The World Moves Forward. And Us?

The whole Imam Bilal and IronFit Coaching thing on social media really got me thinking lately. This brother IronFit said he avoids mixed gyms because he can’t control himself around women, blaming it on high testosterone. Imam Bilal responded, and then we saw a flood of reaction videos, live debates, people siding with one or the other, extensive breakdowns. I just sit back and wonder… Is this really what we’re investing our time in? In the same period, AI cracked a decades-old math problem. Fable AI became so advanced governments treat it like national security risk. AI agents now code and research almost independently. Robotics edges closer to real humanoid helpers. AI accelerates medical breakthroughs and scientific discovery at wild speeds. Tech shifts so fast entire careers may reshape soon. The rest of the world sprints ahead while our biggest online debate is whether a brother should hit a mixed gym, and they argue publicly. Why does it seem this is all we discuss? Why not talk about launching AI startups, becoming top researchers, making films, building robots, contributing to medicine? Starting companies, advancing science, creating technology that benefits the ummah and all of humanity? SubhanAllah, when I think of the Islamic Golden Age, Muslims weren’t just debating micro-issues daily. They invented, they were astronomers, doctors, mathematicians, engineers. They led the world. Somewhere along the road we obsessed over dissecting every tiny aspect of life while others took the lead in innovation and culture. Maybe social media just spoils our image. I pray that’s so. But if an outsider looked at Muslim online spaces today and compared it to what Muslims did a thousand years ago… I honestly wonder what they’d conclude. Anyone else feel this, or am I way off?