Hazrat Moulana Dawood Seedat SahebBelow is an extract from Hazrat’s talk on 04/09/18. It is an explanation of an article about the book “Modern Egypt.” To listen to the talk, click http://dawoodseedat.co.za/?wpfc_sermon=new-world-order-zikr-majlis. To read the book, click https://archive.org/details/modernegypt00crom.
Colonialism in the Muslim World has repercussions far worse than the occupation of land. It is an insidious, carefully-planned attempt to derail and disintegrate the Muslim Ummah. History bears witness to this. Everlyn Baring who is also known as Lord Cromer, was a British general in occupied Egypt between 1877 and 1907. Egypt was firm upon the laws of Islam. Cromer’s job was to assess the situation and devise a plan of action on how to eradicate Islam. He wrote a book on this strategy called “Modern Egypt.” Listed below are a few of his strategies:
1⃣ *The west will not tolerate an Islamic government (anywhere in the Muslim world).* Here an Islamic government does not refer to a Muslim country, it refers to Shariah law. For there are many Muslim countries, businesses, schools and homes, which are Muslim by name but not necessarily Islamic. Cromer comments that it would be “absurd” to assume that Europe would tolerate a “government based on purely Muhammadan ﷺ principles and obsolete oriental ideas.” (page 565)
2⃣ *Muslims must be forced to adopt the principles of Western civilization.* Though the term “civilization” may not be befitting here, because civilised people do not steal from other countries. In our Muslim countries, we are witnessing these principles being adopted and they are considered better than the principles set by Islam. Ask the Hujjaj, many returned from Hajj shocked. Saudi has become increasingly and quickly westernised in the recent months, they saw some of these changes. As Muslims we don’t notice the effects of westernisation, slowly but surely, it chips our deen away. Our Ulama have this foresight. I recall Hazrat Ml. Yunus Patel رحمة الله عليه would say in his duas, “O Allah we have drifted so far from Deen, we can no longer see the shore.” (page 538)
3⃣ *Westernisation must be introduced under the guise of women’s rights.* Cromer explains, “the position of women” in Muslim countries and her modesty, was a “fatal” obstacle in the introduction of colonial values. And today we see feminism introduced as a concept in Islam. (page 539)
4⃣ *The west must educate young, secular Muslims to become the rulers of Muslim countries.* Cromer hoped these secularists would cause a Muslim to “lose his Islamism”, and to “no longer believe that he is always in the presence of his Creator”, and only hang onto “the least worthy portions of his nominal religion” for the sake of convenience. (page 230)
We see this happening in Saudi Arabia after the young ruler Muhammad bin Salman became crown prince. Even in our communities we have Islamic events and functions that are more western than Islamic. How many of us say Walima is Sunnah, whilst being extravagant in them, playing music and allowing free-mixing? How many of us are guilty of using religion for convenience, picking and choosing when it suits us?
5⃣ *The west must reform Islam.* Cromer said the goal is to “demuslimise Muslims” until people are Muslim by name, but practise as an “agnostic”. He further admits this is because “Islam (itself) cannot be reformed”. (page 228 – 229)
When I read this, an example of Hazrat رحمة الله عليه again came to mind. Hazrat رحمة الله عليه said if a shop has a sign outside that indicates it is a clothes shop, or it is named as such, you would expect to find clothes inside. If the sign outside says butcher, you would expect meat. Imagine you walked inside and they were selling clothes, wouldn’t you be confused? Outside the sign says meat yet inside there are clothes, that is contradictory. Hazrat رحمة الله عليه would say our Islamic names are signs that we are Muslim. Yet our actions are sometimes far from that of a true Muslim, presenting mixed signals to those who cross paths with us.
6⃣ *Muslim reformers would hate Ulama more than the Europeans do.* A westernized Muslim would consider Islamic scholars to be a “social derelict”, use him when it suits him, otherwise, disrespect him. On the other hand, European Christian intellectuals would look at him with sympathy as a “representative of an ancient faith”. This too, we see prevalent in our Muslim countries and communities, to the degree that pious Ulama are jailed for their Islamic views, in so called Islamic countries! (page 299 – 230)
7⃣ *Modernised Muslims will become diests.* They “will cast aside much of the teaching of Muhammad ﷺ”, establishing a different code to hold society together. (page 234)
The writer then concluded his article saying, “We can see therefore that Islamic reform started as a colonial project. A project that has been devilishly designed by European intellectuals to undermine Ulama, introduce secular humanist institutions, and gradually and inconspicuously lead Muslims away from the central tenets of their tradition. They knew that this reformed, liberal Muslim would not be a Muslim at all, but just a Europeanized invertebrate (i.e. a spineless being) who would manoeuvre the religion to his needs (to suit his nafs).
This seven-step process is exactly what is happening to Muslim youth in the West. They volunteer
themselves to Western academia and pop culture, and are led away from a truly Islamic worldview. And while they fool themselves into calling themselves “Muslim reformers”, or “Muslim feminists”, or “moderate Muslims”, or “liberal Muslims”, their puppet masters know that these are all contradictions in terms. Times change, but right remains right, and wrong remains wrong.”
That is the end of the article I received. They demonise us, make us feel apologetic, make us feel like we are the thorns in humanity, causing people and even Ulama to bend the rules of Islam to “fit in” with the very group of people, that are plotting against us. The question we must ask is – how far have these strategies affected us? Let’s look at one hadith to understand this. Nabi ﷺ said, “Do not delay in three things; 1) Salah when its time arrives, 2) Offering the Janazah Salah when the bier is present and 3) Marriage of a woman whose match is found”. (Tirmidhi)
Praying 5 times a day is done by a few in this Ummah rather than the majority or all, if a Nikaah is done in a few days the community would be shocked at the speed as delaying is the norm, and burials are often delayed rather than hastened. Thus, in these matters our actions are opposite to the directives given by Nabi ﷺ! We are supposed to be upholders of the Sunnah but this can only be done through acting upon the Sunnah.
The solution to overcome their attempts and that of Nafs and Shaitaan, is to strengthen our Imaan. Hold onto the Mashaaikh, Akaabireen and Ulama. We must not allow ourselves to get influenced by Music, TV, the fashion industry and western culture. Do not fall into the trap of justifying haram as halaal.
If someone were to make a list of all the harmful creatures that are found in the sea. It may sound dangerous; how will we cross? But the answer is simple – don’t go inside. Likewise, these strategies can only harm us if we allow them to enter inside our hearts, and we intentionally expose ourselves to sins and vices. Then we will have no one to blame but ourselves. But if we turn to Allah, He will be our protecting guardian and there is no strategy that can overpower the protection of Allah. May Allah protect us, guide us and keep us firm, Aameen.
— Hazrat Ml. Dawood Seedat حفظه الله