Where is the hud hud?
You must we wondering what we are referring to! It is a hud hud or hoopoe which lived during the time of Sulaiman AS. He was late for a meeting with Sulaiman AS, because he spotted something during his travels which distressed and upset him greatly. He saw a nation where its inhabitants worshipped the sun, and was shocked and furious that an entire nation would dare worship any other than Allah.
The hud hud cared about living the message of Islam, and reported this incident to Sulaiman AS. Later on, Allah made the hud hud the tool for the same nation to embrace Islam. This story is reported in the Qur’an and the life of Sulaiman AS can be found at http://muslimfootsteps.com/newsite/2020/09/11/sulaiman-as-part-1/
Contrast that with the condition of the ummah today: we are divided, immersed in deep materialism, ignorant about matters of this world and the next, chasing our “success in life” for ourselves and our families, which is often based on dunia milestones, seeking and generating drama and fitnah, looking towards the faults of others, gossiping and backbiting, even racing to expose other people’s sins. We participate in revealing the mistakes and causing the downfalls of other Muslims.
This is one of the most humiliating eras in the ummah. A huge number, in fact, hundreds of millions across different continents, and even entire Muslim countries, are suffering, oppressed and impoverished. The other portion of the ummah is oblivious or passive, watching from the sidelines doing nothing more than commenting or complaining about it online and sharing links but without any positive and assertive action. Only a few of the ummah are actively helping, by raising funds, educating others, volunteering and making some form of organised effort to relieve the suffering. The rest on the onlookers are in a paralysed and apathetic state.
The irony is that millions of people are sharing links with each other, or arguing over the social media, or discrediting and destroying speakers or any person who tries to do good. We become so busy of “munkar” (evils) of others and we are not busy with “maaruf “(spreading goodness). In fact, we are now living the complete opposite of the ethics and manners of the Muslims laid down by Allah and Rasulullah SAW. We complain about corrupted leaders, as well as the political situation of Islamic countries that are unconnected to us, as if passing the blame to them justifies our inaction. Instead of promoting unity, we are spreading rumours, backbiting and targeting any famous ‘ulama or any person who is trying to do good and destroying their reputations by discrediting them and generating slanderous remarks. Instead of doing anything to help, we are actually destroying those who are trying to do good.
We are commanded to be the ummah of ma’aruf. The Qur’an says:
You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah. [Al Qur’an 3:120]
Our lifestyles and priorities today are completely contrary to the teaching of this ayah, and from this message. This is evident by the number of slanders and character assassinations against famous Muslim speakers nowadays, many of them going viral through the hands of the Muslims themselves. Many Muslims today take the side of non-Muslims in attacking and causing the downfall of any Muslim establishment or good cause, and similarly siding with the non-Muslims on matters which are contrary to Islamic faith itself and discredit Islam. Instead of any constructive action, we find many of the ignorant ummah being Muslim apologists, as if to disassociate themselves from Islam in order to gain the approval of the non Muslims.
This is where we are today.
However, will we get anywhere by just talking and complaining? Our course at the moment is absent of any leadership, murabbi (being the person who has the quality to lead) or quality companionship. Our ummah is not seeking authentic knowledge, proper companionship, or developing any sense of urgency, responsibility, and leadership to change the tide of the condition of the ummah.
This needs a sincere, devoted hud hud: a person who feels the intense responsibility of living the message and who will try to do what it takes to change the condition of the ummah.
This will not happen unless we start with the nucleus of any nation: the family unit, the one producing the son and daughter of the future of the ummah. If the parents do not own these qualities themselves, then how do they pass the baton to the next generation? Most parents we have met are obsessed over academic achievements, showing off and focusing on the superficial. Very few, if any, teach their children the noble values of being a concerned member of the ummah, or to make their children aware about life beyond their immediate sphere. Instead, most parents wrap their children in an artificial bubble, where they are the centre of the universe and superior to all, without any feeling, caring or concern about others.
As existing parents in the ummah, can we say that we are producing future leaders who can carry the banner and embody the message of Islam to alleviate the agony, the suffering and the ignorance of the status quo of the ummah and wake the ummah up from the existing slumber and paralysation?
In fact, is this something that we are even giving any thought to, much less doing something about? In the middle of our busy routines in life, do we give any consideration at all to the condition of the ummah, or have we become so desensitized and selfish that no amount of news about the oppression, hardship, suffering or even famine of the ummah with affect us at all?
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.
