Many a times we feel sad, stressful and relentless when we hear on the news of our fellow muslim brothers and sisters suffering throughout the world. The sadness and concern is the proof of our imaan. Because the beloved prophet SAW said:’’You would notice that the feelings of pity, love and concern between fellow mu-mins is expressed same as if in a single body. If one part of the body is sickly infected, then the whole body becomes restless and feverish.’’(Bukhari)
Feeling pain and concern for our fellow muslim brothers and sisters is a sign of Imaan. But important to know that we cannot act but with sunnah of the beloved prophet SAW. And the sunnah instruct us that we have to put forward the benefit of the whole ummah and not one segment only. Note that nowadays our continents are alike one village. International reactions to a group of persons in a country are very common in our daily news. In fact the beloved prophet SAW prophetised this saying: ‘‘O Ibn Mas`ood! Amongst the signs of Qiyamah, the mu-min will become more defenceless like the baby sheep in the village!’’(Tabrani) Hence the international islamophobia has been prophetised by the beloved prophet SAW.
Our religion has not come to cause mischief on earth, but to establish order. The beloved prophet SAW did not abolish brutally slavery putting forward the argument that all human beings were free sons of Adam a.s. But rather he encouraged smooth and free will liberation by saying whoever free a slave, then he will be freed from Hell fire himself.(Tirmizi) Our religion is synonym of establishing social and political peace in the world.
The beloved prophet SAW sometimes would suffer from ill treatment of his fellow muslim brother and would sacrifice his feelings but would abide to the established peace protocol to the whole muslim community. The clear example is the happenings around Abu Jandal r.a.
He embraced Islam and he was being persecuted by his own family. But because of the treaty signed between muslims and non muslims, the beloved prophet SAW could not help him. Because helping him would mean breaking the peace treaty prevailing and would hence jeopardize the whole muslim community.
Once Abu Jandal r.a. was sent by the prophet SAW to return to his persecutors, he happened to kill them. The beloved prophet SAW exclaimed to Abu Jandal r.a.: ‘‘What have you done? You are an igniter of war!’’(Bukhari) The beloved prophet SAW refused his asylum and he was bound to leave Madinah Munawarah. So this is clear message to us muslims today, living in the world village. We cannot act deliberately to cause havoc to local muslim communities by going to join in Jihad, etc. Because this will cause havoc to the existing local community. Because the Jihad is first for the residents of the country concerned, then for the neighbouring countries.
Today, if you are living in a country where there is peace and azaan being given openly in your area, then react how the prophet SAW reacted to Abu Jandal. We should not give hand to jeopardize the local peace and deen activities that we are having. For you travelling to ‘help’ in jihad would cause local political pressure against local muslim community. Know that you are in a village and every move from you is accounted by all the villagers.
What can we do when we hear on Palestine, Syria, Central African Republic,etc ?
- Du`as.
The beloved prophet SAW gave Abu Jandal du`as:
لَوْ كَانَ لَهُ أَحَدٌ
‘May he be helped’
It is reported in Abu Dawood that the beloved prophet SAW refused to fix the price of the market and stated that he could not be unjust to neither the supplier nor the customer. But he could do one thing in such ‘majboor’ circumstances: Du`as!
Reported in Muslim shareef that when Yajooj Majooj would come, no one would be able to fight them. Then Hazrat Isa a.s. and the muslims would take refuse in the mountains. The only way to get rid of Yajooj Majooj would be Du`as!
Today also, we cannot defend the present attacks on muslims, but we can make Du`as.
Not only Duas, but duas accompanied with salaahs of ourselves and our family.
Reported in Bukhari that when the beloved prophet SAW was informed about difficulties of the ummah, he himself woke for tahajjud and he make his whole family wake up:
أَنَّ أُمَّ سَلَمَةَ زَوْجَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَتْ اسْتَيْقَظَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ لَيْلَةً فَزِعًا يَقُولُ سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ مَاذَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ مِنْ الْخَزَائِنِ وَمَاذَا أُنْزِلَ مِنْ الْفِتَنِ مَنْ يُوقِظُ صَوَاحِبَ الْحُجُرَاتِ يُرِيدُ أَزْوَاجَهُ لِكَيْ يُصَلِّينَ رُبَّ كَاسِيَةٍ فِي الدُّنْيَا عَارِيَةٍ فِي الْآخِرَةِ
- TASBIH YOUNUS A.S.
Then Read lot of laa ilaaha illaa anta soubhanaka inni kountu minazzalimeen.
لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ إِنِّي كُنْتُ مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ
Allah Ta`ala said that He has saved Hazrat Younus a.s. with these kalimahs and He would save also the muslims with these Kalimahs(21:88)
We may suggest that each reader may send 1000 kalimahs of laa ilaaha illaa anta soubhanaka inni kountu minazalimeen in favour of Masjidul Aqsa, Syria, Africa, Myanmar, etc. You may inform on this number the amount done: +23057921333.
- CURE LUST FOR DUNYA AND INVEST IN AKHIRAH:
The source of defeat of muslims is when muslims prefer this world against the hereafter. When the prophet was asked about the reason that muslims would be suffering in the hands of non muslims, he replied:
حُبُّ الدُّنْيَا وَكَرَاهِيَةُ الْمَوْتِ
‘The love for dunya and unwillingness to die. ’(Abu Dawood)
Lets take out time from our dunya and put aside 40 days yearly to concentrate on actions that would contribute for our well being after death. Meeting our fellow muslim brothers to call them to masjid, to be more obedient. Because Allah Taala would help the ummah when most of the ummah would be obedient. Our mother, hazrat Zainab Bint jahash r.a. asked the prophet SAW:
أَنَهْلِكُ وَفِينَا الصَّالِحُونَ قَالَ نَعَمْ إِذَا كَثُرَ الْخَبَثُ
‘Would we still perish even if we have pious individuals amongst us? The beloved prophet SAW answered: Yes, if bad actions are of majority.’(Bukhari)
Then each one of us is a contributive factor to uplift the ummah or to weaken the ummah. So lets be obedient and encourage others to be obedient to Allah Taala. Insha Allahou Taala our ummah would receive help from Allah Taala.
- ISTIGHFAAR FOR US AND OTHERS:
Know that any sinful act on earth is destructful to our living here. The Qur-aan talks of destruction of the skies and the earth due to some people ascribing a son to Allah Taala. (19:90) But because of the istighfaar of Angels above us, Allah Taala saved the world: ‘’The heavens almost burst apart from their above side, and angels proclaim the purity of their Lord, and pray for forgiveness of those on earth…’’(42:5) So istighfaar of angels save the world from destruction. Likewise the beloved prophet SAW pleaded for forgiveness ( istighfaar) in favour of those kaafirs who injured him in Uhud: ‘’O Allah! Forgive my people.’’(Ibn Hibaan)
قال يوم أحد لما شج وجهه ، قال : « اللهم اغفر لقومي
So we need to ask forgiveness from Allah for those non muslims who are alive(not those who are dead). And also istighfaar of all muslims alive or dead. Istighfaar of our sins and our family. Istighfaar is the daily cleaning of the house or the yard. Without it, accumulation of sins will havoc the society. The fire of sins of others may affect our neighbourhood and our home also. That is why we need to care about others also and so istighfaar for their sins also. By the ummah doing istighfaar, Allah Ta`ala will improve our conditions:
ُ عَنْ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ أَنَّهُ حَدَّثَهُ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَنْ لَزِمَ الِاسْتِغْفَارَ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لَهُ مِنْ كُلِّ ضِيقٍ مَخْرَجًا وَمِنْ كُلِّ هَمٍّ فَرَجًا وَرَزَقَهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ
Rasouloullah SAW said: ‘’One who steadfast with doing istighfaar, Allah will open his way in every jammed conditions. And will relieve him from every remorse. And also will also feed him with means he did not expect.’’(Abu Dawood)
So cure of lusts for dunya, Duas and istighfaar should be our means to relieve the ummah.