A question that has been bothering me,

[Mujib]

I agree with you Mujib, your response made me sort of happy.

But this was one of his main points

This video of Shaykh Hamza Yusuf is relevant and beneficial:



The Shaykh makes a poignant point, one that responds to what your professor said: "So the twenthieth century, the bloodiest century in human history, is all wars that weren't fought about religion. They were fought about ideologies."

[*Mahzala*]

Jinkay Jaan: Do your research, your questions will be answered.

As for those who suggest Islam is backward, I think such words are only as a result of weak faith or ignorance of history. In saying that, I will also add that when the Muslim ummah adhered to its religion at the beginning of Islam, it had power, might and strength, and were advanced in all aspects of life. But the Muslim ummah started to fall short in its commitment to its religion and introduced into it things that are not part of it, in terms of beliefs, words and actions. That led to falling behind and becoming backward to a large extent. We know for certain, and Allaah is our witness, that if we go back to what our forebears followed in religious terms, we would become great and honoured and would prevail over all people. With regard to what has happened in the West in terms of progress in industries and the like, our religion does not forbid that, if we follow its teachings. But unfortunately we have lost both. We have neglected our religion and we have neglected our worldly affairs. This does not suggest however that Islam forbids such progress.

[Roshina]

How do I answer on why we are so backwards?

I think Mesbah's post answers this question to a large extent, Jinkay guley.

BUT... what exactly does "backward" mean? You should always ask people this question when they make a statement like this. How do they define it? Perhaps what's backward to them isn't backward to you. Right?

All groups of people have their moment of glory and their moment of ridicule. Currently, we Muslims don't have a good reputation universally, but that wasn't the case from around 750 C.E. to at least 1200 C.E. (The Islamic Golden Age is said to have been from the 8th to the 13th century, in fact.) Up until the Crusades, initiated not even by Muslims, we were perfectly stable and in peace, it seems. Do you know who the original translators of Plato's, Aristotle's, and other major ancient philosophers'/thinkers' works were? Muslims.

Yes, I, too, suggest you study early Islamic history. I specifically mean Muslims' contribution to science/mathematics/philosophy/etc. There are tons of books that I can recommend for this, but because I'm tired and it's late night here, I chose to google up "Muslim contribution to science" and got several links. Wikipedia isn't exactly wrong in its information either, provided you verify what it tells you by turning to the sources it uses to provide the information.

I'm not one of the Muslims who brag about our past. I beleive that, yes, it's great that we had such great thinkers in our past before, but we need to study our past enough to live PEACEFULLY in our present while doing all we can to ensure ourselves a promising future.

Once you've studied the past well enough, you will be able to hold a more intellectual discussion with your professor. Of course, you must not have the intention of changing his mind. If that's the intention you go to him with, you will not get anywhere; in fact, he may change your mind before you do his! But just know thoroughly what you're gonna say to him. Have a good argument. In this case, make it something like, "Just because Muslims today are in a bad condition, or are what you call backward, doesn't mean this was always the case." Then you continue by pointing out that if Islam plays a role in our being backward, then how does he explain our "glorious" past? There are arguments that Islam, while it MAY be playing a role in our being ignorant and backward today, has always played a strong, active role in the Muslims' contribution to science, or humanity over all.

And do not think that this has never been discussed before. Read some Muslim philosophers' view on this as well. (Yes, people have actually held *inconclusive* discussions on whether following a religion leads to evil or not.) Do this during your free time.

By the way, I'm perfectly sure that there's more to this than just a "If Islam is a peaceful religion, why are Muslims so violent?" and "Why are Muslim so backward today?" I still refuse to believe that a professor would make such a comment! That even a PHILOSOPHY professor! I've taken several philosophy courses, and this whole topic of good/evil and religion and the lack of it has always come up, in every single one of them. But the teachers always made us read the perspectives of those who argued that religion leads to evil and backwardness AND those who argued that, no, it doesn't. This way, we get to make up our own mind.

But for him to have LAUGHED at you in front of the whole class ... or to have laughed at you at all ... that's just ridiculous! If he really did that, girl, I'd be like, "To hell with you, man. You don't deserve even a minute of my life." So then learn all this stuff for your own good, but not so you can have a discussion with him. Why talk to someone who has dared to debase you like that?

[*Mahzala*]

And the one we hate to admit: Our lack of knowledge leads to us not being able to defend ourselves against such remarks.

[MeemWawMeemNoon]

Islam is most certainly a religion of peace and justice. Islam came to bring peace and justice to the world, and to do away with injustice.

Quoted for truth.

[AfghanSoulja]

First of all no professor no matter how biased would say that about any religion..what is his name I would like to know that

what we or he says about Islam has nothing to do with what Islam stands for.. Those who understood it's true meaning are long gone and whatever remains today is a decaying religion whose protectors are it's destroyers

Islam means peace, we don't practise peace..we don't practise Islam. We fight in Allah's name not knowing what he told us to fight for, we kill in his name forgetting the meaning and value of life in Islam.

[Badlun]

We may note few points in this whole discussion

1. The professor has a point and Jinkay must have valid arguments to discuss if she want to oppose him. We may forget that he is a professor. Any one may ask that question. If Jinkay has valid arguments then well and good if not then the professor or any one who asks this question is right.

2. The professor will not be satisfied if you talk of the past glory of muslims(by the way this glory was also achieved mainly by wars). He will not be convinced by the verses of Quran or other religious arguments as he does not believe in all this. He is looking at the current situation of the Muslim world and he is right as Muslim world is either very poor, backward , ignorant and there is no democracy almost in the whole Muslim world specially in the Arab states.

3. It will not be a shame to admit that yes lot of terrorism is going on in the Muslim world because of the religious extremism and salafism as well as other reasons like poverty, ignorance, international politics etc etc.

4. But this terrorism is not because of Islam but because of the misuse of Islam by extremsits by making Islam applicable to politics, economics etc while religion is meant for faith, worship, morality and spiritual eblightenment.

5. The solution is that West and Muslim world may invest in educating muslims so that they take Islam only as a religion and not a complete system. Let the state decide political and other matters not groups like Taliban etc

6. Every religion including Islam never ask for wars or violance. Muslims fought wars when they had power. The same is done by all. Its all power politics, balance of power and not a religious sacred duty to engage in wars. Quran talks of wars but it was in the context of the past.

[Roshina]

And the one we hate to admit: Our lack of knowledge leads to us not being able to defend ourselves against such remarks.

Yep. But sometimes, we need others to challenge our faith, our ideals, our everything just to push us to learn more about our beliefs or ourselves. Otherwise, most of us just don't look beyond the itty bitty circle of our beliefs. It strengthens the faith of some, it weakens it for others. That's why knowledge about our own selves and beliefs and his tory is extremely important.

[Levanaye Zalmaye]

Yep. But sometimes, we need others to challenge our faith, our ideals, our everything just to push us to learn more about our beliefs or ourselves. Otherwise, most of us just don't look beyond the itty bitty circle of our beliefs. It strengthens the faith of some, it weakens it for others. That's why knowledge about our own selves and beliefs and his tory is extremely important.

I actually blame the clerics again.

Instead of arming people with factual knowledge, they say stuff like, "the kuffar hate us because of x, y and z reasons". So when an informed anti-Muslim person confronts them, instead of negating his arguments with cold facts, the Muslim just comes down to saying, "hey, our religion is good, read our Quran"... and the non-Muslim has actually been to Jihad-Watch.com and knows a few quotations himself and he vomits them out thereby 'proving' that all Muslims are terrorists.

Lastly, Muslims, since they come from the Third World, are emotional people. They lose their cool way too easily and leave the world of rationalism. When that happens, everything they say is by default ludicrous.

[Roshina]

I actually blame the clerics again.

Instead of arming people with factual knowledge, they say stuff like, "the kuffar hate us because of x, y and z reasons". So when an informed anti-Muslim person confronts them, instead of negating his arguments with cold facts, the Muslim just comes down to saying, "hey, our religion is good, read our Quran"... and the non-Muslim has actually been to Jihad-Watch.com and knows a few quotations himself and he vomits them out thereby 'proving' that all Muslims are terrorists.

Lastly, Muslims, since they come from the Third World, are emotional people. They lose their cool way too easily and leave the world of rationalism. When that happens, everything they say is by default ludicrous.

Absolutely. I don't think we're generalizing when we say "Muslims" in this particular context. Sure, not all, but most are like this. And the clerics/mullahs? God, don't remind me.