How to Combat Non-Muslim Cultural Invasion

Fatawa Ibn Baaz, vol 1, pg. 387

Praise be to Allah alone, and may peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah, his family and
Companions.

There is no doubt that the gravest danger that Muslim societies are facing nowadays is the so-called
cultural invasion with its different weapons, including all media means, printed and broadcast alike.
Invaders have realized in the modern age that the old ways have become ineffective. Nations fight
courageously to defend their religion, homelands and their heritage. Usurping by violence and terrorism is
an inherently refused concept, especially in modern times after the spread of awareness among the
people. The world has become like a small village and many organizations were established to defend the
rights of nations, refuse political invasion, and claim the right to self determination. Every nation has the
right to have sovereignty over its own territory, invest its resources, and rule its territories according to its
own standards. Nations also adopt different beliefs, creeds and ruling systems, which made invaders to
leave these countries after fierce, bloody wars.

However, before leaving those countries, the invaders thought of many ways and prepared many plots
based on thorough research, full awareness of the aims and effectiveness of those plans, and the ways that
should be followed to accomplish them. Their aims revolved around designing highly deceiving curriculums
of weak ties with religion, focusing on spreading their culture and instilling in the souls of most of the
people the admiration of their material achievements in different aspects of life. When people, especially
teenagers and young students, are impressed by this superficial brilliant achievements and inventions in
the world, some of them who are totally impressed choose to complete their education in European and
American universities. There they are surrounded with doubts and sorts of lusts systematically presented
by orientalists and atheists, using well-organized, perverted, cunning schemes, where they face the
Western lifestyle with all its corruption, dissolution and obscenity.

Rarely does a person remain safe from these weapons, being accompanied with enticement and lack of
religion or authority. After completing their study and returning to their countries, those people assume
important posts and become agents for the colonialists and apply their demands and implement their plots
precisely, even with harsher means than those used by the colonialists themselves. This has taken place,
indeed, in many countries that were occupied by invaders. The way to safety from this danger lies in
establishing universities and institutes in different specializations, in order to limit the missions abroad and
teach all forms of knowledge in all universities and institutes. This should be accompanied with paying
attention to Islamic subjects and culture, in order to keep the `aqeedah (creed) of the students intact, and
protect their morals and future, so that they take part in building their society on a Shari`ah (Islamic law)
basis and according to the needs of the Islamic Ummah (nation). We should restrict educational missions
abroad to certain forms of knowledge that are not available at home.

May Allah guide us to all what benefits the people and the countries, and protects the Muslims against
anything that might harm them in their `aqeedah and morals. He is the Most Generous.

Moreover, we need to take more care of curricula, add a perfect Islamic touch to them, and establish more
scientific institutions to help the people study at home instead of traveling abroad. We should also choose
teachers and managers perfectly; all of them should be of good morals, sound `aqeedah, reputation,
jealousy on Islam, power and honesty. Whoever enjoys these traits is guaranteed and will most probably
do their best to explain information to the students in a correct way.
However, if it is a necessity to send some students to learn abroad due to the lack of some professional
institutions, especially in the field of industry, an objective committee should be formed to choose the
most suitable students in terms of religion and morals and who are well-versed in Islamic culture and have
an Islamic spirit. The committee can also choose a knowledgeable, righteous supervisor, who is active in
practicing Da`wah (calling to Islam), to accompany the mission, practices Da`wah there, supervises and
guides the students, and refutes any doubts they may come across.

They should be given even a short course before traveling to be aware of all the problems they might
encounter abroad the Shari`ah viewpoint and wisdom behind such issues according to the Qur'an, the
Sunnah (whatever is reported from the Prophet) of the Messenger of Allah ‫صلﱠى ﷲُ َعلَ ْي ِه َو َسلﱠم‬, َ and the
opinions of scholars. This includes, for instance, the rulings on slavery, polygyny in general, polygyny of the
Prophet ‫صلﱠى ﷲُ َعلَ ْي ِه َو َسلﱠم‬
َ in particular, Talaq (divorce pronounced by a husband), the wisdom behind both
offensive and defensive Jihad (fighting in the Cause of Allah), and such doubts that are mentioned by the
enemies of Allah to Muslim youths, so that they would be fully ready to refute any of such issues.

As for facing the invasion by print and broadcast media, which have afflicted the Muslim Ummah in the
modern age and have come to occupy most of the time of Muslims in spite of the deadly poison and the
misleading promotion they usually contain. It is one of the most important tasks to protect Islam and the
Islamic culture from its evil plotting. We should make sure that the Du`ah (callers to Islam) dedicate
themselves to writing useful researches, periodicals and articles; practicing Da`wah, replying to different
forms of cultural invasion and exposing their falsehood. The enemies have dedicated all their resources
and potentials, founded many organizations and applied different means to deceive Muslims. Their
misconceptions should be refuted and Islamic `aqeedah, legislation, rulings and morals should be clarified
and explained in a nice, attractive way using suitable modern ways; wisdom and good discourse of
preaching, arguing in a gentle way via all mass media as much as possible. Islam is the perfect religion that
encompasses all goodness, guarantees happiness to all people, good progress, sound development, peace,
security, prosperous life and winning in this world and in the Hereafter.

The Muslims are afflicted by all this as they do not stick to their religion as they should have, with most of
the people not understanding its reality, because of being not interested; ignorant of it; negligent of many
scholars in clarifying its advantages, wisdoms and secrets; lack of honesty and patience in inviting others to
it; and not bearing harm and using the modern ways. Thus, discrepancy took place. Most of the people
have become ignorant of the Islamic rulings. They have become deluded.

It is known that the last generation of this Ummah will not succeed except with what brought success to
the first generation - that is, to follow the Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ‫صلﱠى ﷲُ َعلَ ْي ِه‬ َ
‫و َسلمﱠ‬. ‫ﱠ‬ ْ َ ‫ﱠ‬
َ Allah says, Surah Al-A`raf, 7: 3 [Say (O Muhammad (‫)صلى ﷲُ َعلي ِه َو َسلم‬
َ to these idolaters (pagan Arabs)
of your folk:] Follow what has been sent down unto you from your Lord (the Qur’ân and Prophet
Muhammad’s Sunnah), and follow not any Awliyâ’ (protectors and helpers who order you to associate
partners in worship with Allâh), besides Him (Allâh). Little do you remember!

Allah (Exalted be He) also states, Surah Al-An`am, 6: 153 "And verily, this (i.e. Allâh’s Commandments
mentioned in the above two Verses 151 and 152) is My Straight Path, so follow it, and follow not (other)
paths, for they will separate you away from His Path. This He has ordained for you that you may become
Al-Muttaqûn (the pious - see V.2:2)."

He (Glorified be He) also states, Surah Al-An`am, 6: 155 And this is a blessed Book (the Qur’ân) which We
have sent down, so follow it and fear Allâh (i.e. do not disobey His Orders), that you may receive mercy (i.e.
be saved from the torment of Hell).
Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) has promised us a decisive victory and successful outcome in return for
this, as He is the Most Truthful, in His statement, Surah AlRum, 30: 47 and (as for) the believers, it was
incumbent upon Us to help (them).

He (Glorified be He) states, Surah Al-`Imran, 3: 120 But if you remain patient and become Al-Muttaqûn
[the pious - See V.2:2], not the least harm will their cunning do to you. Surely, Allâh surrounds all that they
do.

He (Glorified and Exalted be He) promises, Surah Al-Nur, 24: 55 Allâh has promised those among you who
believe and do righteous good deeds, that He will certainly grant them succession to (the present rulers) in
the land, as He granted it to those before them, and that He will grant them the authority to practise their
religion which He has chosen for them (i.e. Islâm). And He will surely give them in exchange a safe security
after their fear (provided) they (believers) worship Me and do not associate anything (in worship) with Me.
But whoever disbelieves after this, they are the Fâsiqûn (rebellious, disobedient to Allâh).

He (Glorified be He) also states, Surah Muhammad, 47: 7 O you who believe! If you help (in the cause of)
Allâh, He will help you, and make your foothold firm.

There are many Ayahs (Qur'anic verses) in this regard. When the Salaf (righteous predecessors) applied
these noble Ayahs, whether in words, actions and belief, Allah granted them victory over their enemies,
made them rulers of the world, spread justice through them, and made them leaders of the Ummah and
Imams of guidance. When the latter generations faltered in this (Allah's orders) they were changed,
according to Allah's statement, Surah Al-Ra`d, 13: 11 Verily, Allâh will not change the (good) condition of a
people as long as they do not change their state (of goodness) themselves (by committing sins and by
being ungrateful and disobedient to Allâh). But when Allâh wills a people’s punishment, there can be no
turning back of it, and they will find besides Him no protector.

May Allah make the Muslims, whether people or governments, return to their faith in a proper way; grant
them comprehension of it, cause them to apply it, make them unanimous on Al-Haqq (the Truth), guide
them to cooperation in righteousness and piety, and enjoining each other to Al-Haqq and persevering upon
it. He is the All-Hearing, Ever Near. May Allah's peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his
family and Companions!