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Tag: prophetic wisdom

  • Laying the Foundation for The Ummah

    Laying the Foundation for The Ummah

    Allah SWT has sent about 124,000 Prophets and Messengers throughout history but there is something special about Rasoolullah (peace be upon him). All previous Prophets came only to preach to their particular nation primarily, or to their specific tribe, but Rasoolullah (pbuh) came with the Message to all of mankind, until the end of time.

    Allah SWT says, “We have not sent you [O Muhammad] except as a messenger of good news and a warner to all people, but most people do not know” (Qur’an 34:28). Further, at the end of a long Hadith narrated by Jabir bin Abdullah (r), Rasoolullah (pbuh) said, “… Every Prophet used to be sent to his nation only, but I have been sent to all mankind” (al-Bukhari).

    Since Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was sent to all humanity, then as his true followers, we are required to spread the Message by utmost sincerity and effort because no more Prophets or Messengers will be sent, and this Divine Message must be delivered. Yes! As Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaa’ah [the people of the Sunnah and the Community who unite upon it], we do believe that in the end times, Prophet Jesus (a.s.) will be coming back, but he will not be coming with anything new. In fact, he will be following the Shari’ah of Muhammad (pbuh).

    Not judged by results

    Let us be clear that we will not be judged on the results in delivering this Message but on our efforts; the result is in the hands of Allah SWT. Today it seems that Da’wah revolves around numbers and speakers. In the Ahaadith it is reported in both Imaam al-Bukhari and Imaam Muslim that Rasoolullah (pbuh) said: “The nations were shown to me, and one or two Prophets would pass by me with a group [of followers], and a Prophet who had no one with him.” It is also narrated by at-Tirmidhi and an-Nasaa’i from Ibn ‘Abbaas, who said, “When the Prophet (pbuh) was taken on the Night Journey [Isra’ and Me’raj], one or two Prophets would pass by him who had a community with them, and one or two Prophets who had a small group with them, and one or two Prophets who had no one with them, until he passed by a great multitude…”

    Yet, all these Prophets carried out their responsibilities in delivering the message of Tawheed (The Oneness and Uniqueness of Allah SWT) to their people and preached against anything their people worshipped besides Allah. So, we have to go out and deliver the Message of the deen. And we do so with the wisdom and the methodology shown to us by Rasoolullah (pbuh). Allah SWT commands, “Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good advice, and reason with them in a way that is best. Indeed, your Lord knows best who has strayed from His path, and He knows best who is guided” (Qur’an 16:125).

    Dear brothers and sisters — living as a minority here in the U.S., we have this responsibility to deliver the true Message to both Muslims and non-Muslims. The freedom of assembly and speech we have may not last for long, and we will be held accountable for the opportunities Allah SWT gives us to share this Message. The question we should constantly ask ourselves it this: “Did we fulfill our responsibility in delivering this Message as commanded by Allah SWT and His Messenger?” In fact, we should deliver the Message to the fullest extent of our ability, even if our ability is very limited, as Rasoolullah (pbuh) said in a hadith narrated by ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr (RA): “Convey from me, even if it is one verse.”

    Al-Haafiz ibn Hajar (may Allah’s mercy be upon him) said in his book, Fath al-Baari: about this Hadith: “’Even if it is one verse’ means that everyone who heard him (pbuh) would hasten to convey whatever he heard of the verses, even if it was very little, so that in this manner everything that he (pbuh) brought would be conveyed.”

    Another scholar explains this Hadith in the following way: “If a person understands what he is calling people to, it makes no difference whether he is a great and prominent scholar or a seeker of knowledge who is serious in his pursuit thereof, or a regular person who has certain knowledge of the issue in question. The Messenger (pbuh) said, ’Convey from me, even if it is one verse,’ and he did not stipulate that the Daa’iyah [one who invites to Islam] should have reached a high level of knowledge, but it is essential that he should have knowledge of that to which he is calling people. But calling out of ignorance or calling based on emotion is not permissible.”

    How should we deliver this message of Islam to people?

    First, it is important to connect with the people as Rasoolullah (pbuh) did for 40 years of his life before receiving revelation. If we just give speeches to the people and do not interact with them, allowing them to know who we are, what our beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors are in everyday and commonplace ways, then they are not very likely to give full attention to lectures, or be moved or inspired by them.

    Secondly, we should stand for justice for everyone in society. We know when Rasoolullah (pbuh) was given the news of his Prophethood by Angel Jibreel (a.s.), he went home and told Khadija (r) what had happened and expressed some worries about his experience. She told him, “Never! By Allah, Allah will never disgrace you. You keep good relations with your kin, help the poor and help the needy, serve your guests generously, and assist those afflicted by calamity.” Note that Khadija (r) described his virtuous behavior that he was known for before he had begun his mission as a Prophet. So, if we help other people in their social and economic affairs, in taking care of their needs, it opens the door, insha’Allah, to their spiritual life.

    What are some challenges?

    First, the purpose of Shaitaan is to let Muslims feel content with the minimum. He makes us busy with Zhikr and Salaah, etc. While Zhikr and Salaah are an essential part of Islam, they are not the whole Islam. How can Zhikr and Salaah alone change the munkar (evil) in society?

    Another challenge is related to semantics. Sometimes lectures are more about the speaker’s eloquence and ability to play around with words in verses of the Qur’an. This kind of da’wah acts as a pacifier to the Ummah, often diverting attention from real issues. The Qur’an has not been revealed just for its linguistic beauty, but, more importantly, as a Book explaining he correct aqeedah, laws, and human actions. It is a guide for humanity to submit to Allah SWT, leaving off taghut or false idols, injustices, exploitation, and corrupt political and economic systems.

    A third challenge is living life with a victim mentality. We complain about “this and that” happening to us. Such a mentality can make us passive and unwilling to take full responsibility for our lives. Rasoolullah (pbuh) never indulged in the complaining and defeatism of victimhood, even though during his prophetic mission, he was victimized in so many ways. Just read the Seerah and see what he endured and yet never complained but continued his mission to the end with utmost faith and resoluteness.

    Dear brothers and sisters — we have to be courageous. If we act with a defeated mentality, our future generations will not survive. If all we can do is to complain about our situation despite the freedoms we enjoy, then when will we convey the Message that Rasoolullah (pbuh) came with?

    In conclusion, let us reflect on what Allah SWT says:

    “So, unto this [religion of Islam] then invite, and be steadfast as you are commanded, and follow not their desires, but say: ‘I believe in whatsoever Allah has sent down of the Book and I am commanded to do justice among you. Allah is our Lord and your Lord. For us our deeds and for you your deeds. There is no dispute between us and you. Allah will assemble us, and to Him is the final return’” (Qur’an 42:15).

  • The Racial Divide Deepens

    Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him said, “God does not look at your bodies nor your physical forms, but rather He looks at your hearts and your actions” (Related by Abu Hurayrah in Muslim, Riyad al-Salihin #7). In a world that is still largely driven by prejudices based upon race, color, and appearances, this teaching could not be timelier. Renowned Harvard biologist E.O. Wilson, in his 2012 The Social Conquest of Earth, writes about tribalism — the need to belong to or join groups and affiliations, usually ethnically based — as an abiding human instinct. When coupled with the need to feel superior to others, this ethnocentrism gives rise to prejudice, conflict, and war.

    A recent Newsweek poll confirms that the race divide is not only still existent, but deepening within American society, amplified by the election of a black president. Our country is dissevered over this issue and the reactionary far-right simply isn’t ready or willing to see past the color of a person’s skin. I have long maintained that the political upsurge from middle America, with everything that it has spawned, from the Tea Party to Islamophobia to anti-immigration legislation, is the same old swagger of the beast of racism. America, and the rest of the world, have not yet solved the problem of race, and have much to learn from the Islamic tradition.

    The only valid basis for superiority — for honor — is moral excellence, not race, not nationality

    Physical appearance or outward aspect has no value with God, according to Islamic teaching. What matters are the internal states of mind and heart, as well as the individual’s deeds and contributions to the human fund of goodness and well-being. Tribalism is neither inevitable nor predeterminate. The Quran emphatically asserts the common origin of all human beings: “O mankind! We created you from a single male and female, and made you into nations and tribes, so that you may know one another. Verily the most honored of you in the sight of God is the most righteous of you” (Qur’an 49:13). Race and ethnicity exist as identifiers and bounties of diversity granted out of the munificence of God. Nothing more. And the only valid basis for superiority — for honor — as the above verse tells us, is moral excellence, not race, not nationality.

    Prophet Muhammad solved the race problem in his own society in an incisive manner. His words and teachings reflect a heightened passion for perceiving and interacting with people with tolerance and appreciation of the diverseness of the human species. Few things irritated him more than people conflicting over race or tribal affiliations. In Makkah, his early followers included former black slaves and those from many different tribal and ethnic affiliations, including those who were scorned in the proudly tribal society of Arabia. Among his dearest Companions was the African, Bilal, who was to become the official caller to prayer. The Prophet continued the egalitarian tradition in his new-found home of Madinah, where he unified the various warring tribes into brothers and sisters in faith, teaching them that pride based on tribal identity or venerated ancestry was condemned. He, pbuh, said, “Let people stop boasting of their ancestors who are gone, otherwise they will stand more degraded with God than the dung-beetle that rolls dung with its nose” (At-Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud). The simile used compares the one who venerates his ancestors to the lowliest imaginable creature — the dung-beetle which thrives on the excrement of other creatures!

    After one of his Companions of prominent lineage expressed some disparaging remarks towards another in a crowded gathering, the Prophet asked him to look around and then said, “What do you see?” He replied, “I see people of all colors, white, black and red.” The Prophet informed him, “And you are not better than any of them, except by piety.” On another occasion, he told another close Companion, “Look, you’re not better than a white or black person, except by reason of your piety.” Once, heated words between individuals escalated into full-scale tribal threats and counter threats  which earned the fury of the Prophet. He remarked, “Leave these calls, for they are abhorrent! You still call to the ways of ignorance?”

    In his momentous return to Makkah, with his remaining foes humbled and surrendering, he ordered the ultimate symbolic display of egalitarianism, a sounding denunciation of racism once and for all. He directed Bilal to climb the Ka’bah in front of thousands to sound the call to prayer. One of the proud Arabs remarked, “Thank God my father did not live to see this day” and another asked, “Couldn’t Muhammad find other than this black crow to be the caller?” On this same occasion, as an inspired confutation to their ignorance, the Prophet delivered a sermon in which he reiterated the lesson on human fraternity: “There are only two types of people: the righteous, who are honorable in the sight of God; and the wicked, who are disgraced in the sight of God. In fact, all men are the children of Adam, and Adam was created from dust.”  Then he recited the verse mentioned above on the common origins of humanity (49:13).

    The Prophet never ceased his mission to eradicate the bonds of tribalism and racism. His final public address included the same lesson about egalitarianism and the only criterion for honor: “People, know that your Lord is One, and your father was one. No Arab has any superiority over a non-Arab, nor a non-Arab over an Arab; nor a white person over a black person, nor a black person over a white person — except by piety. The most honorable of you in the sight of God are the most pious and righteous of you.”

    Muslims in the U.S. possess a vibrant egalitarian tradition that continues to inform our values and our experience, as it has for the Muslims who have resided over the generations in this country. We would do well to share the Islamic wisdom that can help heal the wounds still plaguing this nation; and Americans would be well-served to open their ears and hearts to those lessons from their fellow, well-wishing, Muslim citizens.