THE MUSLIM UMMAH AND THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD – KHUTBAH -

http://radioislam.orgza.info/a/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=8390&Itemid=47

 

All praise is due to Allaah, Lord of all the worlds. May peace and blessings of Allaah, be upon the Messenger, his households and Companions.

Fellow Muslims! Mankind is now living in a world full dissentions and wars. Our present world is one that is at a critical historical crossroad in which all relationships are kept away from the path of Allaah and the authentic divine teachings are consigned into oblivion. The present world is one in which mundane interests are the criteria for every thing.

Our contemporary world is one, in which power and arrogance prevail over peace, mercy and kindness. Ours is a world in which evils are promoted in sweet and deceiving terms and in which rights are violated through false slogans. Allaah says,

“And of mankind there is he, whose speech may please you in this worldly life, and he calls Allaah to witness as to that which is in his heart, yet he is the most quarrelsome of the opponents. And when he turns away, his effort in the land is to make mischief therein and to destroy the crops and the cattle, and Allaah likes not mischief.” (Al-Baqarah 2:204-205)

Brethren in faith! Our Ummah is now undergoing indescribably difficult situations. Tragedies that Muslims are subjected to in Palestine and Iraq are beyond the wildest imaginations. Every Muslims is saddened by the daily suffering of innocent peoples of these lands who are made to taste the punishment of the sins they never committed. Lives of many of these brethren have been unnecessarily and wantonly wasted and a great portion of their properties was wickedly destroyed.

Brethren in Islaam! When Al-Mansoor[1] built the city of Baghdad, he named it ‘Madeenatus-Salaam’ (City of Peace) and he wrote in its plan, “In the Name of Allaah. All praise is due to Allaah. Surely, the land belongs to Allaah. He gives it as inheritance to whomsoever He wills and the good ending is for the pious.”

Baghdad was the sanctuary of the scholars and reformers and a stronghold of the pious people. Baghdad is a city that, in view of its history and origin, cannot live in peace except with Islaam. It can never develop except through knowledge and eemaan and it cannot enjoy ease, stability and security except with the Qur’aan and the Sunnah. It is then incumbent on the inhabitants of the city and its visitors to understand the past, the present and the future of this city, to know their heritage and to realize that they cannot live in a better and reformed condition except by following the path of their predecessors. Let them hold fast to the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger and judge among themselves according to their Lord’s injunctions.

Dear people of Iraq! Remember that your land is that of Islaam and eemaan. Unite under the banner of Islaam and do not be divided among yourselves. Your security is based on Islaamic Monotheism and your happiness depends on your firm adherence to the injunctions of Islaam. Your recent past is enough a lesson for everyone and the believer is not stung in one snake hole twice.

Fellow Muslims! Some Muslim countries are still living under false slogans of nationalism that rejects the path of Allaah and His Prophet and weakens the brotherhood of faith, which Muslims are supposed to uphold. These countries established systems that are based on abandonment of Islaam and relegating the way of the Messenger to the background in all their affairs. Had these systems earned anything for its authors more than ignominy and defeat? Had they earned anything for their countries more than humiliation and destruction?

 

These systems that are based on nationalism had brought nothing upon their countries but looting and crippling moral and material crises. How many are the curses, evils and woes that the systems and political parties that are anti-Islaam have brought upon the Muslims? The Muslims will continue to suffer under these man-made systems until they purify their hearts with real eemaan, adhere to the teachings of Islaam and spread the implementation of the law of Allaah to every path of the Muslim world.

Brethren in faith! The nation of Islaam is the best of all nations. It is Allaah’s beloved nation. The crises and tribulations that the Ummah is facing now is just another way by which Allaah puts His beloved to test. Allaah says,

“And so are the days (good and not so good), We give to men by turns, that Allaah may test those who believe, and that He may take martyrs from among you. And Allaah likes not the wrongdoers. And that Allaah may test (or purify) the believers (from sins) and destroy the disbelievers.” (Aal ‘Imraan 3:140-141)

Many are the trials that the Ummah had faced and after which they had conquests and reforms! Many are the tribulations faced by this Ummah that eventually waked them up from their slumber! It is during trials that sincere believers are distinguished from hypocrites, truthful ones from the liars and those who are fighting for the cause of Allaah from those who are fighting for the cause of Satan. These are trials in which obedience to Allaah and real love for the Prophet manifest.

Dear Muslims! The present situation of the Ummah that is full of massacres and pains is known to all. The Muslims must therefore know that, among the lessons of the trials is the need to do self-examination and make necessary reforms. It is incumbent on the Ummah to take a serious look at the causes of these crises. Allaah says,

“Verily, those who are pious, when an evil thought comes to them from Satan, they remember (Allaah), and (indeed) they then see (aright).” (Al-A‘raaf 7:201)

We must also strike a balance between the religious and worldly factors while facing the challenges and crises. The Ummah must try to amend its defects in the light of Islaamic principles, as it should correct its erroneous direction in the light of its fundamentals, history and civilization. The Muslims’ first priority should be a realization of their dire need to turn back to Allaah. That is the only light that guards against error and confusion.

Rulers of the Muslims countries are also urged to fear Allaah and endeavour to reform the conditions of their peoples in the light of Islaamic injunctions. They should know that they are responsible before Allaah. They should also work towards starting a new stage in their relationships that will be based on clarity, reality and reasonableness. They should try to strengthen individual capabilities while maintaining the foundations of Islaamic brotherhood, and they should cooperate to defend Islaam first and foremost and then their countries in accordance with the injunction of Allaah,

“Help you one another in righteousness and piety; but do not help one another in sin and transgression.” (Al-Maaidah 5:2)

The Muslim Ummah must realize that there is no real support but that of Allaah and no real power but His. We should seek refuge with Allaah and strongly rely on Him alone. We should be aware of the fact that as long as we stay firmly on the path of Allaah and abide by His limits, He would always protect us against the enemies. As soon as any nation losses its trust in Allaah, it will live in commotions and distress, and it will not be able to withstand the hardships and as a result, it will face a gloomy future. Allaah says,

“And whoever holds firmly to Allaah, then he is indeed guided to the Right Path.” (Aal ‘Imraan 3:101)

The Messenger of Allaah said, “Preserve (the obligations of) Allaah, Allaah will protect you. Preserve (the obligations of) Allaah, you will find Him in front of you. Whenever you ask, ask from Allaah and whenever you seek for assistance, seek it from Allaah. Know that if all the people are to unanimously agree to do you a benefit, they cannot do you any benefit except a benefit that Allaah has already written down for you. And if they are to unanimously agree to do you harm, they cannot do you any harm, except that which Allaah has already written down for you. Pens have been raised and the paper is dried.” (At-Tirmidhee)

In another narration, the Messenger of Allaah said, “Preserve (the obligations of) Allaah, you will find Him in front of you. Know Allaah while in you are in bliss, He will know when you are in difficulty. Know also that victory comes with perseverance, relief comes with hardship and that there is ease with difficulty.”

Brethren in faith! There is no glory or power for this Ummah except through adhering to the religion of Allaah, His injunctions and the Sunnah of the Prophet. Allaah says,

“And verily, this (the Qur’aan) is indeed a Reminder for you (O Muhammad (peace be upon him)) and your people (your followers), and you will be questioned (about it).” (Az-Zukhruf 43:44)

Abdullaah bin Rawaahah said about the Battle of Mu’tah in which Muslims were three thousand in number and the Roman soldiers were two hundred thousand, “By Allaah, we do not fight the people with number or military strength. We only fight them by the power of this religion with which Allaah honoured us. So move forward, for you are going to have either of the two blessings: victory or martyrdom.”

Yes, the Islaamic Ummah is a nation that regards the victory over lusts and worldly pleasures as the first and foremost of all priorities. The Messenger of Allaah said, “When you transact by ‘eenah, and you become occupied with cattle rearing and you abandon Jihaad, Allaah will impose an ignominy on you which He will not remove from you until you go back to your religion.” (Aboo Daawood)

Now is the time that all Muslims regardless of their status should know with certainty that the Ummah’s return to its position of leadership is the responsibility of all. Now is the time to realize that flattery, deliberate disregard for sincere reforms and lack of examining issues objectively will do us no good. They only bring about evils and corruptions.

Have we not had enough sad events as a result of our careless attitude towards the commandments of Allaah? In many of Muslim societies, there are immoral and destructive ideologies like secularism, communism, nationalism, atheism and a host of other objectionable thoughts. Has the implementation of the injunctions of the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of His Messenger not been shunned in many Muslim lands? The Messenger of Allaah said, “As long as their rulers do not judge by the Book of Allaah, their problem will be created from among themselves.”

Are rancour, malice and dissent- that cause destruction and which the enemies use to attack the Muslims and destroy their past and future -not become widespread among the Muslims of today as a result of their negligence of the commandments of Allaah?

Have the Muslims not fallen into confusion as far as their priorities are concerned, the result of which the means had metamorphosed into end and end into means? Have the Muslims of today not abandoned the most important issue for a less important one and the essentials for insignificant things?

Brethren in Islaam! The way of Allaah is that, any nation that exchanges guidance for error and refuses to take practical steps towards reform, such a nation shall continue to live in backwardness, degeneration and in moral, ideological and military weakness. We should therefore make a sincere return to the path of truth and reclaim our position of leadership. Concerted efforts should be made to educate our young generations to be proud of their religion and always show its greatness.

The Ummah must programme its life in accordance with Islaam and its teachings. We must do away with all useless ideologies. It must be well established in our minds that Islaam is the religion of this Ummah and its law in all aspects of its life.

Fellow Muslims! The whole world have seen and heard the anarchy that happened in Muslim Iraq as a result of aggression and lack of a just world order. This incidence should open the eyes of the Muslims to one fact: It is only the great Islaamic system that can guarantee public and individual interests and that; it is the only order that can prevent harms and corruptions. Ibn Taymiyyah said, “It must be known that being in the position of authority is one of the greatest responsibilities of Islaam. No matter of religion and worldly life can stand without it. For the interests of humans cannot be actualized except through intermingling because of their mutual need for one another. Therefore, they should have a leader.” He further said, “The ruler is the shade of Allaah on the earth.”

Ibn Taymiyyah also said, “Sixty years of an unjust ruler is better than a single night without a ruler.” The reality testifies to this. He also said, “If the authority is separated from religion and religion from authority people become corrupted.”

Let the Muslims know that there is no good in overthrowing governments or causing disturbances in the communities. For that has brought nothing but destructions and corruption.

Muslims must live under the shade of Islaam that links the ruler with the ruled in accordance with the principle of cooperation on righteousness and piety and in the light of sincere mutual admonition and consultation.

The Messenger of Allaah said, “The best of your rulers are those whom you love and they love you and on whom you invoke the blessings and who invoke blessings on you as well. The worst among your rulers are those whom you hate and they hate you and whom you curse and they curse you as well.” The Prophet was asked: “Shall we not then resist them with our swords?” He answered: “No, as long as they establish prayers among you. If anyone among you is ruled by a person, and he sees in him an act of disobedience to Allaah, let him dislike his act of disobedience but he should not rebel against the authority.” (Muslim)

Dear Muslims! The Islaamic system is unique in its comprehensiveness that no any other systems can be compared to it. Islaam makes carrying the responsibility of the populace a great trust on the shoulders of whoever is in the position of authority. The Messenger of Allaah said, “Whomsoever Allaah gave an authority over a people and he died on the day of his death while he had betrayed his subjects, Paradise will be forbidden to him.” (A-Bukhaaree and Muslim)

The Islaamic system is one that is based on gentleness. The Messenger of Allaah said, “O Allaah! Make things difficult for whoever holds a position of authority amongst my Ummah and yet makes things difficult for them. Also, make things easy for whoever holds a position of authority amongst my Ummah and makes things easy for them.” (Muslim)

Islaam is a system of life that is based on equality in all its senses. The Messenger of Allaah said, “Every leader of a clan will be brought forward on the Day of Resurrection in shackles. Nothing shall untie his shackles except his justice or else his injustice shall make him remain in his shackles.”

The consequences of injustice are disastrous. The Prophet said, “Allaah gives respite to a wrongdoer, whenever He seizes him, he never releases him.” He then recited the verse:

“Such is the Seizure of your Lord when He seizes the (population of) the towns while they are doing wrong. Verily, His Seizure is painful, (and) severe.” (Hood 11:102) (Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim)

The Messenger of Allaah also said, “Allaah will punish those who persecute people in this world.” (Muslim)

Fellow Muslims! The world has allowed itself to be deceived by false statements and terms about Islaam. The enemies of Islaam wrongfully and maliciously accused Islaam of terrorism whereas the reality shows that it is the accusers who are terrorizing the world. If they had made a comparison between the reality and the teachings of Islaam and its history, they would have realized that, war in Islaam is not promulgated in order to achieve worldly gains but to avert persecution in religion and prevent oppression. Therefore, wars according to Islaam should be neat and should not threaten the lives of people. Among the admonition that the Prophet used to give his companions whenever he sent them out to a war was that, they should not destroy any plantation, cut down any tree or kill any weak person. He would say, “Go on in the name of Allaah and on the way of Allaah. Fight the enemy of Allaah but do not cheat, betray, mutilate or kill an infant.” He also use to say, “And do not kill children or labourers.”

In one of his wars, he saw a killed woman and he angrily asked: “Who killed this woman?”

As for his treatment of war prisoners, it was excellent and great. He told those who persecuted him and his companions when he captured them: “Go. You are free.” He also used to say: “Treat war prisoners with kindness.”

If the above are some of the teachings of Islaam, who should better be called a terrorist then? History is the best witness.

Fellow Muslims! As long as humans rebel against the way of Allaah and they transgress, they will have to face the consequences. Mankind are therefore in dire need of making the way of their Lord and His guidance the basis of their life.

Dear brethren! It should be known that every tribulation has its end. Whoever reads the history of mankind keenly and objectively will realize that every human power however great it is, shall come to an end.

Brethren in faith! Right from the first days of Islaam, this Ummah had been afflicted with some enemies within among the hypocrites who went astray. Allaah says about them,

“And when they meet those who believe, they say: “We believe,” but when they are alone with their (fellow) devils, they say: “Truly, we are with you; verily, we were but mocking.’ (Al-Baqarah 2:14)

Allaah also says, “Had they marched out with you, they would have added to you nothing except disorder, and they would have hurried about in your midst (spreading corruption) and sowing sedition among you – and there are some among you who would have listened to them. And Allaah is the All-Knower of the wrongdoers.” (At-Tawbah 9:47)

O you who play tricks against your Ummah! Abandon the stance of the hypocrites. For whoever betrays his nation and works for the enemy will face disastrous consequences. Allaah says,

“O you who believe! Betray not Allaah and His Messenger, nor betray knowingly things entrusted to you.” (Al-Anfaal 8:27)

The Messenger of Allaah said, “Every treacherous person will be given a banner on the Day of Resurrection.”

It is incumbent on all Muslims to listen to the voice of Islaam and wisdom. They should endeavour to protect the lands of Islaam and promote unite in the light of Islaamic Monotheism and under the banner of the Prophet. Let us take the Messenger of Allaah as the model to be followed in all affairs of our lives.

~ by euraktiva786 on 2, August 2009.

 

 

http://euraktiva786.wordpress.com/2009/08/02/the-muslim-ummah-and-the-contemporary-world-shaykh-husayn-al-sheikh-imaam-madina-munawwarah/