What sects, you might enquire after seeing the heading of this article. The purpose of this article is to highlight some erroneous patterns of thinking that exist in communities. Some patterns may be specific to a specific community. Understanding the existing pattern of thinking is essential in order pinpoint the link between thoughts and belief. Once this link is identified, the very basis of false thoughts can be destructed. Understanding the thought pattern is no easy task, it requires in-depth research into the historical experiences of the community, which in turn, gives an insight into how the existing thought patterns came into existence. In the context of the existing thought patterns in Addu community, there are various permutations. Identifying them is a intricate and complex process. For example, the people in Feydhoo are always inclined to do things because 'the English people used to do it' or because 'something is very English' However, for the sake of brevity, we will be examining the way of thinking amongst the people of Feydhoo community and just one sect (Royal families) prevalent in Hithadhoo.

Feydhoo

One might be wondering why people in Feydhoo are inclined to do 'English things' or act like 'English people'. What's their connection with English people, English culture, or Britain ? Of course, the people are not aware of Anglo Saxon culture or English history. But, since the English lived in an island with close proximity to Feydhoo and their close interaction with them at work, made a huge impact on people's thinking, tastes and outlook. At this point, the reader may get confused and ask: That British lived in Addu is okay. But they never ruled over us or enforced English culture on us. They just had a military base in which the local people were employed. So what is the connection ? And why did British culture affected the community of the Feydhoo only ? Before we discuss the underlying causes, a brief explanation of Hadhara and madaniyya is needed. Hadhara or civilisation consists of concepts about life, outlook, and way of life. Madaniya consists of technological inventions and tools which are not relevant to life concepts and way of thinking. When British established its military base in Gan island, the various forms of material progress that came along dazzled peoples eyes. It was the first time they were seeing aircrafts, an airport, weapons, and other madani forms of British culture. Therefore, it was natural that locals started imitating (or trying to imitate) the way of life of the English people who produced the technological inventions which reflected real progress in the local people's minds. Although, it was the madani forms that spurred people to imitate the English people and their habits, this imitation did not result in material progress of the locals. Rather the locals - consciously or unconsciously - ended up imitating English culture (or what they perceive to be English culture) which completely contradicted Islamic culture. Due to this fascination with the material progress which the locals witnessed, a horrendous pattern of doing things because 'the English also do it' was firmly entrenched in their minds and this pattern of thinking was passed on to the succeeding generations who continued the imitation spree. The significant difference between the early generation of imitators and the present day imitators is that the some outward appearances of the imitation process has changed. 

Hithadhoo

What about the people of Hithadhoo ? What was the effect on them ? Unlike Feydhoo which was devoid of scholars, there lived some scholars in Hithadhoo who had a certain degree of influence on people's behaviour. However, seeing the imitation of English way of life by the Feydhoo community and its effects, Hithadhoo community went to another extreme. In their reactionary endeavour to 'not to be like Feydhoo community' they became extremely restrictive to the point they would consider some things permitted by Islam as haraam and excessively conscious about honour. This pattern of thinking is prevalent amongst most prominent sect in Addu, popularly known as 'royal families'. If Feydhoo community is characterised with showing off, the royal family sect in Hithadhoo is characterised with excessive pride. A person of mixed parents of Hithadhoo (Royal family sect) and Feydhoo may probably exhibit the double symptoms of showing off and pride. Such a person's behaviour may swing from one extreme to another. One moment he could be showing off without with brazen audacity and the next moment he can be excessively conscious about his honour. And if such a personality is sent to study Islam in the Arab world, his identity crisis becomes even more profound.

The point we are trying to drive home is about, the importance of understanding people's underlying thought patters. Anyone who wants to invite people into Islam, should detect this pattern and highlight the contradictions in their thoughts and beliefs. It is not possible to implant Islam in people's heads until they have purged all the erroneous thoughts and emotions - the variety discussed above. The best way to purge these ideas is to show the contradictions in their thoughts and the historical experience which spawned such thoughts. Once a person is aware of the source of all false ideas and false sentiments, he can start the process of reconstructing the correct thinking process and subsequently develop the Islamic mentality and the Islamic disposition. 

Comments

If the temporary existence of a British military base and interaction with English people at work had a profound impact on people's thinking, we can only imagine what would have been the diametrically opposite impact had our community experienced the rule of Islam along with its systems such as judicial, educational, social, and economic. Islamic ruling system transformed the lives of all people who lived under its shade. Of course, Islam does not impose its creed or ideology on the others. However, due to the application of Islam and the nature of the Islamic ideology, people who used to live with Muslims were influenced, in one way or another, by the Islamic culture. In Cairo, some years ago, an institute was trying to arrange for a conference to discuss the issue of minorities in the Arab world. These minorities included the Coptic Christians in Egypt. One of the Christian Coptic leaders refused to label the Christian Coptic in the Arab world as minorities. It was him who said that we are Christian by religion but Muslim by culture. Also, on-Muslims have written books on fiqh because they wanted to understand the derivation of Islamic rules, some of which applies to Non-Muslims.

The scholars in Maldives are making a huge blunder when they attempt find a solution to our societal problem by analysing them through the lens of what occurred in the Arab world under the Islamic rule.

Related

Archive

Islam condemns irrationalism

Invitation to Islam

Similar to Islam is not Islam

Dismissing people