قسط ٤
Fourth and final installment
Method of Operation ------- An Excerpt
The impression of the Orientalists is not limited to their own selves; if it were only that, it would not be the focus of our attention and the subject of our discussion. The more serious and far-reaching aspect of the problem is that they devote all their abilities, in a rational and irrational manner, to identifying these weaknesses and presenting them in a very horrific form. They look through a microscope and show their readers a telescope. Making a mountain out of a molehill is the least of their tasks. They work with such dexterity, skill, and patience in their work (i.e., presenting a dark picture of Islam) that it is difficult to find a parallel. They first propose a purpose and decide on something that has to be proven. Then, for this purpose, they provide material from all kinds of relevant and irrelevant sources, religion and history, literature and fiction, poetry, authentic and unauthentic sources, and whatever helps them achieve their purpose (no matter how flawed, doubtful, and worthless it may be in terms of authenticity and validity), they present it with great fanfare and prepare a complete structure of a theory from this scattered material, the collective existence of which is only in their minds. They often state an evil and, to impress it upon the minds, generously describe ten virtues of their praised one so that the reader's mind, impressed by their justice, magnanimity, and impartiality, accepts their one evil (which washes away all the virtues). They draw a picture of the environment, historical background, natural and physical factors and motivations of a personality or invitation in such a beautiful and scholarly manner (even if it is purely imaginary) that the mind accepts it, and as a result, it begins to understand that personality and invitation as a natural reaction to that environment or its natural consequence, and denies its greatness and sanctity and its connection and relationship with any non-human source. Most Orientalists keep a suitable amount of 'poison' in their writings, and they take care that it does not exceed the proportion and does not alienate and distrust the reader. Their writings prove to be more dangerous, and it is difficult for an average person to escape their impact.
Excerpt: The Conflict of Islamism and Westernization in Muslim Countries by Maulana Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi)
(Page 258, 259)
Stages of the Method of Operation
Western scholars (Orientalists) present their writings in three stages, which are listed below
1- Stage of Discovery
That is, in their writings, the Orientalists reveal what they have learned from Islam, and that it is an excellent religion, and the public gets the impression that the purpose of these Orientalists is only to spread knowledge and nothing else.
2- Stage of Mixing
In this stage, Western scholars (Orientalists) try their best to hide the good aspects of the religion of Islam and reveal its evils, and they mix good and evil together, while highlighting points that are not correct for the society at all, such as giving the society the impression that Islam is a backward and oppressive religion.
3- Stage of Aggression
In this stage, the Orientalists openly attack Islamic teachings and Islamic personalities, such as writings in which Islam is targeted and declared false, i.e., attacking the Quran and Hadith and the person of the Prophet ﷺ, etc. (We seek refuge in Allah). In this stage, Islamic jurisprudence and Islamic history are presented as oppressive and tyrannical.
In short, despite this scholarly recognition, there is no harm in saying that the Orientalists are generally a group of scholars who have not benefited in a real way from the extensive study of the Quran and Hadith, the Prophet's biography ﷺ, Islamic jurisprudence, and ethics and Sufism, and it has not had any major revolutionary effect on their hearts and minds.

Reasons for the influence of Orientalism and Orientalists on ordinary Muslims

There are many reasons for being influenced by these movements and organizations, but the most important few reasons are mentioned
Firstly, the lack of knowledge and understanding in Muslim society, i.e., the lack of religious information or its complete absence among the common Muslims of the Ummah. The lack of contemporary sciences and critical thinking in Muslim society is also a reason. At the same time, when ordinary Muslims, due to their religious and scholarly lack, depend on Western sources to understand their religious and Islamic civilization and thought or to understand the issues related to Islamic Sharia, then naturally the thought of the Orientalists begins to dominate them. In short, due to the lack of scholarly understanding, they often depend on the sources laid down by the Orientalists, and gradually the effects of Orientalism begin to appear on them.
Secondly, being impressed, i.e., the position of the Orientalists is read so much through the media, magazines, and newspapers that the great achievements made by Western civilization are narrated in the mind of the common Muslim and presented as a successful concept, even if they are full of evils. These presented facts are accepted by the naive Muslim as gold, while they are brass.
As a result, he is so impressed that he accepts any research that comes before him.
Thirdly, keeping silent on this important issue and great movement impresses ordinary Muslims and becomes a reason for their being affected.
Solution and practical advice for the Orientalist movement
The only way to correct this situation and prevent the destructive and skeptical effects of the Orientalists is for Muslim researchers and scholars to take up their pens on these scholarly topics and, while keeping in mind all the commendable qualities of the Orientalists, and even developing them, which are considered their part, to present authentic and sound Islamic information and point of view. These should be writings that are superior and distinguished from the books of the Orientalists in their originality of research, breadth of study, depth and profundity of vision, authenticity of the sources, and their strong argumentation. They should have all their good qualities, and they should be free from their weaknesses and defects. On the other hand, a scholarly assessment of the books of the Orientalists should be made and these deceptions should be exposed, their misunderstandings in understanding the text and their mistakes in translation and interpretation should be clarified, the weakness of their sources and the error of their derived results should be highlighted, and their bad intentions, religious purposes, and political objectives in their invitation and preaching should be exposed and it should be shown how deep and dangerous this conspiracy is against Islam and the Muslim Ummah.
(Excerpt: The Conflict of Islamism and Westernization in Muslim Countries by Maulana Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi
Page 267, 268)
The End