are tortured, butchered, and live in abject poverty, are homeless, are
forced to live their lives unprotected from the elements and they
sufferlack of medical care. There are those who cannot even afford a
loaf of bread. There are the elderly, facing neglect, abandonment and
denied medical care. Then there are those who face discrimination,
expulsion from their homes and lands simply because of their
ethnicity, language, raceor tribe and even massacres. Helpless,
malnourished, defenseless innocent children are forced to work for
money or beg.
Countless people live in fear for their lives anxious about their
survival, in a world in the midst of whose poverty and oppression,
there is also immense extravagance, privilege and wealth. Those
blessed with the "good life" pass by the homeless, see pictures, and
watch scenes on television of those less fortunate than they.
Sometimes they feel a brief moment of pity, but then change the
channel, turn away fromthe image, and in a shorttime completely erase
that fleeting prick of the conscience.
So many who enjoy the bounties and comforts with which they have been
blessed, never think of expending effort to save those who can not
afford these. They believe it is not up to them to save those people,
when so many are richer and more powerful and in a betterposition to
come to the aid of the less fortunate.
However, prosperity andpower alone are not enough to save those people
and to make this world a place of welfare in which justice, peace,
confidence and well-being prevail. Despite the existence of developed
countries around the world, there are still too many countries, such
as Ethiopia, where people still die daily of starvation. It is
apparent that the wealth and power of some nations are not enough in
themselves to solve the afflictions of drought, poverty and civil
warfare.
Only being conscientiouswill channel resources and power towards the
welfare of the poor and desperate. The sole way of being conscientious
ishaving faith. It is only the believers who constantly live by their
consciences.
Eventually, there is only one solution to the injustice, chaos,
terror, massacres, hunger, poverty, and oppression in the world: the
values of the Qur'an.
Those adverse conditions were created in the first place by hatred,
malice, self-interest, indifference and cruelty and therefore must be
undone by love, compassion, mercy, generosity, unselfishness,
sensitivity,tolerance, commonsenseand wisdom. These traitsof
compassion are foundonly in those who fully live by the values taught
in the Noble Qur'an, which is our guidance directly from our Creator.
In one verse, Allah (swt) refers to the Qur'an's feature of leading
mankind out of darkness into light.
... A light has come to you from Allah and a Clear Book. By it, Allah
guides those who followwhat pleases Him to the ways of peace. He will
bring them from the darkness to the light by His permission, and guide
them to a straight path.(Surat al Ma'ida: 15-16)
In another verse, Allah states that everything would be in corruption
and confusion if the truth were to be according to human desires:
If the truth were to follow their whims and desires, the heavens
andthe earth and everything in them would have been brought to ruin.
No indeed! We have given their Reminder, but theyhave turned away from
it.(Surat al-Muminun: 71)
As you read this passage,millions of people are suffering, are cold
and hungry, or facing expulsion from their homelands. For this reason,
people who have consciences need to think about this, and act to solve
those troubles as if they themselves or their loved ones were facing
them. We need to act both spiritually and materially to alleviate the
suffering and oppression. In one verse,Allah orders conscientious and
faithful people to assume this responsibility:
What reason could you have for not fighting in the Way of Allah – for
those men, women and children who are oppressed and say, 'Our Lord,
take us out of this city whose inhabitants are wrongdoers! Give usa
protector from You! Give us a helper from You!'?(Surat an-Nisa': 75)
When we consider the Qur'anic commands, it becomes obvious what are
our obligations. The most important thing forMuslims is first, to
struggle in the intellectual domain so that the values of the Qur'an
and the Sunnah prevail over disbelief. The only salvation for the
weak, helpless, homeless and destitute is the practice of the guidance
of the Qur'an, which is directed to all humankind. Therefore, itis our
duty to spread the word and communicate the message, and that is a
vital component of worship for all Muslims.
Those who do not followtheir consciences, who are indifferent to the
suffering of others, who spend their wealth on frivolous and vain
things, who fail to show concern for orphans, who look coldly at
oppressed woman, children and the elderly, and who are happy only when
there is immorality and ugliness in the world, will certainly have to
give anaccount in the Hereafter.
Have you seen him who denies the deen (religion)? He is the one who
harshly rebuffs the orphan and does not urge the feeding of the poor.
So woe to those who do salat (regular prayers), whose hearts from
their salat are remote, those who showoff and deny help to
others.(Surat al-Ma'un: 1-7)
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