ভূমিকা

Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Why Cultural Decay? Regression and Lack of Self-confidence ========================================= Weak hearts get bored. Shaky wills collapse and break down. A disintegrated 'ummah' crumbles and falls before catastrophes and misfortunes. But alive, aware 'ummah', whose members feel strong and powerful, and whose wills are solid and firm, can turn defeat into victory, and downfall into uprising.

It draws lessons from events, and makes the best use of the tragedies it under goes. Out of hard and unfavourable conditions it emerges rich in experience which lightens its path and shows it the right course of action.

The Qur'an addresses the Muslim 'ummah', saying: "And be not weak-hearted, nor grieve, and you will have the upper hand if you are believers." Holy Qur'an (3:138) The Qur'an tries to make the Muslim, who may yield in a moment of weakness and uncertainty, overcome the internal defeatism he suffers from. It instills in him a spirit of steadfastness and spiritual strength, and spreads out before him limitless horizons of victory.

Our 'ummah', the Muslim 'ummah', which prides itself on its glorious history, has unfortunately succumbed to extreme stagnation and deterioration; under the pressure of many centuries of backwardness, ignorance and decay. It has forgotten all about its glorious past, and lost its cultural and material capabilities which would have helped it continue its cultural march, that would have put it at the fore front of all nations.

It has awoken from its deep slumber at the shouts of the invading enemies; helpless, broken, unable to move having lost its fortitude and strength, abandoned its mission and principles, and buried under layers of ignorance its precious scientific and cultural legacy. Short of weapons to defend its existence and culture, it faced its foes.

With not enough knowledge and awareness, not ready, it was only natural that our 'ummah' would be defeated; dazzled by the trappings of the western invading civilization. It became submissive; receptive to the invading thought and culture. Having lost its leadership position, it soon yielded to the invading conquerors.

Its enemies, on the other had, doubled their subversive efforts to ingrain the feeling of backwardness, ineptitude, and the inability to catch up with the world in the fields of knowledge, civilization and technology.