The Decline of Knowledge and the Rise of Dogma: How Intellectual Decay Bred Terrorism and Militancy in the Islamic World

By New Age Islam Correspondent 11 October 2025 From Civilisation of Learning to an Age of Rigidity The crisis of terrorism and militancy is not just political or economic; it is intellectual. It began when Muslims forgot that Ilm—knowledge—is the first word revealed in the Qur’an: “Read in the name of your Lord who created.” (96:1). When reading stops, reasoning dies. When reasoning dies, religion becomes a weapon. And when religion becomes a weapon, no one is safe. To restore peace, Muslims everywhere must reclaim their lost tradition of learning — not as imitation of the West, but as a rediscovery of their own heritage. They must replace dogma with dialogue, emotion with ethics, and hatred with humility. Main Points: 1. Today, extremist groups from ISIS to the Taliban, from Al-Qaeda to local radical movements in South Asia, all grow from this same soil — the decline of knowledge and the dominance of dogmatic thought. The sword replaced the pen; anger replaced argument. 2. This intellectual dynamism made Islam powerful — not merely by armies, but by ideas. 3. In the 20th century, movements like Wahhabism in Arabia and Deobandism in South Asia arose as reactions to Western colonialism and cultural anxiety. While they aimed at religious purity, they often rejected pluralism, philosophy, and mysticism — the very forces that once made Islam universal. 4. If the decline of knowledge caused the rise of militancy, the revival of learning can defeat it. The 21st-century Muslim world needs another renaissance — one rooted in the Qur’an’s spirit of questioning and the Prophet’s mercy. ----- Once, the Muslim world was a beacon of scholarship and human curiosity. From Baghdad to Córdoba, Cairo to Delhi, Muslim thinkers profoundly influenced mathematics, astronomy, medicine, literature, and philosophy. They translated Greek works, debated Indian metaphysics, and generated original ideas that profoundly influenced global thought. Al-Biruni, Ibn Sina, Al-Farabi, Al-Ghazali, and Ibn Rushd stood for an Islam that celebrated the Qur’anic command “Say: Are those who know equal to those who do not know?” (Qur’an 39:9). But over the centuries, that light dimmed. A world that once nurtured dialogue and diversity gave way to rigidity and fear. Dogma replaced reasoning. Interpretation gave way to imitation. The ijtihad—independent reasoning that built Islamic civilisation—was frozen. The madrasas that once taught philosophy and science turned into rote-learning centres. The result has been catastrophic: a world of frustration, political manipulation, and, ultimately, militancy. Today, extremist groups from ISIS to the Taliban, from Al-Qaeda to local radical movements in South Asia, all grow from this same soil — the decline of knowledge and the dominance of dogmatic thought. The sword replaced the pen; anger replaced argument. The Golden Age of Knowledge Between the 8th and 13th centuries, Muslim societies saw a flowering of learning unmatched in the medieval world. Baghdad’s Bayt al-Hikmah (House of Wisdom) became the centre of global scholarship. Muslim scholars translated Greek, Persian, and Indian works, preserving them for Europe’s Renaissance. In Andalusia, libraries in Cordoba had more books than all of Christian Europe combined. Knowledge was seen as worship. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, “Seeking knowledge is an obligation on every Muslim.” (Ibn Majah) This era was marked by intellectual diversity. Rationalists like the Mu‘tazilites debated literalists; philosophers argued with theologians; Sufis spoke of love while jurists spoke of law. The Qur’an encouraged reflection — “Do they not reflect upon the Qur’an, or are there locks upon their hearts?” (47:24). This intellectual dynamism made Islam powerful — not merely by armies, but by ideas. The Closure of Ijtihad and the Birth of Stagnation However, by the 11th century, internal conflicts, invasions, and political fear led to what historians call the closing of the gates of ijtihad. Theologians began to insist that all essential questions of law and belief had already been answered by the early jurists. Instead of reasoning, students were told to imitate (Taqlid). This was not a formal event, but a gradual process. As colonialism later deepened the Muslim world’s decline, educational institutions lost their vibrancy. The madrasa, once teaching logic, astronomy, and medicine, became narrowly focused on memorisation of religious texts without context or questioning. The result was a generation that saw religion not as a path to wisdom but as a set of rigid formulas. The Qur’anic call to “ponder the signs of God in the heavens and the earth” faded from the classroom. As the Pakistani philosopher Muhammad Iqbal wrote in The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam: “The ultimate aim of the ego is not to see something, but to be something… The true reconstruction of Islam must begin with the reawakening of the mind.” Political Uses of Dogma Dogma never stays innocent. Once intellectual diversity is lost, religion becomes a tool for power. Colonial and post-colonial rulers often used narrow religious interpretations to control or divide populations. In many Muslim countries, rulers funded loyal clerics to preach obedience and suppress critical thought. In the 20th century, movements like Wahhabism in Arabia and Deobandism in South Asia arose as reactions to Western colonialism and cultural anxiety. While they aimed at religious purity, they often rejected pluralism, philosophy, and mysticism — the very forces that once made Islam universal. In Saudi Arabia, oil wealth exported a puritanical version of Islam that saw any questioning or cultural diversity as deviation. The Afghan jihad of the 1980s, backed by global powers, mixed religious slogans with political agendas. The result was a generation of “holy warriors” trained in ideology, not intellect. The Mindset of Militancy The decline of knowledge did not merely cause ignorance; it created a particular mindset. When religion is reduced to slogans, complex political and social grievances get moralised into black-and-white conflicts: believer vs. unbeliever, us vs. them. Militant groups thrive on this simplification. For them, there is no room for nuance, dialogue, or introspection. As the Egyptian reformer Muhammad Abduh lamented in the 19th century: “Islam is innocent, but Muslims are sleeping. The chains are on their minds, not their hands.” Modern terrorism, from Al-Qaeda to ISIS, is a symptom of this mental captivity. These groups emerge where education is poor, unemployment is high, and religious discourse is dominated by angry preachers rather than enlightened scholars. In Pakistan and Afghanistan, decades of politicised madrasa education turned poor students into ideological soldiers. In India, marginalisation and communal tension have sometimes been exploited by extremist elements who offer a false sense of empowerment through violence. The Qur’an, however, forbids such misuse. “Whoever kills a soul… it is as if he had killed all mankind.” (5:32). The Prophet ﷺ said: “The most excellent jihad is the word of truth before a tyrant ruler.” (Abu Dawood) True jihad is moral courage, not violence. The Indian and South Asian Context South Asia’s Muslim heritage was deeply intellectual and plural. The Mughals built libraries, observatories, and centres of learning. Sufi orders like the Chishtis and Qadiris emphasised love, tolerance, and service. Shah Waliullah of Delhi tried to revive Islamic learning by combining spirituality with rationality. However, the decline began during colonial rule. British policies destroyed the traditional madrasa system and replaced it with secular education that excluded religion. In reaction, many Muslim scholars withdrew into defensive orthodoxy. After independence, Pakistan institutionalised religious education for political control. The Afghan war of the 1980s radicalised this network further. The Taliban emerged from seminaries where questioning was seen as sin. In India, most madrasas remained peaceful but outdated. They rarely taught science, philosophy, or modern thought. As a result, a knowledge gap emerged: Muslim youth either drifted into alienation or fell into the trap of preachers offering simple answers to complex realities. The Global Pattern: Ignorance, Anger, and Recruitment A 2017 UNDP study on youth radicalisation found that most recruits to extremist groups had little formal religious education. Instead, they were motivated by political anger and social frustration — later framed in religious language by charismatic leaders. This shows that dogma fills the vacuum created by the absence of knowledge. When critical thinking dies, propaganda thrives. Militants promise certainty in a confusing world. They manipulate religious texts, quoting verses about war without context or history. For example, ISIS frequently quoted “And slay them wherever you find them” (Qur’an 2:191) without explaining that it refers to a specific defensive war, not to all non-Muslims. As the 13th-century scholar Ibn Taymiyyah wrote: “Anyone who uses the Qur’an to justify injustice has turned it against itself.” Yet, his own complex writings were later distorted by extremists who cherry-picked sentences while ignoring his broader call for ethics and justice. The Cultural Cost: Loss of Art, Ethics, and Spirit When knowledge declines, not only science but art, poetry, and ethics fade. The vibrant Islamic civilisation that produced Rumi, Ghalib, and Ibn Arabi is replaced by a culture of suspicion. Music, literature, and even joy are condemned as haram. This spiritual emptiness is often mistaken for piety. The heart of Islam — compassion, mercy, and balance (Wasatiyya) — disappears behind walls of intolerance. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ described religion beautifully: “Religion is sincerity.” (Muslim) And the Qur’an reminds: “We have made you into nations and tribes so that you may know one another.” (49:13). But militants fear this diversity. They build identity by destroying it. Their religion is not about knowing God but controlling others in His name. Reviving Knowledge: The Way Forward The solution lies not in fighting terrorism with guns alone but in rebuilding intellectual life. Militancy is not born in the mosque; it is born in the mind. To defeat it, the Muslim world must restore education, reasoning, and compassion. a. Reforming Religious Education Madrasas must return to their classical heritage, when logic, mathematics, and astronomy were part of the curriculum. Scholars like Al-Ghazali, who combined faith and philosophy, should be taught again. Religious studies must include ethics, pluralism, and contemporary issues. b. Encouraging Ijtihad and Debate Muslim scholars must reopen the gates of ijtihad — not to change faith, but to interpret it for a new world. The Qur’an is timeless, but its understanding must evolve. As Iqbal said, “The task today is not to build a new system, but to rediscover the old spirit.” c. Promoting Scientific and Humanistic Education Governments in Muslim countries should invest in modern universities, research, and liberal arts. Knowledge is power, and ignorance is the real enemy. In India, integrating traditional religious schools with mainstream education can empower Muslim youth and prevent radical isolation. d. Combating Online Extremism Extremist ideologies now spread through digital propaganda. Muslim scholars, journalists, and educators must use the same platforms to promote authentic Islamic teachings that emphasise peace and intellect. e. Reviving Sufi and Ethical Islam Sufi traditions that celebrate love, service, and introspection can counterbalance political Islamism. Shrines, literature, and festivals of harmony — long attacked by extremists — must be defended as part of living Islam. 9. A New Muslim Renaissance If the decline of knowledge caused the rise of militancy, the revival of learning can defeat it. The 21st-century Muslim world needs another renaissance — one rooted in the Qur’an’s spirit of questioning and the Prophet’s mercy. The Prophet ﷺ said: “The ink of the scholar is more sacred than the blood of the martyr.” (Reported in multiple collections) This one hadith summarises the tragedy and the hope of the Muslim world. For too long, blood has been glorified over knowledge. But Islam’s true heroes are its thinkers, teachers, and reformers. From Malala Yousafzai’s fight for girls’ education in Pakistan to Indian scholars reviving Islamic studies with modern tools, signs of change are emerging. Universities in Qatar, Malaysia, and Indonesia are building new models that combine faith with innovation. Conclusion: Restoring the Balance The crisis of terrorism and militancy is not just political or economic; it is intellectual. It began when Muslims forgot that Ilm—knowledge—is the first word revealed in the Qur’an: “Read in the name of your Lord who created.” (96:1). When reading stops, reasoning dies. When reasoning dies, religion becomes a weapon. And when religion becomes a weapon, no one is safe. To restore peace, Muslims everywhere must reclaim their lost tradition of learning — not as imitation of the West, but as a rediscovery of their own heritage. They must replace dogma with dialogue, emotion with ethics, and hatred with humility. As the great Andalusian philosopher Ibn Rushd once wrote: “Ignorance leads to fear, fear leads to hatred, and hatred leads to violence. This is the equation.” Reversing that equation — through knowledge, courage, and compassion — is the only path forward. Only then will the Muslim world regain its soul, and the sword will again yield to the pen. 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