Subverting Islam: The Role of Orientalist Centres. 
BY Ahmad Ghorab. Kuala Lumpur: 
Open Press, 1995, 88 pp.

Ghorab takes aim at the Orientalists who attempt to present Islam, Islamic history and Islamic culture for the westerners, usually tainted and deceptively distorted to suit their prec0nceived notions. This hard-hitting book appeared on the scene long before Lewis, Pipes, Kramer, Huntington, etc. openly claimed that the Islamic culture is fundamentally at odds with the Western values, and that the West should confront this menace now before the it scorches the whole globe. Another group of a few non-Muslim and Muslim apologists has tried to explain the present conflict as a 'Crisis within Islam' that will end in the victory of the Muslim 'intellectuals' who are pushing Islam to the status of personal beliefs and rituals.

This is a collection of articles originally published in Arabic and translated into English to make then available for wider audience. Dr. Ahmed had to sacrifice his lucrative job in a university for presenting his basic contention that the orientalists, even the so-called "Islamists' and 'Arabists' among the westerners are subverting Islam and Muslim governments and individuals should be extremely cautious in supporting their activities. Had the writer focused on documenting the main strains of the western experts thought processes on Islam and analyzed the fallacy in their methodology the book would have been more useful. Adding a political tinge to the discourse has reduced its value.

For more than a century the Muslim intellectuals were captivated by a few 'good' words any westerner uttered in praise of Islam, the Qur'an, or the Messenger (SAW).  Muslims have displayed them boldly as if Islam needed the approval from Shaws, Toynbees and Gandhis for its claim to be the "Way of God". How deep rooted is "Bucailleism" among the Muslims may be gauged by the popularity of Bucaille's "Bible, the Quran and Science". Muslim never realized that these secret admirers failed a basic test: They never became Muslims. And a few who did convert, gave up Islam quickly.

Muslims carry most of the blame for the world's hesitation to accept Islam. We never presented Islam as it is: Obey only God and always worry about our own fullest accountability to Him. This will lead you to a fulfilling life on earth and salvation in the Hereafter. What the world could see is a withered group of devotees parroting: "Islam is the best religion", while their wretched character had no trace of Islam in it.

The folly of going to any length to muster support from "eminent non-Muslim scholars" for their Book, and the Messenger was evident from a recent front-page article in the Wall Street Journal (Jan. 23, 2002).

With financial support from the Rabita (Saudi Arabia) "Commission on Scientific Signs" cultivated several U.S. and Canadian scientists to support the "doctrine that the Quran, Islam's holy book, is historically and scientifically correct in every detail." The Commission drew the non-Muslim, often practicing Christians, to its conferences with first class plane tickets for them and their wives, rooms in best hotels, $1,000 honoraria, and banquets with Muslim top leaders. All over the Muslim world, in the universities, you will find people who hold onto this line of thought more and more. Islamic Web sites prominently trumpet the passages from the talks in 1980s and 1990s of these scientists.

But what they in 2002 about those 'scientific proofs' should be an eye-opener for all. Dr. Simpson, Dr. Moore, Prof. Hays, Dr. Goeringer, all have disavowed whatever they told to please their wealthy hosts not long ago. 

This book should shatter the myth for all the time. Chapter 2 provides some glimpses of what the writer perceives as the subversion by the Oxford Centre of Islamic Studies, and its journal. Chapter 4 mainly deals with a paper by Jafar Sh. Idris who criticized Sayyid Qutb for presenting the Islamic ideal. Chapter 3 details how Muslim governments and some influential people went after 'tainted' support from orientalists who opposed the fundamentals of Islamic belief system. The short concluding chapter is a brief sermon on why the Muslims should be aware of these pernicious activities.

Muslim intellectuals have to do a better job if they wish to counter the present trend of presenting Islam as the bane of human civilization.  A recommended elementary reading for those who wish to familiarize themselves with the western trends in the study of Islam.

February / March 2002