Pakistan

Book launching: Muslim narcissism feeding terrorism

The narcissism of the Muslim civilization is the central theme of Dr Mubarak Haider’s book Tehzibi Nargisyat.

Mushir Anwar December 21, 2010

ISLAMABAD: The narcissism of the Muslim civilization is the central theme of Dr Mubarak Haider’s book Tehzibi Nargisyat which was launched here at the SAFMA Media Centre on Monday evening amidst heated discussion by a very involved audience.

The author said that the Muslim people have generally been hesitant in self criticism and have not subjected the history of their civilization to critical observation and a sickening self love and self aggrandizement have been their driving passion which is behind the tendency to look down upon all cultures and civilizations which
they aim ultimately at destroying in order to establish the supremacy of the Islamic way of life.

He said the desire to achieve dominance for their faith over the world was behind the present extremist movements and terrorism which the general lot of the Muslim people led by religious parties and groups was not ready to reject wholeheartedly.

As a result other civilizations and cultures were feeling threatened by what they call the ‘Muslim menace’. This has isolated the Muslim community in alien societies.

Unless the Muslim people adopted an accommodative attitude towards other cultures and eschewed their dream of imposing their way of life on others from their psyche, it would not be possible for them to make any progress or live in peace in the present day world which was very different from the old world in which they had achieved political and cultural dominance.

His ideas generated a lively debate among the audience.

Dr Aslam Syed who is here on a visit from Germany contested Dr Mubarak’s contention about the Muslim people’s narcissism and said that all civilizations have had this tendency at one time or the other. Moreover the Muslims have been quite objective in the assessment of their civilization and mentioned the work of Muslim scholar Shehrstani and other thinkers like Abu Bakr Razi who had subjected Muslim history to deep analysis and critical review.

Participants who joined the discussion were Kishwar Naheed, Dr Ayesha Siddiqa, Iqbal Jafar, Hameed Alvi, among others in the audience.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 21^st, 2010.

COMMENTS (10)

Probyn | 13 years ago | Reply @barry kumar: 'The spread of Islam has been associated with genocide against non-Muslims, particularly against tribal communities, Hindus and Buddhists.' right. Quite a little world you have constructed for yourself. Tell me...Do you ever get to read?

S.S.H. Zaidi | 13 years ago | Reply The analysis of the author is quite evident to anyone capable of looking dispassionately at the issue. There are many problems with other cultures, just as their are with the Muslim world, but a realistic appraisal of the Muslim world in the contemporary world should also be made. From the military, political and econmic standpoint, Muslim world today is no match to other powerful civilisations. even culutrally and spiritually. Even if anyone feels the Muslim world is superior to other cultures, the fact is that there is not one chance in a million that they could achieve dominance, given the kind of leadership they enjoy at present and the state of their intellectual calibre and technological prowess! Those trying to advance such an agenda should think again. How many of their leaders are residing in other countries, especially the West, fearful or contemptuous of their own people, and dependent on the largesse of their host societies. The leader of a Muslim country has just fled his own country after ruling for 23 years, taking refuge in another Muslim country whose leaders are close to the leading Western power. The leaders of the Muslim world in general, and Pakistan in particular, need to put their own house in order before dreaming of world dominance.

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Nangyal Afghan | 13 years ago | Reply Such introspective endeavors on the part of Muslim writers is of special significance to promote global harmony and understanding. It is time to give up the long cherished narcissism and chauvinism in order to help evolve a more realistic and objective world-view.

Fayaz | 13 years ago | Reply It is a great work by dr. Mubarak Haider. Dr. Aslam Syed's point do not hold any water. The book is a thesis of muslism narcissism spread over centuries, while Syed qouting afew examples could not reject this overwhilming trend in the muslims, existing since the early days of Islam till today. How can he reject the narcissim of the muslims with afew exceptions? Dr. Mubarak is taling about the whole muslim workd, while Syed says that no, there are 2,3 people, who did not act likewise. Does it make a point/sense? I believe that rather it is a show of muslim narcissism by Dr. Syed. Muslim world is an intellectual wasteland devoid of any creativity in the fields of knowledg, except afew exceptions lik Ali Sina and Ibn Rushd, who themselves excelled mainly due to reading Greeks and Indian scholarly works. Thus even these scholarls did not produce anything new, and it was just imitation, for which no credit goes to the muslims. Probably, muslims abherence to knowledge and scientific inventions is due to the concept of bida'at (to avoid anything new in religious affairs), and instead to limit this mentality only to the religious affairs, they have in fact adopted this trend even for anything new. Interestingl/ironically, most of the scientific inventions, telephone and loudspeaker, which is now the most favourite instrumemt of heir mullahs, once received the religious decrees of being unholy and unIslamic!!!!!!!!!

Canzeon | 13 years ago | Reply The author qualifies himself as an honest and honurable historian , who instead of concocting convenient lies to further deepen the quagmire his people already are neck-deep into, goes for the truth. My profound complimenrs.

Asad ullah | 13 years ago | Reply @Khan sahib Brilliant reposte my friend. That should shut up all those heathens. Now for an encore can we tell why we are still killing more Pakistanis than all the drones, Indians and Israelis

Khan | 13 years ago | Reply ..and Islam bashers have a field day!

amoghavarsha.ii | 13 years ago | Reply Dr Mubarak Haider’s book Tehzibi Nargisyat , should be good read. As I had told in other previous comments on other articles. Hinduism, Christianity and Jewish religions have evolved and adapted to the changes of human needs. Islam some how is finding it very difficult to evolve itsefl to the needs of modern human. As I had said, religion is a blind belief of answers to our unanswered questions about our life and habitat. Other religions have been able to satisfactorily answer or satisfactorily keep in abyance the answer for our curious and evloving questions of life. Islam some how seems to be stuck in time frame, not able to rediscover/evolve itself. Answers lies in deciphering, analysis, debate and propagte. Not sure nature will allow time for islam to evolve. As environment is getting bad at faster rate than the way we are able to imagine.

barry kumar | 13 years ago | Reply This man is fearless and honorable. It is true, however, that other societies, such as Christians, Jews, and the Chinese have also narcissistic tendencies. I hope that in the future, he will author a book on Muslim history. The spread of Islam has been associated with genocide against non-Muslims, particularly against tribal communities, Hindus and Buddhists. Muslim authors have always portrayed the spread of their religion from a positive perspective only. I hope he will author a book on Muslim history as well, from his objective and dispassionate viewpoint.

Prasad | 13 years ago | Reply My God ! Who is this man? He has diagnosed the world's unease with Islam - hope the book gets translated to English.

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