MUSLIM DEGENERATION AND ITS ONLY REMEDY
“O Muhammad! Invite people to your Lord with wisdom and better counsel, and argue with them in such wise as is best; verily your Lord knows the one who wanders astray from His path, and He knows those who are on the right path.”
The highway marked for the progress of the Holy Prophet (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) and his followers is further declared in the following verses:
“O Muhammad! Say, this is my path, and I invite you towards Allah Ta'ala knowingly, I and my followers too: and Allah is all pure and never will I join partners with Allah.”
“And who is better in speech than one who invites you towards Allah Ta'ala, does good deeds and says, verily, I am of those who submit their will to Allah.”
To call mankind to Allah Ta'ala and show the right path to all those who had gone astray was the only mission and the sole purpose of the Holy Prophet’s (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) life. To serve this very purpose, thousands of prophets had been deputed before him. As Allah Ta'ala says.
“And we did not send any Prophet before you, but that We revealed upon him that verily there is no god but Me and so worship Me.”
The sacred biography of Hadhrat Mohammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) and also those of other Prophets indicate one single aim as the sole mission of their lives: i.e., to believe in One True Allah Ta'ala and His one Divine Personality and His Attributes. This belief is the essence of the faith of Islam. It was to practise and demonstrate this very faith that man has been sent on this earch, as will be seen fron this verse:
 “And We have not created the genii and human beings but to worship Me only.”
We should by now ought to be able to understand the real purpose for the creation of man and the way we, particularly Muslims, should live; we also know the true disease from which we suffer and its treatment; it should, therefore, not be difficult then to find out how to apply that treatment and regain our lost vitality. If we bear in our mind all that has been discussed so far, and with that background act sincerely, any method adopted will “Insha Allah” prove to be beneficial and successful. However, a proven successful method is described.
COURSE OF ACTION
With the very limited knowledge and understanding that I have about such a vital matter as “Tabligh” (enjoining good and forbidding evil), a scheme of work and action is described below, for the improvement of Muslims and their progress in Islam. Actually, what I have to say is nothing else than a brief outline of the practical way of life which had been followed by our ancestors and early Muslims.
The FIRST and the FOREMOST thing to do is to change the aim of our life, form material motives and acquisition of wealth, to the propagation and spreading of Allah Ta'ala “Kalimah” and Islam; to fix as a definite objective for ourselves, the enforcement of the commands and orders of Allah Ta'ala; and to sincerely resolve: I will obey every command of Allah Ta'ala, shall try to practise it in cumstances. The fulfillment of this resolution must be madethe main aim of life. We can plan and act on this brad base by adopting the following practical scheme and proredure:
- To memorise and correctly recite the “Kalimah”:
And to understand its literal meaning, as well as what it actually implies.
That is, to believe, to say, and to act on the faith that Allah Ta'ala is the only Power, the only Authority and the Sole Controller of all things, and it is He alone who is to be worshipped and obeyed, and it is He alone who grants success or failure in life. Success will depend on our truly adopting the way of life preached and taught by Hadhrat Mohammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam) and our own life on the pattern requirements of the “Kalimah”
- To become punctual and regular in offering our prayers (namaz) five times a day. Ther performance of this most obligatory duty ought to be strictly in accordance with the procedure laid down by Hadhrat Mohammad (Sallallaho Alaihe Wasallam), to be performed in utmost humility and supplication. The greatness and superiority of Allah Ta'ala must be held uppermost in mind throughout the prayers, whilst maintaining the feelings of one’s own humbleness and helplessness. In other words, “namaz” should be performed as if one was actually being presented to Allah Ta'ala in a manner befitting the Height of His Greatness and Glory. If the procedure of “namaz” is not known, it ought to be learnt properly with each detail committed to memory.
- To develop attachment of body and soul to the Holy Quran in the following manner:
- To recite daily a portion of the Quran, however small, with highest respect and reverence for the holy scripture and by understanding its meaning, if possible. If one is unable to understand the meaning, he may still recite the text with the purpose and hope that his salvation and progress depends on it. Simple recitation of the original words and lines is also a great blessing. If a person is unable to read, he ought to spend a little time daily to learn to read.
- To ensure that one’s own children as well as those of the neighbors and friends are taught the holy Quran and other essential religious books as a first step in their learning.
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