Marxism was the most significant intellectual movement of the modern era that influenced the entire world in one way or another.Politically, its culmination manifested in the form of the Soviet Union, and its influence spread over half of the world. Economically, on one hand, it challenged the oppression of the capitalist system, while on the other hand, it established a practical system based on socialist principles in communist countries. However, its most profound impact was on the intellectual minds worldwide. The most brilliant individuals across the globe were influenced, and they stood tall as carriers of communist theories in every region of the world.
Throughout much of the 20th century, a struggle persisted between traditionalist right-wing forces and leftist communist ideologies. Pakistan was a significant arena for this struggle, as despite the proximity to the Soviet Union and the presence of communist and leftist ideas in neighboring countries, Pakistan remained a stronghold of conservatism, tradition, and religion. Many on the right-wing in Pakistan believed that Western powers tolerated the country precisely because it could serve as a fortress against the tide of communism. Despite the global spread of communist ideas, Pakistan was perceived by many Western powers as a bulwark against the Communist surge.
Regardless of the perspectives, practically, Pakistan continued to play the role of a bearer of Islamic knowledge and a close ally of Western capitalist nations. In response, the Soviet Union also provided significant support to the leftist cause in Pakistan, and prominent intellectuals and scholars emerged from the left-wing in the country. However, at the popular level, the left-wing could not gain much acceptance in Pakistan.
In 1977, when General Zia-ul-Haq’s era began, it seemed as if it marked the onset of the right-wing and religious establishment, and the decline of the left-wing. Indeed, the Soviet-Afghan War exacerbated this situation, where Pakistan, Arab countries, and all Western states collectively fought a proxy war against the Soviet Union. This ultimately led to the downfall of communism and the end of the Soviet Union. This event also brought an end to the influence of the leftist forces in Pakistan.
After that, the 1990s and the beginning of the 21st century were a vacant field for the right-wing, but during this period, extremism in the name of religion, sectarian violence, killings, and terrorism carried out in the name of religion created a sense, especially among the intelligent and sensitive classes, and particularly among the youth, that everything was not going well in society.
In such a society, two prominent strong voices emerged that openly criticized the prevailing situation. The first voice was of the scholars who, with full force, asserted that Islam does not endorse extremism and terrorism. Religious extremists used the most intense propaganda against such scholars to portray them as enemies of Islam. Terrorists either silenced or forced the most prominent voices among them into exile or martyrdom. The remaining few had to face not only the atmosphere of fear and terror but also the worst societal and economic challenges beyond propaganda.
However, a time came when the government, compelled, decided to crush terrorism, and thus the situation improved somewhat. It was also the time when another voice rose against religious extremism.
This voice was from the same left-wing that now found allies among the youth who were against religious extremism and terrorism. Information age familiarized these young people with the tradition of the Western left-wing, which had once again come to life due to the rise of capitalist oppression and the promotion of terrorism. The proponents of this second voice were knowledgeable young intellectuals who possessed most of the qualities of the left-wing scholars that were generally admired by the people. They opposed the state in a vigorous manner and engaged in rebellious discourse. In addition to their radical approach, they were well-read and expressed their claims eloquently in their writings and speeches.
Religious extremists saw more threat from the second voice; therefore, they exerted full force to suppress the second voice by ignoring it and amplifying the first voice. The benefit went to the left-wing’s second voice, and the rise of social media rapidly spread their message in society. Today, when distressed people hear the left-wing’s voice with revolutionary discourse, rebellious style, harsh criticism of the state, and opposition to religious extremism, referencing Western scholars and intellectuals, and discussing historical events, they feel that this is the revolutionary group showing us the path to salvation.
The reality is that our society, whether traditional or modern, finds salvation neither in the conventional practices of the right-wing nor in the revolutionary thinking of the left-wing. It is not in the extremist thoughts of Muslims or in the revival of communism. Humanity has witnessed the extremes of all these ideologies in the past two centuries, experiencing their created chaos, bloodshed, oppression, and coercion. Salvation for humanity lies solely and exclusively in the invitation to faith and morality brought by Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), the knowledge of which is encapsulated in the Quran.
Regrettably, the nature of the human test or trial is such that Satan has challenged Allah Almighty, stating that he will continue to sit on the straight path, as elucidated in the Quran, until the Day of Judgment. He will divert people from this path by any means necessary and prevent them from coming to this path in any way possible. Satan uses worldly desires, wealth, fame, and the lust for power at times. He constructs traps of authority and at times makes use of media and sensuality. He exploits idolatry, atheism, sectarianism, and religious extremism for his purpose.
He manipulates left-wing, secular ideologies, and communism, and sometimes he entangles humanity in the web of capitalist oppression, market economy worship, and right-wing authoritarianism. He sometimes raises the slogan of humanity and sometimes shows the dream of freedom.
Shaitan’s mission is two-fold: to prevent people from true worship of Allah and to divert humanity from
ethical conduct according to God’s standards. His aim is to remove humanity from the path of free ethical behavior according to God’s criteria. He seeks to hinder people from reaching Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), and the prophets. He endeavors to obstruct people from embracing the invitation of faith and morality as presented in the Quran.
Those who rise above the divisions of right and left, reaching the invitation of faith and morality in the Quran, are the ones who will bring goodness to the world. They are the ones who will reside in the eternal paradise of the Hereafter, a dream Marx envisioned for the world but failed miserably. This society of paradise will be where the power of humans over humans will be abolished forever. Every injustice and unfairness will be buried under the depths of hell for eternity. Every human dream will be fulfilled, and every evil will be permanently eradicated.
Page 23 TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH BY ABID MAHMOOD HASHMI