Opinion
Opinion: Musings on the State of Muslims today
We often experience that the Muslim Nation is suppressed, meek and weak. Muslims who form a major chunk of the world’s population are fighting to make their cries heard, tears seen and problems solved. Yet, the world doesn’t gives a damn to their plight and woes.
Have we ever thought about the reason for all this? Are we not the Nation that has been termed as the “best of all the Nations” by the Creator of all these Nations? Then why are we in such a mess?
Allah answers this great question of ours in the Noble Quran, wherein He says, “Verily never will Allah change the condition of a people until they change it themselves (with their own souls). But when (once) Allah willeth a people’s punishment there can be no turning it back nor will they find besides Him any to protect.” – Surah Ar Ra’d – 11.
Can’t we as such say that the problems that Muslims face today are as a result of what their own hands have earned with regards to disobedience to Allah, His Religion, His Messenger and His Laws?
Having travelled to different countries of the World, I have got a chance to meet and observe Muslims from different walks of life. From doctors to engineers, cleaners to motor mechanics and from educators to preachers, I have got a chance to sit with them all.
Observing the Community of Muslims in general and Muslim individuals specifically, I sensed that Muslims are striving hard to compete with fellow humans in terms of the pseudo pride, prestige and progression, at the cost of their own real identities.
Although most Muslims would maintain the superiority of their Culture and Way of Life but that would only be in speech and not in action! Our Noble Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) had said that “Whosoever imitates a Nation is one among them”, yet we see Muslims madly following others.
This decay in our faith can be attributed to the enormous reach of the media today. Our youth have been infected by popular culture. The effects of this virus are such that even our elders have been convinced of the supremacy of this “21st Century Lifestyle”—forcing Muslims to shun the noble lifestyle of the Messenger of Allah and follow some reel life gangsters and criminals.
As such you would see a group of Muslims being apologetic about many aspects of the religion and have given themselves a title of being “moderate”.
Many of such moderate Muslims might pray 5 times a day, but the same people would be vocal about some practices that were ordered to us by Allah and His Messenger, example of which is the ridiculing of the beard and the Islamic Hijaab.
Many a times, they mock and refute the alleged backwardness of the practical Muslims. But when argued in a manner of wisdom with truth, they ask for freedom of choice.
In retaliation, we have some zealots involved in some severe activities. They do so in order to “Make the word of Allah Supreme”. They govern themselves with a false principle: “Ends Justify the means”. But should one ask them: Is robbing to feed a hungry justified?
If your answer is no, then how can you use this principle to defend you illogical and unproven methodologies?
In order to bring benefit to the Muslim Community, they would soften the principles of religion, lie, cheat, rob and what not.
At the same time, we have a beautiful group of Muslims, who have submitted to the will of Allah absolutely. They are the ones who are working day and night to bring back glory to this weak Nation of Muslims by inculcating the values of Islam practically in their own lives first.
They have taken up the banner of “Tasfiyah Wa Tarbiyah” – Purification and Education.
These people call upon the fellow Muslims to shun all forms of negligence and extremism and govern their lives in accordance to the Law of Allah so that Allah guides the misguided and gives back to the deprived what he deserves.
The writer is a student of Islam and the founder of www.kashmirica.com, a platform from where he is trying to take Kashmiri craft to every part of the world.
Views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the editorial position and policy of Free Press Kashmir. Feedback and counterviews on the debate are welcome at editor@freepresskashmir.com.
