Friday 21 November 2008, 09:51 PM (GMT)
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MPAC UK, United Kingdom, Sunday 13 January 2008
Do I have a beard? Check.
Do I have a miswaak that is exactly 3.5cm long? Check.
Do I consider keeping my trousers above my ankles more important than helping my fellow human being? Check.
Alhamdulillah! Now I'm going to Heaven for sure! And shame on any Muslim that doesn't keep a beard/miswaak/trousers at ankle-length.
In case you can't tell, I'm being extremely sarcastic.
When I talk to Muslims they try to find all types of excuses to get out of their obligation of jihad, and the best excuse Muslims seem to use is Islam. They make it seem that there are things more important than taking a stand against falsehood, and that Islam isn't about helping the oppressed.
If anything, Islam is the complete opposite. It empowers us to be better people - it purifies us so that we can strive for truth, justice and be a beacon of light for those around us.
Islam was never as superficial as we make it out to be. I'm not saying that fiqh isn't important, but when you focus only on arguing about how black sisters' hijab should be or how long a miswaak should be and do not help those who are truly in need of it, then you are part of the problem. Islam illuminates our hearts and souls and this also manifests itself in our actions. Don't use Islam as an excuse for being lazy - because if you are a Muslim then you would be at the forefront of tackling Zionism, reforming our mosques to become beacons of light and hope rather than the black holes they are right now, and actively partaking in media and political lobbying.
If we don't act now and instead focus on petty things then how will we face Allah on the Day of Judgement? Our excuses of arguing about minor points of fiqh will not hold any weight in front of the Creator.
So next time you're about to go off on a fiqh-ey binge about the minimum number of hairs your beard should consist of, how black a hijab should be, or how long a miswaak should be, remember one thing - put your fiqh in context and get your priorities right.
And why should ye not fight in the cause of Allah and of those who, being weak, are ill-treated (and oppressed)?- Men, women, and children, whose cry is: "Our Lord! Rescue us from this town, whose people are oppressors; and raise for us from Thee one who will protect; and raise for us from Thee one who will help!"
The Glorious Qur'an, Surah 4 (Surah An-Nisa), Verse 75
If you would like to learn more about how you can help your fellow Muslims, then please come along to one of our branch meetings (based in the UK). Contact us at info@mpacuk.org for more info.
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Comments (2)
Karim Ahmed Kasim ( 10 months ago )
I would like to promote the idea of accepting diversity among Muslims. Islam is that is a way of life, which means be good to each others, all creatures& all Human. To do so we would need to charge our souls &be empowered by worship practices mainly the 5pillars &the smaller issues from the teachings of the prophet SAAW, companions&trusted scholars. So, we shall accept the differences among us, those who grow beard and those who shave are seen as diverse, different yet equal Muslims.
Asif Aziz ( 10 months ago )
Although I agree with the message of the article I think a lot of muslims will argue that if we dont start with small issues facing muslims how then can we tackle the larger ones.
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