The best examples in this respect are the Europeans. Study them as closely as we may: we shall not find even a single nation among them that desires to lose its identity and assimilate in another. The English want to remain English. The French want to remain French and the Germans do not want anything but German. The Italians would not live other than as Italians. It is evident from all aspects of Russian life that the Russians, too, want to remain Russian. In the history of the Irish people we have a fascinating example. Although for the last 700 years the English have employed all possible means that human ingenuity could devise to convert this small neighbour and absorb it into the English, the Irish have all along resisted these attempts. To this day the Irish remain Irish in language, religion, customs and traditions.

Another interesting example is the 'Britons' of France. This small group maintain their national identity and refuse to be assimilated in the French nation. In southern France are the Basques, another small nation that stood against the Goths, then against the Arabs, later against the Spanish and now against the French. With a population of only one million, they stick to their own language, dress, customs, and identity.

The Flemish who inhabit Flanders in Belgium stoutly resisted and finally foiled attempts to absorb them into the French civilization and culture. At last the Belgian government was forced to recognise and adopt their language as the national language of Belgium.

The population of Switzerland is divided into three major groups: 2.8 million speak German, 0.2 million speak French and slightly more than 0.8 millions speak Italian. Although they are under the same government and cooperate with each other in all political matters, each of these groups is jealous and vigilant to preserve its language, customs and national characteristics.

It is an incontrovertible fact that the people of Holland, Denmark, Scandinavia, etc., are but branches of the same German race. But they do not want to get amalgamated with the Germans or to lose their own national identities. The Czechs were under German rule for two hundred years. Not only do they remain Czechs to this day, but having preserved their language and national identity throughout the last five centuries, they also recovered their political independence after the Great War.

Although the Germans have transplanted their culture to the Austrian races, giving them education and making them advanced in every way, they have not been able to absorb them in the German nation. They show greater persistence than others in maintaining their national identity and preserving their language which are of Mongol origin. Russia, a powerful European nation, had during the last three hundred years been constantly trying to absorb the Polish people, contending that the Poles were of the same Slavic stock as themselves. But Russia's endeavours ended in failure when the Poles asserted their complete independence after the First Great War. It goes without saying that the Poles owe this to their sleepless vigilance in preserving their national identity.

It is no wonder that a nation of thirty million souls like the Poles refused to be absorbed in another nation. But what is amazing is that the Estonians, numbering only two million, separated themselves from the Russian nation and refused to be absorbed in them! It is the essence of their conviction that nothing is more precious than freedom. They loved their language which Tongs to the Mongol family of languages, and they created a separate script for it. Same is the story of the Finns who also disaffiliated themselves from the Russians. Similarly, the Russians failed in their efforts to assimilate the Lithuanians, a nation of Baltic stock, into the Russians. At the end of the Great War the four million Lithuanians rose up, not only as an independent state politically but also as a nation with a separate identity. Their neighbours, the Litonians, whose population is only two million, founded a democratic government of their own after the Great War. Their nationhood was kept alive and their language was preserved, which enabled them to establish a separate independent state like ether Baltic republics.

Germany and Russia, the two mighty nations of Europe, could not swallow up these tiny nations, in spite of their persistent efforts. These small nations took pride in and rejoiced over their .past'—their glorious heritage. Instead of disowning their heritage, they held fast to it and refrained from doing anything detrimental to their own freedom. It is easy to see that they owe their freedom to these virtues.

Although the Croats were overwhelmed by the might and influence of the, German and Latin races, they have maintained their nationality intact. Although the Serbs bore the Turkish yoke for several centuries, they never allowed their national identity to be lost. The Albanians have lived from time immemorial in the midst of the Greeks and the Slays, but remain Albanians to this day. Similarly, the Bulgarians remained but Bulgarians in the midst of the Romans, Slays and Latinos. Later the Turks subdued them and taught them the Turkish language. Nevertheless, they remain but Bulgarians.

Such examples may be multiplied without end. I do not want to give examples from non-European nations. If I do, the obstinate ultra-modernists will say: "We do not want to take backward nations as models." Hence, all the nations that I have so far cited as examples are European nations whose governments are considered modern and constitutional. All of them possess universities, academies, scientific societies, armies and navies.

Japan as a lesson for Muslims

Now we take leave of the Westerners and take the example of the Japanese, who are at par with the Europeans in the scale of development. The Japanese have attained a level of development similar to that attained by the Europeans while at the same time preserving their national identity, language, arts, culture, freedom, religion, rituals, common consciousness, and whatever they proudly call theirs. The following is a translation of part of a lengthy article on Japan published in the Journal de Geneva of October 20, 1930, by a European traveller who visited Japan and studied at first-hand the conditions prevailing there. He wrote:

The Japanese love art above everything else. If you find a Japanese engaged in money-making, you must understand that money is for him a means to an end. In the final analysis, his end is something to do with grace and beauty. Next in intensity to his desire for appreciation of beauty is his ardent nationalism which goes deep into his heart. He feels proud of his nation which emerged from the tottering state of medieval feudalism and rose within the short span of sixty years to the rank of a great nation.

There is no doubt that religion played an important part in the political renaissance of Japan, which the readers will do well to bear in mind. In reality it is a philosophy built upon their conviction that all that their ancestors bequeathed to them has to be gratefully acknowledged. The modern Japanese are all reconciled to everything that is necessary and proper for modern life. But they have maintained their zeal for following the glorious examples of their past history and jealously guarded their national identity. With the exception of a few things which are indispensable for successfully competing with other nations, they have spurned aside everything that smacks of Westernization. This is a unique example in the annals of the Eastern nations. The European traveller adds:

The Japanese disliked travelling in far-off lands and banned the entry of foreigners into their own country. But these bans have disappeared with the modern awakening. The Japanese have, in an amazing manner, made amends for their past omissions. It is the fruit of this that we see before our eyes today. In their eyes their past still remains glorious and sacred. In terms of their sacred past they value their thoughts and ideals. The result of all this is that they compete with others in the employment of modern methods which are indispensable to modern life. They have eschewed `Westernization' for the simple reason that they have no need for it. And they are daily training themselves in such a way as to relish the taste of their unadulterated race-consciousness which is the mainstay of their belief in their own superiority over others. The Buddhist pagodas and the temples consecrated to their gods Shinto and Zen are regarded with religious reverence and devotion. The rituals and ceremonies performed in these places from time immemorial are carried on even today with the same intense devotion and ardent faith. It is indeed their devotion to their gods and ancestors, rather than nationalism and race-consciousness, that has served them as a stronger shield and support against such malignant ideologies as Communism.

A few years back the famous French author Marquis Lamazelier wrote a new book on Japan which deservedly received glowing tributes from the French press, and Demos published an excellent article regarding it. Whoever desires to learn how Japan achieved her progress, this is the best book for him. It will be of great use to the Eastern people in general, because of the inferences that can be made about other Eastern lands. In comparison with the French translations of Japanese books on the subject, I have found that this book to be, broadly speaking, in consonance with the books written by the Japanese themselves. I wish only to cite here certain statements made by the author—who can hardly be considered pro-Japanese in his sympathies—in the course of his elaborate discussion about the modern civilization of Japan and her emergence from medievalism into the full-blaze of the world of today. He says:

Japan began to borrow from Europe and America part of their materialistic civilization, their military system, their mass education and their methods of administration of public finance. Their reformers were engaged in copying only what they found to be the best in each nation. This was a project of revival which initially involved demolition and then rebuilding. This movement has begun to make itself felt in all walks of life in Japan.

After making some observations on the Sino-Japanese war, he concludes the section as follows:

Japan's victory over China is not only a demonstration of the superiority of the scientific knowledge Japan has acquired from the West, but also shows that by her sheer will and determination, an Asian nation knows how to choose what is best for her from the Western civilization, while retaining her independence, national identity, worldview, arts, and culture.

About two years ago I published an account of how the Japanese celebrated the coronation of their Emperor. My account was but an epitome of the detailed report I had received. That report contained details of how they were from top to bottom connected with religious rites, how the Mikado remains the High Priest of the Japanese, and how he is regarded as descendent from the sun-god; how the Emperor bathed in the holy water of the sacred pond preserved since two thousand years ago; how in the company of the gods he ate his food specially made of rice, under the reverent care of the priests; and how six hundred thousand Japanese assembled together, each of them chanting: "May the Mikado live for ten thousand years!"

Why are the Europeans and the Japanese not considered tradition-ridden?

How many of the religious observances, rituals, customs and conventions which originated among the Japanese as far back as two thousand years ago still exist among them in the same manner? I wonder why Japan, which has managed to achieve impressive rapid development and transform into a modern nation, is not considered backward, tradition-ridden, and reactionary for retaining traditions as old as two thousand years. The Emperor still serves as their High Priest. If Japan were to be considered backward, that is, then, a welcome kind of backwardness!

While the King of England and Emperor of India—who holds sovereignty over four hundred million peoples of the earth, white, black, red and yellow—remains the head of the Anglican Church and a member of the Ecclesiastical assembly. Does he worry about the question whether the sanctity of the priest can transubstantiate bread and wine into actual flesh and blood of Christ or whether it is merely a matter of religious fiction?' He is not called tradition-ridden and his Empire is not considered ‘backward,' 'decadent' or ‘reactionary'. If however, England with all her magnificence may be called 'reactionary,' then being reactionary is indeed welcome!

Why is it that all Europe is bound up with Christianity and that, in spite of the dissensions and animosities existing among the nations of Europe, they are united in rejoicing over the glories of Christendom? But we do not brand them as 'tradition-ridden' or `conservatives' on that score. If we study the matter closely, we shall find a hidden cord sustaining this attitude of the Europeans. The religion that prevails in Europe is nineteen centuries old. Is it not a fact that the Jews--deny them whatever we may, we can hardly deny their power, their intellectual skill, their sense of duty and their gigantic enterprise—still pride themselves on the Torah, which they got thousands of years ago, and the Christians share in their pride.

Why is that the Jewish young men who stand in the front rank of advancement are still endeavouring to resuscitate the Hebrew language, the history of which is hard to find as it lies buried fathoms deep in antiquity? No one calls them 'tradition-ridden', `conservatives' or 'reactionaries.' Mr. Weisman, the leader of the World Zionist Organisation, once wrote that one of the greatest achievements of the Zionists, for which the entire humanity has to be grateful, is that the whole of Palestine today speaks the language of the Prophets (i.e. Hebrew)! By this he meant that part of Palestine which is inhabited by the Jews, where the Zionists are propagating the old moribund Hebrew language. It has been made obligatory upon the younger generation to learn and use it in their daily intercourse, so that it may draw them closer and closer together. So if it is asked, "Who is it that is trying to make the ancient Hebrew a current language?" the answer will be, "The Jews, the votaries of modern science and modern civilization." Let the wise ponder:

But none will grasp the message except men of understanding. Al-Baqarah, 2:269

Many more examples could be cited to the same effect.

Every nation adheres rigorously to its religion and clings steadfastly to its religious heritage, traditions and national characteristics and peculiarities. They never speak of these things with contempt or ridicule. It is only the Muslims who do not seem to understand their value. Whenever Muslims are told to hold fast to the Qur'an, their faith, their religious traditions and their national characteristics, or that they should not abandon the Arabic language, or that they should preserve their oriental mode of life and conduct and etiquette, they would yell like lunatics: "Down with your traditionalism!" They would quickly ask, "How do you expect to progress like others, while sticking to the worn out medieval traditions and customs?" But we have seen how other nations mastered scientific knowledge, developed. progressed and soared high while sticking to their traditions. The Christians still adhere to their Bible and the traditions of the church. The Jews hold steadfastly to the Torah and the Talmud_ The Japanese cherish with reverence the representatives of their gods and their race. Thus every nation is content with and cherishes its heritage. But these wretched Muslims alone seem to feel that they would be denied all progress unless they break all connections with history, throw the Qur'an overboard, cast to the winds their beliefs, their values of right and wrong, their tastes, instincts and ideals, their costumes and their traditional foods. Unless they do this, they believe, they will never attain 'progress'.

These are the dangers that arise from these negative minded secularists. these ultra-modem sophists who mislead the innocent and simple folk with their specious reasoning and bear the utmost ill-will for Islam and the Eastern nations.

by
Amir Shakib Arslan

---