31 - The reformer says:

"Because Europe was small and crowded and its soil was barren, Europeans had to struggle with nature and make progress in science and arts in order to live. Also the fights between needy Europeans caused this. The hot climates in Africa slackened the people. The plentiful and various fruits in the equatorial jungles caused laziness. Since the hot deserts of Africa and the cold mountains of Europe did not exist in Asia, Asians lived comfortably. They worked easily in earning their living. The continent of Asia became the cradle of civilization. Then an eastern country may work and progress also. The reason why the Ottomans remained behind was not their being orientals or the climate of the country. The reason was in the religion and in the concept of qada' and qadar."

Even if it would be admitted for a moment that the Ottomans misunderstood qada' and qadar, abhorred themselves and surrendered to the events, the reasons which gave birth to their retrogression were different. Let us explain them:

As soon as the progressives, who disliked Muslims' surrendering to the event, opened their eyes, they took advantage of this state of the people and began deceiving them and to snatch positions and advantages. If they strove for the progress of the country, the people, whom they blame for having been accustomed to obedience and resignation, would also surrender to them, and there would not be any difficulty to prevent progress. So, the fault belonged not to the people but to the progressives occupying high positions who did not lead the people to the right path.

Revival of the people was certainly necessary, but such a large nation certainly could not revive itself altogether in a short time; those who revived first did not work in a good manner and thought only of themselves, lending themselves to bad acts. They said, "Before the remaining people wake up, let's provide for our own pleasures and advantages." No matter what would happen after them, they strove to keep the eyes of the people closed so that their posts remain secure. The one obstacle preventing the people's revival and progress became two. The people were confused whether to awaken from sleep or to escape the cunning progressives' hypnosis. The retrogression of the Ottomans was caused not by those who had been sleeping since the old times but by the Satans who sprung up later.