Preface

xvii بِسْمِ ٱللَّٰهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

The subject of this book is the traditional religious legacy of the West, the impact of contemporary materialism upon Judaism and Christianity and how this modernist philosophy, through the political, economic, scientific and military supremacy of Europe and America, has affected the Muslims. This work is a thorough description and analysis of the Jewish and Christian mentality as illustrated by their history, their ideals, their leaders and their devotional practices. In order to understand the Jewish and Christian mind, extensive quotations from their own literature were essential. The conclusions are drawn from a study of Jewish and Christian books from the standpoint of Islamic teachings combined with the convictions resulting from my own personal experiences. Thus this work is partly autobiographical.

Jews and Christian share with Muslims a common religious and cultural heritage. In our past, present and future destiny we are linked together with indissoluable ties. Indeed, the ties that bind us are so potent that no Muslim can repudiate them without denying the historical foundations of his own faith. Tragically, however, our common legacy has never xviiibeen able to prevent the development of the most hostile feelings of enmity and strife. Although what divides us may be narrow, the gulf that separates us is so deep that as circumstances now stand, I fear it is unbridgeable. Our differences appear to be irreconcilable.

Even today when the Muslims have sunk into the most abysmal depths of degradation and decay, Islam still remains the most formidable potential rival to the modern West, boldly challenging all its hedonistic culture stands for. The Christian and Jewish Orientalists are fully aware of this fact. Hence the special departments in universities and seminaries scattered throughout Europe and America dedicated to understand Islam only ro enable its enemies to destroy it. These “Islamic Institutes” and “Islamic Research Centres” are now busy establishing their satellites in one Muslim country after the other, the purpose of which is to subvert the Islamic cause from within and frustrate any attempts for genuine Islamic revival. This book is an effort to meet that challenge. In order to cope effectively with the menace that faces us now, other Muslim scholars must collaborate in the task and produce more works to follow.

MARYAM JAMEELAH

(formerly Margaret Marcus)

Lahore, June 1968