For ages, Western imperialism has utilized Muslim civilizations; division, and conquest as a tactic to divide and rule the Muslim world. The tale of how the West has manipulated Muslim tensions throughout history is one of outside forces taking advantage of internal conflicts for their own ends. The historical context of this tactic, its effects on Muslim societies, and the current threats it presents to Muslim solidarity and unity will be addressed in detail in this paper.
Historical Review:
History is full of examples that whenever Muslims fell in divide West took advantage of it in every possible way. The colonial era, when European powers started to colonize and plunder Muslim cultures when the history of Western exploitation of Muslim divides began. By separating and subduing Muslim civilizations, European colonial powers like Britain, France, and Spain tried to gain authority over them. In order to promote nationalism, the establishment of new states without respect for historical, cultural, or religious boundaries was one of the main tactics employed by these forces. In this day and age, nationalism is considered to be a common disease in the Ummah. As of now, Arabs look down upon non-Arabs, consequently Pakistani and Indians look down upon each other, and so on, despite the fact that Prophet SAW clearly stated,
“Indeed there is no excellence for an Arab over a non-Arab, nor a non-Arab over an Arab.”
Undoubtedly, Islam should be the basis of our love and loath, not race or nationality. So, we can for sure that nationalism is a call to asabiyyah (partisanship and party ship). Nationalism is nothing but a call to transgression, pride, and arrogance, and is not a divinely revealed way of life that prevents its people from oppression and proud boasting. Historically, there are various instances when dividing borders and nationalism became the result of disputes and oppression among states.
In the Middle East and North Africa, for instance, the British and French established new governments including Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, and Jordan in the years after World War I. Instead of taking into account the needs or preferences of the local populace, these new governments were established solely on colonial interests. As a result of having to coexist in these new governments with other ethnic and religious groups, this contributed to continued disputes and instability in the area.
The creation of Israel in 1948 is itself an example of Western manipulation of Muslim divisions. The establishment of Israel was a result of European colonialism and imperialism, as well as the Zionist movement that sought to create a Jewish state in Palestine. The creation of Israel led to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, who were forced to leave their homes and become refugees. But European colonialism was not solely responsible for it, in fact, the Palestinians themselves sold their lands to the Jews in order to get some money, here they disregarded Allah’s order that non-Muslims can never be your friends, Zionist Jews have always aimed at Jerusalem, Greater Israel has always been their grand strategy it was all known, but it was the greed of the people of Palestine which made they lose their own lands, so it will not be wrong to say that they are reaping what they sew. Later, it was the responsibility of the other Muslim nations to show unity in order to save their Muslim Brothers but they have always failed this task in every case whether it’s Palestine, Syria, or Kashmir.
The British divide-and-rule strategy in India is yet another example of how the West used Muslim divides for political gain. Hindu and Muslim sectarian differences were fostered by the British colonial power, which ultimately resulted in the partitioning of India and the founding of Pakistan. Millions of people were displaced as a result of this division, and there are still hostilities between India and Pakistan today. It was not only Jinnah’s struggle that led to the formation of Pakistan, in fact, the British already wanted to leave the sub-continent because they were no longer able to administer the country due to the lack of resources and the loss they faced during WW2. Moreover, the map they drew leading to the dispute of Kashmir left us in an unfinished hostility with our neighbors.
Colonial forces not only established new nations but also fuelled sectarian strife in Muslim societies. As an illustration, the British colonial power in India fuelled sectarian hostilities between Hindus and Muslims, resulting in protracted battles and bloodshed. Likewise, in Iraq, the Sunni minority was given preference by the British colonial authorities over the Shia majority, fuelling persistent sectarian strife and violence.
The legacy of Western manipulation of Muslim divisions didn’t end here but it continued in other forms.
Post Colonial Era: Sectarianism a Crucial Tactic of West
The exploitation of Muslim divides by the West persisted in the post-colonial era, as foreign powers continued to take advantage of internal conflicts for their own geopolitical gain. Promoting sectarianism in Muslim cultures emerged as a crucial tactic for Western powers looking to promote their interests in the area during the Cold War.
Based on their sectarian or regional ties, foreign powers sponsored various factions and groups in nations including Afghanistan, Iraq, and Lebanon. As many groups struggled for power and influence, this resulted in continual wars and instability in these nations. The Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 sparked a lengthy struggle that lasted for more than ten years. Numerous groups, notably the Mujahideen, were sponsored by Western nations including the United States, and resisted the Soviet-backed administration. This support included the provision of weapons, funding, and training. This war, which was also fought by Pakistan with the support of the US, was not fought for Islam or to free humanity from colonialism in Afghanistan; rather, it was the war fought for the black waters, in which Muslims were used and mistreated under the guise of jihad and later Hazara community suffered the effects of sectarianism.
Western nations have contributed to the worsening of sectarian tensions between Sunnis and Shias in Iraq. The United States supported a Shia rebellion against Saddam Hussein’s administration during the Gulf War in 1991, but then abandoned it, resulting in a violent crackdown and escalating sectarian tensions. These tensions were further heightened by the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, which resulted in continued sectarian bloodshed and instability in the nation.
Additionally, external forces were a major factor in escalating tensions between various religious groups in Lebanon. Foreign powers, like Syria and Israel, supported different factions throughout the country’s civil war, which lasted from 1975 to 1990. As a result, there are still disputes and instability there today.
The exploitation of Muslim divides by the West throughout the post-colonial era had a significant influence, contributing to continued wars, instability, and misery among people.
The War on Terror:
As the so-called War on Terror has been used to legitimize foreign intrusions into Muslim nations, the post-9/11 period has seen a new phase of Western exploitation of Muslim differences. As discussed before the US administration utilized fabricated evidence of WMDs to support the invasion and toppling of Saddam Hussein’s regime in Iraq in 2003, serving as a a classic example of this tactic.
Other Muslim nations, including Syria and Yemen, are still embroiled in war as a result of the War on Terror. In the current civil conflict in Syria, the US, and other Western nations have backed opposition forces, while Russia and Iran have backed the Syrian government. This outside meddling has increased sectarian strife and contributed to the country’s continued bloodshed and instability.
External meddling and the exploitation of internal tensions have both contributed to the ongoing conflict in Yemen between the Saudi-led coalition and the Houthi rebels. The US and other Western nations have backed the Saudi-led coalition, while Iran has backed the Houthi rebels. This has made the nation's continuous conflict and humanitarian misery worse.
Muslim societies have been severely impacted by the War on Terror, which has resulted in continual wars, instability, and misery for people.
Impact on Muslim Societies:
The exploitation of Muslim differences by the West has had a significant negative influence on Muslim communities, resulting in continual war, instability, and misery for people. Muslim civilizations have been weakened by the internal conflicts that outside forces have fuelled and exploited, leaving them more susceptible to outside meddling and manipulation. With terrible repercussions for millions of people, these internal wars and instability have continued in many regions of the Muslim world. Ongoing hostilities have resulted in extensive emigration, infrastructural devastation, and human misery in nations including Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and Afghanistan. Millions of Palestinians have also been displaced as a result of the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which has further increased regional violence and instability.
Conflicts and instability are only two effects of the Western exploitation of Muslim divides. The social and economic progress of Muslim societies has also been significantly impacted. By taking advantage of internal conflicts, certain groups and areas have been neglected, which has hampered growth and sustained inequality and poverty.
Additionally, the fostering of sectarianism in Muslim nations has resulted in the persecution and demonization of some populations, notably Shia Muslims. In nations like Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan, this has resulted in persistent bloodshed and violations of human rights. Due to all this Muslims as a whole had endured the consequences in the past and still are enduring the consequences. The root cause of which is the disunity among them.
Challenges to Muslim Unity:
For Muslims, it is challenging to work toward greater unity and solidarity because of the persistent problems caused by Western exploitation of Muslim differences. Sectarian strife, geopolitical rivalry, and outside involvement are some of these difficulties that continue to exacerbate Muslim division.
Sectarian strife continues to pose a serious obstacle to Muslim unity. Different Muslim groups have varied beliefs and practices, which have been used by outside forces to inflame tensions and widen rifts. There is still continuous sectarian bloodshed and unrest in nations like Iraq, Bahrain, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia because these divisions have frequently been exaggerated and used for political benefit.
One of the major obstacles to Muslim unity is geopolitical rivalry. The tensions and divides in the Muslim world have been significantly fuelled by outside forces including the United States, Russia, and China. Based on their geopolitical interests, these nations frequently back various factions and groups, escalating already existing tensions and wars.
Another obstacle to Muslim unity is outside influence. For their own geopolitical purposes, Western nations have a long history of interfering in Muslim communities, frequently escalating internal tensions and divides. Instances of persistent instability and misery may be seen in places like Yemen, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria. In fact, Pakistan can also be listed here after a repeated history of foreign intervention.
Muslims themselves must make a deliberate effort to overcome these obstacles and foster more solidarity and togetherness among Muslims. This entails encouraging communication and understanding across various communities, striving for shared objectives and ideals, and avoiding outside intervention and manipulation. Additionally, it entails addressing the core reasons for division, such as old resentments and current geopolitical rivalry, as well as promoting peace and healing.
At the end of the day, Muslim solidarity is a strong force for social and political change, a crucial element in fending against Western imperialism, and a means of advancing more justice and equality throughout the world. Although there are many obstacles standing in the way of Muslim unity, it is imperative that Muslims fight to overcome these obstacles, maintain their solidarity, and thwart outside attempts to divide and rule.
Recommendations:
As we can summarize from the above discussion that the fundamental causes of disunity among Muslims are; siyasat (politics) of a perilous nature, sectarianism, political exploitation of religion ( schools of jus-jurisprudence, theology or thought), and nationalism. It will need a diversified strategy that tackles the underlying reasons for the difference and fosters more unity and solidarity among Muslims to overcome the legacy of Western exploitation of Muslim divides. The solution lies nowhere but in Holy Quran itself;
“Indeed this ummah (community) of yours is one community, and I am your Lord. So worship Me”
The excellent verse [cited above] teaches us two things:
First of all, the ummah’s unity and tawhid are related; in other words, unity and tawhid are both fundamental Islamic principles. Regrettably, the concept of oneness is often presented as just desirable—a wonderful ideal that Muslims should uphold and encourage one another to follow. Contrary to popular belief, the Qur’an emphasizes oneness just as much as tawhid. Because of how important it is for the ummah to be unified, worshipping the One God is contingent upon both the ummah’s unity and the oneness of the Lord, and the demand for unity comes before the instruction to do so.
These two together comprise the cornerstones of monotheistic (tawhidi) worship of God.
The second lesson to be drawn from this verse concerns the oneness of the ummah as a whole. “What is unity?” is addressed in the word “ummah wahidah” It is evident that the Islamic community must get to the point where it can unite as one ummah in order to achieve unity.
Therefore, just as Muslims must comply by tawhid to worship just one God, so too are they required to work for a single ummah.
How can a unified Ummah be built is the next question. Only when the whole community adheres to a single political, social, and intellectual path and is governed by a single set of laws and economic principles can the ummah truly be said to be unified. The realization of a single ummah is impossible as long as this is untrue. Given that Islam itself contains an example of governance, it is important for us to comprehend the links between politics and religion. Under foreign influence, we assert that politics and religion must be kept apart and deprive religion of the power it acquires via the provision of a system of governance. Unluckily, Muslims still have to deal with the effects of this lamentable policy in both the East and the West.
To put an end to this, it is essential to thoroughly study every Muslim tradition and practice and trace its genesis in order to understand where it originated. The traditions whose origins lie in politics need to be sifted out and only those which can be established with proof from Islamic sources ought to be practiced.
Then comes the disunity due to sectarianism, if we do not fight for our differences/ different beliefs related to the scientific world, then why are the differences of opinion in fiqh, kalam, and other Islamic sciences problematic? These types of differences should not be the cause of discord, hatred, and bloodshed! They only begin when political forces side with one opinion and promote it as a part of advancing their own political strategy.
Then comes the problem of nationalism and ethnicity, colonial powers understood all too well how to unwind the thread that ties together Arabs, Turks, Persians, Kurds, Lurs, non-Arabs, and others that come under the banner of one Islamic ummah. That is why, they appealed to nationalism, especially Arab nationalism, which was a blow the entire Islamic world has felt. The following slogan was written on one of the squares of Cairo;
“Judgement belongs to Allah and might belong to Arabs.”
Whereas God says;
“ All Might belongs to Allah and His Apostle, and the faithful.”
So there is no preference for any ethnicity over another, and the only cause for preference is taqwa. We have to come out of this very mindset of nationalism and ethnicity in order to promote unity among Muslims.
Conclusion:
Let’s sum up by saying that the history of Western exploitation of Muslim differences is a sobering legacy that has had a significant influence on Muslim society. Internal conflicts, instability, and misery have been caused by external forces who have benefited from them. Muslims must strive for greater cohesion and solidarity while fending against outside attempts to divide and rule in order to overcome these obstacles. In order to achieve this, it is necessary to address the underlying reasons for division, foster communication and mutual understanding across various populations, and strive toward shared objectives and moral principles. Muslims must also fight off outside meddling and manipulation while working towards a society that is just and fair and that elevates everyone, regardless of their background or worldview. Although there are many obstacles standing in the way of Muslim unity, there is also much hope for improvement. Muslims can create a more fair and equitable world that supports justice, human rights, and democracy for everyone by striving towards greater unification and solidarity, and for that, they have to follow the commandment of Almighty Allah;
“And hold fast to, all together, to Allah’s cord, and do not be divided into sects. And remember Allah’s blessings upon you when you were enemies, the. He brought your hearts together, so you became brothers, with His blessing.”
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