He
unfortunately set himself on fire as an open defiance against the autocratic
regime, and this act of his was hailed by the West as a mighty sacrifice for
democracy in the Arab world and he and those who followed his example to
self-immolate themselves - nearly a dozen of them in Egypt, Algeria and
Mauritania – were granted such praiseworthy titles such as “heroic martyrs of a
new North African and Middle Eastern revolution”. This was published in the New
York Times, in the article “How a single match can ignite a Revolution”
published on 21 January 2011 by Robert F. Worth.
This act which the world deemed as a sacrifice for democracy is in fact suicide which is highly condemnable in Islam. No matter how hard a situation may come upon man, he has no right to take the life which does not belong to him. This act of suicide may be deemed by the West as a heroic act but unfortunately it is not so! Islam encourages revenge as per the same degree of torture that one undergoes, reaffirming the Mosaic Law “an eye for an eye” but being more just and lenient in its application. Islam is the Best Model, the Middle Way, between the extreme and the laissez-faire. The leaders who don’t follow the tenets of Islam while proclaiming themselves as Muslim States are accountable in the worldly court of justice as well as the Divine Court of Justice, but no Muslim – I clear and firmly state – NO MUSLIM SHOULD EVER TAKE HIS OWN LIFE! No matter how hard a situation gets, Allah has forbidden His servant to take this satanic step towards self-destruction.
Since
the World Trade Centre attack back in 2001, suicide-bombers were hailed by
so-called jihadists as “martyrs”, and now with the self-immolation of Mohammad
Bouazizi on 27 December 2010, the non-Muslim world is hailing and encouraging
the Muslims to revolt against injustice by setting themselves on fire or taking
up their own lives as a way of protest in the political context. Suicide
remains suicide. It is true that the hard-hearted leaders of the Muslim world
back then made great injustices against its people, but this does not mean that
one sets himself on fire and or kills himself.
Had
Islam and Islamic rulings been properly implemented by those at the head, then
there would not have been the need for the people to revolt. Revolutions which
are unblemished by unislamic codes of conduct are allowed in Islam for as long
as the people do not exceed limits in their claims and protests, but such
protests which go beyond the limits of the permissible such as suicides are
highly condemnable in the sight of Allah.
Though
the Arab Spring may have woken a revolution to battle injustice, but it has
also given the people the idea that the western democracy is the true democracy
and that the Islamic Way of Life (Deen-e-Islam) was a prison. Today,
that idea of democracy has infiltrated the entire Muslim world, whereby Islam
is royally kicked out to welcome the western influence. And this is precisely
what the West desires!
The
Islamic democracy is completely different from the Western one. True democracy as
propagated by Islam reflects fairness, justice and the right for one and all to
exercise his religion, and the right to have all the rights as given to all
Muslims by Allah in the Holy Quran. But the West desires to westernize the
Muslim world, to carve it into its own image of debauchery and it has succeeded
to a large part. Now, Islamic countries like Turkey are openly westernized,
with the abandonment of Pardah, and where there is no distinction
between the Muslim and the non-Muslim. Everything unlawful has become lawful –
indecent films, indecent clothing, alcoholic drinking and many have even become
atheists.
Today,
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates and many more Arab countries have
also joined hands with the West to westernize their respective countries to
encourage tourism and welcome foreign currency. Allah has given a great source
of income to Arabia through the Hajj and Umrah as well as petrol, yet the
so-called rulers of this country, ever hungry for more money and power are
prepared to sell their conscience to the Satan, and to welcome discotheques,
alcoholic drink shops as well as cinema halls and casinos in the Holy Lands as
well as in the other Islamic states! Is this what the Arab Spring has taught
Muslims? To leave their creed and to embrace the way of life of the non-Muslims
– i.e. the Jews and Christians?
Remember
what our Beloved Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) told us (prophesied): “You will follow the ways of those nations
who were before you, span by span and cubit by cubit (i.e., inch by inch) so
much so that even if they entered a hole of a lizard, you would follow them.” [The
companions] said, “O Messenger of Allah! (Do you mean) the Jews and the
Christians?” He said, “Whom else?” (Bukhari)
And
this is exactly what has happened! Muslims are Muslims in name only. The
fragrance of Islam has left them. Today, the attractions of the West with
fashion statements, games, the media and social media influences have
influenced the Muslims – especially the young generations – in the wrong way.
Nothing remains of Islam except its name.
Unfortunately,
it was not an Arab Spring but rather a cold and heartless Winter, when the
Muslims were made to believe that the West is the solution to all their
troubles. Progress is good as long as it does not impede with the Divine Will,
the Divine Commands and man’s duty of obedience to Allah [God Almighty].
Now,
after years of trying to hypnotize the consciousness of the Muslim World,
Allah’s plan is taking a new route (way) in Islamizing the West. Alhamdulillah!
Now, while the Arab Muslims as well as the rest of Islamic states are losing
their roots, hope is rising in the West through the conversions of thousands of
men and women to the dogma of the Unicity of Allah. Today, the sun of Islam is
shining in the heart of the West. They now understand Islam better than born
Muslims. Alhamdulillah! Despite the efforts of the dictators and Islam
haters to cast fear for Islam in the heart of mankind, yet, the ray of hope is
rising like a new sun. And this is what I call the true awakening of the West.
Many who are open-minded and who do not rely on the false accounts of the media
against Islam are thinking on their own with the intellect endowed to them by
Allah. Today, those hearts have attained Islam, and Insha-Allah, they
will become better Muslims. May Allah enable generations of true Muslims to
rise from them. May Allah break the false dogma of trinity and the existence of
false deities and re-establish the original Way of Life of humankind, i.e.
Islam, submission and worship of only one God, the True Unique God, the Creator
of everything known and unknown.
Today
the Muslims are oppressed in their lands; they are labeled as strangers and
rebels whereas it was the oppressors who came and sought refuge from them, and
they generously offered them their help. But what happened, the proprietors
became roofless because of their generosity. The lesson here is not that
generosity is not good. On the contrary generosity is required of all Muslims,
but the enemies were hiding behind their helplessness to take advantage of the
generosity of the Muslims. Today, the Palestinian people are suffering. They
were tested to the core. Those who remained firm in the path of Allah without
resorting to suicide will have the best reward with Allah. Allah will Himself
protect His Holy Lands and Sanctuaries. Try as they may, when the armies of the
angels of Allah descend, the enemies of Allah are sure to perish – a horrible
death. May Allah show His might in these distressful times! May Allah awaken
the consciousness of the true peacemakers around the world to help in the
blessed cause of saving innocent lives and their rights! May Allah re-establish
their rights! Be it in Palestine, China, Burma, Syria, Yemen and the rest of
the Arab world, and wherever else the Muslims are suffering, may Allah make the
true and fair people, lovers of justice to stand up for the oppressed and bring
about world peace as is truly desired. Insha-Allah.
The
Middle East has been experiencing turmoil since the Arab Spring uprisings and
revolutions, and the inner sufferings of the people even before that because
their leaders are full of themselves and seek what pleases their own selves
instead of looking at and catering for the larger welfare of their people. If
today’s leaders don’t reform themselves and rectify their conduct, I fear for
them an atrocious end like the like of Ariel Sharon and much worse. May we all
fear God Almighty and cater for the global welfare of all humankind – Muslims
and non-Muslims alike, co-living in harmony. Insha-Allah.
May
Allah show the beauty of Islam to the people in these distressing times and may
truth vanquish falsehood, may the light of Allah overcome all darkness of evil.
Ameen.
---Friday Sermon of 17 May 2024~ Dhul Qaddah 1445 AH delivered by Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam Hazrat Muhyiuddin Al Khalifatullah Munir Ahmad Azim (aba) of Mauritius.