Post by maruf on Jan 9, 2006 21:15:30 GMT -5
Working collectively for the cause of Islaam
It is common sense that the practical work towards re-establishing the Khilafah requires that convinced devoted Muslims would organize themselves into a party for this objective. The unity of the worldwide Ummah and implementation of the Deen in this world would not come about without Muslims working for it—it did not happen that way with the Prophet (saw) and Sahabah (ra), so why would we think that it would occur today.
For any cause that one believes in, and wants to see come about in real terms, he/she would need to put practical work in to help facilitate its bearing of fruit.
For instance, if I want to get stronger, I would need to start to lift weights or do calisthenics. If I want a better job, would need to start actively looking and applying for one. These causes are all on the individual level, however, when my cause involves many people, it is clear to see that organization is what that is needed.
It is one thing for an individual to raise his/her cause, but quite another for 20 brothers/sisters to petition their cause. There is strength in numbers.
Organization is actually a natural outcome of any individual or individuals serious and devoted to their cause. This is because the serious individual would seek to convince others of his issue. If the issue were a real and a natural one, it would be felt by others in society as well.
These individuals would naturally come together, if nothing else but to agree on what is vital in their lives. If these individuals wanted, and actually believed, their cause to come about, they would begin (or should begin) to put forth a plan about achieving their objective. The party would be naturally born.
In the West, issues of race, gender, social class, are easily felt, and organized around.
The 1960’s movements epitomized organized struggle in a Western context. They were so much of a concern for the Powers of the day, that they developed domestic spying and counterrevolutionary programs to discredit and destroy such movements. However, the mobilization and organization proved to be an effective tool to accomplishing a group’s objective.
This grouping or organizing among us (the Ummah, Muslims) is sorely what is lacking in my estimation.
If Kuffar understand that the only way to advance their cause is through movements, why is it so hard for us to realize this when we have Daleel (Islaamic evidence) to support it?
Organizing as a movement is first, and foremost, an Islaamic obligation, Here is the evidence:
“Let there be among you a group that invites to the good, orders what is right and forbids what is evil, and they are those who are successful” [TMQ 3:104]
The establishment of the Party in response to the saying of Allah (swt),
is because Allah (swt) has ordered the Muslims in this verse that there must be among them a structured group, which should perform two duties: Firstly, to invite to the good, i.e. to invite to Islam; and secondly, to order what is right and forbid what is evil. As for the word ummah meaning a party or a group, this is mentioned in leading
Arabic dictionaries like Fairuz Al-Abadi’s Al-Qamus al-Muhit. He said, “Verily a party is a group of people. A party is a man, his followers and friends who hold the same views and values.”
Imam Abu Bakr Ibn al-‘Arabi said in his book Ahkam al-Qur’an:,“Verily ummah in this verse means group (jama‘ah)”.
Imam Al-Tabari, a leading commentator and interpreter, said in his book Jami‘ al-Bayan on the meaning of this verse, “Allah (SWT) means by this: There should be among you a group (jama‘ah) inviting people to Islam and its rightfulness.”
Qadi Al-Baydawi said in his book Anwar al-Tanzil on the meaning of this verse, “‘Among you’ here, aims at singling out a group of people, because inviting to what is good and forbidding what is wrong requires certain conditions and qualifications which are not shared by all of the Muslim Nation, like the knowledge of the Divine Law (Shari‘ah) and the manner in which the obligation is to be carried out.
That is why Allah (SWT) addressed everyone at the beginning of the verse and then ordered the selection of a few people. This was to show that it is the duty of everyone; so if it is abandoned then everyone would be sinful, but the sin would fall if a group of people - qualified for the task - performed it.”
Therefore, ‘ummah’ here means group (jama‘ah) and group means party (Hizb), both having similar meanings, only party is more specific than group. A party has a bond that links all its members together around one ideology and one goal that unites them; the party is a man, his followers and friends who carry the same opinion and ideals. Imam Al-Razi said in his book Tafsir Mafatih al-Ghayb, “A party is a man and his friends who share his views; it is the people that unite under the order of their party.”
This order to establish a structured group is a request. However, there is a conjunction (qareena) to the effect that this is a decisive request (command), because the work of the structured group, as defined in the above verse (inviting to Islam, ordering what is right and forbidding what is evil), is an obligation upon Muslims; they have to perform it as confirmed in many verses of the Qur’an and the ahadith of the Messenger of Allah (saw) which indicate that.
The Messenger of Allah (saw) said, “By Him in Whose hand is my soul, you must order what is right and forbid what is evil, otherwise Allah will be about to send His punishment upon you. And then if you pray to Him (to ask Him), He would not answer you.”
«æÇáÐí äÝÓí ÈíÏå áÊÃãÑä ÈÇáãÚÑæÝ æáÊäåæä Úä ÇáãäßÑ¡ Ãæ áíæÔßä Çááå Ãä íÈÚË Úáíßã ÚÞÇÈÇð ãä ÚäÏå¡ Ëã áÊÏÚäå ÝáÇ íÓÊÌÇÈ áßã»
This hadith of the Messenger of Allah (saw) is a conjunction showing that the request (in the above verse) is decisive, and the order is an obligation.
The evidence is clear, the situation in the Ummah is clear, and the insight that I cannot do it alone should be clear as well.
We must begin to understand that if we really say that we believe, we must work for Islaam like we believe it, and like we will be victorious.
In my opinion, all over the Muslim world, we should be a constant mode of forming Islamic groups, or joining sincere groups who are actively working to bring Islaam back.
We must move beyond merely saying Islaam will come back, or pointing out the problems with the Ummah. We need movements that contain individuals, which work for calling towards what we know is the solution to the Ummah’s problems — which is implementing Islaam.
At this stage in the Islaamic cause, it is not acceptable to merely agree and walk away from joining, forming, and working as organized Muslims to bring into life what we say is a solution.
This is the biggest fear of the oppressors of man, the enemies of Allah, and allies of Shaitan—that we would begin to work together with liked-minded Muslims to practically bring Islaamic systems and solutions to this world.
They, the enemies of man, only benefit when we relegate Islaam to being in our hearts and books.
Of course, organizing posses, a threat to those that do not want their world order turned upside down, and of course, it potentially puts the group or party into harm’s way. However, this harm can only come about by the permission of Allah, and reward for working for Allah is something we all desire as Muslims.
Despite the fact that organizing is potentially harmful (in this life), without it, we need to really ask ourselves are we just talking, do we really believe seeing Islaam implemented, do we want to really see the condition of the ummah improve, with the permission of Allah.
Organizing, working with a sincere party or group, for sure will not take us back, or make our condition as an Ummah any weaker, it is the only way for any concerned sincere Muslim to bring their Islaamic issue to the forefront.
Eid Mubaraak
wa`alaykum As-salaam