Contents
Introduction____________________________________________________________________ 3 1.0 Integration__________________________________________________________________ 3
1.1 Concept of Integration _____________________________________________________________ 4 1.2 Concept of the American Melting Pot _________________________________________________ 4
5.0 Not to integrate but to cure the Society__________________________________________ 14 6.0 The Prophet's (saws) Stand in Mecca___________________________________________ 15
6.1 What did the Prophet (saws) do ___________________________________________________ ? 16 6.2 Muslims in Abysinia and West ______________________________________________________ 18
Conclusion____________________________________________________________________ 24
Introduction
Muslims in the past were very effective in carrying the Islamic Message to other nations. When traveling to various lands, Muslims realized they had a responsibility to carry the Islamic Message. Due to their awareness of this responsibility they were able to change or influence the society rather than the society influencing them. One thing that assisted the carrying of the Islamic Message was the existence of the Islamic State in the political arena. The Islamic State symbolized the Islamic Message in a practical manner for all nations to witness. It applied Islam in a comprehensive manner so people could see its justice. Accordingly, Islam was able to expand to the known world at a very rapid rate. Muslims during the existence of the Islamic State used to travel to Western nations equiped with a comprehensive understanding of Islam. Consequently, they were able to influence the society. However, during the 19th century Muslims started immigrating to the U.S. But were not equiped with a comprehensive understanding of Islam thus they started to loose their identity. Many internal as well as external factors led to the official dissolution of the Islamic State in 1924. Muslim lands were plundered and divided by the colonialists for their interest. These events resulted in mass migration of Muslims to Western nations which were oblivious to the Islamic ideology. During the last three decades there has been a strong revival for Islam in the Muslim world. Due to these events the Muslims in the West are searching for their responsibility while residing in Western nations. The awakening in the Muslim world has stimulated the minds of the Muslims towards their responsibility. We will discuss some of the many problems Muslims are facing in Western nations as well as their responsibility. Amongst the many problems to be discussed are: Integration Melting Pot Western Society Political Process Prophet (saws) Stand in Mecca Minority Thinking New Methodology for Understanding Islam Western Oriented Fiqh In this booklet we hope to provide a platform from which the Muslim in the West can base their actions.
1.0 Integration
The Muslims in the West and particularly in America are being encouraged to become elements of their respective society. The proponents of integration in America attempt to prove their point by reminding us of the success of various ethnic groups, such as the Jews, who are part of the melting pot and have an influence on the system. Proponents of this perspective see it as permissible for
Muslims to integrate into the American society. They have formed many organizations to help integrate Muslims into the American melting pot. In many Islamic centers and schools the educational curricula is directed towards achieving integration. Unfortunately, our brothers and sisters do not fully understand the assimilative forces of the American culture. The reality of the Islamic ideology and the example of the Prophet Muhammad (saws) in Mecca needs to be injected into our veins and minds. Through his (saws) example we will be able to understand the reality of the Islamic ideology and whether it can coexist with any other ideology.
Sometimes, we fail to realize what type of culture or society the integrationist Muslims are proposing for us to integrate with ? The issue is what type of society the Muslims are being lured to integrate with and whether that society is based on Islamic principals or not ? First, let us look at the Western societies then we will discuss the Islamic point of view on the issue of integration.
have not even discussed the contradiction between how Islam organizes the society with its public and private laws and how Western societies organize it.
2.2 Concept of the Melting Pot from the Muslims point of view:
One of the concepts that was rendered regarding melting pot was: " America as a land which brought various peoples together, offered them a heaven and a home, and an opportunity to become something other and better than they had been: Americans." For Muslims the implication gathered is that the melting pot gives us something more than what we are: a chance to become Americans, not Muslims. However, Allah (SWT) has made us into a one Ummah. We are not Saudi, Palestinian, Pakistani, or American Muslims. We are only Muslims, even though we may be divided and reside in various parts of Allah's world. A deeper reflection on the concept of the melting reveals that it involves indoctrination of the "... Anglo Saxon backgrounds" which "included freedom and intelligence, but that Europeans were "slave minded," and needed to throw off their heritage and "learn" new methods of thought and action." Truly, the "slave-minded" immigrants as the dictionary mentioned were in need of assimilation due to their lacking a strong ideology. It was natural for them to assimilate and in this process be indoctrinated with the Anglo Saxon background. However, can the description of the immigrant lacking a strong ideology be ascribed to the Muslims? Unfortunately, the present Muslim Ummah, not just the Muslims in the West are mentally defeated. We are in such a position that some of our own brothers and sisters are humiliating us by encouraging us to adhere to the "Anglo-Saxon backgrounds" which the European "slave minded" immigrant had to follow. If we were not in such a degraded position as an Ummah then we would not be addressing the Muslims with the issue of integration and assimilation into a Kufr society.
The situation of the Muslim Ummah has reached to a pitiful level when it abandons the strong ideology it possesses, Islam. The sad situation of the Muslim Ummah is somewhat understandable due to the experiences it went through with colonialism, nationalism, patriotism, tribalism, imperialism, ethnocentrism, capitalism, and communism. The side effects from these corrupted modes of life have caused the Ummah to forget the ideology it possesses. It has forgotten its "heritage" of providing more than 1400 years of justice and peace to the entire world to the point that it's now asking justice from its enemies. The Muslims in the West who are being encouraged to assimilate, have to grasp the reality of Islam: that it cannot be reduced to a set of prayers or a set of laws pertaining to diet and clothing attire. Islam is not an individualistic or spiritual relationship. The statements made by an English journalist during the Salman Rushdie incidents summarizes the issue of Islam as a comprehensive way of life. " ... the Home office must know that some of their (Muslims) beliefs, at least at face value, are not compatible with a plural society: Islam does not know how to exist as a minority culture. For it is not just a set of private individual principles and beliefs. Islam is a social creed above all, a radically different way of organizing society as a whole." (Times - 7/8/89) From this brief discussion on the issue of integration, melting pot, Western society, and Islamic society one can easily understand that Islam is not compatible with any system. It cannot co-exist with any other ideology. As for those of us who are calling for integration, they should be aware of the seriousness of their actions. If Muslims integrate with Western society, they will experience the same results as they experienced from colonialism, nationalism, patriotism, capitalism, or communism.
In Britain, a solution was proposed to the Muslims in which "Muslims can maintain their fundamental beliefs while giving up any other demand to the British way of life, and if Muslims accept such compromise, we must help them in practicing their belief and in their own institutions" (Al Ahram 10/25/1987) In France, Michel Noir, the Mayor of Lyon said the mosque (being constructed in Lyon, France) would help the regions 120,00 Muslims integrate into French life. (Albuquerque Journal 6/15/92) Specific Methods Amongst the other plans designed to integrate the immigrants, two specific well-organized plans to integrate the Muslims with the Western culture are: 1. A New Methodology for Understanding Islam. 2. Involvement in the Political Process. Much emphasis is being placed in these two areas. The former will dilute the understanding of Islam in the minds of the Muslims and in Particular the youth. While, the political process will contain the immigrants. Due to the gravity of these plans we will provide specific details and examples to bring the point home.
been observed. The West now realizes the danger and the severe consequences that it may have to deal with. To handle such problems it is promoting a Westernized form of Islam and using Muslims to achieve their objectives. The same conspiracy has surfaced in many of the Western nations. Institutions such as universities have been sponsored by "...wealthy contributors from Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf oil states in the hopes that eventually the school will have 200 elite students and serve as one of the main centers of learning of Europe's 25 million Muslims..." (L.A. Times 2/8/92) The following are some of the objectives outlined by the Institute as mentioned in the article: " With the complexity of life today," said Zuhair Mahmoud, 39, the institute's director, " we need a place to teach and explain Islam in a European context." Mahmoud, meanwhile, contends that the main purpose of the school is to integrate Islam with European values. "We admire the civil traditions of Europe-its great principles of democracy, freedom, and reason," he said. " We would like the chance to show that we practice an Islam that is open and tolerant. We will give Islam an interpretation that is most adaptive to European society," Mahmoud said, " For example, polygamy, sanctioned in the Koran and practiced in some Muslim societies, would be discouraged at the institute because it conflicts with European traditions of monogamy." Judaism, he said, will be used as an inspiration for the Muslim students. " We feel that our Jewish friends once faced the same intolerance we see today," said Mahmoud. " Today the Jews are accepted. We think that in 20 to 30 years, Islam will be as accepted in France as Judaism." In addition to the building of universities symposia are often being held to discuss the integration of Muslims. Such a symposium was held in Germany on the subject of Muslims in Europe (Feb. 6-8, 92). Amongst the many issues discussed, emphasis was placed on the practical issues connected with the full integration of Muslims in the West. A scholar from Sweden, Ake Sander, suggests " the possibility of founding an Islamic university in Europe that would instruct the new religious leaders on how to guide Muslim integration in the Western environment." The article mentions that one of the other scholar in the symposium proposed that " training imams in the West would alleviate the self-imposed alienation perpetuated by imams coming from the Islamic world." The symposium also provided practical examples of European countries in their efforts to integrate Muslims. (The American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences, Summer '92, Vol. 9, # 2) We would like to ask such directors who is it that gave them the sovereignty which solely belongs to Allah (SWT)? What gives such people the right to twist and manipulate the deen of Islam according to their whims and desires that has been defined by Allah (SWT)? It is imperative for the Muslims to be aware of such conspiracies and to take all the needed actions to see such plans fail. These conspiracies could prove to be very disastrous in the near future. We should be fully aware that there is only ONE Islam. The Muslim Ummah is always being offered a "new improved version of Islam." We should realize that there is only ONE Islam. We should take Islam as is. The Deen does not need cosmetic surgery or contentual alterations. Islam is designed by Allah (SWT), the Creator of everything. He is All Knowing and All Aware. We should have a feeling of assurance that Islam is able to satisfy and fulfill our needs.
To understand any system one must understand the issue comprehensively. Before discussing whether it is halal or haram to cast a vote in the American election we have to understand the system.
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As for the legislative branch, people do not vote on any law until the major corporations or interest groups sponsor the law and make the people aware of it through the news media and other means, and then the people will have a chance to vote on it. Even the Congress comes under intense pressure from the major corporations and lobbying groups when it discusses any proposed legislation. In the very rare case when people approve a law that the major corporations dislike, the law remains on paper (as what happened, few years ago, in the much publicized case in California when the people voted in favor of a law that controls the insurance companies and it never saw the light). This is also evident in president Roosevelt statement when he said that, "the trouble with this country is that you can't win an election without the oil bloc, and you can't govern with it." (The Seven Sisters pg 87) In addition, the making and applying of domestic policy (on the level of city, state, or federal government) and the foreign policy depend on different means and organizations, (i.e. think tanks, research institutes, media, and lobby groups.) The system considers the lobby groups as part of it and not something that is different from it. The Zionist lobby, the lobby for the tobacco companies, the auto makers lobby, and the TV companies lobby are part of the system. They are similar to NASA, the Department of Energy, Department of Defense, and the CIA. All of this is clothed in an attractive democratic cover, where it appears as if the people are ruling themselves by themselves despite the fact that the capitalist are the group which is running this country. After the influence of the capitalists on the system became evident, legislation was passed to limit the amount of contributions that an individual can give to any candidate. Even this did not prevent the candidates to pursue other means which can't be prevented by law like fund raising dinners with the cost of plate reaching $1000. For example, president Bush attended a fund raising dinner in San Francisco and collected $800,000 where the price of tickets reached $1000 each. Therefore, the Capitalists remain in charge, and they are the only ones who can make a president, and in turn he chooses his cabinet from amongst them as what happened with president Reagan when he chose George Shultz the president of Bechtel, to be his secretary of state. And despite the fact that the president is bound by the laws that Congress passes, and the CIA is subject to the same laws, these laws are violated in many cases as what happened with the much publicized Iran-Contra case when the Congress was the last to know. When the matter became public, few people were held accountable, and nothing was done to the major players: Reagan and Bush. In Summary, the American system was not formed in such a way that it can be influenced by any outside group. The elite group is the one who runs and controls the country. Furthermore, in order to keep the people involved with the system, public opinion has to be formed accordingly. The American media is not totally free, and there is a relationship between the media, defense industries, intelligence establishments. The chief editors of the major newspapers can't face their own board of directors whose members are affiliated in a way or another with the defense establishments or organizations associated with the Department of Defense.
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New York Times admits that its corre- spondent Leslie Gelb cooperated with the CIA during the Carter administration in 1978 to recruit journalists in Europe to publish news which make the public opinion sympathetic to the neutron bomb at the time. The CIA depends on agents that convey unfounded stories to the American and European media after such stories are published in the third world media. Ac- cording to John Stockwell who was over seeing the CIA activities in Angola, inorder to make the American journalists in Europe publish certain reports about Angola, the CIA agreed with African head of states and guerrilla movements like UNIT to do things that will be published in the Angolan and African press, then the CIA will recruit local journalists to send these reports to other journalists in Europe to provide strong proofs of what the CIA is trying to propogate. Crescent Intl. Arabic Edition Feb. 1992. All of these things are covered with a democratic cover so the people think it is a real democracy, and the voter thinks that he is electing the president, and he is the one who votes on the legislation.
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that they need to concentrate on solving their own and leave the East with its own problems and concerns.
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Participating in the elections is in the interests of Muslims. This is not a proof because what is in the interests of Muslims has to be bound by Islam and not the other way around. In addition, necessity is also not a proof either. It is true that we have to study this matter, but we are bound by the Islamic evidence. This is because we want to avoid judging Islam by our own logic. In Islam, good is what Islam judges to be good, and evil is what Islam judges to be evil.
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huge amounts of dollars to enforce the law. On the other hand, when the ayahs prohibiting the drinking of alcohol was revealed the Islamic State used very minimal effort to enforce this Quranic injunction. The smooth transition was due to the society revolving around the correct aqeedah. Unfortunately, Muslims are just trying to solve the issue materially, without addressing the concepts or ideas that the society revolves around. Although, there was successful efforts made by Muslims in New York to drive out the drugs and alcohol from their locality. But again this approach is limited to blocks however the approach should be towards the society. To assume that each neighborhood will in such a manner is only an assumption. A System is required to regulate all neighborhoods. The Prophet (saws) implemented the Islamic Aqeedah as well as the Islamic rulings in Medinah comprehensively. Applying Islam completely and not parts of Islam will solve the problems of the society. Islam is an organic deen and is a complete Message which points to a comprehensive solution. A partial solution will never solve the problem. The methodology of changing the society which is outlined by Islam has to be followed. The claim that Muslims cannot adopt a methodology 1400 years old is invalid. Man 14,000 or 1,400 years ago is still the same. Man still has the same organic needs and instincts. All what has changed are the tools to satisfy the human need. After all the methodology outlined by the Prophet (saws) is revelation. To claim it as not being viable implies accusing Allah (swt) of not being able to foresee the future. Both the Quran and Sunnah of the Prophet (saws) provide vivid details on the methodology of curing the ailments of the society. The Prophet (saws) was living in Mecca and we are aware of the massive problems the society was confronted with such as poverty, orphanage, adultery, cheating, and wealth in the hands of the few. The Prophet (saws) was able to establish the society based on Islam. How he performed these actions must be our methodology. In the following ayahs, Allah (swt) is reminding us that the Prophet (saws) was guided by the revelation. Nor does he (Muhammad (saws)) speak of his own desire. It is not except the revelation that is revealed. (53:3-4) Whoever obeys the Prophet obeys Allah. (4:80) Say: this is my way: I call on Allah with sure knowledge, I and whoever follows me. (12:108) Certainly you have in the Messenger of Allah a good example for whosoever hopes for Allah and the last day and remembers Allah much.(33:21) It is obligatory for the Muslims to obey the Islamic rulings on every issue including the methodology of curing the illness of society. The emphasis has to be placed upon the Seerah of the Prophet (saws). The methodology of dealing with the society as well as the course of action needed to establish the State was revealed and thus it is obligatory for us to follow the same methodology.
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community, undermined their religion and declared their forefathers unbelievers who are doomed to hell. So listen to me, I am going to offer you some options to consider so that you may accept some of them." The Messenger of Allah (saws) asked him to go on. Utbah continued, " O son of my brother, if you want money by this matter which you have brought unto us, we will collect for you of our money till you become the richest amongst us. And if you want honor, we will make you chief and overlord over us, deciding on nothing without you. And if you want dominion, we will make you a king over us. But if it is a vicious vision which you see which you cannot send away from you, we will arrange medical treatment for you, and we spend generously until we cure you of it. " After Utbah had finished the Prophet(saws) replied from Surah Fussilat and rejected the offer. Allah (swt) revealed Surah al Kafiroon in which He (swt) says: Say O you disbelievers I worship not that which you worship. Nor will you worship that which I worship. Nor will I worship that which you have been accustomed to worship. Nor will you worship that which I worship. To you be your deen and to me my deen. (109) This surah clearly crushes any concept of co-existence between Islam as a system and any other system. Each society has a social order or one way of life. Two ways of life cannot exist in a society. Islam wanted to stand alone, be the dominant force and not be compromised with other ideologies. From these incidents of the Seerah of the Prophet (saws) it is very vivid that the Prophet (saws) did not call for the integration of the Sahabah in Mecca.
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Accordingly, the Prophet's (saws) movement was geared to uproot the system and its ideology altogether and was not in the pursuit of trying to patch the symptoms. He (saws) was intent on changing all the relationships which existed in the Meccan society. These relationship included the Creator and Man, Ruler and Subjects, Husband and Wife, Parent and Child, and Master and Slave. In other words he wanted to radically change the system with the system of Islam. In Mecca, although the Prophet (saws) witnessed the persecution of many Muslims who were slaves, he never called for a drive to collect money to free the Muslim slaves. Sahabi such as Abu Bakr (RA) on his own initiative freed the slaves. It would be foolish for the Muslims to cater to the symptoms such as homelessness or poverty because all of these symptoms are due to the application of Capitalism. What is needed from us is to uproot Capitalism altogether and replace it with the Islamic ideology. To achieve this objective the Prophet (saws) was ordered to criticize the system. The Prophet (saws) along with the Sahabah exposed the corruption of the Meccan system. Accordingly, our objective should be to show to the non-Muslims the ability of the Islamic Aqeedah to satisfy man's intellect. To show them that it is Islam and only Islam that can solve the problem of man and not corrupt ideologies such as capitalism/democracy. Our role as Muslims should be to expose the corruption caused by these ideologies and not to be part of these ideologies. Our role should be that of the Sahabah when they openly declared such ayahs as: Have you seen him who gives the lie to religion ? That is he who repels the orphan. And urges not the feeding of the needy. (Surah 107:1-3) Woe unto the defrauders. Those who when they take the measure from mankind demand it in full, but if they measure unto them or weigh for them, they cause them loss." (Surah 83: 1-3) Both of these ayah are attacking the social and economic status-quo of the society in Mecca. They were openly exposing the corruption of the society. For these reasons the Prophet and the Sahabah went through such torturous events as the boycott. Our dawah to the Muslims should be on the same principle. We must explain to our fellow Muslims the corruption and the causes of our decline. There are many examples of erroneous concepts that Muslims are still hanging on to that we can address. Amongst them are: Nationalism and Patriotism Separation between Islam and State Compatibility of Islam and West Conspiracies of the rulers of the Muslim world against the Ummah Taking Islam only as a spiritual religion The Western establishment realizes the danger that the Muslim can cause by playing the role of Sahabah. The Muslims have the ability to demolish the shallow concepts which prevail in the Western society. To prevent such activities the Western countries employ many tactics to lure the immigrants to integrate with their culture. Among such tactics is the media which portrays few immigrants that have become popular. While they fail to show the masses who live in the innercities. The media fails to show the problem of homelessness, poverty, and many other byproducts of the system.
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The Muslim youth of today face the same challenge of bringing Islam once again to dominate the world. Allah (SWT) has blessed us with the opportunity of reviving this deen. The question that arises is how was the Prophet (saws) able to create such dynamic personalities in these young people and how can we motivate the youths to follow the footsteps of the Sahabah? The Prophet (saws) instilled in the Sahabah the Islamic Aqeedah. The Islamic Aqeedah created a huge momentum to work for the deen of Islam. Furthermore, the Sahabah took the Islamic Aqeedah as a basis for their thinking and action. So when a Sahabi had committed zina he immediately came to the Prophet (saws) asking the Prophet (saws) to apply the hudd (punishment) on him. This Sahabi thought and based his action on the Islamic Aqeedah when he went to the Prophet (saws) for the application of the hudd. Unfortunately, the way the aqeedah is instilled in Muslims and particularly the youth in a very distorted and erroneous manner. The Prophet (saws) had his Sahabah accept Islam through an intellectual manner. Meaning they applied their intellect into arriving to the conclusion of the oneness of Allah (SWT) and the Messengership of the Messengers. Once, the Aqeedah was embedded in the minds and hearts of the Sahabah they had no hesitation in obeying the Islamic rulings. They did not discriminate between the rulings related to wudu or jihad in the way of Allah (SWT). The Islamic Aqeedah did not produce a defeated or apologetic mentality. Ironically, our Aqeedah today is constructed in the opposite manner. Muslim are forced into accepting the existence of Allah (SWT) without even discussing it. This belief is similar to a Christian's belief in the trinity. A Muslim would take the belief in Allah (SWT) because their father or mother are Muslims. By taking the belief emotionally he/she would discuss, twist and bend the rulings of Allah (SWT) for their benefit. This act is quiet contrary to the behavior of the Sahabah. They believed in Allah in an intellectual manner. They obeyed the rulings without twisting or manipulating it. To save our youth in deed general all Muslims we have to construct the Islamic Aqeedah in the manner ordained by Allah (SWT). Islam is not a passive deen. It is very powerful, it motivates masses, and calls for action. We have to provide the youth with Islam which is not only prayers or the rituals. If we teach our youth the Islam which concerns only with the rituals the result is very evident. The Times writes about the situation of Muslim youth in Britain as " .. Muslim children are being educated in secular British schools with English as their first language and British culture in place of their own. British education emphasizes independence of thought, and young Muslims are not impressed by the empty repetition of Islamic rituals and pieties of uneducated imams." (4/27/91) Islam offers much more than what the Western culture has to offer. The Islamic ideology provides an Aqeedah based upon intellect. Once, this Aqeedah is built, Islam lays down for Muslims the course of action needed to spread the ideology. The problems that the youth encounter in the Western society ( i.e. alcohol, drug abuse, dating, etc) can only be solved through instilling the Islamic Aqeedah in the correct manner and providing a society based upon Islam. The latter solution is not available at the present time, so the only way to solve the problems of the youth is through the Islamic Aqeedah. The Islamic ideology and in particular the Aqeedah has to be given to the youth as a whole we cannot discard some parts of it or compromise in it. For instance, the Islamic Aqeedah ordains that Allah (SWT) is the only legislator. If we expect our youth to have the Islamic personality then we cannot encourage or facilitate means which contradict this ordinance by encouraging them to vote for a person who will legislate laws on behalf of his/her constituents. 7.2 Islamic Schools and Masjid
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and Lebanon as minorities. Unfortunately, RABITA is putting the Muslims as minorities even though Palestine and Lebanon are Muslim lands. By such a behavior we are accepting ourselves to be a part of the system as a minority. The Prophet (saws) in Mecca, never called for minority rights even though they were few in numbers. If the Prophet (saws) had called for minority rights most of us would not be Muslim today. The reason the majority of the world is Muslim is due to the attitude of the Prophet (saws) and his Sahabah: even though they were few in numbers, they were calling for a radical and comprehensive change to the society in Mecca. The Prophet (saws) was not calling for few human rights but rather He (saws) was telling his Sahabah that a time will come that between the region of Iraq and Yemen they will be able to walk without any danger. Consequently, the Prophet (saws) was calling for World Order based upon Islam. In other words, the Prophet (saws) was calling for the abolishment of the existing system of Jahilliyah in Mecca in favor of Islam. After thirteen years of hard work He (saws) was able to provide a radically different society based upon "La illaha illal Allah." The Muslim Ummah should not have defeated mentality. We should enlighten ourselves with the Islamic ideology. This ideology has proven its justice, mercy, and joy to the entire world.
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There is a tremendous gap between the Ulema from overseas and the ones resid ing in North America. The Ulema across the Atlantic cannot answer our problems due to the fact that they do not know what the Muslims in America are encountering. Scholars overseas are not qualified to rule on issues of fiqh in North America. The article provided such examples to illustrate the points: 1. A Muslim Woman dissolved her marriage in an American Court, while the husband refuses to accept the divorce. 2. The woman accepted Islam, while her husband remained a Kafir. 3. Adoption, parent - child abuse. 4. Wills, inheritance, and burials. What is really needed is at least one mujtahid in each generation. This mujtahid should fully comprehend the issue and the texts of Shariah. If this needs acquiring technical knowledge from experts in a particular field then he/she must pursue this. The issue is not where the issue occurs or where the mujtahid is situated. It is definitely an invalid criteria. Rather, the question should be: has the mujtahid understood the issue ? Every mujtahid is qualified to practice ijtihad in any issue in any place if he/she meets the requirements. And One of the requirements is to understand and study the issue carefully to the point that the mujtahid exhausts his/her efforts. As for the issue of suggesting an American woman accepting Islam while her husband remained a Kafir, this is not a new issue at all. This incident happened at the time of Prophet Muhammad (saws). His daughter Zaynab accepted Islam while her husband remained a Kafir. So we should go back to the text and study it to acquire the Islamic ruling on this matter. As for the other issues such as adoption, wills, inheritance, and burial, these have rules which are discussed and cannot be changed at all. As for the new issue, this needs a mujtahid to extract rulings, whether this happens in the East or the West. Muslims do not need American Fiqh. Furthermore, this term itself is wrong. There is no Egyptian, Pakistani, American or Palestinian Islam in order to have a Egyptian, Pakistani, American or Palestinian fiqh. There is one Islam and one Fiqh. By claiming the need for an American Fiqh is to divorce the Muslims living in U.S. from the body of the Muslim Ummah. Muslims all over the world are one Ummah and cannot be separated. Even if the Muslims are temporarily living under more than 46 regimes.
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be an excuse for us to be disunited. We should refer back to the Quran and the hadith to emphasize in ourselves the obligation of being united. The Prophet (saws) in more than one hadith instructs the Muslims to have only one Khalifah, the Prophet emphasized this point by instructing to kill the second Khalifah if he exists.When the bay'a (oath of allegiance) has been taken for two khalifs, kill the latter of them - Muslim Whoso comes to you, while your affairs has been united under one man, intending to divide your staff or dissolve your unity, kill him. - Muslim Furthermore, the Prophet (saws) described this Ummah as one body, if one part of the body hurts then the whole body hurts. Also when Allah (SWT) addresses the Muslims in the Qur'an He (SWT) addresses them as one indivisible entity not separate ones. The unity of the Muslim Ummah was destroyed when the colonialist divided amongst themselves parts of Khilafah (Uthmani Khilfah). These colonialist with the help of their agents promote nationalism, and patriotism in the Muslim Ummah. After the official abolishment of the Khilafah in 1924, Islam was no longer implemented comprehensively. The Islamic Khilafah State since then has ceased to exist. Thus the full implementation of the Islamic ideology has also ceased to be implemented. Some countries pick and chose from the Shariah laws concerning particular issues such as divorce, marriage, etc. While, some countries such as Turkey declare as secularist nations. In the past as well as in the present, the structure of each and every system in the Muslim country is based upon Kufr.
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work together to relieve the suffering. Consequently, the human body handles each problem of the body in a systematic manner. The human body does not treat the suffering of its organs in an isolated manner. The human body searches for the main cause of its suffering. However, this one body is not behaving in such a manner. Muslims are being encouraged through scholars, organizations, and regimes to break the unity of the Muslim Ummah. We are being encouraged to handle each problem in an isolated manner. We are not dealing with the suffering in a comprehensive manner. Muslims are not searching for the main cause of it's suffering.
Conclusion
The Sahabah and many generations of Muslims have realized their responsibility. The Muslim Ummah understood that the responsibility was bestowed upon them by Allah (SWT). Consequently, the Muslim Ummah realized its importance. The responsibility of the Muslim Ummah is: 1. To Implement Islam comprehensively on an individual as well as on the State level. 2. Carrying the Islamic Message to others. To achieve both objectives the Prophet (saws) established the State in which he had full authority to implement Islam. The existence of the State is required to implement Islam. From the very early days of Islam, it was evident to the Muslims that Islam was for all people of the world and not just for Arabs. Allah (SWT) made it very explicit that the objective of this Deen is to dominate over all other systems of life, i.e. capitalism or communism. It is He Who has sent His Messenger with the Truth that it may prevail over all other Deen and enough is Allah for a witness. (48:28) It is He who has sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth to cause it to prevail over all deen, even though the pagans may detest it. (9:33) During the critical stages of the dawah, such as during the battle of the Khandaq (ditch), when the Muslims were terrified, the Prophet (saws) reminded Muslims of the good news that they would conquer Persian, Roman, and the Yemeni empires. Thus, the Prophet (saws) was able to change their course of thinking about self -security to providing self-security to the people of the world. The Prophet broadened their concern, thinking, and objective. Consequently, the Prophet (saws) always emphasized the role of the Muslim Ummah as the liberator of mankind. The Muslims were quick to realize their duty of liberating mankind from oppression. It was no wonder that they were able to carry Islam to all of the known world at that time even with the limited means of transportation at a rapid rate, which history had never before witnessed. The Islamic State throughout most of its history occupied itself by liberating lands. Most of this was accomplished through Jihad. Jihad is not to force individuals to become Muslims, but to eliminate the obstacles which are blocking the Islamic dawah from reaching the people. The Prophet (saws) and Sahabah implemented such a methodology. When the masses witnessed the justice from the rulings of the Islamic ideology the masses became Muslims, such that whole towns and nations accepted Islam, again a phenomena which history has never witnessed. There were some incidents such as in Malaysia and Indonesia where its people became Muslims through individual efforts. The non-Muslims of the region saw the Islamic personality of the Muslim traders who traveled to that area and also the impact of the State in the political arena of the time encouraged the masses to become Muslims.
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The Muslim Ummah fulfilled the role of: Thus we have made you a Just Ummah that you may witness over the nations, and the Messenger a witness over yourselves. (2:143) The Ummah carried the Message of Islam to other nations thus fulfilling the role of witnessing over the nations. While, the Prophet(saws) is a witness over us for handing us this duty. The Muslim Ummah should realize its great responsibility of providing guidance to humanity. The Ummah which has been bestowed the Islamic ideology should not settle for anything less. The Muslims in the West as part of the Muslim Ummah should not beg for minority rights while we are suppose to provide justice. We should not loose our identity by integrating into a kufr system. Muslims have to be cautious to the call for melting into the Western society. We have to be alert for not working for the agenda set by others.
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