Understanding the State of Affairs: The Noble Concern

Concern for the Ummah

So "Allah - the Most Perfect, Most High - has made the Believers a mercy and helpers towards each other - which is why the Messenger of Allah sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam said: 'The example of the Believers in their mutual love and mercy is like the example of a body. If one part feels pain, then all of it is affected by sickness and fever.' {qluetip title=[3]}Related by Al-Bukhari (no. 6011) and Muslim (no. 2586) from An-Nu'man ibn Bashir radhiallahu 'anhu{/qluetip}"{qluetip title=[4]}Adab Al-'Ishrah (pp. 9-10) of Abu'l-Barakat al-Ghazzi (d. 984H){/qluetip}

"Indeed, if a person does not have concern for the affairs of the Muslims then this, in reality, is a deficiency in ones Islam."{qluetip title=[5]}As-Sahwatul-Islamiyyah Dawabit wa Tawjihat (p.77), of Shaykh Muhammad ibn Salih al-'Uthaymin.{/qluetip} Since how is it possible for the one in whose heart iman has taken root, and whose allegiance is to and for the Muslims, not to feel anguish and pain for them and their present state of affairs - their trials, tribulations and tortures. However, this does not mean preoccupation with western politics and drowning oneself in the abyss of its lies, deceptions and disbelief: "Rather, what is obligatory, is to pursue the politics of the Shari'ah - which is to protect and take care of the affairs of the Ummah."{qluetip title=[6]}Fiqh al-Waqi' (p. 38) of Shaykh Al-Albani{/qluetip}

Requirements for Victory

Returning to this Ummah - may Allah increase it in nobility - its honour and strength cannot begin without the Muslims first "[p]reparing themselves for this, by returning to their Lord, holding fast to His Book, following the Sunnah of His Prophet, keeping away from His prohibitions, whilst uniting upon that which is pleasing to Him - the Most Perfect, the Most High."{qluetip title=[7]}Tahdhirus-Sajid (p. 119 - footnote) of Shaykh Al-Albani{/qluetip} All of which is to be based upon mutual co-operation for and upon the truth; as Allah - the Most High says:

"And recommend one another to the truth and recommend one another to patience."

"Help you one another in righteousness and piety; but do not help one another in sin and transgression."

"So co-operating in goodness and taqwa and mutual advising necessitates da'wah to what is good and helping in that; and necessitates warning against evil and not co-operating with the wicked."{qluetip title=[8]}Taken from an article by Shaykh 'Abdul-'Aziz ibn Baz in Al-Furqan Magazine (no. 14 / p. 15){/qluetip} This in turn "necessitates a number of types of good: Studying, teaching, learning, da'wah, giving reminder, giving guidance, ordering good, forbidding evil, solidarity, brotherhood; and other things too many to be counted - which Islam orders and encourages - which will be the seed for the hopes for change which the Callers to Islam aspire to and gather for, 'Allah will never change the condition of a people until they change their condition themselves.' [Al-Qur'an 13:11]"{qluetip title=[9]}Ad-Da'wah Ilallah (p.129) of Shaykh 'Ali Hasan al-Halabi{/qluetip}

Cultivating Obedience to Allah

"So stick - may Allah have mercy upon you - to the Straight Way and what the Revelation came down with, and the Sunnah of the Messenger sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam and what is recorded from the Salaf as-Salih. Cling to the Sunnah and the Jama'ah and you will be rightly guided - if Allah wills. And there is nothing better for you - O one of understanding - than sticking to what is between the two covers (the Qur'an), frequently examining what is in it, and gaining understanding of its meaning?"{qluetip title=[10]}Adapted from At-Tanbih wa'r-Radd 'alal-Ahlul-Ahwa wa'l-Bida' (p.46) of Al-Malati (d. 377H){/qluetip}

"And be - O servant of Allah - a true Muslim, and a Scholar who cultivates and is attentive. You learn for Allah, work for Allah, view the Muslims equally - none of them gaining precedence in your eyes, or being lesser in your eyes except due to taqwa and iman - not due to partisanship, nor to divisions caused by Shaytan!"{qluetip title=[11]}Ad-Da'wah Ilallah (p. 138) of Shaykh 'Ali Hasan al-Halabi{/qluetip} And know that: "The uniting of the Muslims is upon Islam; in their clinging to Allah's Rope, in their applying and judging by His Shari'ah, in their disassociating themselves from their enemies and making their enmity and hatred of them clear to them. So this is the cause of Allah's help for them, and for His protection from the plots of their enemies."{qluetip title=[12]}Nuqdul-Qawmiyyatil-'Arabiyyah (p.47) of Shaykh Ibn Baz{/qluetip}

The Responsibility

With this approach and by these means will freedom from the enslavement of the unbelievers be accomplished. However: "A large part of this goal cannot be attained except by educating and cultivating the Muslim youth correctly in 'aqidah, knowledge and manhaj - built upon the tazkiyah (purification) of Islam from all the accretions that have been added to it; and the tarbiyah (cultivation) upon this pure Islam."{qluetip title=[13]}Fiqh al-Waqi' (p. 37) of Al-Albani{/qluetip} This way alone ensures victory and "the wiping away of sin and a great reward. Since Allah has not given them authority over us except due to the corruption of our actions - and the reward is of the same type as the action. So we should strive hard in seeking Allah's forgiveness, and repentance, and correction of action. So if the Muslims desire an end to the oppression of the oppressors, let then cease oppressing themselves. Allah - the Most High - says:

'And whatever misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your own hands have earned.'

'When a single disaster strikes you, although you struck them with one twice as great, you say: From where did this come to us? Say: It is from your ownselves.'"{qluetip title=[14]}Sharh 'Aqidat at-Tahawiyyah (p. 381) of Ibn Abi'l-Izz (d. 792H){/qluetip}

So these ayat "must give us - the callers - an important lesson by which we benefit in our lives as du'at. And it is that when the Muslims suffer defeat in jihad or in da'wah, then they should blame themselves and straighten their course; and they should weigh their actions with the true scales. Since Allah - the Mighty and Majestic - has informed the Muslims that the reason for their defeat in the battle of Uhud was themselves, and this was the same reason on the day of Hunayn. And it is from the Sunan (ways) of Allah that He does not remove a blessing from a people which has been given to them, unless they change what He has given them of iman (faith), guidance and good. Allah says:

'That is because Allah will never change the favour which He bestows upon a people, until they change themselves.'

"And this ayah (verse) shows us the history of our Islamic Ummah in the best way. So our Salaf as-Salih (Pious Predecessors) clung to the blessings of Allah upon them, and the most important of these blessings is the correct 'aqidah (beliefs) and noble manners; and they kept away from disunity and splitting. They took hold of those prescribed reasons which made them the best of nations ever raised for mankind, therefore, they deserved through this, the victory of Allah, establishment upon the earth and the various tribes and nations were made subservient to them. After them came a people who changed that which the Messenger of Allah sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam and his Companions were upon - in 'aqidah and manhaj - with their own customs, ways and manners. They split into groups and parties and raised up the banner of jahiliyyah (pre-Islamic ignorance), so Allah made them despicable, causing the lowly nations to dominate over them ... So if the Muslims desire good, unity and establishment upon the earth, then they should make their manners and behaviour, like that of the Salaf of this Ummah and begin by changing themselves. However, he who is unable to change himself, will not be able to change his family, not to mention changing the Ummah."{qluetip title=[15]}From At-Tasfiyah wa't-Tarbiyah (pp. 127-128) of Shaykh 'Ali Hasan{/qluetip}

(s) Al-Ibaanah Magazine Issue No.1, Dhu'l-Qa'dah 1415H / April 1995