It has become incumbent, more than perhaps any other time in our history, that we rid ourselves of the magical hold that the West has over our collective imaginations. The past two centuries has seen the Mussalmans become entranced by the West either wholly or partially, which has resulted in them becoming blind followers either willingly or subconsciously. This has manifested in various movements and individuals that have sprouted across the Muslim world, far too many to expound upon here. We note the universal that all such reactions revolve around the notion that grafting the totality of Western civilization or some aspects of it into the lives of the Muslims will bring about a revival of Islamic Civilisation. The notion of revival too is contaminated with imagery of the West. For the revival is all too often cast into the mold of the contemporary modernised West. Thus the means and goals of such movements are a priori colored by the technological and scientific traits of Europe and America. Proponents of these movements will argue that such pursuits are compatible with the ethos of Islamic civilization. They will press emphatically that it is this very notion of progress, economic and scientific whose emulation is incumbent upon contemporary Muslims. We believe that such a line of reasoning is incorrect. The notion of progress was forged in West’s rebellion from its religious tradition and has been subject to updates till this day, much like the many softwares that its engineers keep modifying on a regular basis. Inserting terms developed in a particular social and historical context into the languages of a civilisation, especially one rooted in the sacred will inevitably result in chaos. This chaos has permeated everywhere in the Muslim world, and at all levels. The onward march towards progress remains unchallenged in contemporary Muslim minds. Its alleged inevitability and neutrality is chanted passionately at all times, ironically with an almost religious zeal. Yet despite all the grafting and proselytizing no such bliss has arrived in the Muslim world. Nowhere have the Muslims been able to stop the onslaught of materialism. No amount of scientific research, urban planning and economic growth seems to engender a generation of Muslims confident in their tradition. Instead the confusion and disarray have only continued to aggregate perpetually. Despite this the solution that is propagated is the same. More progress, more “knowledge” and more wealth. In short, let’s continue to do more of what we have been doing for the past century. The calls for true introspection and reflection are scoffed at so that the madness carries on, unfettered. A crisis of this magnitude calls for a complete reorientation of the Muslim mind. We propose that in order to at least begin this process a complete Disenchantment of the West is called for. Just as secular Europe expelled and expunged traces of the transcendent from its collective consciousness and surroundings, so too should the Muslims attempt to do something similar. They must attempt to first rid themselves of their intoxication with the Western notion of progress along with all its corollaries. The specters of secularity and materialism that has possessed us en masse are to be exorcised. The mantra of progress is to be questioned. Why has it led us to widespread disbelief and environmental catastrophe? For those of our brethren who believe that this specter can be tamed, made amenable to the Islamic worldview we ask them this. Have you not tried enough? Have your efforts prevented unbelief amidst our ranks? How many more cutting edge discoveries do you plan to pull out of the Quran? Do you not see that in this process perhaps unknowingly you too are entering a state of Mashoor (مسحور). Which we have elsewhere defined to be a state in which the aql of the Mussalman is held hostage so he accepts without reflection whatever the West is propping up as the truth. Look at what has transpired in Gaza, and do not just stop there, look elsewhere, look across history. Study the Naqba, the Bengal Famines, then ask yourselves what civilization do they claim to be champions of? How many more of us will they slaughter to free the women, and enforce their own whimsical genders? Perhaps your heart might succumb to their notion of Education. But look closer. All that information, all those publications, books, conferences, seminars for what? Wandering aimlessly without true purpose. Pursuing something for the sake of pursuing something. Aiming for something that is temporal, and therefore perishable. Ultimately consider what is the vision of life that is being sold to us? For the purpose of Disenchantment the Mussalman would have to deepen his gaze. It cannot stop at mere forms and aesthetics. It must penetrate deeper so that the truth of the West is revealed. So that beyond the gizmos it can see the desire for control, the means to fragment. Such a thorough reorientation of the Muslim mind which entails Disenchantment can only be achieved if we are prepared to let go of our khumar for Western modernity and instead adopt the Aql e Saleem. The intellect that can grasp higher truths.
