In societies where the practise of religion has lapsed, it is often the case that what is true comes to be regarded as false, and, conversely, what is false is regarded as true. Romanticism is one such falsehood that is erroneously thought to be "true." In a society where people do not live by the true religion, romanticism is portrayed as a favourable quality peculiar to compassionate good people. Sentimental longing is a dangerous sentiment to adopt. Essentially, one of the most harmful characteristics of romanticism, and from which we must be on our guard, is that it rejects "reason" as contrary to its philosophy.
Commonly, romanticism is understood as romance or the Romantic movement of the nineteenth century, but besides these forms, romanticism is also closely related to certain political sentiments. Chief among them is "romantic nationalism," which appeared at the end of the nineteenth century, and exercised a great influence in the world until the middle of the twentieth; rather it is followed by majority of the nations even today. First, it must be clearly stated that our criticism is not against nationalism per se, but against "romantic nationalism." There is a great deal of difference between the two.
Nationalism, in the most common sense of the term, refers to an individual's love for his people and for his country/state. This is a good and completely legitimate sentiment. Since it does not go against religion, it has no damaging effect for humanity. Just as an individual's love for his mother or father is a legitimate feeling, so also is love for the nation, that nurtured him in a common faith and culture, a legitimate feeling. Nationalistic sentiments become illegitimate when they become irrational or overly passionate. If a person, out of love for his country, begins, without justification, to harbour feelings of hostility towards another nation, or tramples over the rights of other nations and peoples in the interests of his own-for example, if he seizes their land or confiscates their property-he has exceeded legitimate bounds. Or, when he lets his love for his nation turn into a kind of racism, that is, when he claims that his own nation/state is inherently superior to another, he has adopted an irrational outlook.
We can recognise this need in all who has fallen into the quagmire of sentimentality. Hundreds of millions of people are enslaved to the desires of their hearts, their ambition, passion, hatred and anger. They do things irrationally, and justify their acts by claiming helplessness, saying for example, "I can't help it. I just like it." or "I can't help it. I want it. I feel like it." But, the fact that a person "feels like" something does not mean that the thing is good or legitimate. Our inner-self is always urging us to do wrong, with Satan instigating us to commit even greater wrongs. When someone acts contrary to the will of God, and says, "I can't help it. I feel like it," his inner-self is actually acting as the tool of Satan. In the Qu'ran, God refers to such people in the following manner:
Have you seen him who takes his whims and desires to be his godwhom God has misguided knowingly, sealing up his hearing and his heart and placing a blindfold over his eyes? Who then will guide him after God? So will you not pay heed? (Quran, 45:23)
Sentimentality has become part of a culture of ignorance that has now brought millions of people throughout the world under its influence. In fact, it is one of the weapons that Satan uses to divert people from following the way of God, because someone who has fallen into the clutches of sentimentalism loses the ability to use his reason. And, when he cannot use his reason, then he cannot appreciate the fact that God has created him, nor can he come to recognise His signs and purposes, nor can he live in accordance to the sublime truths of religion. A life lived righteously is dependent on the use of one's reason, for God sent the Qu'ran "so that men of understanding may ponder its Signs and take heed." (Qur'an, 38:29)
Commonly, romanticism is understood as romance or the Romantic movement of the nineteenth century, but besides these forms, romanticism is also closely related to certain political sentiments. Chief among them is "romantic nationalism," which appeared at the end of the nineteenth century, and exercised a great influence in the world until the middle of the twentieth; rather it is followed by majority of the nations even today. First, it must be clearly stated that our criticism is not against nationalism per se, but against "romantic nationalism." There is a great deal of difference between the two.
Nationalism, in the most common sense of the term, refers to an individual's love for his people and for his country/state. This is a good and completely legitimate sentiment. Since it does not go against religion, it has no damaging effect for humanity. Just as an individual's love for his mother or father is a legitimate feeling, so also is love for the nation, that nurtured him in a common faith and culture, a legitimate feeling. Nationalistic sentiments become illegitimate when they become irrational or overly passionate. If a person, out of love for his country, begins, without justification, to harbour feelings of hostility towards another nation, or tramples over the rights of other nations and peoples in the interests of his own-for example, if he seizes their land or confiscates their property-he has exceeded legitimate bounds. Or, when he lets his love for his nation turn into a kind of racism, that is, when he claims that his own nation/state is inherently superior to another, he has adopted an irrational outlook.
We can recognise this need in all who has fallen into the quagmire of sentimentality. Hundreds of millions of people are enslaved to the desires of their hearts, their ambition, passion, hatred and anger. They do things irrationally, and justify their acts by claiming helplessness, saying for example, "I can't help it. I just like it." or "I can't help it. I want it. I feel like it." But, the fact that a person "feels like" something does not mean that the thing is good or legitimate. Our inner-self is always urging us to do wrong, with Satan instigating us to commit even greater wrongs. When someone acts contrary to the will of God, and says, "I can't help it. I feel like it," his inner-self is actually acting as the tool of Satan. In the Qu'ran, God refers to such people in the following manner:
Have you seen him who takes his whims and desires to be his godwhom God has misguided knowingly, sealing up his hearing and his heart and placing a blindfold over his eyes? Who then will guide him after God? So will you not pay heed? (Quran, 45:23)
Sentimentality has become part of a culture of ignorance that has now brought millions of people throughout the world under its influence. In fact, it is one of the weapons that Satan uses to divert people from following the way of God, because someone who has fallen into the clutches of sentimentalism loses the ability to use his reason. And, when he cannot use his reason, then he cannot appreciate the fact that God has created him, nor can he come to recognise His signs and purposes, nor can he live in accordance to the sublime truths of religion. A life lived righteously is dependent on the use of one's reason, for God sent the Qu'ran "so that men of understanding may ponder its Signs and take heed." (Qur'an, 38:29)