The Obligation of being Aware of our Ummah’s Plight
Brothers and sisters in Islam, this Religion of ours is not just a set of rituals and individual deeds. It is an entire way of life, guiding not only the life of the individual, but also of society. A Muslim is required to care not only for himself, but also for the Muslim Ummah as a whole. The Prophet (salallaahu 'alayhee wa sallam) has expressed this concept very beautifully in the [following] hadeeth,
“The Muslims in their mutual love, mercy and compassion are like
the human body, where if one part is in agony, the entire body
rallies to it in sleeplessness and fever.”
{Bukhari and Muslim, Riyadh us-Salihin, #223)
This desire and love for the well-being of our fellow Muslims should be something deeply ingrained our hearts. If we are not concerned about issues affecting Muslims, we have a very serious problem. The Prophet (salallaahu 'alayhee wa sallam) has said,
“Whoever woke up (and in another narration: Whoever went to bed)
and was not concerned about the affairs of the Muslims is
not one of them.”
So, brothers and sisters, let us each ask ourselves, honestly, what is our reaction when we hear of our brothers and sisters being raped, tortured and killed in Bosnia, in Palestine and everywhere else in the world today?.. Have we lost any sleep over Bosnia, or Afghanistan, or Kashmir? If we are true believers, the answer should be yes, that we feel hurt, and that our hearts stir to move us to action, for the pain of our Brethren is our pain - we Muslims are part of the same body.
So, if we claim we are concerned, then what are we doing about it?
Are we just giving a few dollars every now and then to soothe our consciences? And, at the same time, continuing to live just as we have always been; enjoying our comfortable homes and cars and good food? Brothers and sisters, this is not enough. We must respond whole-heartedly to the call of Allah (Subhannah wa Ta’aala).
“What is the matter with you that you do not fight in the Path of Allah, and
for the cause of the weak and oppressed of the men, women and children, who
say, 'Our Lord! Remove us from this land, whose people are oppressors, and
give us from You a protector, and give us from You a helper.”
{Qur’an, 4:75.}
The first instinct, when we hear of the suffering such as is going on in Bosnia, Kashmir, Palestine and the like, is to have the desire to fight to protect our dignity as Muslims. The word in the verse above is - tuqaatiloona -, which only means to fight; and not - tu^gaahidoona - which can have other meanings. The Prophet (salallaahu 'alayhee wa sallam) has said,
**"There is no Muslim man or woman, who abandons another Muslim man
or woman in a situation in which his honor is being disparaged and his
respect is being violated, except that Allah will forsake him in a
position in which he would love to be helped.
And, there is nobody who helps a Muslim man or woman in a situation
in which his honor is being disparaged and his respect is being violated,
except that Allah will help him in a situation in which he would
love to be helped."**
{Abu Dawud}
Written by: Suheil Laher