Islam is a religion of the Unity of God, of devotion, of noble character and of rules and jurisprudence in all aspects of life, from matters affecting the family to the society, the economy, culture, education, communications, the state, the military and the universe.
If Islam can be understood, internalized and practised in totality, then we will see that those who embrace Islam are people who believe in the Unity of God, will devote themselves to God, will have noble character, will be disciplined, energetic, active and will relate and communicate with one another. This will give rise to people who have the feeling of brotherhood, who are unified, progressive, calm, peaceful, happy and harmonious. But today, we see that Muslims and their societies are in total disarray, tumultuous, chaotic, confused, devoid of noble character and ill disciplined.
The Muslim Ummah are not united, their opinions differ and they do not share the same ideas. Each has its own aims, they are always in disagreement, unorchestrated and they do not move towards the same goal that is the Islamic aspiration. Their directions diverge from one another and are not in rows that are properly lined or like a building that is beautifully and neatly arranged, they are disorganized with one party going upstream, the other going downstream, one party moving towards the river, the other upcountry, one party treading down the valley, the other up the hill, one party venturing to the east and the other to the west. Consequently, they collide and clash among themselves and they end up losers.
The rich waste their time reveling, are proud and arrogant, wasteful and they keep to themselves. The poor are impatient. They mutter and grumble everywhere. They are always tense, edgy and anxious. Those with knowledge think only of themselves. They hoard wealth by their knowledge. They mix with people only at official functions and gatherings. They too mostly keep to themselves. The youths are without direction and live without aim and purpose. They gather among themselves and waste time. They involve themselves with free mixing of the sexes, they loiter around and become a big eyesore. Rulers and those with power are given to intimidation. They shout, they use threats and they instill fear upon the people as though they have lost all ideas as to how to nurture and educate them.
In the family, children prefer to leave the house. They feel uneasy, edgy, tense and nervous being in the house. There is no peace and happiness at home.
Such is the picture of the Islamic society all over the world. It is so confused and messy, it hurts the eyes to watch. If an analogy can be made, it is much like a piece of rag that is discoloured and smeared with spots all over. There are black spots, grey spots, red spots, blue spots, yellow spots and others because it has been subjected to all forms of adverse conditions and situations. It looks so smudgy, it hurts the eyes to watch/it is an eyesore, and it makes one feel utterly disgusted.
Or in another analogy, it is like a valley that is foul smelling, slushy, muddy, and full of rubbish of various colours that is unpleasant to smell and to see. Such is the picture of the Islamic society all over the world.
Why does this happen? Why is the Islamic society in such a bad condition? Why is Islam so beautiful but its followers the exact opposite? Why is that Islam is beautiful and yet the followers are no longer beautiful? This happens because of the following reasons:
1. Some Muslims in the world are left merely with faith. They have ceased to do any acts of devotion. Their way of life does not reflect the Islamic teaching. They live as they like and they do anything they wish. They follow and emulate whomever they want. Sometimes, they too are not sure whether they are Muslims are not. They only hear that they are Muslim descendents and as such they claim to be Muslims. What Islam entails, they do not know. There are still many people who belong to this group.
2. There are groups of Muslims whose religion is restricted only to their faith and to acts of devotion. Even then, their acts of devotion are not strictly in accordance to the true Islamic teaching and are also not consistent. Sometimes they perform it, sometimes they do not. They do the acts of devotion only when they feel like doing it or if they are forced to do so when they are trapped in official functions carried out in the mosque. They cease to do it if they feel otherwise. In all the other aspects of life, they do as they wish as though it has nothing to do with Islam. They think Islam has nothing to do with the question of living. There are still many people who belong to this group.
3. There are Muslims who have faith and who consistently do the acts of devotion, but they could not care less and are not serious in adhering to the Islamic tenets in all other aspects of life with regard to their food and drinks, dress, place of living and place of work. They do not care whether whatever they do is permissible or prohibited. If anything else that they do seem to be in accordance to Islam, it is not deliberate but merely coincidental because they only emphasized belief and acts of devotion. They do not attach any importance to other aspects of Islam. This group is still numerous.
4. There are Muslims whose faith are okay, whose acts of devotion are good because they are very particular about them, who also ensure that their food and drinks, their dress and place of living abide to the teachings of Islam but are lax in all the other aspects of life. They could not care less if conditions in their place of work are not in accordance to Islam such as free mixing of the sexes. They do not abide by the Islamic character and they often defile, revile and insult others. They are full of jealousy and spite, anger, arrogance, self-conceit, greed and miserliness. They often resort to slander, pitting one against another and others. This group too is still numerous.
5. There are Muslims who take care of their faith, whose acts of devotion are not neglected, whose character with other people are good but who are neglectful towards their own wives and children. They do not nurture members of their families whether formally or informally. They are not particular towards their wives and children. There are no discussions, no gatherings, no learning and no meetings amongst members of their families. They tend to scold their wives and children if they commit mistakes, and this is as far as they will go to nurture them. They think scolding is the way to nurture their families when in fact it is punishment, not education. The Islamic environment does not exist within their families. Family relationship is not close, whereas besides beginning from the self, Islam also begins from the family. This group is also numerous and is found everywhere.
6. There are Muslims who truly internalize Islam. They take care of their faith. They are diligent and consistent in their acts of devotion. They are very particular about the permissible and the forbidden in all aspects. They are also very particular about their relationships with God and with fellow humans. If they commit mistakes or miss doing commendable acts of devotion that they consistently do, they are filled with regret. They will compensate them with other good deeds such as the commendable solat or by giving alms or they will help other people, and others. The Islamic shariah is practised amongst their wives and children. They do the congregational solat (jamaah) together. They have programs reading and reciting the Quran. They conduct classes of learning and discussions. Parents become good examples. There is love and cooperation within the families. This group is now very scarce. They are regarded as unusual and strange by society.
7. Those in this group, besides being similar to those in group six, also busy themselves struggling for the Islamic cause by giving lectures, advice, writing and by doing other good deeds within society such as by giving alms, by helping people in difficulty in every possible way and by doing service to society. If they hear that someone is in difficulty, they will surely help and assist. They create awareness in Islam amongst the society through their attitudes so that people will understand such is the way of Islam. This group is truly scarce. They are very difficult to find. They are as scarce as the unhusked grains in the rice or looking for white crows.
Generally or at random, Muslims all over the world can be divided into the above seven groups. This is without going into it closely and in detail. How then can we expect Muslims to love each other? How can we be united? How can we easily agree and share the same opinion? How can we fight and struggle as an organized unit towards the same goal?
If Muslims all over the world are not uniform in their understanding, internalization, practice and struggle, how can Muslims be strong and sovereign? How can this give rise to an ummah with noble character and charisma so much so they are respected and highly regarded by all the other races of the world?
If the lives of Muslims are so much in disorder as we have mentioned earlier, how do we begin to revive it? Do we begin with money? Do we begin with entertainment? Do we begin with politics? Or do we begin with knowledge?
The struggle to revive the Muslim ummah that is topsy-turvy must begin with faith and knowledge. Muslims must be nurtured and fostered with faith and knowledge. It is only through nurturing and fostering can Islam be internalized. Through internalization will develop the love for Allah, Rasulullah and His religion. Internalization will give rise to the fear of Allah Taala. Through this fear, Muslims will be driven to carry out and practise the demands of the religion. Through this practise, will be born a race who has taqwa or the fear of Allah. When taqwa is attained, then help and assistance of Allah Taala will arrive. When Allah grants His help and assistance, only then will we achieve strength, sovereignty and success in the form that Allah Taala accepts.
But to start the process or to develop the methodology towards such a struggle until its ultimate success, requires a figure or a leader who is of faith, knowledge, taqwa (fear of Allah), of noble character who is respected and revered and who is loved and obeyed. If the personality of such a leader is similar or of a lower status than that of the average populace, who can accept him? Who can respect him? Who will love him? Who will obey him?
All of us can answer the question without such a leader, surely the struggle of the Muslim ummah will come to naught. But if only one aspect is to be struggled for, especially the material aspect such as development and progress, then this may be possible. But how do we instill faith, "taqwa" (the fear of Allah), noble character, obedience and love and care.
Does it suffice merely to progress and develop? The Americans and Westerners are developed but what has become of their societies? We all know this and there is no need for me to answer the question. Do Muslims want to aspire to achieve what the Americans and the Westerners have achieved? Let us answer this question ourselves.
Article taken from ikhwan-insight.com
If Islam can be understood, internalized and practised in totality, then we will see that those who embrace Islam are people who believe in the Unity of God, will devote themselves to God, will have noble character, will be disciplined, energetic, active and will relate and communicate with one another. This will give rise to people who have the feeling of brotherhood, who are unified, progressive, calm, peaceful, happy and harmonious. But today, we see that Muslims and their societies are in total disarray, tumultuous, chaotic, confused, devoid of noble character and ill disciplined.
The Muslim Ummah are not united, their opinions differ and they do not share the same ideas. Each has its own aims, they are always in disagreement, unorchestrated and they do not move towards the same goal that is the Islamic aspiration. Their directions diverge from one another and are not in rows that are properly lined or like a building that is beautifully and neatly arranged, they are disorganized with one party going upstream, the other going downstream, one party moving towards the river, the other upcountry, one party treading down the valley, the other up the hill, one party venturing to the east and the other to the west. Consequently, they collide and clash among themselves and they end up losers.
The rich waste their time reveling, are proud and arrogant, wasteful and they keep to themselves. The poor are impatient. They mutter and grumble everywhere. They are always tense, edgy and anxious. Those with knowledge think only of themselves. They hoard wealth by their knowledge. They mix with people only at official functions and gatherings. They too mostly keep to themselves. The youths are without direction and live without aim and purpose. They gather among themselves and waste time. They involve themselves with free mixing of the sexes, they loiter around and become a big eyesore. Rulers and those with power are given to intimidation. They shout, they use threats and they instill fear upon the people as though they have lost all ideas as to how to nurture and educate them.
In the family, children prefer to leave the house. They feel uneasy, edgy, tense and nervous being in the house. There is no peace and happiness at home.
Such is the picture of the Islamic society all over the world. It is so confused and messy, it hurts the eyes to watch. If an analogy can be made, it is much like a piece of rag that is discoloured and smeared with spots all over. There are black spots, grey spots, red spots, blue spots, yellow spots and others because it has been subjected to all forms of adverse conditions and situations. It looks so smudgy, it hurts the eyes to watch/it is an eyesore, and it makes one feel utterly disgusted.
Or in another analogy, it is like a valley that is foul smelling, slushy, muddy, and full of rubbish of various colours that is unpleasant to smell and to see. Such is the picture of the Islamic society all over the world.
Why does this happen? Why is the Islamic society in such a bad condition? Why is Islam so beautiful but its followers the exact opposite? Why is that Islam is beautiful and yet the followers are no longer beautiful? This happens because of the following reasons:
1. Some Muslims in the world are left merely with faith. They have ceased to do any acts of devotion. Their way of life does not reflect the Islamic teaching. They live as they like and they do anything they wish. They follow and emulate whomever they want. Sometimes, they too are not sure whether they are Muslims are not. They only hear that they are Muslim descendents and as such they claim to be Muslims. What Islam entails, they do not know. There are still many people who belong to this group.
2. There are groups of Muslims whose religion is restricted only to their faith and to acts of devotion. Even then, their acts of devotion are not strictly in accordance to the true Islamic teaching and are also not consistent. Sometimes they perform it, sometimes they do not. They do the acts of devotion only when they feel like doing it or if they are forced to do so when they are trapped in official functions carried out in the mosque. They cease to do it if they feel otherwise. In all the other aspects of life, they do as they wish as though it has nothing to do with Islam. They think Islam has nothing to do with the question of living. There are still many people who belong to this group.
3. There are Muslims who have faith and who consistently do the acts of devotion, but they could not care less and are not serious in adhering to the Islamic tenets in all other aspects of life with regard to their food and drinks, dress, place of living and place of work. They do not care whether whatever they do is permissible or prohibited. If anything else that they do seem to be in accordance to Islam, it is not deliberate but merely coincidental because they only emphasized belief and acts of devotion. They do not attach any importance to other aspects of Islam. This group is still numerous.
4. There are Muslims whose faith are okay, whose acts of devotion are good because they are very particular about them, who also ensure that their food and drinks, their dress and place of living abide to the teachings of Islam but are lax in all the other aspects of life. They could not care less if conditions in their place of work are not in accordance to Islam such as free mixing of the sexes. They do not abide by the Islamic character and they often defile, revile and insult others. They are full of jealousy and spite, anger, arrogance, self-conceit, greed and miserliness. They often resort to slander, pitting one against another and others. This group too is still numerous.
5. There are Muslims who take care of their faith, whose acts of devotion are not neglected, whose character with other people are good but who are neglectful towards their own wives and children. They do not nurture members of their families whether formally or informally. They are not particular towards their wives and children. There are no discussions, no gatherings, no learning and no meetings amongst members of their families. They tend to scold their wives and children if they commit mistakes, and this is as far as they will go to nurture them. They think scolding is the way to nurture their families when in fact it is punishment, not education. The Islamic environment does not exist within their families. Family relationship is not close, whereas besides beginning from the self, Islam also begins from the family. This group is also numerous and is found everywhere.
6. There are Muslims who truly internalize Islam. They take care of their faith. They are diligent and consistent in their acts of devotion. They are very particular about the permissible and the forbidden in all aspects. They are also very particular about their relationships with God and with fellow humans. If they commit mistakes or miss doing commendable acts of devotion that they consistently do, they are filled with regret. They will compensate them with other good deeds such as the commendable solat or by giving alms or they will help other people, and others. The Islamic shariah is practised amongst their wives and children. They do the congregational solat (jamaah) together. They have programs reading and reciting the Quran. They conduct classes of learning and discussions. Parents become good examples. There is love and cooperation within the families. This group is now very scarce. They are regarded as unusual and strange by society.
7. Those in this group, besides being similar to those in group six, also busy themselves struggling for the Islamic cause by giving lectures, advice, writing and by doing other good deeds within society such as by giving alms, by helping people in difficulty in every possible way and by doing service to society. If they hear that someone is in difficulty, they will surely help and assist. They create awareness in Islam amongst the society through their attitudes so that people will understand such is the way of Islam. This group is truly scarce. They are very difficult to find. They are as scarce as the unhusked grains in the rice or looking for white crows.
Generally or at random, Muslims all over the world can be divided into the above seven groups. This is without going into it closely and in detail. How then can we expect Muslims to love each other? How can we be united? How can we easily agree and share the same opinion? How can we fight and struggle as an organized unit towards the same goal?
If Muslims all over the world are not uniform in their understanding, internalization, practice and struggle, how can Muslims be strong and sovereign? How can this give rise to an ummah with noble character and charisma so much so they are respected and highly regarded by all the other races of the world?
If the lives of Muslims are so much in disorder as we have mentioned earlier, how do we begin to revive it? Do we begin with money? Do we begin with entertainment? Do we begin with politics? Or do we begin with knowledge?
The struggle to revive the Muslim ummah that is topsy-turvy must begin with faith and knowledge. Muslims must be nurtured and fostered with faith and knowledge. It is only through nurturing and fostering can Islam be internalized. Through internalization will develop the love for Allah, Rasulullah and His religion. Internalization will give rise to the fear of Allah Taala. Through this fear, Muslims will be driven to carry out and practise the demands of the religion. Through this practise, will be born a race who has taqwa or the fear of Allah. When taqwa is attained, then help and assistance of Allah Taala will arrive. When Allah grants His help and assistance, only then will we achieve strength, sovereignty and success in the form that Allah Taala accepts.
But to start the process or to develop the methodology towards such a struggle until its ultimate success, requires a figure or a leader who is of faith, knowledge, taqwa (fear of Allah), of noble character who is respected and revered and who is loved and obeyed. If the personality of such a leader is similar or of a lower status than that of the average populace, who can accept him? Who can respect him? Who will love him? Who will obey him?
All of us can answer the question without such a leader, surely the struggle of the Muslim ummah will come to naught. But if only one aspect is to be struggled for, especially the material aspect such as development and progress, then this may be possible. But how do we instill faith, "taqwa" (the fear of Allah), noble character, obedience and love and care.
Does it suffice merely to progress and develop? The Americans and Westerners are developed but what has become of their societies? We all know this and there is no need for me to answer the question. Do Muslims want to aspire to achieve what the Americans and the Westerners have achieved? Let us answer this question ourselves.
Article taken from ikhwan-insight.com
