The times we live in, Muslims face a hard time, whether it be from the disbelievers, or their own people. Many terms have come around such as moderate Muslims
The confusion is made deeper when people say “Islam is a religion of the centre, of neither extremes.”
True, it is. But these people hoist their own fabricated version of what being “moderate” means.
Moderate does not mean diluting or compromising your religion, as some of the moderates seem to be doing.
Some Muslims who seek to please the people forget that their duty is to please their Creator, and not the people.
These Muslims fear the anger of people, yet it is God who has the right to be feared. Misplaced priorities equal’s misplaced minds.
In this day and age we live in people would rather put their trust in the Western media, not knowing in reality what goes on, there is more that meets the eye, what is shown on the televisions, or newspapers, is often biased, and one-sided [most of the time]. They wish for the Muslims to integrate with society, and forget about what is really happening to their Muslim brothers and sisters worldwide. Our own Prophet peace be upon him stated:
“There shall come upon people deceptive years, in which the liar will be regarded as truthful, the truthful one will be regarded as a liar, the treacherous one will be trusted, the trustworthy one will be mistrusted, and in which al-Ruwaybidah will speak.” Someone asked, “What is al-Ruwaybidah?” He said, “A paltry man speaking about the affair/business of the general public.” [Ahmad, Ibn Majah, al-Hakim]
Our prophet peace be upon him has already stated why we are in the position we are in, and this over 1400 years ago:
Thawban reported that the Prophet, sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said: "The People will soon summon one another to attack you as people when eating invite others to share their dish. Someone asked: Will that be because of our small numbers at that time? He replied: No, you will be numerous at that time: but you will be scum and rubbish like that carried down by a torrent, and Allah will take fear of you from the breasts of your enemy and cast Wahn in your hearts. Someone asked: What is Wahn? The Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam replied: Love of the world and hatred of death." (Related by Imam Ahmad with strong chains of narrators, and Abu Dawud).
The obvious cure is to love the hereafter rather than the world, and work for the hereafter. There is also a issue of unity which Muslims should adhere to, they should hold tight to the rope of Allah in times like these, since if we keep tight to this, then we inshaallah we wont go astray. This religion does not need us, but rather we are in need of it. A scholar once stated:
**This deen [religion] does not and will never die, and if it were to die, it would have died the day it was confined and pursued in Makkah, and its time was like that of a newly-born or a small seedling, but it survived and grew to be towering.
This deen does not and will never die, and if it were to die, it would have died the day its Messenger was expelled alone and isolated; none was with him but his Lord and his companions, yet he migrated, gathered the Muhajireen (Emigrants from Makkah to Madinah) and Ansaar (Helpers and residents of Madinah) around him, formed the Islamic state, and strengthened its might.
This deen does not and will never die, and if it were to die, it would have died the day Madinah was beseiged in the Battle of the Trench, when there came upon them from above and below, when eyes grew wild and hearts reached to the throats, and they imagined various thoughts concerning Allah (subhannah wa ta’ala), but it endured, raised high its flag, and reached wherever the night and day reach… **
How true, these words, throughout the times since the Prophet peace be upon him came, this religion has been through trials, tribulations, and at the end it will always come out on top. Some people may feel why are Muslims in the position they are in, if this is the religion of God? These times are here to distinguish between those who really believe, and those who are just part of the flock who stay astray, and follow their mere desires, rather than obey the words of Allah.
In the time we live in Muslim blood gets spilled openly, at this present times our lands are under attack..such as Iraq, Kashmir, Palestine, Afghanistan, Chechnya and so on..and yet there are some who have the audacity to state that this is not a war on islam, what more obvious proof do people want?
Allah says in the Quran ** They want to extinguish Allaah’s Light with their mouths, but Allaah will not allow except that His Light should be perfected even though the disbelievers hate (it). ** Their example is the example of he who wants to extinguish the light of the sun or the moon by blowing at them!
If Allah had wanted, Muslims could have been in a position of superiority always, but this is not the case, specifically for the reason that he wants to test how us [Muslims] react to the tests we face, do we stick up for our religion? Are we proud of our religion? Do we fear the disbelievers more than Allah? And so on..
Do you think that you will enter Paradise before Allaah (tests) those of you who fought (in His cause) and (also) tests those who are the patient? [3:142]
There are many wisdoms in the current happenings-many which we dont know of, as a prominent Shaikh [scholar] mentioned:
Allah’s wisdom underlies every decision and every condition. He administers the entire universe, and, He is informed of its beginning and its end, controlling its events and its interrelationships. He knows the wisdom, hidden from us behind the curtains of the Unseen-the wisdom which, in conjunction with His will, unfolds the long process of history. Sometimes, after generations and centuries, Allah unveils to us the wisdom of an event which was not understood by the contemporary people. They might have wondered: Why this? O Lord! Why did this happen? The question itself is due to ignorance from which the Believer saves himself. He already knows that behind every decision there is wisdom. His breath of concept and his far-seeing vision in space and time, and in values and scales, raises him above this unbelief whose beginning is in such a question. He journeys on Allah’s ordained course with submission and contentment, pleasure.
There will come a time when Islam will dominate..and the truth will spread throughout the world, but this time has not yet come, but one has to work for Islam to his/her own abilities, we cant just expect something to come from nothing..or no effort.
Imaam Ahmad recorded from Tameem ad-Daari that he said,
"I heard the Messenger of Allah saying, This matter (Islaam) will keep spreading as far as the night and the day reach, until Allaah will not leave a house made of mud or hair, but will make this religion enter it, while bringing might to a mighty person (a Muslim) and humiliation to a disgraced person (who rejects Islaam). Might with which Allaah elevates Islaam (and its people) and disgrace with which Allaah humiliates disbelief (and its people)."
And as The Prophet (Peace be upon him)) said:
“There will never cease to exist a group from my Ummah being apparent upon the Truth; those who forsake them will not be able to harm them.” (Muslim)
May Allah make us of them-Ameen.