The world of Islam fell behind and it was dominated because of its scientific backwardness. After many centuries of backwardness and after acquiring sciences from Muslims and making Islamic books a reference, introduction and a ladder towards their scientific transcendence, westerners managed to overtake Islamic countries and the world of Islam in scientific areas. This helped them to increase their wealth and their military, political and propaganda power.
And this led to colonialism. The phenomenon of colonialism came into being and under the bloody and cruel boots of the colonialists, Muslim witnessed this backwardness and deprivation from progress with all their existence and in all scientific arenas. And this continued until it reached the present-day condition: global powers – particularly western powers and the devils of the world – are bullying Islamic countries and Muslims nations. They are imposing their demands on them and many Muslim rulers are unfortunately following them. This is because of scientific backwardness.
We should change this situation. We in the world of Islam should begin a serious movement towards progress in all fields of study and all civilization-building sciences – ranging from aqli sciences to humanities, social sciences and natural sciences. And we can do so. One day, the world of Islam was at the peak of human civilization. Why should it not be repeated? Why should we not be able to do something today which will make the Islamic Ummah reach the peak of human civilization within a particular period of time – for example, in 40, 50 years? What is wrong with this? We should move forward. This is the responsibility of governments and outstanding personalities. Both Islamic governments and outstanding personalities in the world of Islam are responsible in this regard. Ulama, intellectuals, writers, poets and artists in the world of Islam should create a great intellectual movement and a public demand for scientific progress and for reaching the peak of science and this task is possible today.
Imam Khamenei, May 12, 2018
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