THE UMMAH NEEDS A HUD HUD
My intention of sharing this with you is that maybe at least, I can instil the awareness and awaken you to such crucial issues. Maybe some of my words can bring a filament of light to bring us to the end of the dark tunnel and towards the light and make our people rise up.
Within the last few years, compare the amount of crises that happened in the ummah against the amount of individuals trying to do something about it. These people are rare and truly are the modern day super heroes of Islam. Whereas the majority of the ummah is watching without any interest or willingness to help in any way.
Taking a look at the refugee crisis in Europe: the majority of aid organisations are organised by non Muslims. They have the discipline, support and sincerity to volunteer their time, money and energy to act in a concerted manner in whichever way they can. In fact, when I performed a fund raising drive in one of the Middle Eastern countries for Muslim refugees, it was the Christians who donated the most generously, and they also did so anonymously without wanting any credit or recognition. Whereas the rich Muslims either ignored the plea or made empty promises. This is not to say that the Muslims did not help at all, but those who were generous were few.
When Muslims try to promote some good, many of these endeavours do not end well because instead of standing united, we cause fitnah and destruction, with power struggles for glory and credit, arguments and being destructive due to envy and jealousy.
Do we take any initiative to get together to start even a small but beneficial project? If we meet a person qualified to undertake a project, are we willing to let that person take the lead, while we gather support for this person to help us develop the future of this nation? Do we try to learn from our elders, to gain the knowledge and wisdom to pass to the new generation to carry the awareness of the pain and suffering of the past, and take it to convert it to a healing and remedy and strength and elevation for the future?
Our time now is filled with so many frivolous and negative activities: family dramas, calamities, time wasting hobbies, backbiting and gossiping. We obsess over dinner venues, lunch appointments and vacations. When will we share the same zeal and energy for the elevation of the ummah?
Islamic history had many beacons – figures such as Salahuddin and Muhammad Al Fateh, whose glorious achievements lit up the name of Islam. Where are people of such characteristics today – and even if we saw them, would we be willing to support them?
We need the characteristics of the hud hud, the one who feels responsible in front of Allah to carry and care and honour themselves, the ummah and mankind, by changing the condition. We need the hud hud.
Aching about the condition about the ummah is not enough. We should take that ache, and use that as the basis of a sincere du’a to Allah to be the cause of the ummah’s elevation, and to beg Allah to open for us, and facilitate the means of action for us. We should reprioritise our lives and to organise practical ways to change the condition of the ummah, one project at a time, starting with ourselves. We should be sincere, and be willing to sacrifice for the elevation of our deen.
Follow the teachings of Allah and Rasulullah SAW. It was reported that in the last meeting between Allah and Musa AS, Musa AS asked Allah to give him the final advice. Allah said, Ya Musa, don’t look and follow the sins and mistakes of others while you are full of it, because nobody will be pure from mistakes.
Today, if everyone of us becomes busy to develop, support and do what it takes, even if it’s a drop, imagine what we can achieve. We have almost 1.7 billion Muslims. If everyone of us feels responsible and tries to do whatever he or she can, in our capability, or join up with others who try to do good, or we learn our deen better. The main thing is to be busy in our journey of iman, or support by any means, or emigrate to a land or to a people to be with them.
