Weakness and ineffectiveness

A Muslim is commanded to pursue available means of attaining power and
to abandon weakness and ineffectiveness. The Prophetexplained that"a
strong believer is better and dearer to Allaah than a weak believer,
and there is good in each one. Cherish that which gives you benefit,
seek help from Allaah and do not lose heart."]Muslim[ Howis it that a
Muslim can become powerless or give up when he believesin the
existence of cause and effect, and in the balance that is set by
Allaah in the universe?
Physical or spiritual weakness is a negative trait that a Muslim
shouldavoid and get rid of. Allaah The Almighty instead urged His
slaves to actively pursue any course to achieve strength, for
instance, against the enemy, whenHe Said )what means(:}And prepare
against them whatever you are able of power and of steeds of war by
which you may terrify the enemy of Allaah and yourenemy and others
besides them whom you do not know ]but[ whomAllaah knows. And whatever
you spend in the cause of Allaah will be fully repaid to you, and you
will not be wronged.{]Quran 8:60[
The Noble Quran denounces those who are content with subordination and
lead alife of weakness and impotence, though they retain the ability
to change their state. AllaahThe Almighty Says )what means(:}Indeed,
those whom the angels take ]indeath[ while wronging themselves - ]the
angels[ will say, "In what]condition[ were you?" They will say, "We
were oppressed in the land." The angels will say, "Was not the earth
of Allaah spacious ]enough[ for you to emigrate therein?" For those,
their refuge is Hell - and evil it is as a destination.{]Quran 4:97[
Surely, those who are satisfied with such an inferior existence,
exposethemselves to humiliation, disgrace andthe oppression of
tyrants,as Allaah The Almighty tells us about Pharaoh, Saying )what
means(:}So he bluffed his people, and they obeyed him. Indeed, they
were]themselves[ a people defiantly disobedient ]of Allaah[.{]Quran
43:54[
In fact, nations whose constituents become weak, will surely be
disgraced and defeated, because the central issue here is they have
already crushed themselves spiritually. However, if people exhibit a
high morale, it will be all the more difficult to triumph over or
humiliate them.
The history of our righteous predecessors shows how they succeeded in
conquering virtually the whole world, when they were strong and proud
of theirreligion, and when they actively pursued the means of power.
Nonetheless, when their successors gave in to vulnerability and
impotence, their situation reversed.
We can observe this in the tale that is told of theweak Muslim who
surrendered and stayed still under the orders of the Tatar soldier who
he knew was going to find arock to kill him and sure enough, he
fulfilled his threat. We also found people who would justifyenslaving
members of the Ummah to its enemies, by mentioning their dire
circumstances or some underlying benefit.
Causes of weakness and ineffectiveness
- Loss of determination and lack of purpose
- Love of life and an inclination towards it, and hatred of death
- Deviant educational curriculum and corruptedmass media
This is the most vital catalyst of weakness. Thus, we find the enemies
of Islam conspiring to corrupt the Ummah by interfering in its
scholastic matters and invading it with depravity. They aim to tear
Muslim societies intoshreds and drown them in the mire of immorality
and materialism. Thus, a person will have no time to listen to
guidance or revisit religion. The broad policies of the enemies are to
replace mosques with nightclubs;wives with prostitutes; belief with
freedom of thought, or more precisely, disbelief; and fighting power
with different forms of pleasure.
In truth, whatever humiliation comes upon man because of others and
affects him externally, is better and easier to cure than the
humiliation that springs from within himself. And that is better than
the weakness that bursts from his own heart, because that is, indeed,
asevere malady, resulting in a slow death.
Therefore, a Muslim must abandon weakness and pursue means of power,
seeking the Help of Allaah The Almighty, without ever losing heart.