When the people began to change and split up into groups and became negligent of the issue of jihad, preferring ease and to follow their desires. Then, evil began to manifest itself in them, except in those people whom Allah, the Most High, had safeguarded.
So as a result of this Allah changed their position and gave their enemies power over them, an outcome which the people earned themselves and it is not an oppression from their Lord.
Allah, the Most High, says:
"Indeed Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change themselves."
Therefore it is necessary for all Muslims, governments and people to return to their Lord, the Most High, sincerely worshipping and repenting to Him for their shortcomings and the sins which they have committed. They should hurry to fulfil their obligations and distant themselves from that which Allah has forbidden, and join with one another in co-operation in this.
From one of the most important of these issues is to establish the laws of the shari'ah and govern the people by it in everything, so that the people appeal to this shari'i law for legal decisions and not to the man-made laws which oppose the law of Allah, which should be declared void.
In addition to this, the people should be made to adhere to the laws of the shari'ah, just as the scholars must teach the people their religion, spread Islamic education amongst them and urge each other to the truth and patience upon it as well as enjoin the good (al-ma'ruf), forbid the evil (al-munkar) and encourage the rulers upon that.
Likewise it is necessary to struggle and fight against the destructive principles of socialism, the ba'thiyyah and national partisanship as well as other ideologies and schools of thought which lie in contradiction to the shari'ah.
If all the Muslims strive towards this, then consequently, Allah will reform that which is corrupt and misguiding for the Muslims and restore them to their former glory and make them victorious over their enemies and powerful on earth.
As Allah, the Most High, says, and He is the Most Truthful in speech:
"It was incumbent upon Us to help the believers."
"Allah has promised those among you who believe and do righteous good deeds, that He will certainly grant them succession to (the present rulers) in the earth, as He granted it to those before them, and that He will grant them authority to practice their religion, that which He has chosen (i.e. Islam). And He will surely give them in exchange a safe security after their fear, (provided) they (the believers) worship Me and do not associate anything (in worship) with Me. But whoever disbelieved after this, they are fasiqun (rebellious and disobedient to Allah)."
Allah, the Most High, also says in the Qur'an:
"Verily We will indeed make victorious our Messengers and those who believe in this world’s life and on the Day when the witnesses will stand forth. The Day when their excuses will be of no profit to the dhalimun (polytheists, wrongdoers and disbelievers in the oneness of Allah). Their's will be the curse and their's will be the abode."
The Muslims were only afflicted when they did not adhere to their religion as they should and when most of them do not understand its reality. This is because the Muslims turned away from their religion, did not seek to understand it and the scholars fell short in explaining its virtues, bringing out its goodness, wisdoms and secrets, they were also deficient in their truthfulness and patience in giving da'wah and in enduring harm for its cause. As a result of this is the occurrence of the divisions, differences, ignorance of the majority with regard to the laws of Islam and confusion of affairs witnessed in our present times.
From Words of Advice Regarding Da'wah, Al-Hidaayah Publishing, UK 1998