Masroor Ahmed
A pressing question looms over the Muslim world today: why are Muslims consistently facing adversity in the modern era? If we, as Muslims, sought a logical answer to this question, we might find one. When Hamas launched its attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, I cautioned friends celebrating the assault that their joy would be fleeting, and the suffering prolonged. Innocent civilians would bear the brunt.
Over a year and a half later, Palestinians in Gaza remain displaced, and Muslim nations’ attempts to curry favor with the U.S., Israel’s staunch ally, through flattery and lavish gifts have proven futile.
Our core issue lies in our distance from education, democracy, and democratic values. Muslim populations, elites, and ruling classes are either unaware of or deliberately ignore the demands of living in a modern world—its political economy, the structure of international relations, and the challenges of postmodernism—often prioritizing short-term gains.
Beyond outdated and impractical notions of a global caliphate, the Islamic world lacks a coherent ideology. Communism once rivaled Western democracy and capitalism globally but has since faded. China, while governed by the Communist Party, has embraced capitalism more effectively than the West.
Cuba remains the only true communist state today. China does not export its ideology beyond its borders and has amassed sufficient power for self-preservation. India and Hindus have never positioned themselves as global competitors to the West in trade, ideology, or power. Chinese, Russians, or Indians living in Western countries adapt to local cultures and laws. In contrast, Muslim nations, upon gaining even modest power, often succumb to ambitions of expanding political influence or spreading religion beyond their borders.
A striking example is when a prominent Pakistani general, known for his extensive network and spiritual persona, released a triumphant photo of himself sipping tea in Kabul the day after the Taliban’s takeover. That image later proved costly for Pakistan—and perhaps for him. Muslim rulers often view themselves as superhuman, a perception echoed by their publics. Many, regardless of their actual capabilities, believe themselves to be the ultimate authority.
In the Islamic world, the least competent often become heroes, and power frequently falls into the hands of such individuals, who, to mask their inadequacies, appoint even less qualified subordinates. Normalcy eludes them. As soon as wealth, power, or fame arrives, they seem to transcend humanity.
In the 1970s, when oil wealth transformed impoverished Arab states, restlessness followed. Saudi Arabia spread Wahhabism, Saddam Hussein invaded Iran and Kuwait, and Iran and Pakistan exported their versions of mujahideen to neighboring regions.
Turkey dreams of reviving the Ottoman Empire. We must recognize that groups like Iran’s mullahs, Hamas, Hezbollah, Al-Qaeda, ISIS, Jamaat-ud-Dawa, Tehreek-e-Labbaik, Jamaat-e-Islami, Boko Haram, and countless other so-called Islamic factions do not represent true Islam. Through their actions, they bring further misery to Muslim nations and peoples, inadvertently serving as tools for external powers.
Muslim rulers suppress their populations and minorities at home. When they migrate to the West, they often insist on preaching or imposing sharia. Claiming global leadership while wielding a begging bowl in one hand and a sword in the other, they recklessly provoke conflicts. Such ambitions, paired with limited means, yield disastrous results. Wisdom can generate wealth, and wealth can hire the wise to create more prosperity.
The Jewish community’s intellectual prowess is evident in their Nobel Prize wins. Modern thinkers like Spinoza, Arthur Danto, Karl Marx, Einstein, and countless others were Jewish by descent. Despite centuries of persecution by Christians and Muslims, Jews did not resort to jihad, guerrilla warfare, hate narratives, or religious lamentation. Instead, they invested in science, technology, and knowledge, forging strong ties with the global community.
Today, having established their footing, Jews wield significant influence, as seen in their dominance in the U.S. and Europe. Yet, they remain grounded, avoiding grandiose boasts. Israeli leaders and citizens live modestly, leveraging U.S. support, advanced technology, and their own ingenuity to achieve feats that render the 57 Muslim-majority nations, the UN, and the world mere spectators.
Former ISI chief Asad Durrani once noted that U.S. intelligence agencies outmatch others due to their vast resources. While Pakistan must budget for even basic tools, U.S. agencies offer rewards so large that even a fugitive’s family might turn them in.
Iran, crippled by sanctions and decades of authoritarian rule, faces public discontent. Criminals or dissidents can be swayed with substantial sums, making espionage easier. Israel’s ground operations, executed by Mossad with surgical precision, have left Iran’s defense establishment reeling, targeting key figures and sowing paranoia about internal spies. Iran’s greater concern is not retaliating but uncovering how many more agents lurk within.
Christians and Jews, our “Islamic cousins” through the House of Abraham, may hold the key to countering Islamic extremism. The 2020 Abraham Accords, facilitated by Middle Eastern nations, Israel, and others, aimed to foster peace in Palestine. Ironically, Muslims invoke blessings upon the House of Abraham in every prayer, yet curse them afterward. This contradiction encapsulates our predicament.
