‘Ummah’: The Signs of Decline

  

Religious communities emerged in history against the backdrop of the advent of Divinely-raised messengers and prophets. These elects of God invariably stood for true values of life; with ethically-sound teachings and wisdom of pure conduct, they guided their peoples to the light of Divine guidance. Indeed, the good example of the holy men remains among the people for a period of time. Then, in the ebb and flow of time and history, we see that as the memory of the Prophet recedes and become distant from the generations born later, the teachings of the Faith will be obscured, misunderstood, or distorted by lesser men either out of personal desires, or otherwise corrupted through encounter with other nations and their idolatrous ways.  

 

Based on the spiritual history of the rise and fall of nations, Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) indicated to his companions and followers the Clear Signs that characterized the nations that were in terminal illness before their Final Fall: the spread of immorality, unjust enrichment, the breaking of Covenants and agreements, tyranny and persecution, sectarianism and strife, etc. According to several traditions emanating from the Holy Prophet of Islam (sa), Muslim Ummah will also undergo profound changes in the course of time and encounter different challenges and trials as the world approaches the End Times. Reproduced below are a number of Prophetic Traditions [Ahadith] that foretells about the decline in Faith and loss of morality and ethics in the End Times:

The Fate of Muslims & Unity

“… when guidance comes to you from Me, whoever follows it, there will be no fear for them, nor will they grieve.” (Al-Baqarah, 2: 39) 

 

“Fight them until persecution is no more, and religion is all for Allah. But if they cease, then Allah sees all that they do, but if they pay no heed, be sure that Allah is your Protector; the best Protector and the best Helper!” (Al-Anfal, 8: 40-41)

 

The times we are living are difficult times for Islam. While those who sow hatred against Islam are doing their best to destroy the true path that leads to Allah The Almighty, on the other hand, Allah is inspiring other hearts to accept Islam. Through the satanic plans of the hate-mongers who sow hatred against Islam – whereby they have devised strategies to picture the religion of Islam as a terrorist religion, but Allah is devising another vaster plan, for the great victory of Islam.

Identity Conflicts

As a religion of God, Islam is an uncompromisingly monotheistic creed, and its spiritual realm has no space for any form of idolatry, or the worship of lords beside the Lord Almighty. As its mark of identity, Islam prescribes fraternal affection and bonds of solidarity among all believers, regardless of their racial or linguistic background, social or national origin. Indeed, Islam recognizes the universality of the religious experience and testifies to the Divine origin of religions among all the peoples. As God is Lord of all the Worlds (of mankind, angels, animals, plants, this world and the world to come, etc.), Islam also fosters utmost sympathy and compassion for all of His creatures (not just for fellow-Muslims); upholding the dignity and rights of all communities of people living in society. Islam envisages a social order that will peacefully facilitate the triumph of good over evil; the  prevalence of truth over falsehood in the ideational battle and struggle for supremacy between God's Religion, and all other ideologies.

Yet Today, ours is an age of rising intolerance and identity-based conflicts among communities. Societies are splintered on religious and sectarian lines. Many conflicts have their roots in religion-based adverse discriminations. The persecution of minority communities such as the Rohingyas in Myanmar and the Uighurs in China by the nationally-dominant  non-Muslim groups uprooted millions of Muslim peoples from their own homes and hearth in recent years. Likewise, the deep schism in Islamic lands, among the Sunnis and the Shias, and also other marginal  sects such as the Ahmadis, have also witnessed much sectarian bloodshed and killings. Likewise, the radicalization of the Muslim youth through extremist and militant interpretations of religious doctrines for political mobilization by a section of the Mullahs' and their terrorists' groups is also a threat to social peace and harmony, and also to the fair name of a pure religion.

In his Friday Sermon of 17 September 2021~09 Safar 1443 AH, Imam- Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam Hazrat Khalifatullah Munir A. Azim (atba) of Mauritius speaks about Islamic teachings that promote religious tolerance, inter-community harmony, and social peace in our divided world. Hazrat Khalifatullah (aba) notes that whether majority or minority in  a land, the Muslims ought to emphatically reject all excesses in the name of our identity. As Hazrat Saheb (aba) points out, the Holy Prophet (sa) stated: “He who supports his clan in aggression and he who calls on others to support tyranny is not one of us.”  Indeed, it is vital to reclaim the true and original spiritual moorings of Islam, so that  a just social order  is available for everyone to pursue their religious beliefs and spiritual convictions without any hindrance.  

Read the Friday Sermon Below:  

'Jihad' and World Politics

One of the most misunderstood and much maligned concepts in the world of religion today is the doctrine of ‘Jihad’ in Islam. Unlike any other matter of devotional piety in any religion, ‘Jihad’ brings around it images of a deadly cocktail of religion, identity politics and armed violence involving wily politicians, extremists and terrorists; generating genuine anxiety, confusion and fear among the people. Indeed, ‘Jihad’ has come to mean different things to different people in our times. 

In our deeply troubled world, where powerful nations set the rules of the global game, non-State actors are also increasingly becoming vital players. In States where turbulent political conditions exist, ‘Jihad’ is almost invariably associated with the call to arms and violence by certain Muslim-groups ostensibly working to protect the collective interests of the Muslim communities concerned. For many governments with separatist movements or insurgent groups in their territorial domain; ‘Jihad’ is nothing but an ideology of unbridled violence and mayhem championed by non-State actors. In sharp contrast to this, the groups fighting States look upon ‘Jihad’ as the ideology of their political resistance against unjust regimes- the moral and ethical justification for their militant campaigns against governments that ‘oppress’ the people. Inspired by their own notions of injustice and agency; often seeking retribution for alleged past crimes of the State concerned or to induce change in State policies vis-a-vis certain matters; organized groups as well ‘lone wolfs’- including suicide bombers- perpetrate violent crimes, targeting symbols of State power. These attacks often indiscriminately impact civilians as well, leading to ‘collateral damage’- unnecessary suffering for common people caught up in such incidents.

For instance, the horrific 9/11 terror attacks in the United States of America at the beginning of this century- in the year 2001- directed at the symbols of American military and economic heft resulted also in the death of thousands of people going about their everyday lives. The terrorists who executed this most audacious attack claimed they were driven by the ideals of ‘Jihad’ in committing this mass murder. Those who waged this ‘war’ on America were seeking vengeance upon the country for its dreadful policies abroad- including military interventions that killed hundreds of thousands of innocent people, and even destroyed entire societies in the Muslim world. Despite the moral high-ground the parties in conflict- States and the terror groups- seek to assert for themselves, both State terrorism and non-State terrorism are problematic for their means and methods of warfare and also due to the profound consequences such violence has upon its innocent victims, common folks like us.

Terrorism: The Politics of Hate

On "Islamic” Terrorism

Today, the so-called “Islamic” terrorism is on everyone’s lips. Some want nothing more than to satiate their visceral hatred of everything related to Islam. In Western countries nowadays, it is recurrent for them through their written and spoken media/ press to perpetually talk/ discuss on the subject of “Islamic” terrorism that is currently overtaking the world. There is not a day which passes by that this act (“Islamic” Terrorism) does not make the front page of the media and therefore raises debates within the Islamic community and elsewhere on the merits of this religious terrorism. By publishing it urbi et orbi, there is no doubt that some people want nothing more than to appease their visceral hatred of everything related to Islam and to discredit this faith in the eyes of those who do not profess it.

So far, a lot of conferences, debates and meetings have been organized worldwide so that common sense prevails between the protagonists. But in these dialogues of the deaf not a single glimmer of hope of peace, love and tolerance appeared on the horizon - those who vilify Islam continue to inject hatred and dream of a last crusade to end forever with the modern-day Saracens, i.e. the Muslims. On the other hand, the rebellious (among the Muslims – the extremists) do not give in - they organize themselves and make armaments speak. In all this folly, it is quite legitimate for one to know what the Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam thinks about this so-called “Islamic” terrorism which is being projected from morning till night.

I really wonder what they mean by “Islamic” terrorism! Islam is to terrorism as light is to darkness, life to death or peace to war. Naturally they intersect each other but in diametrically opposed directions. We see them cling to each other but they never make the road happily together, hand in hand. However, it cannot be denied that on many occasions Muslims are involved in terrorist activities on behalf of a predominantly Muslim group or country. 

But aren’t there also other groups involved in terrorism and subversion around the world? Suppose that by using the same principle that gave rise to the term “Islamic terrorism”, would it be appropriate to label all other forms of terrorism as follows: Sikh terrorism, Hindu terrorism, Christian terrorism, Jewish terrorism, Atheist terrorism, Buddhist terrorism, Animistic terrorism and Pagan terrorism?

It is not easy to turn a blind eye to the various forms of terrorism that are unfortunately growing in every corner of the world; it is impossible in fact for an observer to be unaware of the persecution, bloodshed and murders perpetrated in the name of a so-called ideal or noble cause. Terrorism is a global problem that requires careful consideration in its broadest aspects.

'A Call for International Peace'

The International Day of Non-Violence is observed each year on 2 October – the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, who helped lead India to independence and inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world. It is a befitting occasion to reflect upon the many ‘fires’ around our conflict-riven world where there is much violence, oppression and injustice. Many ‘powerful’ ones- nations/leaders/groups/entities- are steeped in arrogance and hostility against the ‘wretched of the earth’; seeking to suppress the legitimate interests and rights of the ‘other’ among them. In a special message, Muhyi-ud-Din Al Khalifatullah Hadhrat Munir Ahmad Azim Saheb (atba) of Mauritius calls our attention to the need for individual and collective efforts to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms, promote just relations among communities and peoples and to uphold ‘Peace’ as an ethical imperative of our times: 

“It is my humble appeal to the national and international authorities to see to it that human rights are always respected at every step of the way….Each government, and each individual also at his own personal level should strive to help in building a peaceful society, and strive to fight all evils along the way”.

Coercion- Against the spirit of Islam

A common misconception that has resurfaced recently and this time in a magnified, out-of-proportion blow is that the instrument for the spread of Islam was force. This is indeed an age-old allegation, the root of which kept on growing with hatred against Islam, to stop the progress of truth, peace and harmony.

Islam never advocated compulsion. If the Holy Quran, the books of Hadith and historical records are carefully examined, studied and listened to attentively, as far as possible, one is bound to reach one positive conclusion. That conclusion is that the allegation that Islam permitted the use of sword - or any other armament for that matter - for the spread of religion is shameless and utterly unfounded. This, in fact, is the view held by only those who have not studied the Holy Quran or the Traditions or other reliable sources of Islamic history without prejudice. 

Some have even gone to the extent of fabricating lies and levying unfounded charges upon Islam without inhibition. I know that the time is approaching fast when those who are hungry and thirsty for Truth will see through their deception. 

Can a religion be described as a religion of compulsion when its Holy Book, the Quran, has categorically prohibited the use of force for the spread of faith? So says the Holy Quran: There is NO COMPULSION in religion. (2: 257).

Can we accuse that great prophet of using force against others, who for thirteen years, day and night, exhorted all his companions in Mecca not to return evil for evil but to forbear and forgive. When, however, the mischief of the enemy exceeded all limits and when the various peoples around him made determined efforts to exterminate Islam, God’s attribute that He always defends His beloved one so demanded, “Let those who raised the sword perish by the sword.”