APRIL 7 — In an age where the spectres of misunderstanding and misinformation loom larger than ever before, Islam, a faith of profound depth and richness, finds itself ensnared in battles not just with external critics but, more crucially, with the pervasive spectre of ignorance within.
This ignorance, a chameleon of sorts, masquerades in various guises, often eluding detection by those it infests, making it Islam’s most formidable adversary.
It’s not the so-called infidels who pose the greatest challenge to Islam; rather, it’s the shadows of ignorance that flicker from within.
The very essence of Islam, with its foundations in peace, submission to the divine, and the pursuit of knowledge, is often overshadowed by the acts of a few who, driven by a distorted understanding of their own faith, commit atrocities in its name.
These actions, though carried out by the minority, cast a long, dark shadow over the entire faith, prompting a global discourse that oscillates between fear, misunderstanding, and outright hostility.
This misrepresentation is a glaring testament to the destructive power of ignorance – an enemy that festers within, corroding the faith’s true message.
Historically, Islam thrived as a cradle of knowledge, making monumental contributions to science, mathematics, medicine, and philosophy during the Golden Age of Islam.
Scholars and thinkers like Avicenna and Al-Khwarizmi were not just luminaries of their time but beacons of knowledge whose legacies illuminate the path to this day.
This pursuit of knowledge, an endeavour so deeply embedded in the Quranic ethos, starkly contrasts with the present-day narrative that often associates Islam with antithetical acts of violence and regressive thought.
The cynic might argue that ignorance is a global epidemic, not unique to Islam. While this holds a kernel of truth, the malaise of ignorance within Islam is peculiarly pernicious because it betrays the faith’s very core.
The Quran’s first revelation, “Read”, is a divine command to seek knowledge, to understand, to question, and to grow. It is a call that echoes through the ages, urging Muslims to arm themselves with the light of knowledge against the darkness of ignorance.
Yet, this call seems to be drowned out by the cacophony of divisive rhetoric, both from within and without. The internal strife, sectarian violence, and the suppression of free thought and expression in many Muslim-majority societies are symptomatic of a deeper malady — a departure from the essence of Islam.
This departure is not just a crisis of faith; it is a crisis of identity, one that is exploited by both external detractors and internal demagogues.
Reflective and introspective, it is incumbent upon the global Muslim community to embark on a philosophical journey back to the roots of their faith.
This journey is not to be undertaken with the intention of isolation but as a means of re-engaging with the world through the lens of true Islamic teachings — teachings that advocate for peace, dialogue, and the relentless pursuit of knowledge.
In the final analysis, the battle against ignorance is not waged on battlefields but within the minds and hearts of the faithful. It is a battle of narratives, of reclaiming the true essence of Islam from the clutches of those who have hijacked it.
The greatest weapon in this battle is education — not just in the traditional sense but in the broadest spectrum of learning, understanding, and engaging with both the world and the Word.
As dawn breaks over a world fraught with division and misunderstanding, there remains a beacon of hope in the form of Islam’s true message — a message of peace, love, and knowledge.
To embrace this message, to dispel the shadows of ignorance, is perhaps the most revolutionary act of faith. In this light, Muslims and non-Muslims alike can find common ground, a place beyond the superficial divides of belief and non-belief, where the only enemy is ignorance, and the only victor is truth.
Let this be a call to action, not to arms. A call to open hearts and minds, to engage in dialogue and discourse, to challenge the stereotypes and to shatter the shackles of ignorance.
For in the pursuit of truth, in the essence of Islam, lies the potential not just for a renaissance of a faith but for the healing of a fractured world.
This, then, is the challenge and the charge: to walk the path of knowledge, to illuminate the shadows, and to reclaim the soul of Islam from the clutches of its greatest enemy — ignorance. In doing so, we do not just defend a faith; we uplift humanity.
* This is the personal opinion of the columnist.
