Reasons for Decline of Muslims

by Ghulam Ahmed Parwez (1903-1985)

Translated by Mr. Ismail Atcha

FOREWORD

For the last two centuries or so, the Muslims have been emotionally and mentally preoccupied with what has been now classically bandied about as their favourite theme: "The Rise And Fall Of The Muslims". The glorious past has been nostalgically recalled again and again and the fall has been lamented and wailed upon endlessly. While some have done just this, the others have attempted to move away from it all, alienated and disgusted. The fall and disintegration of the Mughal Empire, leading to the dethronement of Bahadur Shah Zafar in the last century, followed by the fall and disintegration of the Ottomans and dethronement of Sultan Abdul Hamid II during and after First World War was a trauma that the Muslims have not yet got over.

Even a cursory glance over world history makes it amply clear that the fall of any empire and civilisation does not happen suddenly. It is preceded by a prolonged phase of decay, with Nature watching, as if hoping against hope that humankind may yet see the edge of the precipice and turn back. In the Quranic terminology this is the "period of respite".

The Muslims, however, like many others before them, reached a point of no return. Allama G.A.Parwez is one of those who objectively and scientifically attempted an analysis of the causes of the decline and fall of the Muslims from the Quranic perspective of the philosophy of history. This little book in Urdu has been very much in demand and voraciously read by all and sundry. For a long time the need was felt for the English rendering of this book. There had been a demand for it from those who were not very proficient in Urdu or those whose children were born and brought up abroad. We are greatly indebted to Mr. Ismail Atcha from Bolton, Lancashire, Britain, for fulfilling this dire need. He has put in tremendous effort to render this book into English. I am sure the readers are aware that translation is no easy task. To faithfully convey the author's meanings from one language to another is quite a feat, all the more so when the concepts being communicated are Quranic. But Mr. Ismail Atcha has done it.

We are indebted to Miss Shamim Anwar who has put a lot of labour and extended invaluable suggestions for the accomplishment this task. We also pay our thanks to Mr. Muneer Chughtai and Mr. Ubedur Rahman Arain for going through the manuscript.

We do not claim that our combined effort is flawless. Any suggestions to improve upon in later editions will be most welcome.

Prof. Dr. Zahida Durrani
Executive Head
Tolu-e-Islam Trust
Lahore.