Islamic values vs Western values: Which ones offer true growth and prosperity to the mankind?

Islamic values vs Western values: Which ones offer true growth and prosperity to the mankind?

The twenty-first century has enlightened all the lines of demarcation between Islamic and Western values. After the Renaissance in Europe, there emerged a  civilization which offered some values to the world. As a matter of fact, those values excluded God from the personal, social, and political domain and were inherently anti-parallel to Islamic values. Let me exemplify this fact. Firstly, the term Islam means 'to surrender'. Apparently and certainly, this term gives a value of  'surrendering to the will of God'. While the value held by the West opposite to surrender is personal 'freedom'. And that Freedom gives one sense that one himself is the ultimate authority and is free to do anything. There are no boundaries to be restricted in one's life. In fact, any action done without realizing that God has set some boundaries has a great level of transgression, and doing so easily transforms this action into immorality.

Secondly, the technological revolution brought by the West has increased the speed of actions and their results. A work done by our forefathers in hours in the past is now done in seconds. The value of speed has penetrated in such a way that it has deteriorated the value of patience. Now we are always in a hurry. We want prompt results. In contrast, Islam guides us to be patient in every moment of ecstasy and agony.

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Thirdly, capitalism - a west-born value- has led mankind to blind consumerism and possession. Giving alms in Western civilization is the hardest thing to do. Contrary to this, Islam emphasizes giving your most beloved assets to others. Precisely, Islamic is identified by the value of sacrifice, which is utterly at 180 degrees to the Western value of possession.

Interestingly, western civilization has left no stone unturned in eradicating morality from politics. Let me again cite the post-renaissance era which gave birth to Machiavellian Realpolitik. What Machiavelli's realpolitik has taught international and domestic politics is a shame for humanity as its whole edifice is built on the principles of deceit and dishonesty. Telling lies is its center of gravity. The consequences of following Machiavalleian doctrines are in front of us in the shape of the then western imperialism and now the Pan-Americanism. This is why while criticizing Realpolitik, Allama Iqbal has said, "Juda ho deen siyasat se tou reh jaati he changeezi". Since you exclude God from the political domain, you make humanity suffer. This is what the West has been doing for centuries. As a matter of fact, Islam rejects such a notion. It wants people to be honest and truthful in every dimension of life, including that of political.

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Lastly, the west offers us individualism in personal as well as social domain. At a personal level, one is independent of all the rights and responsibilities of one's parents and relatives. Whereas Islam bound us to follow some set of principles regarding parents and relatives. At a societal level, the Western value of individualism can be seen in the form of corporations. States have minimum or negligible control over the corporate sector. This unchecked growth of corporations has resulted in the rich being the richer and the poor being the poorer. On the other hand, the Islamic idea of collectivism is manifested in 'Ummah' or to say 'nation'. Prosperity of one must be transformed into the prosperity of all. This is what Islamic civilization stands for.

To conclude, it is the need of the hour to stop and contemplate whether western values have done wonders or created more problems for mankind. And what about Islamic values..!!

Written By: Siraj Mustafa

His other blog:  Muhammad Iqbal- the Greatest Poet of the Muslim World