Islamic Activism

[Muhammad]

Islamic Activism

Khutbah at ISOC- Sha’ban 2, 1422/October 19, 2001

 

By Dr. Muzammil H. Siddiqi

ÙˆÙŽÙ‚Ùل٠اعْمَلÙوا Ùَسَيَرَى اللَّه٠عَمَلَكÙمْ وَرَسÙولÙه٠وَالْمÙؤْمÙÙ†Ùونَ وَسَتÙرَدّÙونَ Ø¥ÙÙ„ÙŽÙ‰ عَالÙم٠الْغَيْب٠وَالشَّهَادَة٠ÙÙŽÙŠÙنَبّÙئÙÙƒÙمْ بÙمَا ÙƒÙنْتÙمْ تَعْمَلÙونَ (التوبة 105)

 

And say: "Work (righteousness): soon will Allah observe your work, and His Messenger, and the Believers: soon will you be brought back to the Knower of what is hidden and what is open: then will He show you the truth of all that you did." (al-Tawbah 9:105)

 

يَاأَيّÙهَا الرّÙسÙÙ„Ù ÙƒÙÙ„Ùوا Ù…ÙÙ†ÙŽ الطَّيّÙبَات٠وَاعْمَلÙوا صَالÙحًا Ø¥ÙنّÙÙŠ بÙمَا تَعْمَلÙونَ عَلÙيمٌ(51)ÙˆÙŽØ¥Ùنَّ Ù‡ÙŽØ°Ùه٠أÙمَّتÙÙƒÙمْ Ø£Ùمَّةً وَاحÙدَةً وَأَنَا رَبّÙÙƒÙمْ ÙَاتَّقÙون٠(المؤمنون 51-52)

 

O Messengers! Enjoy (all) things good and pure, and work righteousness: for I am well acquainted with (all) that you do. 52- And verily this Community of yours is a single Community. And I am your Lord and Cherisher: therefore be conscious of Me. (al-Mu’minun 23:51-52)

 

Islam emphasizes action. Believers are those who work, work hard and continue to work until the end.

 

The work must be good, it should be done with the consciousness of Allah and with the conviction that everything will be shown on the Day of Judgement.

 

There is no dichotomy or sharp division between the secular work and religious work. All work is religious if it is done with the awareness of Allah and is done according to the rules of Allah.

 

The Prophet -peace be upon him- said:

 

حَدَّثَنَا Ù‡Ùشَام٠بْن٠زَيْد٠قَالَ سَمÙعْت٠أَنَسَ بْنَ مَالÙك٠قَالَ قَالَ رَسÙول٠اللَّه٠صَلَّى اللَّه٠عَلَيْه٠وَسَلَّمَ Ø¥Ùنْ قَامَتْ السَّاعَة٠وَبÙيَد٠أَحَدÙÙƒÙمْ ÙَسÙيلَةٌ ÙÙŽØ¥Ùنْ اسْتَطَاعَ أَنْ لَا ÙŠÙŽÙ‚Ùومَ حَتَّى يَغْرÙسَهَا ÙَلْيَÙْعَلْ (مسند أحمد 12512)

 

The Prophet -peace be upon him- said, “If the end of the world approaches and one of you has a seedling (or plant) in his hand, if he can plant it before the end comes let him do it.†(Musnad Ahmad, Hadith no. 12512)

 

Let us reflect on this Hadith. What do you expect from a religious teacher? An ordinary religious teacher or preacher would have said, “If the end approaches, give up everything, go to the mosque and just pray.†However, the Messenger of Allah wanted to emphasize something else. These words contain another wisdom and a very important message of Islam.

 

First thing that is emphasized here is activism, the value of action. Action is important and it should be done under all circumstances.

 

Second, there is no need to make a very sharp division between the worldly actions and religious actions. All actions should be done. But keep in mind the priorities and also keep in mind what is Fard, what is Mustahabb and what is Mubah. Do not neglect a Fard for the sake of a Mustahabb or Mubah.

 

Do not despair or become pessimistic. Every good action is valuable whether you are able to see its fruits or not. Muslims do not work only to see the results here in this world; our ultimate goal is the success and salvation in the Hereafter.

 

Another important point that is given here is that no one knows when the end of the world will come. One may think that end is near, but it may not be. Only Allah knows when the end will be. So one should keep working and doing the good things.

 

About activism we must keep in mind the following principles of Islam:

· Deeds must be righteous. For Muslims the righteous means that which is according to the Qur’an and Sunnah. Righteous actions are actions whereby a person implements Allah’s rules: a) between a person and Allah, b) between a person and other people, c) between a person and other things.

· Righteous actions include: religious actions, moral actions, social actions, economic actions, political actions, judicial actions, etc.

 

· Righteous actions are those that are good, and righteous actions are also those that remove evil, injustice and oppression.

· Righteous actions should be done with sincerity (ikhlas) and in an excellent manner (itqan)

· The actions should be with knowledge, wisdom, planning, and persistence.

 

Allah has promised those who work with faith and righteousness that He will grant them success in this world and in the Hereafter.

 

وَعَدَ اللَّه٠الَّذÙينَ ءَامَنÙوا Ù…ÙنْكÙمْ وَعَمÙÙ„Ùوا الصَّالÙحَات٠لَيَسْتَخْلÙÙَنَّهÙمْ ÙÙÙŠ الْأَرْض٠كَمَا اسْتَخْلَÙÙŽ الَّذÙينَ Ù…Ùنْ قَبْلÙÙ‡Ùمْ ÙˆÙŽÙ„ÙŽÙŠÙمَكّÙنَنَّ Ù„ÙŽÙ‡Ùمْ دÙينَهÙم٠الَّذÙÙŠ ارْتَضَى Ù„ÙŽÙ‡Ùمْ ÙˆÙŽÙ„ÙŽÙŠÙبَدّÙلَنَّهÙمْ Ù…Ùنْ بَعْد٠خَوْÙÙÙ‡Ùمْ أَمْنًا يَعْبÙدÙونَنÙÙŠ لَا ÙŠÙشْرÙÙƒÙونَ بÙÙŠ شَيْئًا وَمَنْ ÙƒÙŽÙَرَ بَعْدَ Ø°ÙŽÙ„ÙÙƒÙŽ ÙÙŽØ£ÙولَئÙÙƒÙŽ Ù‡Ùم٠الْÙَاسÙÙ‚Ùونَ(النور 55)

 

Allah has promised, to those among you who believe and work righteous deeds, that He will, of a surety, make them succeed in the land, as He caused those who were before them to succeed others. He will establish for them their religion, the one that He has chosen for them. He will change (their state), after the fear in which they (lived), to one of security and peace: They will worship Me (alone) and not associate aught with Me.' If any do reject Faith after this, they are rebellious and wicked.

 

(al-Nur 24:55)

 

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