The Youth of the Ummah in Peril
Liberal,
lawless practices of the modern era, under the influence of
Westerners and Americans, mainly affect young people. If this fringe
of society of non-believers does not care so much about misdeeds,
damage and other major problems caused by globalization, the youth of
the Ummah, on the other hand, cannot and must not remain indifferent
to its influence on their way of life, their way of behaving. And
especially the harmful effect it causes to their faith and piety.
This is disturbing.
The Youth's Mission
Now,
the youth is the future. For all, without exception. Nations,
countries, organizations, communities, family. All depend on the
youth of today to take over for continuity. The same goes for Muslim
youth, the youth of the Ummah in the four corners of the earth. This
youth has a mission. To take over from the elders. To continue to
propagate the Sahih al Islam (true Islam/ true teachings of Islam) in
righteousness. To build educational centres for children and adults.
But above all, to fraternize with members of other communities. For
it is quite clear, according to Qur’anic verses and Hadiths, that
to have respect for one’s neighbour is piety.
It
is through this respect for everyone that this youth, the pillar of
tomorrow, can build solid foundations for the Ummah to live in peace,
serenity, tranquillity, and harmony. However, the youth of this
century is going through difficult times with the rise of
globalization that touches all corners of the world.
The Youth's Embarrassment
This
situation really embarrasses the youth of the Ummah because they seem
to be caught between two fires: (1) the principle of Islam which
makes the clear-cut clear difference between the lawful (Halal)
and the unlawful (Haram);
(2) The boundless freedom in all matters of the unbelievers in this
temporal world.
The
Muslim youth feel embarrassed. Really! But, we should then ask this
question: Where is the embarrassment for this Muslim youth? A simple
example, to have fun during the end of year festivities, parties are
organized within private companies and even in departments of the
public sector. Everyone makes a point of being present, etiquette
obliges them to do so. The youth of the Ummah, if they are not strong
in their faith (Iman),
are easily influenced by colleagues to take a small glass (of
alcoholic drink), to perform a few steps of dance, to participate in
totally illegal acts. And other stunts that jeopardize the very faith
of this youth of the Ummah. This is the embarrassment of the youth of
the Ummah. This is the embarrassment they must face: either they
follow the precepts of Islam, or they fall into the bath of illicit
practices that their non-Muslim contacts invite them to try. And as
soon as they get a taste of it all, they get trapped, and they cannot
find a way out! And then, they are ashamed of their Muslim faith, and
they begin to behave like non-Muslims.
Drugs and other Intoxicants are Killing our Youth
I
tell you frankly, here in Mauritius, in our little island, drug is
destroying everything in its passage. Young people from all
communities (especially young Muslims) must be sensitized against
drugs. We must not let drugs, alcohol, cigarettes and games of chance
finish our young people. We must know how it destroys our community.
Allah (swt) says in the Holy Quran: “O
you who believe, intoxicants and gambling, idolatrous practices, and
[divining with] arrows are repugnant acts- Satan’s doing- shun them
so that you may prosper. With intoxicants and gambling, Satan seeks
only to incite enmity and hatred among you, and to stop you
remembering God and prayer. Will you not give them up?”
(Al-Maida 5: 91-92).
It’s
a vicious circle that traps young people to kill them. And it starts
with a little bit of alcohol and cigarettes. Alcohol gives them
drunkenness and a feeling of emptiness and disconnection with this
world that seems to them full of problems. And the cigarette gives
them a sense of freedom and masculinity. But unfortunately, it’s
not just the young and matured men who are victims of cigarettes and
other intoxicants. Girls and ladies are also caught in the same trap.
To feel equal to men, they do not hesitate to behave like men, even
if it is to follow them in the worst of vices.
And
then, a little piece of cigarette becomes a cigarette, then a pack of
cigarettes and much more. Not getting enough pleasure in the
cigarette, the youth falls voluntarily or involuntarily (through the
traps of their groups of friends and others) into alcoholic drink. A
little glass becomes a bottle, until this youth becomes drunkards and
addicted to the drink. The same goes for drugs! Wanting a little
“Nissa”
(pleasure), they taste drugs. Of course, this youth is also trapped
by their so-called groups of friends, and thus they (also) fall into
drug by treachery.
SYNTHETIC
DRUGS
Whether
voluntarily or involuntarily, youth is broken by drugs because it is
addictive and deadly. A small dose of the drug, such as Cannabis
/ Marijuana / Gandia
then becomes a high dose, and not being strong enough for the addict,
he buys other stronger drugs, such as heroin and now synthetic drugs.
I
make an urgent appeal to the authorities and the government. Many of
our youth who are in schools are taking synthetic drugs and other
substances. Even students who are 12 to 13 years old and have
graduated from elementary school and who are freshly integrating new
colleagues are victims of drugs and other intoxicants. They start
smoking cannabis.
The
youth of the Ummah also enter the drug caravan. Nowadays, synthetic
drugs are ravaging everywhere in every nook and cranny of the island;
it is such a poison which is finishing our youth.
From
the research I’ve done, I’ve learned that synthetic drugs are
worse than heroin. It is true that the authorities did a good job - a
lot of drug seizures of all kinds. What I hope is that the cleansing
work is done well, and that it is really genuine, and that all this
is not a staging to make believe that the work is being done well.
Consider
the case where the government is really concerned by the harmful
effects of drugs on our society and especially on our young people.
If the authorities had not seized all these drugs, what would happen
to our youth? In the 80s, the Brown Sugar was wreaking havoc and a
wrap was selling at Rs. 10. Today it costs Rs.250. An addict must
find Rs. 1000 to pay for his daily doses. For this, there are several
cases of violent robberies, every week, as well as crimes.
Crime
is on the rise nowadays. Murders. Robbery with violence. Many people
who have been victims of violent robberies live in fear. They point
out that they are no longer safe, even at home. The synthetic drug,
from what I have learned has appeared on the local market since 2013.
The product comes from China. It is mixed with other ingredients.
Dosage and ingredients vary by country.
In
Mauritius, synthetic cannabinoids (Synthetic Cannabis) are used.
There are people who say that the synthetic drug also contain
anti-rat products. Based on the research I have done, specific dry
leaves are added to a solvent. If you put anti-rat products in it,
then it’s death guaranteed! In Mauritius, this mixture is done in a
traditional way. You can imagine that a small pouch costs just Rs.
100! Teens can buy it with their pocket money because the price is
too affordable. And if they run out of money, then they can easily
raise that sum (Rs. 100) between five friends (each contributing Rs.
20) and buy that deadly product. With one or up to seven puffs.
According
to a report from the Idrice Goomany Centre in Plaine-Verte, people
who come to the centre to treat their addiction to heroin, out of 100
people, 70 have tasted synthetic drugs. You imagine ! Plaine-Verte is
a purely Muslim region. It’s unfortunate that even children and
adults are caught in the trap of synthetic drugs!
The
effect of drugs seems ephemeral. Although it gives young people a
brief moment of pleasure, but its after-effects are worst and
numerous. When they emerge from that state, they are in a state of
deprivation which drives them to go and get some more. It’s a
global phenomenon and the drug lords know this very well. They know
that those who consume these drugs will automatically become addicted
to these substances and then they take advantage of this situation to
make money in thousands / trillions.
Serious
study needs to be done on the reasons and circumstances that drive
young people to use drugs. Not just synthetic drugs, but all drugs. I
read in a newspaper where there was mentioned the case of a
9-year-old child who used synthetic drugs. His mother was on
methadone and his older brother took drug shots (injection). Ponder
over this, a 9 years old? See how our society, our children are
withering!
As
time is running out, I stop here for today. Insha-Allah,
I will come back on this very important subject next Friday. May
Allah help us save our young people from all the calamities and traps
of globalization. May Allah help us to educate them in effective ways
and that drugs and other ills become just a bad memory - though very
difficult but not impossible.
O Allah! Our Ummah! Our Ummah! Protect
the Ummah from Your beloved Muhammad (pbuh) against all dangers.
Protect its faith, its piety and its youth against the pangs of
Satan. O Allah, protect us, and guide us always in the right way, and
help us to help our brethren in the best possible ways, Insha-Allah,
Ameen.
----Friday Sermon of 15
February 2019~10
Jamadi’ul Aakhir 1440 AH delivered by Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (atba) of Mauritius.