Duk yabo da godiya sun tabbata ga Allah, Ubangijin kuma Sarkin halitta, Mai rahama, Mai jin kai, Wanda yake da iko akan komai. Tsira da amincin Allah su tabbata ga Manzonsa na ƙarshe, Muhammad ﷺ, da iyalansa, da sahabbansa.

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, the Master and King of existence, the All-Merciful, Beneficent, who has power over all things. May peace and blessings be upon His final Messenger, Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم, and his Family, and his Companions.

Zamani babbar barazana ce ga Musulunci. Barazana ce ga dukkan jinsin mutane. Amma domin fahimtar hakan, dole ne mu koma baya kadan.

Modernity is a menace to Islam. It is a menace to the human race. But to understand this, we have to take a step back.

Masana tarihi galibi suna ganin karni na sha shida a matsayin farkon zamani na zamani. Wannan karni ya ga manyan rikice-rikice a Turai, yayin da Gyaran Addini ya sa ƙungiyoyin Kiristanci cikin yaƙi mai zafi, wanda daga gare shi aka haifi zamanin duniya. Yaƙe-yaƙe, kabilanci da zubar da jini sun taka rawarsu wajen kawar da masana daga addini da littattafai, waɗanda ake ƙara ganin su a matsayin tushen jahilci da wahala. Amma me zai maye gurbin Allah da littafai? Wane tushe kuma zai iya zama tushen ɗabi'a? Wane tushe kuma zai iya zama tushen ilimi game da yanayin wanzuwa da makomar ƙarshe ta ɗan adam?

Historians generally identify the sixteenth century as the beginning of modernity. This was a century that saw great upheaval in Europe, as the Reformation pitted Christian sects in a bitter conflict from which the secular age was born. War, tribalism, and bloodshed did their part to disenchant intellectuals from religion and scripture, which were increasingly seen as sources of ignorance and suffering. But what would replace God and scripture? What else could be the source of morality? What else could be the source of knowledge about the nature of existence and of humanity’s ultimate destiny?

Masana na farko na zamani sun zaɓi tunanin kansu ga wannan matsayi na iko na zahiri da na duniya. Hankali kaɗai, suka yi jayayya, zai iya shiryar da ɗan adam. Nasarar ilimomin lissafi da falsafar gwaji ta Isaac Newton ta bayyana kamar tana ƙarfafa wannan ƙarshe. Ta hanyar hankali da lura da gwaji, tunanin ɗan adam zai iya zama kamar allah. Hankali, kamar yadda ya bayyana, yana da ƙarfin iya tunani, lissafi, da gano abubuwa mara iyaka. Dukkan asirin duniya da yanayin ɗan adam za a warware su kamar lissafin daidaitawa. Sai dai kawai batun lokaci ne.

The early modernists elected their own minds to this position of metaphysical and worldly authority. The mind alone, they argued, could guide mankind. The success of the mathematical sciences and Isaac Newton’s empirical philosophy seemed to bolster this conclusion. Through reason and empirical observation, the human mind could become a god. The mind, it seemed, had infinite ability to reason, calculate, and discover. All the mysteries of the universe and of human nature would be solved like an equation. It was simply a matter of time.

Amma ilimi kaɗai ba shi ne labarin gaba ɗaya ba. Abin da ya bambanta ɗan Adam da alloli ba ilimi kaɗai ba ne, har ma da iko, wato ikon aiwatar da nufin mutum da, ta haka, sake tsara duniya bisa ga haka. Ana iya biyan wannan buƙata ta hanyar fasaha, wadda za a iya ci gaba da bunkasa ta da ci gaba da ita. Ga masu zamani, wannan yana nufin fasaha tana yin alkawarin iko marar iyaka, sabili da haka, matsayin allahntaka. A ƙarshe, mutum zai iya sake halitta kansa bisa surarsa. Anan ma, samun iko marar iyaka abu ne kawai na lokaci.

But knowledge was only half of the story. What distinguished mortals from gods was not only knowledge but also power, i.e., the ability to enact one’s will and, thereby, refashion the world accordingly. This need could be met by technology, which could be continuously developed and advanced. To the modernists, this meant that technology promised infinite power and, therefore, godhood. Finally, man could recreate himself in his own image. Here again, achieving unlimited power was simply a matter of time.

Wannan mayar da hankali kan lokaci ita ce alamar zamani (modernism) da babbar siffarsa: Ci gaba (Progressivism). Yayin da lokaci ke tafiya gaba, ɗan adam yana ƙara samun ilimi da ƙarfi. Wayewa tana ƙara samun hankali da ɗabi'a yayin da take tafiya da gudu zuwa makomar utopia, wacce ta yi kama da aljannar sama da aka siffanta a cikin rubuce-rubucen addinai da yawa. Ɗan adam na gobe ya fi ɗan adam na yau kyau. Ɗan adam na yau ya fi ɗan adam na jiya kyau. Wannan ra'ayin ci gaba ya zama tushen dukkan tunanin zamani (grundnorm), wata gaskiya da ba a tambaya ba, wacce talakawa da masana suka riƙe da cikakken imani.

This focus on time is the hallmark of modernism and modernism’s chief characteristic: Progressivism. As time marches forward, humanity improves in its knowledge and power. Civilization grows in rationality and morality as it races to a utopian future that resembles the heavenly paradise described in many religious texts. The humanity of tomorrow is better than the humanity of today. The humanity of today is better than the humanity of yesterday. This notion of progress became the grundnorm underlying all modern thought and an unquestioned truth devoutly held by layman and intellectual alike.

Anan muna ganin tushen yanayin barazana na zamani. Ci gaba yana nufin cewa canji ya zama kyawawan halaye a kansa. Dagewa a kan abu daya, sabanin haka, ya zama babban mummunan hali. Adawa da canji ana ganinta a matsayin hari kai tsaye ga dan Adam baki daya. Saboda haka, babban makiyin zamani shi ne al'ada, domin sadaukarwa ga al'ada na nufin, a cikin wasu abubuwa, adawa da canji.

Here we begin to see the basis of modernity’s menacing nature. Progress means that change becomes a virtue all unto itself. Constancy, in contrast, becomes the greatest vice. To resist change is seen as a literal assault on the human race. Modernity’s number one enemy, therefore, is tradition since devotion to tradition means, among other things, resistance to change.

Al'ada, ta kowace irin siffa, tana kira ga daidaito a kan lokaci. Jajircewa ga al'ada a asali yana nufin yarda cewa wasu ka'idoji ba su tsufa ba. Wasu dabi'u ba za a iya sabunta su ba. Zama mai sadaukarwa ga al'ada yana bukatar dogaro ga abin da ya gabata ta wata hanya ko wata, kuma wannan bukata kadai tana sa al'ada ta yi karo da zamani. Al'adun gargajiya, al'adun harshe, musamman ma al'adun addini, suna cikin barazanar a kullum na a murkushe su da sabbin kirkire-kirkire da gyare-gyare na zamani.

Tradition, in whatever form, calls to consistency over time. A basic commitment to tradition means accepting that some principles are timeless. Some values cannot be updated. To be devoted to a tradition requires reliance on the past in one way or another, and that requirement by itself pits tradition against modernity. Cultural traditions, linguistic traditions, and especially religious traditions are constantly under threat of being bulldozed by modern innovation and reform.

Addinin al'ada bashi da wurin zama a duniyar zamani. Addini na zamani ko wanda aka zamanantar da shi bai wuce kayan ado da ake sa wa gefen babban abinci ba. Ganyen faski yana zaune a gefen farantin, ba shi da muhimmanci ta kowace fuska. Zamani yana iya haƙurin faski muddin bai shafi komai ba. A ƙarshe, zamani yana buƙatar kowa ya cika cikinsa da tulin abincinsa mai zafi. Idan wasu sun zaɓi su ci faski kawai, wa ya damu? Amma idan wani ya ƙi babban abincin zamani ya fi son addini, wannan ba a yarda da shi ba. Addinai waɗanda ke son zama fiye da kayan ado ba za a amince da su ba.

Religious tradition has no place in the modern world. Modern or modernized religion amounts to nothing more than a garnish on the side of the main course. The piece of parsley sits on the edge of the plate, inconsequential in every way. Modernity can tolerate parsley as long as it doesn’t affect anything. At the end of the day, modernity requires everyone stuff themselves with its steaming pile of entree. If some choose to nibble on parsley as well, who cares? But if anyone rejects modernity’s main course in favor of religion, this is not allowed. Those religions that want to be more than garnish will not be tolerated.

Tambayar da ke zaune a bayan zuciyar mai tunanin zamani ita ce: Wane ne ke buƙatar addini idan zamani da hanyoyin ilimin sa sun riga sun amsa dukkan manyan tambayoyin rayuwa (kamar yadda ake zato)?

The question that sits at the back of the modernist mind is: Who needs religion when all the main questions of life are (supposedly) answered by modernity and its epistemologies?

Darwinism (a cewar wasu) yana da amsar.

Darwinism (supposedly) has the answer.

Ilimin kimiyyar zahiri (a cewar su) yana da amsar.

The physical sciences (supposedly) have the answer.

Ƙa'idar 'yanci tana amsa wannan; kawai ka yi wa wasu kamar yadda kake son a yi maka. 'Yanci da daidaito su ne mafi girman abubuwan alheri.

Liberalism answers this; just treat others how you want to be treated. Freedom and equality are the ultimate goods.

Babu ma'ana ta haƙiƙa. A mafi kyau, mu kanmu muke ƙirƙirar ma'anar rayuwarmu. A mafi muni, mu kawai tarin atom ne da ke yawo a cikin wofi mara iyaka na sararin samaniya.

There is no objective meaning. At best, we make our own meaning. At worst we are just collections of atoms floating in the void of infinite space

Ta haka, bisa ga tunanin masu zamani, ɗan Adam ba ya buƙatar addini a zahiri, domin addini ba ya ƙara wata ƙima mai muhimmanci. Bisa ga wannan tunani, babban dalilin da zai sa mutum ya kasance mai addini shi ne wani son zuciya na al'ada wanda ba shi da tushe ga hankali, ko kuma al'ada ta yi tasiri a kansa kawai.

In this way, according to the modernist mentality, humanity has no real need for religion, as religion adds no substantive value. According to this mindset, the only reason someone would be religious is out of some a-rational cultural bias or, maybe, force of habit.

A cikin hasken zamani, babu abin da zai fi sabawa ci gaba kamar masu imani "masu rufaffiyar zuciya" da ke karanta tsoffin rubutu na shekaru dubu daya "a makance" kuma suna riko da dokar addini da aka sanya ta a matsayin ka'ida. Saboda haka, zamani yana nufin ya lalata wannan cikas na addini ga ci gaba ta hanyar kai hari ta bangarori da dama, wanda ya hada da kafafen watsa labarai, ilimi, shari'a, da siyasar duniya. Wannan kai harin yana da fadi kamar yadda yake da tsanani.

In the light of modernity, nothing could be more contrary to progress than “closed-minded” believers “blindly” reading one-thousand-year-old texts and maintaining canonized religious law. Modernity, therefore, aims to destroy this religious impediment to progress with a multi-faceted assault involving media, education, law, and global politics. This assault is as comprehensive in scope as it is brutal.

Islama za a iya kwatanta shi da kyau a matsayin akasin zamani. Wannan ya samo asali ne a wani bangare daga cewa masana falsafar Haskakawa na Turai a karni na 18 da na 19, waɗanda suka samar da babbar falsafar ka'idar da zamani ya dogara a kanta, sun kalli Musulunci a matsayin wani nau'i mai tsanani kuma marar tunani gaba na wannan Cocin mai tsayawa cik da suka yi wa kaca-kaca. Misali, Voltaire, masanin falsafar Faransa mai kafirci na karni na 18, ya zana Musulunci a matsayin addini mai zalunci. Har ma ya rubuta wasan kwaikwayo Mahomet yana ba'a ga Annabi Muhammadﷺ, yana nuna shi a matsayin azzalumi mai tsattsauran ra'ayi, yana kuma nuna abokan gābansa, Larabawa masu bautar gumaka, a matsayin tsarkaka masu 'yancin tunani da hankali. Wannan kiyayya ta Orientalism ta yi tasiri a tunanin masana falsafa da yawa na Turai. A tunaninsu, Musulunci mulkin kama-karya ne, yayin da zamani ke nufin 'yanci. Musulunci marar hankali ne, yayin da zamani ke darajanta hankali. Sama da duka, a wajensu Musulunci na nufin tsayuwa da rugujewa, yayin da kallon zamaninsu ke wakiltar canji da sabuntawa a kullum. Baya ga wannan tarihin ra'ayi, yanayin zamani kansa yana karo da Musulunci. Bayan haka, Musulunci shi ne mafi dagewa a kan al'ada daga cikin dukkan addinai. Kiyaye Sunnar Annabiﷺ shi ne mafi muhimmanci a Musulunci, kuma tsarin ilimin Musulunci gaba ɗaya an gina shi ne a kan ra'ayin kiyayewa da isar da ilimin da ya gabata, ba kawai ilimin zamanin wahayi ba, har ma da ilimin da ya gabata tun farkon wanzuwar ɗan adam, lokacin da Allah ya halicci ɗan adam ya tambaye su, "Ba Ni ne Ubangijinku ba?" Dukkan ɗan adam suka amsa, "Eh, mun shaida," kamar yadda aka bayyana a cikin Suratul A'raf (aya ta 17) a cikin Alƙur'ani. Wannan ilimi na farko game da Mahalicci, Gwaninta, da hakkinsa na a bauta masa, an kiyaye shi a cikin dabi'ar ɗan adam da ake kira fitra. Wannan ita ce ilhamin da ke tura ɗan adam zuwa ga alheri, tsarki da adalci, sai dai idan ya lalace saboda sauye-sauyen duniya, ko ya lalace ta hanyar shirka, ko girman kai na son rai (nafs), ko sha'awa (shahwa), ko kuma kalaman shaidan (shaytan), ko son zuciya da son kai na ƙarya (hawa). Aikin Musulunci a aikace yana kiyaye fitra ta hanyar tabbatar da daidaito a ibada ga Mahalicci shi kaɗai, ba tare da abokin tarayya ba. Daidaiton nufi ma yana da muhimmanci daidai, domin dole ne mumini ya tabbatar da cewa nufinsa da sha'awoyinsa sun dace sosai da nufin Allah, yana mai niyyar neman yardar Allah (ridwan) a koyaushe.

Ali 'Imran (Q3:126)

Ali ‘Imran (Q3:126)

Wannan muna riƙe shi a matsayin gaskiya mai tsarki, wadda ba a iya keta ta.

This we hold as a sacred, inviolable truth.

Da zarar mun fahimci mummunan yanayin zamanantarwa (modernism), zai zama mai sauƙi mu gane tasirinta a kan zuciyar Musulmi. Ta yaya ra'ayin ci gaba na zamanantarwa da ra'ayin kiyayewa na Musulunci za su iya zama tare a cikin zuci da kwakwalwa guda? Ta yaya mutum zai iya gaskata labarin ci gaba cewa zamanin yau shi ne kololuwar ci gaban ɗabi'a da hankali na ɗan adam ba tare da katsewa ba, a lokaci guda kuma ya gaskata cewa mafi kyawun zamani shi ne zamanin Manzon Allah ﷺ sannan na Salaf na gari? A zahiri, ba zai yiwu ba. Duk da haka, tunanin wanda aka mamaye zai karkata ya juya don haɗa su biyun. Watakila mafita tana cikin gyara Musulunci, a kawo addinin zuwa zamani da kuma daidaita shi da yanayin yau. Watakila duk abin da ke cikin Musulunci da ya saɓa wa 'yanci, da sakularism, da mata'a (feminism), da hankalin abin duniya, da bautar kimiyya, da sauransu, za a iya cire shi daga addinin.

Once we understand the toxic nature of modernism, it becomes easy to recognize its effect on the Muslim mind. How can the progressiveness of modernism and the traditionalism of Islam coexist in the same mind and heart? How can one simultaneously believe the progressive narrative—viz., that the present day is the peak of continuous human moral and intellectual advancement—whilst also believing that the best generation was the generation of 8 The Modernist Menace to Islam the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and then the righteous Salaf? Logically, one cannot. Yet, the colonized mind will twist and contort in order to reconcile the two. Perhaps the answer lies in reforming Islam, bringing the religion up to date and up to code. Perhaps everything in Islam that is anti-liberal, anti-secular, anti-feminism, anti-materialism, anti-scientism, etc., can be expunged from the religion.

Irin wadannan tunanin ne ke zama tushen shakku da dama a cikin Musulunci wadanda ke damun wasu Musulmai a wannan zamani. Domin magance wannan matsala, ana samun dabi'a—wacce wani yanayi cike da wari mai nauyi na zamantakewa irin ta zamani ke renawa—ta murda Musulunci, da lankwasa shi don ya dace da tsarin zamani. Musulmai masu irin wadannan shakku za su fi amfana idan suka karya wannan tsarin zamani, maimakon yunkurin karkatar da Hanyar Madaidaiciya wacce ita ce Musulunci. Karya wannan tsarin zamani cikin nasara na bukatar fallasa -isms din nan da kuma kawar da wadannan Musulmai daga zinariyar karya da zamani ke sayarwa. Da zarar an sake horar da tunanin Musulmi, an 'yantar da shi daga mulkin mallaka, an cire zamani daga gare shi, an kuma tsarkake shi daga sharar guba ta Yamma, to sai hasken Musulunci mai tsarki ya sake haskakawa.

Such thoughts constitute the source of numerous doubts in Islam that are plaguing some Muslims in this day and age. In response to this tension, the tendency— nurtured by an environment polluted with the heavy stench of modernism—is to distort Islam, bending it to the mold set by modernism. Muslims who have such doubts would be better served by breaking that modernist mold rather than attempting to warp the Straight Path that is Islam. Successfully breaking this modernist mold requires debunking the -isms and disenchanting these Muslims from the false gold modernism sells. Once the Muslim mind is deprogrammed, decolonized, demodernized, and cleared of the radioactive waste products of the West, then once again the pure light of Islam can shine through.