Page 105 - A Call for a Turkish-Islamic Union

Harun Yahya - Adnan Oktar

The Causes of Fragmentation n
The Causes of Fragmentatio
The Islamic world began to disintegrate during the early
years of the twentieth century. Until then, Muslims of different

sectarian persuasions, races, and languages lived together in har-
mony and safety under the rule of Islam, and they were strong.
One of the most destructive movements of the nineteenth
century, radical nationalism, had a powerful impact on the Is-
lamic world, for some Muslims fell under the influence of the
Western ideologies imposed upon them. With the weakening
and then collapse of the Ottoman Empire, the vast majority of

Muslim lands were colonized by Europe and the Soviet Union.
Before the colonialists withdrew decades later, they drew up ar-
tificial borders and thereby created many new countries. When
combined with the radical nationalism disseminated among
Muslims, the region turned into a quagmire. Ethnic differences
became sources of conflict, and the different Muslim ethnic
groups, who had lived in the same land until recently, suddenly
found themselves living on different sides of these artificial bor-
ders. Soon, these artificial nations began disputing with each

other over borders and other matters, and feelings of hostility
arose. Some of these disputes even escalated into full-scale bru-
tal wars, as in the Iran-Iraq war. A 100-year long period of insta-
bility had begun.
One's love of nation, people, and independence is a proper
and honorable feeling. However, nationalism becomes intolera-
ble when love turns into fanaticism. If someone feels hostile to-

ward other nations without due cause, he will, in the interest of
his own country, disregard the rights of other nations or people.
As a result, one country will seek to acquire or plunder another

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