the infidel West progressed

Why are the Muslims backwarded, despite their true religion whereas the infidel West progressed?

This is the question of civilization.
The prophets suffered alot because of this question
Moreover, they were saddened when their nations contradicted their approaches.
The question of civilization is the origin of the disbelief of the nations through the ages.

If the unbelievers heard the verses that mentions the arguments and proofs against the, they would retreat on the pretext that there are nations more developed than the believers.

Ibrahim As-Sukran, may Allah preserve him, says: "This is a historical law and a universal norm. all of those who transmit the messages of Allah from the dawn of prophecies and until the moment of modern Islamic work always face material powers "that exceed them and discourage people from following the revelation.

Please consider the experiences of the prophets and the implications of the experience concerning the call to Allah, you will find almost all of them an example of the conflict between the call for "the divine revelation" and the sedition of "the material strength", as well you will find that people are tempted with the material strength which strips their hearts, wraps up their eyes and distracts them from submission and surrender to revelation. The callers for Islam suffer from the fascination of people with the material manifestations.

The first Prophet Noah (may Allah exalt his mention) was opposed by his people who contradicted his call from a materialistic point of view and said to him: { So the eminent among those who disbelieved from his people said, " We do not see you but as a man like ourselves, and we do not see you followed except by those who are the lowest of us [and] at first suggestion. And we do not see in you over us any merit; rather, we think you are liars."} Quran (11:27)

The Qur'an speaks about the power of the infidels and describes their massive palaces and their military brutality. The Almighty says(interpretation of the meaning): { And I do not ask you for it any payment. My payment is only from the Lord of the worlds. Do you construct on every elevation a sign, amusing yourselves, And take for yourselves palaces and fortresses that you might abide eternally? And when you strike, you strike as tyrants.} Quran (26:127-130)

Once Moses, the prophet of God, appeared in the course of the "Pharaonic civilization" with its full historical weight and its imperial potentials, the cycle of tyranny of civil power and its arrogance against the Revelation was repeated.
One wonders of the depth of understanding of the Prophet Moses and his observation. How the Pharaonic civilization and its civil strength fascinated those people, and how it diverted them from surrendering to the revelation.

 Moses expressed this historic law of the greatest challenge facing the invitations as in the verse (interpretation of the meaning) :

The case of our Prophet Muhammad, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, was not different. The argument - of those who denied his prophethood and the revelation - depends upon physical aspects, they said that he is not sent by Allah beause he does not enjoy the manifestations of strength and prosperity as enjoyed by some illustrious in the Hijaz. Their view is that it is not appropriate to submit to a Prophet unless he is one of the nobles of the aristocratic class in the two capitals of the Hijaz, namely Mecca and Taa`if.

The severest opponent that has been standing against the call to Allah through the ages and through the history of prophecies is the fascination of material strength of the enemies of Islam.

They did not realize that there was no connection between the progress of the West on the one hand and the soundness of the religious principle despite the backwardness of Muslims on the other hand.
The scientific progress, for example, is akin to those who pay more, those who finances.
Do not ask for more just because you are a Muslim.

Do not ask for the destruction of villages merely because they are infidels please consider the verse (interpretation of the meaning) :

.This is the case.

It is illogic to expect that we will overcome our current backwarded state only because we are Muslims or that the West will be ruined only because they are infidels despite their hard working. The one who who assumes to realize this irrational perception is the most remote of people from understanding the norms of Allah in his creation, and his verses in the Quran.

Allah Exalted himself above injustice; His complete justice is in His seizure and punishment. Therefore, he punishes only those who rebelled and oppressed.

For this reason, Al-Qurtubi in his Tafseer explained that shirk alone is not the cause of the destruction of nations unless it is accompanied by corruption in the land or injustice among the slaves.

This is the norm of Allah, for which you will find no alteration.
The material progress has nothing to do with truth or falsehood.