A call for concern and unity of the Ummah – Islam Question and Answers

As it dawns today in Mina, the inert bodies of hujjaaj in their Kafans lay down on earth of the sacred valley. The hujjaj and the ummah ask questions on the explanation on this year`s events and Hajj. Metres from the Ka`bah, some were martyred with rocks above them, while others were martyred in a stampede in Mina. What await the Hujjaaj today? And yet the sacred rites has not yet finished. Questions arise for the Hajees and for the Ummah.

First of all, the ummah should know that the sacred valley of Mina is the spot where Hazrat Ibrahim a.s. presented the sacrifice of his son Ismael a.s. Today we will pelt the 3 Jamarats from after Zawaal. These spots you will be pelting are the places where Shaitaan appeared provoking Ibrahim a.s. to fail his test. And yet he was about to achieve the imaamat and leadership of the deen of Allah. But Ibrahim a.s. pelted him down the earth 3 times. So beloved Hajees and Ummah of Rasouloullah SAW, let`s pelt the actions of Shaitaan today and let it not be in our house nor our society. For verily these actions would jeopardize our well being in this world and also our jannah.

The beloved prophet SAW said on a sahabah that passed away in Ihraam that he would wake up on the day qiyamah reciting the labbaik!(Bukhari):

عَنْ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ قَالَ بَيْنَمَا رَجُلٌ وَاقِفٌ بِعَرَفَةَ إِذْ وَقَعَ عَنْ رَاحِلَتِهِ فَوَقَصَتْهُ أَوْ قَالَ فَأَوْقَصَتْهُ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ اغْسِلُوهُ بِمَاءٍ وَسِدْرٍ وَكَفِّنُوهُ فِي ثَوْبَيْنِ وَلَا تُحَنِّطُوهُ وَلَا تُخَمِّرُوا رَأْسَهُ فَإِنَّهُ يُبْعَثُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ مُلَبِّيًا

My beloved Hajis, know that the white cloth of Ihraam that you have put is alike the Kaffan. White, pure, simple and without discrimation of race nor colour of skin. So once you have it on, turn on your wish to be shaheed in it. Because it is an easy way to get away from all your sins and past mistakes and a guaranteed card-insha Allah-for an entry in Paradise. And know that dying in Hajj is not an azaab, but a rahmah.

The ummah should know that Allah Ta`ala is testing us. Allah has promised to test the muslims so as to know who is sincere in his imaan(29:2) Any difficulty from Allah Ta`ala is a test and a call for betterment for the muslim ummah. The ummah should develop concern for each other and open their shores, borders and homes for their muslim brothers and sisters. The ummah needs an injection of concern and pity for muslims.

In fact the downfall and weakness of the ummah is because of ‘’love for the worldly possessions and dislike to die.’’(Abu Dawood)

عَنْ ثَوْبَانَ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُوشِكُ الْأُمَمُ أَنْ تَدَاعَى عَلَيْكُمْ كَمَا تَدَاعَى الْأَكَلَةُ إِلَى قَصْعَتِهَا فَقَالَ قَائِلٌ وَمِنْ قِلَّةٍ نَحْنُ يَوْمَئِذٍ قَالَ بَلْ أَنْتُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ كَثِيرٌ وَلَكِنَّكُمْ غُثَاءٌ كَغُثَاءِ السَّيْلِ وَلَيَنْزَعَنَّ اللَّهُ مِنْ صُدُورِ عَدُوِّكُمْ الْمَهَابَةَ مِنْكُمْ وَلَيَقْذِفَنَّ اللَّهُ فِي قُلُوبِكُمْ الْوَهْنَ فَقَالَ قَائِلٌ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَمَا الْوَهْنُ قَالَ حُبُّ الدُّنْيَا وَكَرَاهِيَةُ الْمَوْتِ

So the ummah needs to know that death is coming, may come abruptly and hence you should rather prepare for it. The reluctance to give place to muslim refugees is because of one`s wealth and personal well being. So this is a point of reflection for us as the centre of earth witness these martyrdom.

There was worst ‘’tragedy’’ in the sahabas time. During the 18th year Hijri, on the limit of Jordan, the sahabas were rejoicing of the conquest of Jerusalem. Allah Ta`ala made it such that a pest took at least 25000 sahabas and tabi`ees. Allah Ta`ala is free to do what He wills. If he wants to leave the qabr of Moossa a.s. unknown and then keep the corpse of Pharaoh exposed, then He is not to be questioned. So on the 18th year Hijri, the pest was declared in Amwaas. There was total panic on the gravity and on the rampant death occurring. Some treating the pest as a great curse and that we should run away from it. But in that panic, sahabas like Abu Ubaidah bin Jarrah r.a. and Mu`az bin Jabal r.a. instructed the Ummah to take the pest as a rahmah and blessing. Both Hazrat Abu `Ubaidah bin Jarrah r.a. and Mu`az bin Jabal r.a. asked du`a to not only be taken by the pest, but also take their whole family and progeny be also be martyred by the pest! Because they heard the beloved prophet SAW said that the pest is a ‘’martyrdom for muslims’’, ‘’a rahmah and blessings for muslims’’, ‘’a purifier of actions of the ummah’’ and ‘’a du`a of the prophet SAW’’. (Musnad Ahmad) And when the symptoms of the pest first appeared on their body, they would rejoice and say: ‘’I would not be so happy even if I had red camels.’’(Ahmad) The same pest and mass death is a punishment and a curse for the non muslims.

So mass death of muslims is a purifier for the ummah. The beloved prophet SAW made du`a that him ummah be martyred in the path of Allah in front of enemies or in a pest. (Hakim)

اللهم اجعل فناء أمتى قتلاً فى سبيلك بالطعن والطاعون (أحمد ، والحاكم فى الكنى ، والبغوى ، والطبرانى ، والحاكم عن أبى بردة الأشعرى أخى أبى موسى)

So fi sabilillah or in the path of Allah may be counted with or without fighting. Over here the beloved prophet SAW categorised death in the path of Allah even in a pest. That is why going in the path of Allah is merely to travel for the upliftment of the deen of Allah and not necessarily with arms and fighting.

In surah 4, verse 78, Allah Ta`ala is answering those munafiqeens and hypocrites about their argument that muslims would not have suffered death in Uhud should their opinion be taken. But Allah Ta`ala answered them that death would have taken you anywhere you are, even if you were at home that time. Because death will come at its prescribed time. So no time for critics or comments, but rather it is the day to dress up in ihraam, longing for Kaffan at the end of the day. Why not this du`a of Mu`az who was a mufti that used to give fatwa in the presence of rasouloullah SAW: :’’Oh Allah take me in this pest and take my family also.’’ It is reported that the pest have taken the whole family of Mu`az bin Jabal r.a.

Death will come on its time, and there is no escape from it. So let`s make du`a to die in the path of Allah like sahabas. Their qabrs are scattered around the world in Eastern gulf, Africa, Asia, Yemen and everywhere. Let`s long that our qabr be far from our home. In fact it is nifaaq and hypocrisy if we do not wish to sacrifice our life in His path.

So out of your year, take out some time to travel for the sake to uplift sunnah and the deen of Allah throughout the world. Besides this, I cannot see any other way to unite the ummah.

Muslim leaders should forgo the differences of country and race and take the muslims in need as their own citizens. Rizq will come from Allah Ta`ala. It is time to stop fighting on divergence issues and hold onto the rope of unicity of Allah. Let`s try to build the ummah by creating space as the ansaar did. Allah Ta`ala says: ‘’These are true believers: those who have believed, emigrated and strived in the path of Allah and those who GAVE SHELTER and aided.’’(8:74) Allah Ta`ala mentioned these qualities twice in this surah. Giving shelter and space is the symbol of a true muslim. Today how many of us are true muslims?