LOST IN THE SACRED: Why the Muslim World Stood Still?
Islam Watch
15-Apr-2009 (4 comments)

One of the mysteries in the study of Islam and the Arab world is why the Middle East is so far behind the rest of the world in terms of education, economic development, and social-political institutions. The colonial/imperialistic explanations for this backwardness don’t hold much water because many former colonies outside the Middle East have flourished. Dan Diner, in his LOST IN THE SACRED: Why the Muslim World Stood Still?,  offers some new insights which provide more plausible roots to Middle Eastern stagnation.

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save the planet

by Believer (not verified) on

" . . .take a trip to Israel and look at them. They beat women who enter the bus from the front door."

This is an outrageous statement. I doubt whether the author of this statement has been to Israel.

"In the US they used to put a cross and lynch blacks. How long ago was that?"

How long has it been since a Baha'i or a Sufi or Aalavi in Iran was imprisoned and tortured for believing something that the ruling regime does not agree with? Do lynchings in the American South 70 years ago excuse the IRI's current behavior?

Can we stop fingerpointing and get on with saving the planet? We can't save the next generation by arguing who is better than whom (or worse than whom); we CAN save it by making . . . peace.


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You are wrong in your analysis

by Mashy (not verified) on

Who was ruling the Ottoman again? Was it after or before the industrial revolution.
I am not sure what you think of the city of Esfahan, but it shows the level of Islamic and social sophistication.
In reality, the western world got lucky and it got nothing to do with religion.
Nakhair again about Israel. firstly the amount of funds that is dumped in that tiny state is out of this world. Plus keep in mind that they came from Europe and still did not change fully. Again, take a look at their backward religion and their behavior. The only reason that you don't see that is because they are not under the microscope now days. When they were, they were hated, and one reason is their backwardness.
So if you like to talk of religion, let's put the Christians, Jews and Muslims under the microscope and see which one, once in power, allowed human life to take its natural course. Then we can judge. Don't give me this none sense that Muslim world is behind because of religion.
Note for you to remember in the near future: The Muslims won't be under the super powers forever, then we'll see who is progressive.
In the US they used to put a cross and lynch blacks. How long ago was that? These issues were allowed to be fixed because the government was not put in place by, say Saudis or Russians. If it was, they were still in the dark ages. So back to reading again, maybe your sources are not diverse enough.
These kind of articles are not worth a pubic hair.


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Islamic Backwardedness

by kamel (not verified) on

Islamic world has been behind since the 15th Century not 20th Century. form the establishment till 12 century Islamic world was ahead because Islamic armies conquerd three great civilizations in Persia, Eastern Roman Empire and Egypt. The knowledge that was aquired was mainly from these countries and did not come from Arabian peninsula. From 12th century until the 15th Islamic world and the west were almost even. After defeating arabs in Spain the western world statred gettin ahead of the Moslems. By the 17th century and after the advent of the Industrial revolution Islamic world was so behind that catching up was almost impossible. As for Israel I have to say as much as I hate what they do to Palestinian people they are far more forwarded than Islamic countries in Since, Agricalture, Medicine, computer technology, militry technology and political system. It seems to me my friend that you haven't done much reading.


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Nakhair

by Mashty (not verified) on

The Islamic Ideology has stood still because of the politics in region. As far as history is concerned, the Islamic States have been "backward" mostly during the 20th century. the West has been backward and behind all before that. The great Islamic conquers and science and technological advances are all facts.
therefore, the reason is the oil in the 20th century that has made the West to support the unlawful governments in the region and help the rise of fanatacism.
You want to look at a religion and traditional group of people that willingly have stayed behind? take a trip to Israel and look at them. They beat women who enter the bus from the front door.
Who are you fooling? This is Iranian.com not The west.com. We read more than you give us credit for dude.