Muslim World: The Leaders Who Could Not Lead

Tyranny complements transgression and corruption. The contemporary Muslim world is a living picture of this political stigma. To replace Bashr al-Assad, self acclaimed Arab kings and Princess, Ben Ali, Hosni Mubarak, Ghadaffi and Sadam Hussein millions could be displaced, made refugees and exterminated and nothing will change. What if the Arab leaders had developed public institutions and islamically people-oriented system of governance, could this all be not averted?

by Mahboob A Khawaja

( January 23, 2016, London, Sri Lanka Guardian) The entire Muslim world is engaged in self-destructive conflicts. Unwarranted wars and sectarian bloodbaths are the order of the day, so unparallel in contemporary history. You wonder, what are they fighting for? Who are the real warriors fighting for human freedom and justice and who are the hired culprits to prolong proxy wars for other hegemonic powers? Both the US and Russia are competing for hegemonic strategic influence, increased sales of weaponry and to acquire direct control over the natural resources of Arab Middle East. West Europeans – the former lords of colonialism prefer their own strategic priorities wherever they could find a gap between the two competing superpowers. People are not the aim for mind control but victims of the interventionist policies and raging wars. Believe it or not, people are assumed as digits and numbers in police-run states as they could not challenge the Arab authoritarianism for decades. Unthinkable as it was that ideological adversaries like the US and Russia would collaborate to bomb the Arab people, their culture and habitats. The Middle East is not a fertile place for ideological contrasts as the Arab culture and civilization overwhelms the entire landscape. At issues are political change and the aspirations of new age generations for an effective role to shape the present and future. Yet they are denied opportunities by the authoritarian rulers to have any say in the political change. Arab Spring articulated an illusion that was fast replaced by the foreign powers with tyranny and militarization. The Muslim world as a whole is a quagmire of ethnic clichés, linguistic identities and individualistic political diversions. Islam professed a universal message of brotherhood amongst the divided people of Arabia and unity of faith to become One Ummah- One People, all equal in rights and obligations before God. The essence and spirit of this message has been neglected and its imperatives betrayed in the political governance and official policies and practices. No authoritarian Arab ruler will ever admit being part of the problem. Should humans not be moral in our political and intellectual endeavors? Do we have the remedial imagination to cure the incurable ignorance, sectarian resentment and nationalistic bloody rampage – the malice and perfidy out of the sadistic human plans and priorities across the Arabian Peninsula? Can we critically look at ourselves and ask why Muslims have become so stagnated in moral, spiritual and intellectual values that we are on the verge of destroying any hope of freedom, equality and justice for the future? Can Muslims see the mirror with a collective consciousness?

Arab Authoritarianism is a Chronic Problem        Full Story>>>