high when compared with, say, the Ivy League institutions.

Till the time no one focuses on that aspect, things will not change. Till then, gaining global respect will remain a utopia. Big numbers in the population do not matter today; effective population does. This lies at the core of the problem.

Bahadar Ali Khan
Toronto, Canada

Published in Dawn, April 28th, 2024