No matter which part of the world you live in, the same call of the times is felt: all Muslims should come together so that the heat of oppression being borne by Muslims at the hands of unbelievers can be ended. If we look at the life of the Blessed Prophet (peace be upon him), we see that jihad was against oppressors, politics was for the spread of Islam, public affairs were for the welfare of society, equality was for human rights, and the propagation of religion and knowledge was for the well-being of this world and the next. War and bloodshed occurred to establish the sovereignty of God. Division was forbidden. Punishments were equal for everyone – no one was treated as lesser or greater. The law was the same for all; no one had preference because of dark or light complexion. Caste and lineage existed only as identifiers. Islam is a complete system for living: it prescribes the scope for social, communal, commercial, and judicial matters.
The Farewell Sermon was a complete charter of laws for Muslims, telling them where to seek guidance. Today the largest number of believers are Muslims; in terms of resources many Muslim countries are rich – roughly 80% of the world’s resources lie within their reach – yet millions of Muslims around the world long for a prosperous life. Wherever current governments have spread, on an individual level people should examine themselves: what is the darkness before them that, because of their negligence, they cannot see the light? Instead of being influenced by non-believers, implement your luminous religion in the best way, save people from misguidance so that before Allah and His Beloved you are not ashamed in the Hereafter. Today our generations are wandering far from Islam – dress, lifestyle, and social manners have seen a rise in misguidance. Religion has been used as the basis for sects that breed hatred and distance among one another. Politics, which was meant to prioritize the religion of God, has become entangled in national political structures. The creed is one, the Book is one, the Prophet (peace be upon him) is the final one – yet practical requirements have been fragmented into sects.
That is why, despite laws, there is lawlessness. Established, authenticated laws are shrouded by sectarianism, causing moral politics to spill blood on the streets; we carry the bloodied bodies of our loved ones from the roads. States are obligated to establish orderly systems so that the national structure may be strong and people prosperous. In the push-and-shove of politics, falling into sinks of corruption, self-serving political systems failed to meet the demands of justice, which created class injustices. Provincial conflicts became entangled in disputes over rights. People turned to various organizations and dissenting leaderships emerged. In such a situation everyone thinks: will those who pursued political interests answer on the Day of Reckoning on some other planet? Will they not be held to account by the people whose rights they trampled? Silence and indifference are found even in Islamic countries. We are not speaking of foreigners or unbelievers – we are talking only about the Islamic world.
Whether it is Pakistan or any Islamic country spread around the world, all must unite and make the protection of the Muslim Ummah’s rights their guiding principle. Those who carry the banner of Islam and those in power must truly implement God’s laws, for that is where everyone will ultimately return and be held accountable. Everyone waits for Imam Mahdi (peace be upon him), but until his arrival build a society of justice and fairness under the call of one creed, so that we are not ashamed before him when he comes. Rather than fighting each other, if Muslim countries – united in one voice – fought only the forces of disbelief, then before the Word of Truth all would be shattered.
