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ISLAM AND THE MODERN SCIENCES 
Introduction 1. Education has always played a dominating role in forming the destiny 
of nations and people. Muslims saw their prime owing largely to educational and 
intellectual fields. Now, considering the present state, top educationists and 
intellectuals of the Muslim world have been emphasising upon the importance of 
educational reforms. Increasing the priority of educational is the answer to 
many questions. However, it takes a back seat when viewed in relation to the 
immediate steps that every one wants to take individually to solve the problems 
in hand at a particular time.
 
 
 2. A state 
of helplessness seems to have set in where the Muslims all over the world have 
conformed to and accepted their present value in the eyes of the world. The West 
has also endeavoured to undermine and disparage the contributions made by the 
Muslims in all the scientific fields. The tendency of terming Islam as a 
religion that is out of touch with the realities of the present world has become 
a norm. To make the matters worse, there is a constant brain drain in progress 
where the able Muslims opt to pursue their goals of prosperity and move in to 
the clutches of the West to have their skills exploited at will. Their countries 
of origin have failed to stop this drainage. Resultantly, the capabilities of 
the Muslims are not properly tapped to benefit the very societies that need them 
the most. Lack of good governance, mismanagement and lure of the West has 
created a vicious cycle that if continued will keep the Muslims at the mercy of 
the West and their interpretations.
 
 3. 
Undoubtedly, science and technology is the engine of modern development. But to 
utilise the engine one needs a perfect and secure vehicle, a proper road to 
drive and then traffic laws to reach the destination after a safe and secure 
journey.4. There is a need to understand what and how Muslim Ummah should proceed in 
general in order to revive and exploit the universal appeal of their religion in 
relation to the scientific education. In order to regain the lost confidence and 
to inspire the Muslim youth about their rich heritage, there is a requirement to 
highlight the truth about the share of contribution of Islam to the benefit of 
the humanity. After analyzing the factors leading to the retardation in the 
field of education, a remedial strategy to start a reversal of the state of 
Muslims can be worked out.
 Aim
 
 5. The aim 
of this paper is to analyse the role of contributions of Muslims in the fields 
of science and intellectual development, the factors leading to the downturn of 
the Muslim’s progress including the current brain drain phenomenon, in order to 
recommend remedial measures.
 
 6. 
Sequence. The sequence of this paper is as following:-a. Part I. Muslim’s contribution towards scientific and intellectual fields.
 b. Part II. Reasons and effects of current brain drain phenomenon
 c. Part III. Misrepresentation of Islam being a medieval religion.
 d. Part IV. Recommendations.
 PART I
 MUSLIM’S CONTRIBUTION TOWARDS SCIENTIFIC AND INTELLECTUAL FIELDS
 
 
 7. Islamic 
Concept of Education.  Islam has 
greatly emphasised on the importance of education to conquer the forces and 
resources of nature. That is possible only through the acquisition of adequate 
knowledge through a well-balanced, elaborate and all-embracing system of 
education. It involves harnessing human potential and then to utilize external 
forces in subservience to the Qur’anic values for the benefit of all the 
mankind. This provides us “identity, self-discipline and academic pursuits - all 
of the highest excellence but our difficulty, without any conspicuous flamboyant 
grandiloquent style and scintillating phrase, is that we overpower the forces of 
nature without being able to overwhelm the forces which lie within ourselves ”
 
 8. 
Contribution of Muslims.  The great 
and glorious heritage of Muslims can be recalled by briefly surveying what Islam 
has already contributed to the world’s civilization, education, culture and to 
scientific development. A few of the examples of contributions made by the 
Muslim Scientists in the field of science include the following.a. Numerology. Muhammad Ibn Musa, who was also the first to use the decimal 
point notation, invented the zero.
 b. Trigonometry / Sine / Tangent / Co - Tangent. The Arabs developed these and 
Ibn Musa’s work “Hisab-Al Jab-Wal Muqabala” (meaning the Calculation of 
Integration and Equation) presented 800 examples in the eight century. His work 
was translated from Arabic into Latin and until the 16th century, it was 
Europe’s main text book on the subject.
 c. Geometry / Algebra. Another great mathematician was Omar Khayyam, who offered 
to the world geometric as well as algebraic solutions of the second degree. 
Nasiruddin wrote the treatise on the quadrilateral trigonometry, as well as 
plain and spherical geometry.
 d. Physics. Kamaluddin examined the refraction of sun light in raindrops and 
actually explained the genesis of primary and secondary rainbows. The story of 
the invention of the pendulum and the presentation of a water clock to Emperor 
Charlemagne by Harun Al Rashid is well known.
 e. Science of Mechanics. The development of science of Mechanics in Islam is an 
act of genius. Musa Ibn Shakir described one hundred pieces of mechanical 
equipment in his book of artifices. Other outstanding Muslim treatises included 
“Al Kitab Fi Marifat Al Hiya Al Handasiyya” (The Book of the Knowledge of 
Ingenious Geometrical Contrivances” by Abul Fiaz Ibn Al Raz. He also did work on 
accurate weighing, determination of specific Gravity.
 f. Camera Obscura. In the field of optics, Camera Obscura was invented by Ibn 
Haitham in 1038 AD.
 g. Theory of Relativity. Hazrat Qazi Abu Bakr had developed the theory of 
relativity in the Eighth Century in terms of time and space by means of 
mathematical equations and Astrophysics. Imagine Einstein wasn’t even born in 
the western world, who propounded the same theory of relativity in the Twentieth 
Century.
 h. Geography. As far as Geography was concerned, the Muslim Scientists 
established in the ninth century that the world was round and under the 
Caliphate of Mamun, the first map of the globe was made.
 i. Paper Makings. This was one of the earliest skills attained by the Muslims. 
As early as the Eighth Century, high quality paper was being manufactured in 
Samarkand. Egypt was known to have its first paper mill in the year 900 A.C. The 
earliest Arabic manuscript written on paper that has been discovered is the 
Gharib Al Hadith by Abu Ubayed, dated 837 A.C. It can be seen in Holland 
preserved in the Library of University of Leyden.
 j. Advances in the Industry. Spain under the Islamic rule was an industrial 
centre. It was one of the wealthiest and thickly populated of European 
countries. Muslims were leading in Weaving Wool, Silk, Home Pottery, Jewellery, 
Leather and Perfume Industry. In the middle ages, the world trade was commanded 
by the Muslims and Baghdad, Bokhara and Samarkand remained centers for world 
fairs until the 16th Century.
 k. Libraries. The Bait Al Hikmah, at Cairo contained 2 Million books, the 
library at Tripoli some 3 Millions but the Christians burnt down this library 
during the first crusade. Many such libraries were burnt down during the 
Crusades and it is interesting to note that where the books on theology were 
destroyed, those on scientific subjects were preserved by them for their own 
use.
 9. It was not science only, which brought Europe back to life. Other and 
manifold influence from the civilization of Islam communicated its first glow to 
European Life. Although there is not a single aspect of European growth in which 
the decisive influence of Islamic Culture is not traceable, nowhere is it so 
“clear and momentous as in the genesis of that power which constitutes the 
permanent distinctive force of the modern world, and the supreme source of its 
victory, natural science and the scientific spirit ”.
 10. Important fields like Astronomy and Mathematics were imported by the Greeks 
and were never properly absorbed by their culture. The subjects remained 
generalized in nature until “the patient ways of investigation, the accumulation 
of positive knowledge, the minute method of science, detailed and prolonged 
observation and experimental inquiry ” were introduced by the Muslims.
 
 
 11. Leaving 
this aside, let us consider the scientific facts in the Holy Quran. It is 
indicated that the earth was previously a part of the sun and after its 
separation; it became a habitable place for humanity, as mentioned in Surah 21, 
Ayat 30. That the matter is made up of sub atomic particles (Surah, 10, Ayat 
61). That the embryo in the mother’s womb in enclosed by 3 epithelial coverings 
(Surah 39, Ayat 6). That each human being has a unique fingerprint (Surah 75, 
Ayat 4) etc. etc. There are thousands of other scientific facts in the Holy 
Quran.
 
 12. It was 
under the influence of the Arabs and Moorish revival of culture and not in the 
15th century, that a real renaissance took place. Spain, not Italy, was the 
cradle of the rebirth of Europe. After steadily sinking lower and lower into 
barbarism, it had reached the darkest depths of ignorance and degradation when 
cities of the Saracen world, Baghdad, Cairo, Cordova, and Toledo, were growing 
centres of civilization and intellectual activity. It was there that the new 
life arose which was to grow into new phase of human evolution. From the time 
when the influence of their culture made itself felt, began the stirring of new 
life.
 
 13. The 
downfall of Muslims is not due to Islam as the West would have us believe but 
due to Muslims themselves for their sheer neglect of Islamic principles. They 
must realize that Islam has been and is undeniably the most progressive religion 
which is in fact a way of life with a very wide scope.
 
 14. 
Acknowledgement by Western Scholars. A few Western Scientists, historians and 
intellectuals acknowledged the contribution of Muslims in various fields of 
science and their effects on Western advancements. Some of the remarks are 
quoted below.a. Historian Gibbons. He wrote in his fifth volume of “Decline and Fall of the 
Roman Empire” that the science of Chemistry owes its origin and improvements to 
the Muslims .
 b. George Sarton . “It will suffice here to evoke a few glorious names without 
contemporary equivalents in the West: Jabir ibn Haiyan, al-Kindi, al-Khwarizmi, 
al-Fargani, al-Razi, Thabit ibn Qurra, al-Battani, Hunain ibn Ishaq, al-Farabi, 
Ibrahim ibn Sinan, al-Masudi, al-Tabari, Abul Wafa, ‘Ali ibn Abbas, Abul Qasim, 
Ibn al-Jazzar, al-Biruni, Ibn Sina, Ibn Yunus, al-Kashi, Ibn al-Haitham, ‘Ali 
Ibn ‘Isa al-Ghazali, al-zarqab, Omar Khayyam. A magnificent array of names which 
it would not be difficult to extend. If anyone tells you that the Middle Ages 
were scientifically sterile, just quote these men to him, all of whom flourished 
within a short period, 750 to 1100 A.D.”
 c. Carra de Vaux. “Arithmetic and algebra also flourished alongside of 
astronomy. This was the period of the cerebrated al-Khwarizmi whose name, 
corrupted by the Latin writers of the West, gave us, it so believed, the term 
Algorism (sometimes written Algorithm) .”
 d. Silberberg. “Anyhow it is astonishing enough that the entire botanical 
literature of antiquity furnishes us only two parallels to our book (of 
ad-Dinawari, died 895 C.E.). How was it that the Muslim people could, during so 
early a period of its literary life, attain the level of the people of such a 
genius as the Hellenic one, and even surpass it in this respect? [Ad-Dinari 
wrote ‘Kitab an-Nabat’ (Encyclopaedia Botanica) in six thick volumes. It was 
written before any translation of Greek works into Arabic “.
 e. Joseph Hell . “In the domain of trigonometry, the theory of Sine, Cosine and 
tangent is an heirloom of the Arabs. The brilliant epochs of Peurbach, of 
Regiomontanus, of Copernicus, cannot be recalled without reminding us of the 
fundamental and preparatory labour of the Arab Mathematician (Al-Battani, 
858-929 A.D.).”
 
 
 PART 
II
 
 
REASONS AND EFFECTS OF CURRENT BRAIN DRAIN PHENOMENON
 
 
Understanding Brain Drain
 
 15. Brain 
Drain Defined. It can be defined as an emigration of students who do not return 
home after training. To a lesser (though growing) extent, it is 
“highly-qualified people leaving their home-country after finishing their 
education” . The exodus of educated people has become the epitome of wasted 
resources for advanced countries. Developing countries are at special risk 
because they lose highly skilled individuals. The migration of students from 
poor countries is now a long-term trend that educational improvements in the 
countries-of-origin have not yet managed to alter.
 
 16. 
Statistical Analysis. One of the main problems of analyzing brain-drains is the 
lack of data. There are many gaps. It is hard to say who the migrants are. There 
are no statistical tools and the flow of people is little understood. The only 
overall figures available are those of UNESCO for students, along with a few 
country-of-origin studies which do not include any country-comparative figures. 
Ironically, there is no separate data available on the magnitude of brain drain 
in the Muslim World.
 
 17. 
Historical Perspective. The world saw the brain drain phenomenon in Europe, 
where many scientists and scholars left their insecure environments to live in 
the United States. The same scientists helped the host country in dominating the 
world during and after the World War II. Thus, the nation that produced 
excellent brains suffered where as another benefited merely by exploiting the 
opportunities available with her due to good governance and social values.
 
 18. Cost 
Effects. Immigration out of and in to a country has its cost effects. These 
costs run in millions and billions. The cost of investment in postsecondary 
education, loss of tax revenue and the costs of settlement, language training 
and skills upgrading are distributed among the host countries and countries of 
origin. The countries of origin loose more due to weaker economic and social 
infrastructure.Reasons Leading to Brain Drain
 
 
 19. Quality 
of Education. One of the main reasons is the perceived value, career-wise, of a 
diploma obtained in a rich country. Looking at the issue of development in 
science and technology areas, we see that industrial and technological 
development largely depends on financial and economic stability and growth. The 
economic stability depends on social and political environment.
 
 20. 
Education Used as an Industry. Higher education has become a lucrative and 
competitive market in the rich countries, where economic and financial 
considerations sometimes clash with academic and human ones. In this market, 
universities are behaving these days according to how many foreign students they 
can take. Due to the lack of educational institutions with equivalent facilities 
and repute, Muslim youth with the resources to pursue higher education prefer to 
spend billions for getting the quality education from the West. During their 
stay in Western countries they are introduced to and attracted by the Western 
social values and lifestyle that in turn motivates them in to staying there on 
completion of their education.21. Socio-Political Stability. Social and political stability in any society 
depends on the degree of social values, justice and supremacy of law and order. 
These are all inter-related and inter-dependent factors. Hence, the bottom-line 
is, a country cannot succeed in any sector without achieving the prerequisites 
and without setting her priorities for the rest of the sectors. The progress can 
not be started from the middle but needs a strong base to start working on. 
Strong nations started from scratch and though it took time for them to reach 
where they are today, the resulting prosperity and strength are firm and less 
likely to be affected by minor irritants.
 
 
 22. Pursuit 
of Better Opportunities. This quest for opportunity is part of the human 
experience. It is part of culture and sociology. It is a reality enshrined in 
the spirit of man that he is a mobile, migratory creature. He moves, when there 
is no grass on the prairie, to a greener pasture.
 
 23. 
Immigration Policies of the Western Countries. The Western countries want 
immigrants presumably, to replenish an aging and diminishing population in order 
to sustain economic growth. They want economic growth to retain a competitive 
edge in the global economy. They want to retain this edge because they want to 
maintain a high standard of living for their population.a. Preferences. They “prefer the scientists and engineers with further emphasis 
on research and development activities” . These sectors are indeed considered as 
the new major source of wealth and indicate the stage at which a particular 
society has reached.
 b. Environments. The expatriate scientists and engineers work in an environment, 
which is far better than the one of their peers in the country of origin. They 
indeed have access to funding, technical support, equipment, scientific 
networks, experimental conditions, and many other resources, which are much more 
limited at home.
 
 
 24. 
Globalization and the Movement of Intellectual Capital and Skills. In the age of 
globalization and new information technologies that facilitate the rapid 
transfer of ideas and money, a global concept of intellectual capital is 
emerging. An international community is developing that connects people based on 
shared interests and values, with less concern for where ideas are generated. In 
this era of competitiveness, companies are after the best and the brightest 
ideas and people regardless of where they come from. PART 
III
 
 
MISREPRESENTATION OF ISLAM BEING A MEDIEVAL RELIGION
 
 25. 
Portraying Islam as a medieval religion today is continuation of an extensive 
campaign to weaken the Muslim’s commitment and attachment to Islam. This 
campaign started when the light of Islam was still being spread in Europe. After 
many failed attempts to check the advance of Islam, the enemies set out to 
investigate carefully for more devious and long lasting. They concluded that the 
strength of Muslims stemmed from their religion and belief. They set out to 
change their understanding and application of the Shariah and to turn the great 
principles in Islam from active to passive and uninspiring elements.26. Intellectual Incursions. It was through process of introducing (under the 
guise of logic and common sense) certain philosophical concepts that led to much 
controversy. The results were disastrous for Muslims with emergence of sects and 
defeats in the wars against Christian crusaders. The intellectual onslaught was 
at its height during the 17th century. Slow but steady weakening of Muslims 
continued till they were at the mercy of the westerns at the end of the 18th 
century resulting in colonialism. During the colonial rule, Muslims were 
deliberately prevented from progress and their educational system was 
systematically devastated. Muslims saw colonialists grab their property and 
resources, degrading their character and ridicule their religion.
 
 
 27. After 
the Second World War several independent Muslim states appeared on the map of 
the world, and it seemed that the Muslims would soon take strides leading to a 
fresh efflorescence of its culture and civilization. But in the 
post-independence period, one could clearly see dearth of creative energy and 
lack of intellectual courage. This led many to conclude that perhaps the Islam 
as a religion was the basic cause of this decay. This misrepresentation of Islam 
that has found new height after the September 11 can be summarized in the 
following paragraphs:-a. Extremism. Extremism and unaccommodating attitude towards other religions or 
communities as taught in the madrassas and so called Islamic organizations in 
countries like Yemen, Sudan, Algeria, Afghanistan etc present a wrong image of 
Islam to the world. The Islamic world faces a monolithic wall of suspicion and 
fear regarding the alleged nature of Islamic resurgence and activism, which is 
distorted as fundamentalism and terrorism. This is partly due to disinformation 
campaign fostered world wide against Islam and partly due to our own 
misinterpretation of Islam.
 b. Islam and Muslims in the Media. Media coverage of Islam is on the rise. The 
tone and substance of such coverage, however, leaves many Muslims concerned 
about the negative image that is being relayed to Western public. However, it is 
important to note that, in almost all cases, negative coverage takes the form of 
sensational reporting on “exotic or violent behavioural attributes of 
individuals or groups of individuals” . Objective analyses are usually lacking 
and whenever Islam’s teachings and dictates are cited, in order to give the 
appearance of objectivity, they are taken out of context. The real damage is 
done when the writer, with superficial and sometimes biased notion of Islam, 
claims authority and seeks justification through misguided reading or 
interpretation of Quran or Hadith.
 c. Generalising Islamic Label. At present the major flash points happen to be in 
Muslim majority areas. The violence in Muslim countries is mostly related to 
internal problems; their struggles are not over any religious issue. In 
Dagestan, Grozny, and Kashmir, the fighters are being called Muslim rebels 
though their cause is not just based on religion. In Afghanistan in-groups 
struggle for control of the country has nothing to do with Islam; they fight 
among themselves because they are hostile to one another but still, they are 
portrayed as fighters for Islam.
 d. Western Culture/Values. The fallacy of the west regarding their own 
civilization as the yardstick to judge the whole world has led them to believe 
anything not western to be backward.
 e. Civilisation Clash. In the words of Samuel P. Huntington of Harvard 
University, “the next world war, if there is one, will be a war between 
civilisations ”. He maintains that differences among civilizations are basic, 
involving history, language, culture, tradition and, most importantly, religion. 
The united efforts of other civilisations are likely to be directed in 
abolishing Islam as a religion and civilisation.
 f. Backwardness. Muslim world as a whole suffers from lack of development and 
backwardness, particularly in the fields of Industry, management and science. 
Despite their vast natural wealth, talent and 30-50 years of independence many 
Muslim countries could not progress at the desired pace. Though these conditions 
are after effects of the colonial misrule, the results are wrongly related by 
the West to the religion itself.
 
 
 PART 
IV
 
 
RECOMMENDATIONS
 
 28. Will 
to Struggle. The vibrant societies have a will to live and struggle for a 
better place in the world. Choosing the right direction with appropriate 
methodology to direct the struggle is important. Being a Muslim the only way to 
solve our problems and also to achieve progress is to revive our true faith in 
Islam, to reduce our dependence on the West. We should concentrate our efforts 
on implementing the complete code of Islam in every walk of life, and in all 
spheres of social life. So we can say with conviction that the survival of 
Muslims lies in their religion itself and not in denying its universal appeal.
 
 29. Role 
of Organisations. As already mentioned, most of the Muslim world 
organisations are regional interest oriented. Organisation of Islamic Conference 
is also doing little in the larger interest of the Ummah. Most of its 
declarations of intent are a mere lip service. There is a need to forge the 
political will to accelerate economic cooperation, which is a sine qua non for 
establishing mutuality of interests.
 
 30. Role 
of Media. Media has played a negative role in portraying Islam as a medieval 
religion. It can also be used to help create understanding between Islam and the 
West. The effort needs to come from both sides.a. Media need to take a more balanced and more understanding position.
 b. More Muslims need to be visible in the Western media - in films, on 
discussion programmes, on the radio and TV and so on. It would allow them to 
project their point of view as well as to counter their exotic and alien image.
 c. Major problems that cause so much anger and distress among Muslims need to be 
addressed: those of the Bosnians in Europe, the Palestinians in the Middle East 
and the Kashmiris in South Asia
 
 
 31. The 
Concept of Twin Cities and Universities. Sharing and transferring of 
information among Muslim countries is possible through collaboration of 
universities and establishing the concept of twin cities. The same concept is 
working advantageously in the western world as well.
 
 32. 
Sponsorship of Students and Scientists. Promising Muslim students should be 
recognised and sponsored by governments to provide them high quality education 
in affiliated universities round the Muslim world. These students will also be 
indoctrinated to serve their nation rather than falling for a dreamy world away 
from their home.
 
 33. 
Strengthening the Industrial Base. Till the time Muslims have their own 
strong industrial base, their security concerns, poverty and over dependence on 
the West will continue. Serious efforts must be made to undertake joint 
industrial ventures. Technical expertise must be canalised from within the 
Islamic countries. This will help alleviate poverty and ensure best utilisation 
of technical knowledge.
 
 34. 
Possible Solutions to the Brain Drain Problem. The national and 
international policies until the late 1980s focused on preventing or regulating 
flow of skills. Later the flow of skills was accepted as a norm and organising 
the skill abroad was added as a new option. The policies applied in the Muslim 
countries-of-origin to tackle the brain-drain should involve following two 
options:-a. Recuperating people (persuading individuals to return home i.e. Brain Gain)
 b. Recuperating skills (organising those abroad into a network i.e. Diaspora 
Option).
 c. Conditions. There are definitely no quick fixes to stop brain drains because 
success depends very much indeed on the level of economic, scientific and 
technological development of each country and on political leaders taking a 
long-term view of the whole thing. These conditions are so far absent in most of 
the Muslim countries. The return-home policies are very long-term operations 
that can only work when the country-of-origin can offer prospective returnees 
satisfactory career conditions in their field. This supposes a high level of 
development. The solutions can only work under certain conditions.
 (1) First, there has to be a sizeable scientific and technical or industrial 
community in the country-of-origin.
 (2) There has to be long-term political backing for the idea.
 (3) Finally, the administrative and financial resources to organise such 
networks and keep them going must be available.
 
 
 35. 
Development of Socio-Cognitive Communities. There are numerous examples of 
talented scientists or engineers being misused or underutilised when they go 
back to their country of origin. Their abilities are disconnected from what used 
to make them powerful. This leads to an approach emphasizing connectivity and 
which departs from the traditional brain drain assumptions.
 
 36. Brain 
Gain. For the last two decades, the conception about the migration of skills has 
evolved, putting stronger emphasis on brain gain, which is based on the idea 
that the expatriate skilled population may be considered as a potential asset 
instead of a definite loss. The scientists and engineers abroad appear as human 
resources educated, trained through professional practice, and employed in much 
better conditions than those the country of origin could have provided to them. 
If such a country is able to use these resources largely shaped through others’ 
investments, it would then gain a lot.37. The Diaspora Option. The diaspora option is more recent and proceeds 
from a different strategy. It takes for granted that many of the expatriates are 
not likely to return. They have often settled abroad and built their 
professional as well as their personal life there. However, they may still be 
very concerned with the development of their country of origin, because of 
cultural, family or other ties. The objective, then, is to create the links 
through which they could effectively and productively be connected to its 
development, without any physical, temporary or permanent, return.
 
 
 38. 
Advantages of the Diaspora Option.a. It does not rely on a prior infrastructural massive investment.
 b. Through the expatriates, the country may have access not only to their 
individual embodied knowledge but also to the socio-professional networks in 
which they are inserted overseas.
 c. It is quite an extensive version of a connectivity approach. This is what is 
at stake in such initiatives around the world today.
 d. The time thus gained will reduce the effects of present precarious situation 
gradually.
 
 
 39. These 
networks need to emphasise on knowledge as well to gain more out of the 
experience of the Muslim scientists abroad. These networks should have better 
meaning and practicable measures added to their charter of duties that are 
listed below:-a. Student/Scholarly Networks. They should facilitate studies abroad and/or 
reintegration into the highly qualified labour at home market afterwards. They 
need to expand the scope in terms of activities and contributions to the country 
of origin.
 b. Local Associations of Skilled Expatriates. Groups of highly skilled 
professionals who should meet regularly on both a professional and social level. 
The aim is to promote the professional interests of members as well as to 
socialise on a more personal level.
 c. Transfer of Knowledge Through Expatriate Nationals (TOKTEN) Programme. The 
Muslim countries need to set up permanent structures to tap their expatriate 
human resources through the TOKTEN programme more systematically. The list of 
databases of people, organised by area for example, can constitute embryos of 
real networks.
 d. Developing Intellectual/Scientific Diaspora Networks. Their aim should be to 
make use of the highly skilled expatriate pool of their countries to contribute 
to the development process of the home country.
 
 
 40. 
Database. Technically, through the databases or information system of diaspora 
network, it focuses on the information, which is useful, especially for building 
partnerships.
 
 
Conclusion41. Muslims need to regain their past glory through an organised and 
consistent methodology. Only then the West will feel encouraged to trust the 
Muslims in spite of hatred and mistrust sown by their forefathers over a long 
period. The onus of proving the authenticity and credibility of Islam as a 
modern religion lies with the Muslims. Instead of suffering from inferiority 
complex and giving in to the harsh realities of the present time, Muslims must 
to trust their capabilities to master their destiny as their predecessors did 
under far worse conditions. Importance of education and morals are ordained for 
the Muslims and the rewards are far reaching for the coming generations. 
Inaction in this aspect will only strengthen the misconceptions of non-Muslims 
about Islam.
 
 
 42. It is 
obvious that no religion with 14 centuries of history can be fairly reduced to 
the one-line analysis of bigotry, be it past or present. It is therefore time 
for the people of vision, both Muslim and Christian, to transcend their 
positions and aim to build bridges towards each other. We need to understand one 
another dispassionately, with a view to living together as good neighbours.
 
 43. The 
glorious past of Islam needs to be recalled with pride by all Muslims to derive 
faith from the religion. If this reminiscence is not renewed and revived often, 
it is likely to face the danger of receding into oblivion. 
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