Is Islam a Hindrance to Progress? A Complete Scholarly and Sharʿī Explanation
Taken from: Fatāwā Arkān-e-Islām
Some people claim that Islam is the reason for Muslim backwardness, arguing that the West abandoned religion and advanced, while Muslims are still holding onto religion and thus remain behind. They even cite Western rainfall, agriculture, and industrial progress as proof.
What is the correct Shar‘ī and intellectual response to such claims?
Alḥamdulillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ‘alā Rasūlillāh. Ammā ba‘d:
Only a person can make such a claim who:
◈ Has weak or no faith,
◈ Is ignorant of historical facts,
◈ And is unaware of the real causes of divine assistance and progress.
At the beginning of Islamic history, when the Muslim Ummah held firmly to Islam with sincerity:
◈ It achieved honour, strength, and global leadership.
◈ Muslims were dominant in all fields of life — spiritual, intellectual, military, and civilisational.
◈ Many scholars agree that the West's development was built upon Islamic sciences from the golden age of Islam.
The decline started when:
◈ Muslims abandoned major portions of the religion,
◈ Innovations (bid‘āt) were introduced that had no basis in the dīn,
◈ People deviated in beliefs, words, and actions from the teachings of the Qur’an and Sunnah.
As a result:
◈ They fell into regression, division, and worldly inferiority.
We firmly believe, and say this before Allah:
If Muslims today return to Islam with sincerity — as our predecessors did —
Then honour, leadership, and success will once again be ours, by the will of Allah ﷻ.
When Abū Sufyān رضي الله عنه described the Prophet ﷺ and his companions to Heraclius, Emperor of Rome,
Heraclius remarked:
“If what you are saying is true, then this man will soon own the very ground beneath my feet.”
→ (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Ḥadīth: 7)
After leaving, Abū Sufyān said:
“The matter of Ibn Abī Kabshah (i.e., Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ) has indeed become significant; even the King of the Romans fears him.”
Regarding the industrial and technological progress of the West:
◈ Islam is not an obstacle in any way.
◈ If Muslims work sincerely, they too can achieve scientific, technological, and economic advancement.
◈ Unfortunately, we lost both our world and our religion by turning away from the guidance of Islam.
﴿وَأَعِدّوا لَهُم مَا استَطَعتُم مِن قُوَّةٍ…﴾
“Prepare against them all the force you can…”
(Sūrat al-Anfāl: 61)
﴿فَامشوا فى مَناكِبِها وَكُلوا مِن رِزقِهِ﴾
“Walk in its paths and eat from His provision…”
(Sūrat al-Mulk: 15)
﴿خَلَقَ لَكُم ما فِى الأَرضِ جَميعًا﴾
“He created for you all that is on earth…”
(Sūrat al-Baqarah: 29)
These verses make it clear:
✔ Islam encourages lawful earning, work, progress, and strength.
✖ But not at the expense of abandoning the religion.
The disbelievers’ religion is:
◈ Either false in origin, or
◈ Based on atheism and denial of divine truth.
Islam is the only religion accepted by Allah ﷻ:
﴿وَمَن يَبتَغِ غَيرَ الإِسلـمِ دينًا فَلَن يُقبَلَ مِنهُ﴾
“And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam – it will never be accepted from him.”
(Sūrat Āl ‘Imrān: 85)
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Any Jew or Christian who hears about me and then does not believe in the message I was sent with, will be from the people of the Hellfire.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Ḥadīth: 153)
◈ The rainfall, produce, and ease seen in the West is not a sign of divine favour, but rather a test.
When ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb رضي الله عنه saw the Prophet ﷺ lying on a rough mat while Persian and Roman kings lived in luxury, the Prophet ﷺ said:
“O ʿUmar! Are you not pleased that they have the world, and we have the Hereafter?”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Ḥadīth: 2468)
◈ Earthquakes, storms, plagues, and crises affect them too.
◈ News reports constantly confirm this.
Those who envy them should remember:
✖ Their external success is temporary.
✖ They have no share in the Hereafter unless they accept Islam.
Such a person is:
◈ Devoid of insight,
◈ Unaware of Islamic reality,
◈ In need of urgent tawbah (repentance) before facing sudden death without returning to the truth.
We must understand:
✔ True honour, revival, and progress will only return when we sincerely return to Islam —
— in belief, speech, and action.
The path of the disbelievers:
◈ Is false,
◈ Leads to Hell,
◈ And their prosperity is a deception, not a blessing.
After death, they will experience regret and misery.
We ask Allah ﷻ to:
◈ Guide the questioner,
◈ Grant us insight in religion,
◈ Enable us to recognise the truth and follow it,
◈ And protect us from false ideologies and deceptive appearances.
هٰذَا مَا عِندِي، وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَاب
This is what I hold to be correct. And Allah knows best what is right.
Taken from: Fatāwā Arkān-e-Islām❖ Question:
Some people claim that Islam is the reason for Muslim backwardness, arguing that the West abandoned religion and advanced, while Muslims are still holding onto religion and thus remain behind. They even cite Western rainfall, agriculture, and industrial progress as proof.
What is the correct Shar‘ī and intellectual response to such claims?
❖ Answer:
Alḥamdulillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ‘alā Rasūlillāh. Ammā ba‘d:
❖ This Claim Reflects Weak Faith and Lack of Insight
Only a person can make such a claim who:
◈ Has weak or no faith,
◈ Is ignorant of historical facts,
◈ And is unaware of the real causes of divine assistance and progress.
❖ Islam Is a Source of Honour and True Advancement
At the beginning of Islamic history, when the Muslim Ummah held firmly to Islam with sincerity:
◈ It achieved honour, strength, and global leadership.
◈ Muslims were dominant in all fields of life — spiritual, intellectual, military, and civilisational.
◈ Many scholars agree that the West's development was built upon Islamic sciences from the golden age of Islam.
❖ Decline Began When Muslims Distanced Themselves from Islam
The decline started when:
◈ Muslims abandoned major portions of the religion,
◈ Innovations (bid‘āt) were introduced that had no basis in the dīn,
◈ People deviated in beliefs, words, and actions from the teachings of the Qur’an and Sunnah.
As a result:
◈ They fell into regression, division, and worldly inferiority.
❖ Certainty in Revival Lies in Returning to True Islam
We firmly believe, and say this before Allah:
If Muslims today return to Islam with sincerity — as our predecessors did —
Then honour, leadership, and success will once again be ours, by the will of Allah ﷻ.
❖ Historical Example – Heraclius and Abū Sufyān
When Abū Sufyān رضي الله عنه described the Prophet ﷺ and his companions to Heraclius, Emperor of Rome,
Heraclius remarked:
“If what you are saying is true, then this man will soon own the very ground beneath my feet.”
→ (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Ḥadīth: 7)
After leaving, Abū Sufyān said:
“The matter of Ibn Abī Kabshah (i.e., Prophet Muḥammad ﷺ) has indeed become significant; even the King of the Romans fears him.”
❖ Islam Does Not Oppose Worldly Progress
Regarding the industrial and technological progress of the West:
◈ Islam is not an obstacle in any way.
◈ If Muslims work sincerely, they too can achieve scientific, technological, and economic advancement.
◈ Unfortunately, we lost both our world and our religion by turning away from the guidance of Islam.
❖ Qur’ānic Evidence Encourages Effort and Strength
﴿وَأَعِدّوا لَهُم مَا استَطَعتُم مِن قُوَّةٍ…﴾
“Prepare against them all the force you can…”
(Sūrat al-Anfāl: 61)
﴿فَامشوا فى مَناكِبِها وَكُلوا مِن رِزقِهِ﴾
“Walk in its paths and eat from His provision…”
(Sūrat al-Mulk: 15)
﴿خَلَقَ لَكُم ما فِى الأَرضِ جَميعًا﴾
“He created for you all that is on earth…”
(Sūrat al-Baqarah: 29)
These verses make it clear:
✔ Islam encourages lawful earning, work, progress, and strength.
✖ But not at the expense of abandoning the religion.
❖ The Progress of the Disbelievers Is a Test — Not Success
The disbelievers’ religion is:
◈ Either false in origin, or
◈ Based on atheism and denial of divine truth.
Islam is the only religion accepted by Allah ﷻ:
﴿وَمَن يَبتَغِ غَيرَ الإِسلـمِ دينًا فَلَن يُقبَلَ مِنهُ﴾
“And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam – it will never be accepted from him.”
(Sūrat Āl ‘Imrān: 85)
❖ Hādīth Evidence:
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Any Jew or Christian who hears about me and then does not believe in the message I was sent with, will be from the people of the Hellfire.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Ḥadīth: 153)
❖ Worldly Ease Given to Disbelievers Is a Trial
◈ The rainfall, produce, and ease seen in the West is not a sign of divine favour, but rather a test.
When ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb رضي الله عنه saw the Prophet ﷺ lying on a rough mat while Persian and Roman kings lived in luxury, the Prophet ﷺ said:
“O ʿUmar! Are you not pleased that they have the world, and we have the Hereafter?”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Ḥadīth: 2468)
❖ These Nations Also Suffer from Disasters
◈ Earthquakes, storms, plagues, and crises affect them too.
◈ News reports constantly confirm this.
Those who envy them should remember:
✖ Their external success is temporary.
✖ They have no share in the Hereafter unless they accept Islam.
❖ The One Making This Claim Is Misguided
Such a person is:
◈ Devoid of insight,
◈ Unaware of Islamic reality,
◈ In need of urgent tawbah (repentance) before facing sudden death without returning to the truth.
❖ Real Success Lies in Adhering to Islam
We must understand:
✔ True honour, revival, and progress will only return when we sincerely return to Islam —
— in belief, speech, and action.
The path of the disbelievers:
◈ Is false,
◈ Leads to Hell,
◈ And their prosperity is a deception, not a blessing.
After death, they will experience regret and misery.
❖ Final Du‘ā:
We ask Allah ﷻ to:
◈ Guide the questioner,
◈ Grant us insight in religion,
◈ Enable us to recognise the truth and follow it,
◈ And protect us from false ideologies and deceptive appearances.
هٰذَا مَا عِندِي، وَاللّٰهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَاب
This is what I hold to be correct. And Allah knows best what is right.
