Ramadhan and Spirituality
An Imam stood before thousands of Muslims during a Jumu’a Khutbah just before Ramadhan last year. He gave a powerful speech reminding the Muslims of their responsibilities towards themselves, their families and their Ummah. He reminded them that this is a month to start anew; a month to seek Allah’s (Subhanahu Wa ta’ala) forgiveness; a month where Allah (Subhanahu Wa ta’ala) opens the gates of heaven and locks up the Shayateen. He advised the Muslims to read the Qur’an profusely and to abstain from entering into any political discussions during this month. He advised the Muslims to keep to “spiritual” actions and abstain from “worldly” actions and discussions. Some Muslims may agree with him.
During these trying times, it is important to always think carefully about what people say and the source of their thoughts. Are they from Islam or not? We must question the source of even our own thoughts, thoughts that we believe to be obvious facts, but are, in reality, questionable opinions.
Take the words of the Imam, for example. He, like many other Muslims, seems to believe that there is a difference between discussing a hadith about good manners, and discussing the killing of a Palestinian boy at the hands of a Jewish soldier. One is seen as a “spiritual” discussion and the other is seen as a “worldly” political one. Is this the correct way of defining these two actions? Is this the way Islam taught us to look at such matters?
Christianity views man as made up of two parts: spirit and matter. The spirit inclines more to individual acts of worship, i.e. spiritual actions, whereas matter inclines more to indulging in materialistic actions, like earning money, i.e. worldly actions. According to Christianity, the two are like two sides of a scale. You cannot add to one side without compromising the other. For this reason, you are either a “spiritual person” or a “worldly person”, and hence, the separation between “spiritual actions” and “worldly actions.”
Islam does not define things in this manner at all. Rather, Islam clarifies that man is made up of desires and needs. He desires to have an intimate relationship, to have children and to have people who love him close at hand. He desires to own property, to be safe and to be strong. He desires to worship something greater than him, whether it is a large statue, an actor or the Creator of the universe. And he needs to eat, drink, sleep, breathe and relieve himself. His desires are known as his “instincts”, and his needs, i.e. to stay alive, are his “organic needs.”
Islam teaches us that man must choose how he satisfies his instincts and organic needs in accordance with the Ahkam Shari’ah. Man can satisfy these instincts and needs according to the laws of Islam or contrary to them – so he can marry or fornicate; he can work or steal; he can worship Buddha or the Creator of the universe. Likewise, he can feed himself by eating Halal meat or pork. Any action man can possibly undertake has a law revealed for it in Islam. Therefore, there is no conflict between matter and spirit at all; rather, the issue is how man satisfies the particular instinct or organic need. In other words, the conflict is whether to satisfy one’s desires and needs according to the laws of Islam, or contrary to them.
As for defining actions as “spiritual” or “worldly”, no one action is spiritual or worldly in itself; rather the intention one has behind the action makes it spiritual or worldly. So, for example, earning money can be a spiritual action if it is performed based on an order in Islam, as in the hadith of the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam): “None has ever eaten food better than that earned from the work of his own hands.” Seeking to become a ruler can also be a spiritual action if it is based, for example, on the ayah:
“And those who say: ‘Our Lord! …Make us leaders for the Muttaqoon (pious Muslims).’ Those will be rewarded with the highest place (in Paradise) because of their patience” [TMQ Al-Furqan: 74-75].
Or the ayah:
“Rule between them with what Allah has revealed, and do not follow their vain desires” [TMQ Al-Ma’idah: 49].
Even reading the daily news can be a spiritual action, if it is done based on the hadith: “Whoever awakes and is not concerned with the affairs of the Muslims, is not one of them.” On the other hand, reciting Qur’an can be a worldly action if performed to show off to people that one is a pious Muslim. Going to Hajj can be a worldly action if performed to gain profits from trade. Even a sister wearing hijab can be a worldly action if done to protect her hair from rainy weather.
Therefore, it is clear to see that actions by themselves are neither “worldly” nor “spiritual”; rather, they are defined by the intentions behind them. If they are linked to an obligation or a recommendation from Islam, they are spiritual. If they are not at all linked to Islam, or the action is haram or disliked by Islam, then the action is worldly. Hence, the hadith of the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam): “Actions are according to intentions, and for each man what he intended.”
Looking back at the words of the Imam, it is not surprising that some Muslims mistakenly accept this view as Islamic. Today, we live in a world that is dominated by the views of secularist disbelievers. All official sources of information teach us that religion has no place in politics, and they never fail to portray religion in politics as the poison of nations. Hence, is it any wonder that most people believe that politics and Islam are separate?
The truth is that Islam not only recommends that we be involved in politics, i.e. taking care of the Ummah’s affairs and including accounting the rulers, but it is actually an obligation. There are many ayat in the Qur’an to support this, such as the ayah:
“Those (believers) who, if We establish them in the land, establish regular prayer and give regular charity, enjoin the Ma’ruf (right) and forbid the Munkar (wrong)” [TMQ Al-Hajj: 41].
And the ayah:
“Let there arise from amongst you (oh, Muslims) a group who calls to the good, and enjoins the Ma’ruf (right) and forbids the Munkar (wrong), and they are the successful ones” [TMQ Ale-‘Imran: 104].
Enjoining the Ma’ruf and forbidding the Munkar not only includes the individuals amongst the Ummah, it also includes the rulers. For remaining silent over the transgression of a ruler is totally unacceptable in Islam. Therefore, enjoining the Ma’ruf and forbidding the Munkar is a form of politics. This is also supported by many ahadith of the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), such as: “The best form of Jihad is a word of truth before an unjust ruler.” and “(The best people in this Ummah are) the rulers and the scholars” as well as, “Whoever awakes and is not concerned with the affairs of the Muslims, is not one of them.” Therefore, politics is clearly a spiritual action according to Islam, carrying great rewards from Allah (Subhanahu Wa ta’ala), as it means being concerned with the affairs of the Muslims, accounting the rulers if they rule by other than Islam and working to ensure that Islam is implemented fully after the Islamic State is re-established. Such were the actions of our beloved Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam), and he (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) is our example.
In conclusion, it should be clear in our minds that not only is Ramadhan a month for us to pray more, remember Allah (Subhanahu Wa ta’ala) more and read more Qur’an, but it is also a month for us to discuss issues such as the millions of starving Muslims in Iraq and the fact that it is the neighbouring governments –our governments– who are implementing these sanctions, and this is haram. It is a month to look at what the Muslims in Afghanistan are facing of starvation, the attacks by the US and the unconditional support America receives in her “war against terrorism” from our governments, which is also haram. It is a month to fully absorb the fact that our rulers refuse to rule by what Allah (Subhanahu Wa ta’ala) has revealed, which is considered Kufr. And it is a month to look not only at the solutions Islam gives us for such problems, but also to realise our vital role in implementing these solutions.
We must all discuss these political matters, which are just as spiritual as praying to Allah (Subhanahu Wa ta’ala) late at night. For how could we hope that Allah (Subhanahu Wa ta’ala) will love us and forgive our sins if we lived our lives ignoring the fact that His (Subhanahu Wa ta’ala) deen was left on bookshelves for theologians, while we were ruled according to the laws of the enemies of Allah (Subhanahu Wa ta’ala)?
“Corruption and evil has appeared on land and sea because of what the hands of men have earned, that Allah may make them taste a part of that which they have committed, in order that they may return (by repenting to Allah)” [TMQ Ar-Rum: 41].
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