Tajdeed

Why is the Muslim Ummah Humiliated?

وَلَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا إِلَىٰ أُمَمٍ مِّن قَبْلِكَ فَأَخَذْنَاهُم بِالْبَأْسَاءِ وَالضَّرَّاءِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَضَرَّعُونَ

Sahih International

And We have already sent [messengers] to nations before you, [O Muhammad]; then We seized them with poverty and hardship that perhaps they might humble themselves [to Us]. (6:42)

فَلَمَّا نَسُوا مَا ذُكِّرُوا بِهِ فَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ أَبْوَابَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا فَرِحُوا بِمَا أُوتُوا أَخَذْنَاهُم بَغْتَةً فَإِذَا هُم مُّبْلِسُونَ

Sahih International

So when they forgot that by which they had been reminded, We opened to them the doors of every [good] thing until, when they rejoiced in that which they were given, We seized them suddenly, and they were [then] in despair. (6:44)

The oil rich nation of Qatar who allies with the colonial Western powers who subjugates, dominates and kills the Ummah has been attacked by the little servant and agent of the West, the filthy, terrorist state of Israel who genocides innocent men and women and children. The Arab kings got humiliated in their palaces whilst they were engaging in luxurious acts, but the truth is that they were already in humiliation but they did not realise it. These imperial governments have humiliated the whole world with their vicious capitalistic kufri philosophy and worldviews and they have placed military bases in the Arabian peninsula without shame, and the so-called Arab kings who want to be kings and lords besides God have allowed this humiliation. 

“And never will Allah grant to the disbelievers a way (authority) over the believers.”

(4:141)

Without a doubt this was the humiliation of the Gulf before the bombing of Qatar. They have not only allied with the tyrants but they have obeyed them.

“Give tidings to the hypocrites that there is for them a painful punishment – those who take disbelievers as allies instead of the believers. Do they seek with them honor? But indeed, honor belongs entirely to Allah.”

(4:138–139)

They wanted power or honour when pledging allegiance to the colonialist, they paid tribute, they gave jizya in humiliation but it was of no avail! They put their trust in the devil and the devil watched them burning!

“And do not incline toward those who do wrong, lest you be touched by the Fire”

(11:113)

Did they not read the Qur’an? Why did they not judge with what the Lord has revealed? Why did they not implement what Allah has ruled? Are they the legislators or is it God!?

“Do they seek the judgment of [the time of] ignorance? But who is better than Allah in judgment for a people who are certain [in faith].” (5:50)

Without a doubt alliance with the disbelievers against the Believers is a clear act of disbelief that removes one from Imaan and the Book of Allah is the evidence against them!

“O you who have believed, do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies. They are [in fact] allies of one another. And whoever is an ally to them among you – then indeed, he is [one] of them. Indeed, Allah guides not the wrongdoing people.”

(5:51)

The Prophet Muhammad (S) has prophesied the state of the Ummah today. Look at how vivid and explicit the given description is in the report. In this Hadith, the Prophet gives us the cause of the problem and the solution to it as well.

Narrated Thawban:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: The people will soon summon one another to attack you as people when eating invite others to share their dish. Someone asked: Will that be because of our small numbers at that time? He replied: No, you will be numerous at that time: but you will be scum and rubbish like that carried down by a torrent, and Allah will take fear of you from the breasts of your enemy and last enervation into your hearts. Someone asked: What is wahn (enervation). Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): He replied: Love of the world and dislike of death. (Sunan Abi Dawud 4297)

The engagement in excessive pleasures and luxuries is the definition of the Prophetic description “love of this world” and this is what the “rich” Gulf Arabs did when they left their nomadic, tough, rough, harsh Bedouin lifestyles of the deserts and instead adopted a weak petrol dollar lifestyle of mansions, fried chicken, shopping and air conditioning. 

A person or a community like this is destined to fail due to being too attached to the temporary dunya, they do not want to self-sacrifice, they run away from hardship, they are too attached to what they have invested, so their luxuries have softened them and distracted them from truth, honour, obligation, duty and the desire of the Hereafter. Like spoiled brats, they want everything immediately, they seek quick pleasures, they are hedonistic, they become hasty and they see the Hereafter as too far even though the life in this world is only seconds or moments compared to what is experienced in the everlasting abode of the Afterlife.

Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (ra) reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “When you enter into ‘inah transactions, and you hold onto the tails of cows, and you are content with agriculture, and you abandon jihad — Allah will impose humiliation upon you. He will not remove it until you return to your religion.” (Musnad Ahmad 5093, Abu Dawud 3462)

It is interesting how the Messenger of God equated agriculture with the abandonment of striving, struggling and fighting. This is not to say that farming is forbidden in the Sharia, on the contrary it is a necessity in society. Rather, what the Messenger is describing is the excessive investment in the dunya, planting investments for the future which then lead to surplus and these surpluses lead to a life of comfort and luxury and this lavish lifestyle softens and weakens the men of that society. Before luxury, they were hardened but now, they do not strive anymore, they do not hunt, so they do not fight, rather the cultivated land gives them everything they need. 

كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَائِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ ۗ وَنَبْلُوكُم بِالشَّرِّ وَالْخَيْرِ فِتْنَةً ۖ وَإِلَيْنَا تُرْجَعُونَ

Sahih International

Every soul will taste death. And We test you with evil and with good as trial; and to Us you will be returned. (21:35)

The truth is that evil and hardship exists in life, so we need to accept it and we need to experience it but the difference between the soft and the strong is that the soft are destroyed by the truth of hardship, whereas the strong embrace its reality and make it an opportunity to shine from it like how gold shines when burning. Death is a reality that should be accepted and it is a reminder that this life is temporary so we shouldn’t be too attached to it. In fact, the reality of death should never stop us or hinder us from fulfilling the objective duties and obligations for the sake of God’s pleasure. 

Sahih International

Wherever you may be, death will overtake you, even if you should be within towers of lofty construction. But if good comes to them, they say, “This is from Allah “; and if evil befalls them, they say, “This is from you.” Say, “All [things] are from Allah.” So what is [the matter] with those people that they can hardly understand any statement? (4:78)

It is evident that God is testing us with both blessings and calamities in order to bring the best qualities out of us and to know whether we are steadfast or not.

Sahih International

And if Allah had willed, He could have taken vengeance upon them [Himself], but [He ordered armed struggle] to test some of you by means of others. And those who are killed in the cause of Allah – never will He waste their deeds. (47:4)

When one accepts this reality of life, then they can be willing to sacrifice themselves when necessary. And this is where the collective obligation of striving and struggling comes to play.

“And fight them until there is no fitnah and [until] the religion is entirely for Allah. But if they cease, then there is to be no aggression except against the oppressors.”

(2:193)

The word Deen in this verse does not mean faith, instead it is referring to the whole system, the judgement and the way of life. Therefore, the Believers are obliged to strive against the corrupt, man made, deceptive system of the oppressors who have made themselves lords, deities and idols that are obeyed unconditionally in disobedience to the system of the Merciful, Just, Wise Creator. Verily it is God who has Created life despite not needing to, hence it is established that none of us needed to exist, yet we exist due to His Mercy and grace, so it is He who owns it, without sharing this with anyone. Thus, the right of legislation, judgement and governance solely belongs to Him!

وَاذْكُرُوا إِذْ أَنتُمْ قَلِيلٌ مُّسْتَضْعَفُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ تَخَافُونَ أَن يَتَخَطَّفَكُمُ النَّاسُ فَآوَاكُمْ وَأَيَّدَكُم بِنَصْرِهِ وَرَزَقَكُم مِّنَ الطَّيِّبَاتِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ

Sahih International

And remember when you were few and oppressed in the land, fearing that people might abduct you, but He sheltered you, supported you with His victory, and provided you with good things – that you might be grateful. (8:26)

The human being needs to be grateful to God and strive to obey His commandments and fulfil the covenant for His pleasure individually and communally as well. The Believers cannot allow the evildoing, transgressing forces to prevent them from committing to this Divine obligation and they are obliged to be firm against them and put their trust into the one who controls all affairs. 

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا لَقِيتُمْ فِئَةً فَاثْبُتُوا وَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا لَّعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ

Sahih International

O you who have believed, when you encounter a company [from the enemy forces], stand firm and remember Allah much that you may be successful. (8:45)

This is a reminder for us that we as Muslims are failing the trials and tests sent to us by God. Our collective duty as the best Ummah is to be strong, patient, steadfast and persevere against evil for the sake of greater good, for the sake of God. The ultimate priority is to seek His glorious pleasure and obey, fulfil and bring His commandments in this life that will give us honour in this world and pleasure in the hereafter. 

This is the true success!

You are the best community ever raised for humanity—you encourage good, forbid evil, and believe in Allah. Had the People of the Book believed, it would have been better for them. Some of them are faithful, but most are rebellious. (3:110)

By Abul Hasan al-Shaddadi