Barbaric Humans and the Modern Barbaric State

By Imam Yakhsyallah Mansur

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala says:

وَلَقَدْ ذَرَأْنَا لِجَهَنَّمَ كَثِيرًا مِنَ الْجِنِّ وَالْإِنْسِ ۖ لَهُمْ قُلُوبٌ لَا يَفْقَهُونَ بِهَا وَلَهُمْ أَعْيُنٌ لَا يُبْصِرُونَ بِهَا وَلَهُمْ آذَانٌ لَا يَسْمَعُونَ بِهَا ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ كَالْأَنْعَامِ بَلْ هُمْ أَضَلُّ ۚ أُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْغَافِلُونَ

“And We have certainly created for Hell many of jinn and mankind. They have hearts with which they do not understand, they have eyes with which they do not see, and they have ears with which they do not hear. Those are like livestock; rather, they are more astray. It is they who are the heedless.” (QS. Al-A’raf [7]: 179)

This verse provides a profound depiction of the behavior of those who disregard the truth. They possess complete intellectual capacity and all five senses, yet they are not accustomed to contemplating the truth, upholding justice, or refraining from oppression.

Imam Ibn Kathir Rahimahullah, in his Tafsir al-Qur’an al-‘Azim, explains that this verse refers to those whose hearts are hardened, whose ears are closed to advice, and whose eyes are blind to human suffering.

They emulate the nature of animals in their inability to distinguish between good and evil nay, they are even more astray because they possess intellect and cognitive ability but fail to use them for goodness.

Imam Al-Qurtubi Rahimahullah adds that the above verse also serves as a warning for leaders who make power their primary objective. They use their intellect and cunning not for the benefit of the people, but to oppress and create fear in society to perpetuate their rule.

In the context of modern life today, the above verse becomes relevant when observing the behavior of certain arrogant and oppressive world leaders. For instance, the policies of the Zionist war criminal Benjamin Netanyahu, who committed genocide in Gaza, Palestine.

Similarly, Donald Trump, in his foreign policy, attacks countries he perceives as obstructing his desires. After kidnapping Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and threatening to annex Greenland (a territory belonging to Denmark), he is now brutally carrying out military aggression against Iran, resulting in the death of Khamenei.

Leaders like these belong to the group whose hearts are not accustomed to understanding justice, whose eyes are not accustomed to seeing usurped rights, and whose ears are not accustomed to hearing the grievances of the people.

Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi emphasizes that leaders who oppress other peoples or nations through technology, military might, economics and other means are actually bringing destruction upon themselves in this world and the Hereafter.

The tyrannical behavior exhibited by Trump and Netanyahu is a modern reflection of humans who are heedless in using their senses and intellect for good. Conversely, Muslims are called to adhere to the principles of justice and truth, uphold morality in leadership, and reject all forms of tyranny that oppress humanity.

Modern Barbarism by the Pharaohs of This Century

According to the Indonesian Dictionary (KBBI), the word “barbaric” means uncivilized, crude, or cruel, referring to uncultured behavior. This term originates from the Ancient Greek word bárbaros, initially used to refer to foreigners or those whose language was unintelligible. In communication parlance, the term barbaric is often used to describe aggressive or wild actions.

Throughout human history, the term barbaric has always been attached to those who reject humanity, oppress others, and prioritize violence and murder. From ancient societies to modern civilizations, barbarism manifests in different forms.

Ironically, nations that claim to be guardians of peace and champions of democracy actually exhibit barbaric behavior, more heinous than the definition itself. Contemporary wars, especially the current Iran vs. Israel–United States (US) war, demonstrate how power without ethics gives rise to barbarism on a horrifying scale.

When Israel and the US carry out military intervention in Iran, they are not merely expressing arrogance and consistently displaying the characteristics of modern barbarism. History records that wars in Lebanon, genocide in Gaza and now military aggression against Iran were initiated by Israel and the US, who claim to love peace.

However, facts on the ground, as reported by The Intercept and The New York Times in early March 2026, show that military strikes are consistently prioritized over dialogue, with violent practices favored over diplomacy.

Jewish intellectual Professor Noam Chomsky, in his interviews with The Guardian and Al Jazeera, asserted that US military and diplomatic support for Israel is the primary driver of escalating crises in the Middle East. For Chomsky, global powers that should act as stabilizers often become instigators of war.

Barack Obama, in his memoir A Promised Land, also mentioned that US foreign policy often emphasizes hegemony and Israeli security, rather than justice for the Palestinian people or the broader Middle East region.

The current leaders of Israel and the US, Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump, are often referred to by international figures as the “modern-day Pharaohs.” This designation is not an empty metaphor, as their behavior reflects the characteristics of tyrannical rulers: oppressing their people, rejecting humanitarian norms, and imposing their will on other nations.

Netanyahu with his genocidal actions in Gaza, and Trump with his military aggression against Venezuela and Iran, demonstrate that modern power can become a new form of tyranny that rejects international morality.

The Irony of World Leaders Taking Sides with Trump

Amid a world plagued by war, economic inequality, and humanitarian crises, the global public hopes for the emergence of wise, consistent and empathetic leadership. Yet irony appears when some world leaders choose to side with a figure whose track record is full of controversy and contradictory statements’ Donald Trump.

Trump, known for his arrogant political style, stubbornness, and inconsistency, actually receives support from several global elites. This phenomenon raises a moral question: have political interests completely replaced human values?

The Washington Post and The New York Times have repeatedly highlighted how Trump’s communication style creates diplomatic confusion. Yet instead of maintaining distance, some world leaders draw closer, as if stability is no longer a priority.

The “America First” slogan characteristic of Trump’s policies reveals a tendency toward narrow nationalism. Professor of International Relations Stephen Walt from Harvard University, in his writings for Foreign Policy, once warned that unilateral and transactional approaches in foreign policy risk damaging the international order built over decades.

Noam Chomsky, known for his criticism of US foreign policy stated that politics based on dominance and pressure will only prolong global conflicts. He views that unconditional support for controversial policies reflects a failure of moral leadership at the international level.

The irony deepens when leaders who claim to uphold democracy and human rights align themselves with a figure whose policies clearly violate these principles.

Former US President Barack Obama noted how his country’s current foreign policy often gets trapped in compromises of interest that obscure the value of justice. This statement serves as a reflection that even within the US itself, there exists a collective awareness of the brutality of the leader they elected (Donald Trump).

Leadership in the Islamic Perspective

From the Islamic perspective, leadership is measured not only by strength but also by justice and trustworthiness. Imam al-Mawardi, in his work Al-Ahkam as-Sulthaniyyah, affirms that the primary purpose of leadership is to safeguard religion and manage worldly affairs with justice.

When rulers prioritize personal or group interests, their moral legitimacy collapses. This principle is relevant in assessing the phenomenon of partisanship based more on short-term political gain than on universal human values.

Imam Al-Ghazali, in Ihya’ Ulum al-Din, also reminds us that power without morality transforms into a source of corruption. He states that a ruler is God’s shadow on earth that meant to protect the weak, not to exploit and oppress.

In the global context, siding with figures who exhibit self-serving attitudes and indifference to the suffering of other nations contradicts the ethical leadership outlined in the Islamic tradition.

Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradhawi, in his various writings, emphasizes that tyranny, even when cloaked in rhetoric and various means, remains tyranny. Double standards in assessing conflicts, and partisanship that disregards the fate of oppressed peoples, indicate weak commitment to justice. The principle of al-‘adlu asasul hukm (justice is the foundation of governance) should be a non-negotiable standard.

Why does this irony persist? Because leaders prioritize calculations of profit and loss rather than following the compass of conscience. Alliances are built on the basis of economic, defense, and geopolitical influence interests.

Yet history proves that leadership which ignores ethics accelerates its own downfall and destruction. Violence, oppression, and modern barbarism are the consequences of the dissonance between morality and power.

A nation that wishes to be called civilized is measured not by the number of weapons or global influence, but by its ability to uphold justice, champion human values, and realize peace.

When a nation closes its intellect and conscience, replacing them with material calculations of gain and loss, it is no longer building civilization. It is merely the most dangerous form of modern barbarism for humanity.[]

وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِالصَّوَابِ

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)