Olympics: Organized Distractions

[Conscious Manipulation]

Olympics: Organized Distractions

 

It was the best of times and it was the worst of times. The Europeans hosted and celebrated the grand return of the Olympics to Greece with a grandiose spectacle of fireworks. Meanwhile, 2000kms away the Ummah experienced the horror of watching the occupied city of Najaf produce pictures of turmoil, oppression, corpses and bloodshed. The juxtaposition of these images should make any sincere Muslim shudder at the colossal injustice heralded by the Capitalists’ culture: they simultaneously play games and relentlessly attack the Muslim Ummah. However, this attitude of the Capitalists should not come as a surprise to the Muslims. This is due to the simple fact that the Capitalist ‘Aqeedah is based on maximizing one’s benefit and pleasure. Therefore, it is only natural for a Capitalist to simply shut his or her mind out to the unpleasant images that originate from Iraq, Sudan, or anywhere else in the world. As Barbara Bush (mother of George W. Bush) stated on “Good Morning Americaâ€: “Why should we hear about body bags and deaths and how many, and what day it's gonna happen? It's not relevant. So why should I waste my beautiful mind on something like that?â€

 

 

Stark realities of today and the gravity of Islam

 

Today, this Ummah, which was once the leading civilization of the world, witnesses a situation where its Deen is being attacked, its people divided and killed, and the very basis of its life, its ‘Aqeeda (belief), is stripped of the quality of being a political ‘Aqeeda that deals with all aspects of life. Due to such circumstances we are constantly being thrown into frivolous pursuits that occupy our time, distracting us from the serious task of rebuilding this Ummah and taking our rightful position above all nations. Hence, we witness, with sadness, the multiplicity of football teams, cricket games, national and international tournaments, and how the Muslims throw themselves at these events, taking pride in their nations and their trophies. Meanwhile, the Kafir colonialists steal our resources from underneath our feet.

 

 

The effects of these games have many detrimental effects on the Ummah. Not one Muslim country has failed to be affected by them, including even occupied Iraq - seeking to mingle with their imperialist masters who subdue them with the glitter of the gold medals and the flutter of their national

flags, even though they were commanded to leave nationalism by the Prophet (saw).

 

 

The Messenger of Allah (saw) brought the message of Islam to the backward Arabs of Quraish. This message contained within it a system of life that would soon give its adherents leadership over the Romans and the Persians. It was narrated that when the Messenger of Allah (saw) first received revelation, he came to Khadija (ra) and proclaimed: “From this day there will be no restâ€. Hence the first Ayahs that commanded the Prophet (saw) to: “Read in the Name of your Lord…†[Al-Alaq: 1] brought with them a great burden. It was a weighty message, which required an Ummah who were characterized with thinking and seriousness to carry its burden. This Ummah is described by Allah (swt) as the: “best Ummah brought forward to mankind†[Ale-‘Imran: 110].

 

 

The meaning of Distractions (Lahw)

 

Distraction is mentioned on many occasions in the Qur’an and Sunnah. It is mentioned in the context of entertainment, where the Prophet (saw) said: “You should (practice) (target) shooting, for it is the best of your entertainment (Lahwikum)â€. In addition it was mentioned in the context of idle talk, when Allah (swt), the Most High, said (in meaning): “But there are, among men, those who purchase idle talk (Lahw Al-Hadith)†[Luqman: 6].

 

 

Ibn Jareer said that idle talk is any talk that is used to impede the Ayat (verses of Qur’an) of Allah (swt), the obedience to His (swt) order, and “To slander and mock the truthâ€. As Ja’far Al-Saadiq (ra) had said: “That, which brings together the meanings of Lahw in the Qur’an, is the saying of Al-Sha’raawi: ‘Al-Lahw is becoming distracted with something that is forbidden, or becoming distracted with permissible entertainment, keeping you occupied from carrying out an obligation.’†[Al-Tafseer Al-Kashif – Mughniyah].

The Hukm Shari’ (Islamic ruling) on Lahw

 

There are some matters of Lahw, which are Halal and Mubah (permissible), like sports that achieve a result, such as target shooting (weapons training and hunting), swimming, racing (on foot), wrestling and so on, or music, if it is free from forbidden ideas, anthems, or the like; as long as it does not cause one to be unmindful of his obligations. Imam Al-

Shaatibi says: “Lahw, entertainment and vacancy from any work, if it does not involve a forbidden matter, or occupy one from an obligated matter, is Mubah (permissible).†And he adds: “But he is blameworthy, and the scholars did not agree with it (like it), rather they would hate to see a man, who was not busy with either improving his livelihood or improving his Hereafter; for he had wasted a period of time which was not used to gain any good for this world, nor for the afterlife.â€

 

 

And there are some matters of Lahw, which are Haram (forbidden) such as gambling and music that involves forbidden matters; as well as permissible Lahw that leads to Haram, or leads to neglecting an obligation, due to the Islamic principle: “All that which leads to Haram, is itself Haramâ€. For example any form of Lahw that keeps man away from the Salat or from fasting would be Haram. Also any Lahw that distracts man from the obligation of carrying the da’wa, and re-establishing the Islamic authority (Khilafah) would also be forbidden, because it distracts man from his obligations.

 

 

Organized Lahw

 

It is the nature of the ‘Aqeeda of the Kuffar that they seek the distractions of life. The belief of secularism is a belief of distractions, distracting man from achieving his goal in life, which is the pleasure of Allah (swt). Instead man is given the goal of achieving physical satisfaction; similar to what is found amongst animals. So man strives hard to entertain himself and to seek pleasure in life, not worrying about what comes after life. This ‘Aqeeda of distractions pushes them to organize for themselves activities by fixing times, organizing events, making large spectacles, and the like. And these are of many types, such as:

 

 

Organized Sports: Athletes are organized, firstly, according to community, then district, then city, then on a national level, then on a regional level, an then finally, on an international level. In addition, staff re appointed to oversee these athletes and competitors in accordance with these different levels. These events have specific times for training and specific times for the games themselves to be played, each one according to their level and expertise. Television programs are scheduled and radio broadcasts inform the masses about the proceedings of a sports game, until it becomes the talk of the town, city, region or even the world.

 

 

This atmosphere surrounding sports has made it the biggest distraction for the sons of our Ummah, to the extent that their discussion regarding it, during and afterwards, is full of emotion, and these events have gained many fans and fanatics. These events are then played, disregarding the Hukm Shar’ie (Islamic laws) regarding speech, manner of conduct while playing, and dress, furthering the spread of depravity and bad manners across the Ummah. It has also been used as a way to promote the feeling of pride for the nation, even though there is nothing to be proud of. The rulers of these nations use such emotions to distract the

people from feeling the emotions that Islam seeks from them, that would naturally arise once they perceived the bad situation this Ummah finds itself in. The Capitalists are also known to use sports to “manage the massesâ€: “(Sports) offers people something to pay attention to that is of no importance. It keeps them from worrying about things that matter to their lives, where they might have some idea to do something about it. But the point is, it does make sense. It's a way of building up irrational attitudes of submission to authority, and group cohesion behind leadership elements. And you know, in fact, it's training in irrational jingoism (i.e. nationalism).†[Noam Chomsky: “Manufacturing Consentâ€]

 

 

The most important characteristic of organized Lahw is that organized distractions have a purpose and are planned, and are not spontaneous. They are made to be propagated universally and comprehensively over all aspects of life, covering all regions of the Ummah. Behind them is the goal, leading to dangerous results, as well to the total disregard of the correct criteria of Halal and Haram.

 

 

The dangers of organized Lahw

 

Organized distractions have affected the entire life of a Muslim. These distractions and entertainment turn the Ummah away from taking the Deen as the basis of our life, in our belief and worship, in our manners and actions, and in our legislation and constitution, weakening our reverence and respect for our Deen. This causes us to live life without a purpose and walk without a path. “This world becomes entertainment and games when there is no honorable, lasting purpose behind it, and when it is lived for what it has to offer, detached from the path Allah has set out in it…†[sayyed Qutb].

 

 

The duty towards organized Lahw

 

The Ummah must realize the reality of organized distractions, and to assume our role in facing this serious danger. We must realize that it is intentional, having dangerous and large-scale motives, targeting the most valuable thing to us: Islam; and to wipe out the Islamic Ummah. We must become precisely aware of those who are behind it and know exactly how to struggle against them.

 

 

The Messenger of Allah (saw) was most truthful when he (saw) said, “The two feet of the son of Adam will not move from near his Lord on the Day of Judgement until he is asked about five matters: about his life, how he spent it; about his youth, how he took care of it; about his wealth, how he earned it and how he spent it; and about that which he acted upon from the knowledge that he acquired†[Tirmidhi].

 

 

Indeed, the situation of Najaf is grim. It is a reminder of the grave responsibility that lies on our shoulders. When we meet Allah (swt) on the Day of Judgement what will we tell Him (swt) was our priority? Was it resuming the Islamic way of life through the re-establishment of Khilafah or was it watching the Europeans play games?

 

 

Source: The Politically Aware Muslim published by Muslim Students for Universal Justice