Are You sure you want to delete Member from list ?
In the Middle Ages, the religious establishments themselves failed to embody the true purpose for which religion was revealed — the intellectual, moral, philosophical, and scientific growth of man through the virtue of submission. This failure gave rise to movements that demanded the very growth the religious class had neglected to encourage or initiate. However, instead of addressing these calls, the religious institutions became defensive, and these movements in turn began to view religion itself as the obstacle to human progress. The religious classes opposed such movements in the name of religion — assuming them to be attacks on faith itself — and in doing so, they created a deep dissonance in the minds of ordinary people for the very name of religion. This eventually led to calls for the complete removal of religion — and, by extension, the idea of God — from every domain of life. It was argued that for society and the State to progress, they had to be kept secular.
This is what occurred in the medieval West and during the Renaissance, and to this day, the same pattern persists in much of the modern Western world. Sadly, something similar has also unfolded in the last generation within our own societies — turning religion into a mere superstition, something “uncool” for the youth. Their capacity for deep thought has already been weakened by the constant dopamine rush of modern technology, leaving their minds chained and their critical thinking skills dulled.
Likewise, after the invention of the machine and the Industrial Revolution, workers were forced into a system that destroyed the very notions of freedom and equality. They were bound to routines that were stricter — and often less fulfilling — than before. Exploitation still existed, only now it was more structured and widespread. With one mechanical unit replacing twenty workers, their actual worth was devalued, pushing them toward revolt against the status quo. But this time, they brought religion into their struggle, since the religious elite had by then become an entirely separate class — one closely aligned with political power and invested in preserving class divisions. The response from the clergy came in a spiritual and moral tone, but instead of resolving the crisis, it only deepened the resentment toward religion and its representatives, who once again stood against an anti-oppression movement in the name of religion.
What was needed at that time was not a defense of authority or influence, but rather the sincere advocacy of workers’ rights and a warning about the immense destruction that unchecked industrialization could bring to humanity and the natural world. The religious elite’s alliance with political power buried the very truth that the original and authentic spirit of religion stands firmly against all forms of oppression and class-based discrimination. One only needs to look at early Islamic history to see this — where no distinction was made between a warrior, a worker, or a scholar, for all professions were respected and often practiced by the same individuals.
Today, in dealing with modern ideologies like socialism, feminism, or others, what is required is not an attitude of hostility, but one of emendation — a balanced approach rooted in empathy. We should recognize and affirm where these movements are right in accordance with the principles of Allah (subḥānahu wa taʿālā), while gently correcting where they deviate from truth. As for those who remain stubborn in their beliefs, refusing to reflect or change, they can be engaged — as I like to call it — with a Mohammed Hijab approach, though always with due proportion.
