What A Religion, If Only It Had Strong Men

What A Religion, If Only It Had Strong Men
by Muhammad Al-‘Abdah

When I hear of the gradual successes of the European countries in establishing a common market, approximating politics and social laws and bringing down barriers of movement and trade, a sense of sorrow overwhelms me. How can this group of people collaborate amongst themselves whilst possessing different cultures and customs, speaking different languages and carrying prejudices resulting from centuries of violent conflicts? At the same time Muslims, and the Callers in particular, do not join together, especially as they have all the elements necessary to establish co-operation, assistance and unity.

Undoubtedly, what had triggered such moves by the Europeans is their long term views and assessments of the enormous benefits and future gains as a result of such a union. Their assessment is dispassionate and materialistic, based upon a rational deduction. Similarly, what is preventing Muslims from attempting such steps along the path of understanding and co-operation is the shortsightedness and inability to recognize the implication of the abandonment of such valuable action. There is also the simplified view that fails to see the dangers that surround it and the evil plots produced by its enemies. Occasionally, sentiments and narrow views color judgment favoring, thereby, their own individual and partisan interests. What those Muslim do not lack is the enthusiasm for the religion but it is the cultural backwardness that renders them unable to calmly and equitably assess a situation. How else can one explain the fact that this affliction and the dire situation in which we are living through has not served to encourage co-operative work?

Many westerners are astonished to find out that the Arab peoples speak a single language, each understanding the other yet at the same time a great amount of division and conflict still presides as if every region is a separate country and every country a continent! Westerners often ask whether the Egyptian person can comprehend the Moroccan and whether the Yemeni can converse with the Iraqi. It is beyond them to comprehend the existence of so many regions speaking one language with nothing but division and animosity.

How can it be that the enemies of Islam gather regularly, whilst we practice our favorite hobby of creating divisions, multiplying thereby the number of titles and banners? How is it that the enemies of Islam are able to establish states on the basis of ideas and literature of men, many a time the worst of men, whilst we carry the Book of Allah with us, with its interpretation and are still divided amongst one another? It is this book that is the mighty rope of Allah and His firmest bond which does not wane, yet Muslims are still in their pitiful state.

We have a modest request to the workers in the field of Da’wah. It is to look around and contemplate, and observe how the enemies of Islam have gathered, sparing no effort and not pausing for a single moment from their plotting, planning and destabilizing efforts in order to ensure dominance over the subjugated nations. Truly, seeing the truth is far better than continuing with the deception of claiming that things are as good as they could be. Also, noting the defects, their treatment even if the medicine is bitter or painful is far better than persisting in neglect and ignorance, tirelessly engaging in accusations and counter accusations amongst ourselves.