Partial Muslims
Some Muslims profess faith in Allaah Almighty and the Messenger and
declare Islam as their religion; but then they confine this Islam to
only a part of their lives. To the extent of thispart, they express
great attachment to Islam, extensively perform worship rituals like
Prayers, use of the rosary, remembrance of Allaah Almighty.They are
very particular in conforming to outward piety in matters like food,
dress and other external social, cultural customs. Thus they are fully
'religious'.
But beyond these conventions their lives are not according to what
Allaah Almighty commands.If they love, they love for the sakeof their
own selves, their country,their nation, or for anything else, but not
for Allaah Almighty. If they become displeased, are angry, hate
someone, make enemies, or wage war, it too is for the sake of some
worldly or selfish interest. Their relations with their businesses,
their wivesand children, families, societies — will all be to a great
extent unaffected by Islam and based onsecular considerations. As
landlords, traders, rulers, soldiers, professional people — inall
spheres they will behave as if they are autonomous, having no
connection with their position as Muslims. When such people establish
cultural, educational and political norms and institutions, these have
nothing to do with Islam, even though they may seem Islamic.
True Muslims
The second kind of Muslims are those who completely merge their
personalities and existencesinto Islam. All the roles they have become
subordinate to the one role of being Muslims. They live asMuslims when
they live as fathers, sons, husbands or wives, businessmen, landlords,
laborers,employers. Their feelings, their desires, their ideologies,
their thoughts and opinions, their likesand dislikes, all are shaped
by Islam. Allaah's guidance holds complete sway over their hearts and
minds, their eyes and ears, their bellies, their sexual desires, their
hands and feet, their bodiesand souls. Neither their loves nor their
hatreds are formed independently of Islamic criteria. Whether they
fight or make friends, it is purely for the sake ofIslam. If they give
anything to anybody, it is because Islam requires it to be given. If
they withhold anything from anybody,it is because Islam wants it to be
withheld.
And this attitude of theirs is not limited to personal lives; their
public lives, their societies are also based entirely on Islam. Their
collectivity exists for Islam alone; their collective behavior is
governed by the precepts of Islam alone.
What Kind of Muslims Allaah Almighty Desires
The above two kinds of Muslims are significantly different from each
other, even if, legally, both are included in the Ummah and the word
`Muslim' is applied to both equally. Historically the first kind of
Muslims have made no achievement which may be worthy of mention or
which merits our being proud of it. Nothing these 'Muslims' have done
has left an Islamic imprint on the pages of world history. The world
has received no benefitfrom their existence; indeed, Islam has
suffered decay because of them. Because of the preponderance of such
`Muslims' in Muslim society, power and world leadership largely passed
into the hands of rebels against Allaah Almighty. For these `Muslims'
have been content merely with ensuring that they enjoy the freedom to
live religiously within the narrow confines of their private lives.
Allaah Almighty never desired to have such `Muslims'. Nor did He
Almighty send His Prophets or reveal His Books to make them. Indeed it
is the second kind of Muslims who are desired by Allaah Almighty. Only
they can ever accomplish anything worthwhile from the Islamic point of
view.
Supreme Loyalty to Allaah Almighty
This is not a phenomenon peculiar to Islam. In fact, no way of life
can ever prevail in the world if its followers accord theirfaith and
commitment a subordinate position in their lives. Or, if they live and
die for causes other than their faith. We see even today that only
those are considered real and true followers of a creed or ideology
who are loyal to it with their hearts and souls. Every creed in the
world desires such adherentsand no creed can prevail in the world
except through such followers.
However, there is an important difference between Islam and other
creeds and ideologies. Although others demand from men total loyalty
and dedication, they in fact have no such right upon him, their claims
are entirely unjustified. The objects they place before men are not
the kind of objects for which a human being should sacrifice anything.
But Allaah almighty for whom Islam demands the sacrifice of life has a
right upon us. Everything must be given in His way, for whatever
exists in heaven and on earth belongs to Allaah Almighty. Man himself,
whatever he possesses, and whatever lies within him, all belong to
Allaah Almighty. It is therefore in perfect harmony with justice as
well as reason that whatever belongs to Allaah Almighty must be
reserved only for Him Alone. Whatever sacrifice man makes for others
or for his own benefit or to gratify his desire is indeed a breach of
trust unless it be with the permission of Allaah Almighty. And
whatever sacrifice is made for Allaah Almighty is in reality a payment
of what is due.
But, one lesson Muslims must learn from those who are sacrificing
everything for the sakeof their false ideologies and false gods: how
strange it is that, while such unimaginable dedication, sacrifice and
fidelity isbeing shown for false gods, not even a thousandth part of
it is shown for the True God by those who profess faith in them.
Where Do We Stand?
Let us examine our lives by the crucial criteria of Imaan and Islam as
laid down by the Quran and the Prophet .
If you claim that you have accepted Islam, have you oriented your
living and your dying towards Allaah only? Are you living for His
cause alone? Areyour hearts and minds, your bodies and souls, your
time and efforts, being devoted to the fulfillment of Allaah's
commands? Is that mission beingaccomplished through you whichHe wants
to be fulfilled by the Muslim Ummah? And, again, do you obey and serve
only Allaah? Have you eliminated from your lives subservience to
selfish desires and obedience to family, brotherhood, friends, society
andstate?
Have you made your likes and dislikes totally subordinate to what
Allaah Desires? If you love somebody, is it really for the sakeof
Allaah? If you dislike somebody, is that too for the sake of Allaah?
Is no element of selfishness involved in this? Do you give and
withhold only for the sake of Allaah? Are you spending on your own
selves andgiving wealth to other people, or withholding the same,
because that is what Allaah Almighty wants? Is your motive nothing but
to gain His pleasure?
If you find such a state of faith and submission within yourself, you
should thank Allaah that He has bestowed upon you the blessing of
Imaan in its fullness. And if you feel any deficiency, youmust give up
every other concernand worry and concentrate wholly on remedying this
deficiency. For on its removal depends your wellbeing in this world as
well as your success in the Hereafter. Whatever success you may enjoy
in the present life will not compensate you for the loss you will
suffer in the Hereafter due to this deficiency. But if you make up for
this deficiency, even if you gain nothing in this world, you will
benefit immensely in the life to come.
Do not use this criterion to test or judge others and determine
whether they are Believers or hypocrites and Muslims or disbelievers;
use it only to judge your own selves and, if you detect any
deficiency, try to remove it before you meet Allaah Almighty. How a
mufti (religious jurist) or a court judges you should be of least
concern to you;it is only the judgment of the Supreme Ruler and Knower
of theseen and unseen which matters. Do not become happy merely on
seeing your names registered as Muslims, but remain anxious about how
and where your names are entered in the Register of Allaah Almighty.
Real success consists in your being judged as believers and
nothypocrites, obedient and not disobedient, faithful and not
unfaithful, by that God who is thefinal Judge.
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And Allah Knows the Best!
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Published by :->
M NajimudeeN Bsc- INDIA
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