( Surely
Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change
their own condition.)
(Ar-Ra`d 13:11)
Baghdad—this
beautiful city on Tigris River—the historical capital for the Islamic
state and for the world, where Muslims ruled the world for hundreds of
years, is now occupied. Baghdad, the center of culture and sciences,
where Christians and Jews lived safely and peacefully, enjoying freedom
to practice their religion for hundreds of years. Baghdad, this
cherished Muslim city, was invaded in the past by the Mongols, who
degraded all ethics and all values of humanity, slaying women and
children, and violating sacred places. Nowadays, time repeats itself and
the same bloody scene is being played on the same stage.
Do
you know, Muslim youth, that the sanctity of the Muslim blood outweighs
the sanctity of the Ka`bah? What will be our argument before Allah
Almighty when He asks us about our slackness in helping these oppressed
people? Do you know that we will be questioned about the effort we did
for our religion and our Ummah?
Indeed,
what we are suffering from today is not just the crisis in Iraq, but
also the crisis of the past 100 years, through which the Muslim Ummah
fell prey to many ailments, especially the following:
1.
Distance from Allah and abandonment of the divine laws
2.
Scientific and technological backwardness
3.
Moral and behavioral decline
4.
Blind imitation of bad examples
5.
Division and disunity, and preferring personal interests to the
interests of the Ummah
6.
Misunderstanding of Islam and wrong application of its teachings
As
a result, our Ummah lost its consciousness, lost its awareness of its
goals, interests, and identity. This, of course, encouraged enemies to
think low of us and made Muslims feel disappointment and despair as well
as confusion and impotence.
This
bitter reality will not change unless we realize and make use of the law
of change:
( Surely
Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change
their own condition.)
(Ar-Ra`d 13:11)
No
change or recovery can be expected unless we ourselves embark upon the
process of changing our affairs. This law of change is not an empty
slogan. Actually, it is the only way to get out of the dilemma we are
undergoing.
Now,
the question is, what are the aspects that should be changed? The
following ten points answer this question:
1.
Repentance must replace sin.
2.
Obedience must replace negligence.
3.
Seriousness, manliness, and high resolve must replace
slackness, laziness, and carelessness.
4.
Desire for scientific achievement and creativity must
replace narrow thinking and limited vision.
5.
Positivism must replace negativity.
6.
Patriotism to the Ummah must replace blind following
of the West.
7.
Useful and productive work must replace emptiness and wasted
time in trivial matters.
8.
A complete comprehensive understanding of Islam must
replace mistaken or partial knowledge.
9.
Preference of the Ummah must replace individuality and
selfishness.
10.
Hope must replace despair.
Whenever
the question “what to do?” occurs to you, remember these ten points.
Change them, and then you can expect Allah’s victory. Islam has
started with youth in your age, and you, the Muslim youth, are the most
capable of bringing about this change. Just exert your effort to make
these changes within yourselves and within your societies, then rest
assured that Allah will never let you down, and that success will be
yours because the law of change will then, and only then, be in your
favor.
*
Excerpted with some modifications from:http://english.islamway.com/
**
Amr Khaled is an Egyptian da`iyah who hosts the
popular series Sunaa Al-Hayah (Life Makers) on Iqra’
satellite channel. He is the founder and chairman of Right
Start Foundation International,
based in the United Kingdom. He is presently studying for his doctorate
at Wales University, UK, with the thesis title "Islam and
Co-Existing with Others."
|
