All praise is due to Allah, the most high.
If I make a mistake, it is from my ego, if I am correct, it is from Allah.
"Invite to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided." (Quran 16:125)
In the last six month, I visited Makkah, and then visited Iriga City, Philippines. I received shock in both places. In Makkah, I saw the stubborn Saudis, and in Iriga, I saw people who have gone stray. These two extremes has shocked my physically and spiritually. My back was hurt in Iriga, but soul was uplifted, and my soul was damaged in Jeddah, but my body was cleansed. I don't know which was worst. Arrogant Muslims who have narrowed their religion to a few handful twisted strict rules, or ignorant catholics, who are slipping towards complete idolatry as we speak.
However, I knew these two extremes existed and survived them, but I couldn't survive the shock of looking through an open wound on Islam's body and discovering a few cancers spreading silently under the skin. It left me numb, and I still can't shake the horror of what I perceive the last gasps of the body of Al-Islam trying to fight these cancers. These cancers are what is impeding the growth and health of Al-Islam.
Each cell in this body have to multiply to regain life in the body, and it multiplies by absorbing oxygen (worship) and nutrients (practical application). More importantly, the cells are normal (interacting with non-Muslims) and well controlled (follow Islamic Sharia). Sometimes cells mutate and alter their purpose to just grow and not be controlled, which is called a cancer.
If we look back, Early conquered lands did not convert, because Muslims impose it on them, but they accepted Islam with open hearts.They saw a system in action that can provide a complete life-style free of sins. Also, it happened due to the example they saw in these sincere fellow humans who have no interest in worldly wealth, but rather every motivation initiates from Allah's order. When they traded, they did because of Allah's order, when they mated, they did because of Allah's order, when they loved they did because of Allah's order. All non-Muslims saw in them was the natural harmony in early Muslim's life, and whoever could fight their ego they became Muslims.
Today, Islam is not spreading like it did, but why? Has Islam become outdated? Or, is the message lost? No. In my observation, following are the major factors impeding the spread, and it will not resume until we remove these cancer.
- Asabiyah/Firqa (divisions)
- Round Robin Jamaat
- In-human terrorism
- Vanila Muslims
When everyone you speak to labels every masjid with a race, then you know that Asabiyah (divisions) has spread like a cancer. One person approached me while I was busy, and he asked me a bold question "Are you from Rawalpindi?" I smiled and said "No". When I told him that I am from Karachi, I could see the changing color, and told him that this should be the last thing in our mind when we see each other. Another time, a dear brother of mine start classifying the masajid in Orlando as Hanafi, Shafi, Salafi.... I am sure his research is accurate, but that's the point. We are divided, and the cancer is too strong.
So, how is this impeding Islam. As always, an example. I was sitting in Manila airport waiting for my flight. There was a non-Muslim sitting on my side, and we started chatting. Of course, I wanted him to hear the message of Muhammad (PBUH). As I started to invited him, he told me that he worked in Saudi, and have been learning about Islam there. He asked me why are there so many different sects in Islam, and which one is true. I tried to explain that all of them are wrong, except who follow the Quran and Sunnah. I could see how confused he was, and I realized that non-Muslims are ready to accept Islam, but which Islam "Hanafi", "Maliki", "Salafi", "Ahl-e-Hadith", "Devband" etc. I mean there are more sects in Islam then clothes in my closet, and probably more colorful. So, unless we drop this notion of making Imams God, and rejecting Sunnah over what Imam Muhammad said (i do not exaggerate this), this cancer will not leave. We can kill it by listening to Imam Abu Hanifa, as he said that look at the source of the opinion and not the opinion. Cure is in this sentence.
Messenger of Allah (saw) said, narrated by At-Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud, "There are indeed people who boast of their dead ancestors; but in the sight of Allah they are more contemptible than the black beetle that rolls a piece of dung with its nose.
Round Robin Jamaat:
It has many names such just "Jamaat" or "Tableeghi Jamaat". This I found to be the # 2 in the list that is Impeding Islam. What happens is that once someone becomes one of them, they get cut off from the learning, inviting non-Muslims, Quran, Sunnah, and Family.
I will present an example. I visited the masjid in Iriga city, which is in the dark valley of shirk and very hard to find. I was so happy to see it and couldn't control my excitement. Then, I visited the library of Iriga city. I was surprised to see that there was no Quran in the library. I asked brother Abdu*****, why not? He looked at me like I have asked the secret pin for his ATM card. Instead, he started telling me that there is a jamaat of four brothers came from Pakistan and I miss them. Don't these 4 people find enough in Pakistan to reform that they are visiting far away. I told him that I am going to donate some books, and if he has a Quran in Tagalog that I can have. He looked around and said no. I said alright brother do u want to go for dawah and present some English Quran to the priest of the main church, where my wife used to study. He said he was busy. So, bottom line is that the dawah these cancer cells are interested in is just to Muslims, and that is only to make them a dead bead. I have listed reform for this Jamat many times here, so I am not going to repeat it.
Narrated Anas bin Malik: "A group of three men came to the houses of the wives of the Prophet asking how the Prophet worshipped (Allah), and when they were informed about that, they considered their worship insufficient and said, "Where are we from the Prophet as his past and future sins have been forgiven." Then one of them said, "I will offer the prayer throughout the night forever." The other said, "I will fast throughout the year and will not break my fast." The third said, "I will keep away from the women and will not marry forever." Allah's Apostle came to them and said, "Are you the same people who said so-and-so? By Allah, I am more submissive to Allah and more afraid of Him than you; yet I fast and break my fast, I do sleep and I also marry women. So he who does not follow my tradition in religion, is not from me (not one of my followers)." (Bukhari Volume 7, Book 62, Number 1)
In human Terrorism:
This should be an easy one, but can catch you right off-guard. Islam has been associated with Muslims who are ready to react on everything with uneducated, and ignorant hatred. They have harmed the image of Islam so much that, even my mother asked me to shave my beard, because I looked like a terrorist. Of course, I smiled, and explained to her that it is fardh upon every men, and shaving it is Fisq.
Once, my brother in law visited, who is a non-Muslim, and I started to talk to him about Islam, and he liked what he heard. Out of nowhere, he asked me "What about these terrorist?" why do they not follow this peaceful message? I explained to him that they are following their sects and leaders and if these Imams contradict Quran and Sunnah, these people will not challenge them, so hence they follow this twisted ideology, but he was not convinced because who to say that they are following the true Islam and I am telling him the fantasy tales. This cancer is very painful, and it will not stop by itself, and we will have to fight it. I suggest to make a negative opinion in our heart of these terrorist acts and then talk against it, then try to stop it if possible.
"Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, but do not do aggression, for Allah loves not the aggressors. Fight in the way of Allah against those who fight against you, but begin not hostilities. Lo! Allah loveth not aggressors." (Quran 2:190)
Vanilla Muslims:
This is a term I think best describe these Muslims, who were born in a Muslim family, but never truly accepted Islam. They are not concerned about Halal and Haram. World has taken a special place in their heart, and the highest priority for them will be improving their life in this world.
If a non-Muslim look at them, they will not recognize them as Muslims. Men most likely shave, and women follow Paris Hilton's fashion, so the Hijab does not fit in. They will skip Jumaa if there is an important meeting. So, Islam for them is a part time hobby that happens on Eid, Maghrib on Sundays. I was one of them, so I understand the thinking. In most cases, their thinking has a curtain, which keeps them in the state of intoxication for this world. Of course, there will be no motivation to spread Islam. It is like a foreign tissue cancer, which just sit there. Reminding of death, and reminding Allah is the cure for it.
Thauban reported that the messenger of Allah said: "It is near that the nations will call one another against you just as the eaters call one another to their dishes." Somebody asked: "Is this because we will be few in numbers that day?" He said: "Nay, but that day you shall be numerous, but you will be like the foam of the sea, and Allah will take the fear of you away from your enemies and will place weakness into your hearts." Somebody asked: "What is this weakness?" He said: "The love of the world and the dislike of death." (Abu Daud)
There is one hope in Orlando, and it is a gathering on Sundays at 11 AM at MAGO school. These four cancers are not present there in big force, and there is an opportunity to fight back these cancers, if Allah wills.
JazakAllah Khairin
A cancer fighting cell
AbuArman Jumani
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