Would you like an atheist American as Chairman of WAPDA? A white City Nazim for Karachi or for that matter a British Director General of FIA in Punjab? Would you encourage wine shops and dance bars across Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi and Islamabad? How would you react to roving half-naked girls at Constitutional Avenue in Islamabad and at Millennium Mall in Karachi? Just as you don’t want significant titles in your country given to westerners and your way of life swayed by secular thoughts, same is the case in United States, Europe and India. They don’t want their culture altered under the shadow of Islamic civilization.
There is nothing wrong with the reaction that the West has, as it is exactly similar to how Muslims’ respond to when their societies are threatened by liberal and secular thoughts. However, over the past few years, this reaction has been institutionalized to a dangerous level, resulting in segregation of Islam and the West. It has become possible only due to controlled American media, campaigning strategically against Muslims since many decades. There has been intense use of propaganda techniques by various groups including PSYOPs of United States Army. 9/11, 7/7 and Mumbai attacks have only catalyzed the process and have given more strength and a tangible result to these stakeholders. As of now, we can weigh the major milestones that take us to the final and complete clash of both civilizations. Sympathy lies in the fact that all these steps were initiated by Westerners, who believe that their civilization has the power to influence the world and wipe out all other ways of life, including Islam. Therefore, the faster the process, the earlier their dominance would prevail.
Europe and the United States have been a key player in battling Islam’s rise. The laws addressing detention, ban on scarf and minarets are not only ceilings on symbols of Islamic faith, but in a broader perspective, they are more about funneling Islam towards a totally rejected religion. Scarfs and minarets aren’t the only threats, Americans and Europeans don’t even welcome shops that sell Halal food. Maligning Islamic faith and Salat is what was extracted from the Fort Hood episode of Major Hasan Nadal, in a move to further their hostility.
Likewise, the Swiss ban on minarets is not a matter of beautiful terrains; it’s is a symbolic reaction to what they perceive as Islamic threat. During the campaigning for ban on minarets, the organizers discussed less on the construction and architecture of minarets and campaigned more about the influence of Islam, its Sharia’h and Burqa. They portrayed Islam as a civilization contrary to their beliefs, in order to gain voters for their drive. The posters reflected images of Switzerland as if it was taken over by some ‘beast’ known as Islam. The Swiss people termed minarets as Muslim power symbols.
Lately, the South Asian version of this clash was reflected in the Indian Premier League bidding and Shoaib Sania wedding. It was just another example of the assumed ‘greater civilization’ insulting Muslims for no apparent reason, other than Pakistanis, Shoaib and Sania being Muslims in faith.To ridicule Pakistan, or the symbolic fort of Islam, served the purpose of many. It has been apparent in the Indian cinema too since more than two decades, and no need to mention the threatening statements of Indian ministers and leaders.
Despite the ongoing insult and ridicule, thousands of Muslims have migrated to United States and other western countries over the past decades, felling prey to the deceptive Western civilization. Better economic conditions and improved standard of life is what low-esteemed immigrants might have achieved, but at what cost? Upon arrival, the migrants are forced to choose between the three; adapt their civilization, leave their lands or get ready for detention and death. As a result, total lost of identity is what trickles through generations or one observes people returning to their homelands after being offended. It further strengthens the argument that Muslims have never been welcomed in the West and will never be.
Muslims, in principle, are known for their self-esteem. In order to stop the influx of Muslims, methods are being adopted to institutionalize suppression of self-esteem. The full body scan introduced at American and UK airports for majority Muslim countries reflect the same. Similarly, the ‘terror threats and suspects’ mechanism ensures that Muslims do not create stronger bonds with Masjids, Muslim community and their faith.
There had been several efforts in the past too for segregation of Islamic and Western civilizations. But, since the Islamic civilization has proved to be more powerful than the western civilization, it had always superseded in terms of influence. The only solution left now is to segregate the followers of the two civilizations. However, it is a step that precedes the ‘final clash’ of both.
The ‘final clash’ will be more fierce and bloody than what we see now. The United States and its allies are loosing war in Afghanistan and can never, I repeat never, win war in Pakistan. Leave aside the state power, military and nuclear capability, the resistance in the public has already perplexed the western forces. This imbalance has the power to reverse the entire situation and further miscalculations could lead the United States to complete disaster.
Those who still believe that there is a place for composite dialogue and understanding between Islam and the West, are badly mistaken. There are no options left. Clash of civilizations is the only thing that can happen between the two camps – The Muslims and the Non-Muslims. Both are extremists, assertive and insist on their ideology, epistemology, ethics, political philosophy, aesthetics, logic and philosophy of mind. Its time to decide, which side are you on?
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