English Muslim Degeneration and Its Only Remedy FazailEAmal

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Muslim Degenemtion and its only Remedy

AUTHOR'S PREFACE

For the high devotion, keenness and perseverance ofHadhrat Mohammad Ilyas (Rahmat-Allah-Alaihi) and also

due to the profound zeal shown by many other learned andpjous personages among Muslims, a cohesive work is cur-rently in progress for the propagation of Islam and theIslamic way of life. This fact is known to most of the well-informed Muslims of this period. Although an unworthybeing for the high mission; I have been commanded by thedistinguished gentlemen referred to above to write an

account of this work, so as to bring out clearly the specialfeatures of propagation (Tabligh) and also to highlight theburning need for this, the Supreme Islamic activity, at thiscritical juncture, so that, as many Muslims as possible areable to understand and benefit from what is going on.

In obedience to their command, I have ventured to

gather in this booklet a few thoughts and ideas, which aremere drops from the ocean of knowledge and enlighten-ment possessed by the above mentioned personalities. The



4 Muslim Degeneration and its only Remedy

PAST HISTORY

About thirteen and a half centuries ago, when theworld was sunk in the darkness of ignorance, sin and impi-ety, a light of true knowledge and guidance rose from thehorizon of the rugged hi lls of Batha.* Its rays spread to theEast, West, North and South; they reached every corner ofthe earth and within the short period of 23 years, the waywas paved through that light for the mankind to move tosuch heights of glory as had never been attained before. Itenlightened Muslims and created in them the urge for tak-ing the right counsel, which would ultimately bring them

their salvation. By following the right path and the guid-ance emanating from that light, the Muslims moved fromsuccess to success and attained the highest pinnacle ofglory in history. For centuries, they ruled on this earth withsuch grandeur and strength that no contemporary powerhad the courage to challenge them and, if someone dared todo so, he did that at the risk of being annihilated. This isthe historical truth, which cannot be-erased. But, alas! thisfact of history has only become a myth, an ancient tale, tonarrate which may sound meaningless and ridiculous, par-ticularly in the context of the present day life of Muslims,which obviously is a blot on the brilliant performance and

achievements of their ancestors, the early followers ofIslam.

THE DISEASE

The history, even up to the end of the thirteenth cen-tury Hijri, will reveal that the Muslims were the sole pos-sessors of honour, dignity, power and grandeur, but whenone turns his eyes away from the pages of the history booksand looks at the Muslims of today, one sees the picture of apeople sunk in misery and disgrace, a people who possessno real strength or power, honour or dignity, brotherhoodor mutual love, and reflects no virtues or moral character

worth the name. One cannot find any sign in them of those

Nameof hills aroundMecca (Saudi Arabia).

Muslim Degeneration and its only Remedy 5

noble deeds which at one time used to be the symbol ofeach and every Muslim. Now-a-days, there can hardly be aliving person who can be said to have the purity or the sin-cerity of conscience. On the contrary, Muslims are sunk invice and sin. They have wandered away so much from thepath of virtue which at one time used to be their "hall-

mark", that the enemies of Islam talk and discuss theiraffairs with delight, contempt and ridicule. Unfortunately,the matter does not end here. The Muslim youth of the newgeneration, which has been affected and influenced by theso-called modern trends or the Western way of life, takepleasure in laughing at the very ideals of Islam and openlycriticize the sacred code o.f "Shariat" as being out of dateand impracticable. One wonders at such behaviour andfinds that a people, who once gave strength, happiqess,honour and peace to the entire mankind, have now becomecompletely demoralised, apathetic, shallow and helpless.Those who had once taught the world the golden lessons ofetiquette and culture are today found wanting in these veryadornments.

EARLIER ATTEMPTS TOWA RDS IMPROVEMENT

For a long time, some distinguished thinkers andpreachers of Islam have been seriously pondering over thisunfortunate plight of their people and have been strivinghard to reform the Muslim society, but alas!

(The treatment only aggravated the disease).

The situation is fast deteriorating and the future looksdarker still. Inaction and complacency on our part in thesecircumstances will be an unforgiveable sin and crime. But,before deciding what is to be done, it will be necessary to I "look closely at the root cause of this sad state of affairs. kp$

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People have assigned several causes to this degenera-tion and have adopted numerous measures for arresting the l zot, but unfortunately all efforts so far have only broughtfurther frustration. Instead of improvement, despair andconfusion have resulted, particularly so in the ranks'oflearned preachers and "ulema". The basic truth of all thisis that the root cause of the real disease has not been diag-

nosed. Until this is done, no proper treatment can be pre-scribed or administered, hence no cure or improvement




can be expected. Any step lacking proper diagnosis andcorrect treatment would a=ount to making a chronic situa-tion more chronic, and further increase confusion anddespair.

THE APPROACH

It is the proven claim of Islam that the "Shariat" is theDivine Code, which lays down a complete way of life out-lining every possible measure for advancing and progress-ing on the path of true success and righteousness. It veryclearly describes the proper course of action and indicatesmethods to check and re-orientate in the event of losing di-rection or going astray. In other words, "Shariat-e-Muham-madiah" assures its followers their spiritual and materialwell-being and advancement for their whole life in all si tu-ations, right up to the last day of life on this earth. Ob-viously, therefore, it would be futile to look for the causeand the cure for the prevailing degeneration outside the

dictates of "Shariat". For this, of necessity, we must lookclosely into the "Quran-i-Hakim" which is the fountainsource of "Shariat" and of all knowledge and guidance forthe whole of mankind. In fact, it is the only source of wis-dom for man. We ought to seek its help in finding out whatour troubles are and how they are to be removed, if wereally desire to attain full recovery. Once we come to knowabout that, we must.cling to the solution and solemnly re-solve-to adopt it. Certainly, the wisdom and guidance fromthe "Quran" will never fail us, particularly at the criticaljuncture and in the difficult times through which we arepassing nowadays. Let us look and search for the right sol-

ution in the "Quran" and "Sunnah".THE DIAGNOSIS

The Creator of the universe, Allah Ta'ala, remainsavowedly commit^ that the kingdom and His vicegerencyon earth are only meant for the true Muslims (momineen).

This is clear from the following verse:

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"Allah has promised to those from amongst you whobelieve and do righteous deeds that He would surelymake them His vicegerents on earth."

Muslim Degeneration and its only Remedy7

He has also given the assurances that true believerswill always dominate over non-believers a d hat non-believers will be left without any friend or ally; as is clearfrom the following verse:

"And if these non-believers had given you a battle,they were sure to turn on their heels, and they wouldhave found no protector and no helper."

Moreover, it is Allah Ta'ala's own obligation to grantevery help to the true Muslims and it is also His promisethat such people will always remain exalted and glorious.This is borne out by the following verses:

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(A d+U\) &?jd3 !!j!! 43"And it is our bounden duty to render succour to thetrue be1 ievers."

"And do not give way to despair, and do not grieve,and you only shall dominate, if you are true believers."

"And honour is only for Allah, His Prophet (sallallahoI

alaihe wasallam) and those who believe."

The above Divine assertions clearly indicate that theI

way to regain honour, grandeur, exaltation, glory and vir-I tues by Muslims, lies only in their being strictly faithful. If

their relationship with Allah Ta'ala and the Holy Prophet 3

,sallallaho alaihe wasallam) is strong and firm, they are

31estined to be masters of each and every things on thisgarth. But if, on from the following verse:

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0 0 , 4,g\ +i) l ~ ] , & & AUJI 51 4 Ji i l I j E 8) 4YJ - . - 3 P J - - . - - . .- .-

(r - ,A, g k 993 \ 4I "And let Time be witness: verily man is in a great lossI except, of course, those who believe and do righteous

deeds and who rejoin truth and enjoin patience."

As already brought out, history proves that the earlyMuslims had been able to reach the highest summit of




honour and glory, whereas the present day Muslims seemto have moved in the opposite direction. It is obvious fromthe above verses of the Quran that the first Muslims hadattained that high position in life because of the purity andstrength of their faith and the excellence of their character.Conversely, the deplorable condition of the present-day

Muslims is the result of weakness in their faith and charac-ter, the opposite of what their forefathers possessed. There-fore, it will be right to say that today we are Muslims inname only! In this connection, the true Messenger of AllahTa'ala Hadhrat Mohamrnad, (sallallaho alaihe wasallam),had prophesied:

"An era will come in the near future when Islam willexist merely in name and Quran will exist merely inphrase." : ,

This is clearly applicable to the Muslims of the presenttime. In these circumstances, the points which need urgentinvestigation @re:

(a) as the right type of faith, which can have the ap-proval of Allah Ta'ala and His Apostle and whichwill bring us spiritual and material advancement,is not to be seen anywhere, what will be the meansof acquiring that true faith; and

(b) what are the factors which have caused the extinc-

tion of that faith, and with it the true life of Islam,from our midst?

A study of the Holy Quran clearly reveals that thecapacity to maintain the required level of the true faith ofIslam, and the ultimate ascendance to exaltation and glorythrough it, are dependent on the fulfilment of a special taskwhich has been so graciously assigned by Allah Ta'ala tothe Muslims alone. It is for this that they have been given,in the Quran, the dis tinguished position, "Khair-ul-Umam"(the best of dl peoples).

According to the faith of Islam, the main purpose

behind the creation of this world was to establish andprove the Divinity, the Oneness, and the most exalted


existence of Almighty Allah Ta'ala, and to reflect His un-limited Powers and boundless Attributes through man,who was to be guided by the light of true knowledge. It wasimpossible for man to conceive and utilize that knowledgewithout his first being purified of impiety and obscenity.Only after that purification, is he to be adorned with finevirtues, excellence of conduct and the eventual capacity to

act righteously. It was for this purpose of bringing aboutthis purity and power in the ranks of mankind that thou-sands of Prophets and Apostles had been deputed by AllahTa'ala. The last in the series, came the "Sayyed-ul-Ambiawal Mursalin" (the greatest of all the Prophets) Mohammsd(sallallaho alaihe wasallam). It was through him that manreached the high state of development of mind and bodyleading to the final stage of purity. It was then that man-kind received the glad tidings in the following verse:

"And today we have perfected your Religion for youand completed our bounty upon you."

The supreme purpose of man's creation had been ful-filled; good and evil had been clearly defined, a completesystem of practical life had been revealed, the lineage ofprophethood and apostlehood had been terminated, andlastely, the duties that were formerly discharged exc!us-ively by the Prophets had devolved as a collective mission

upon the "Ummat-i-Mohammadia" (the Muslim people). hThis last fact has been clearly brought out in the following

31erses of the Holy Quran:et E&,h' .

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"0 you (followers of Mohammad): you are the noblestof peoples, in that you have been brought out for (thebenefit of) mankind. You enjoin the good and forbidthe evil, and you believe in Allah."




"And it is but meet that amongst you there should be a

group devoted to inviting people towards righteous-ness and enjoining the good and forbidding the evil,and it is only those who do thi s that prosper."

In the first verse, "Allah Ta'ala" has stated the reasonwhy the Muslims are called "Khair-ul-Umam" (noblest ofall peoples); it is because of spreading good and preventingevil. In the second verse, He has further clarified that onlythose people shall be exalted in life who fulfil that injunc-tion. The command does not end here. It is stated in an-other place that the failure to accomplish this vital taskwill bring curse and gloom on its assignees. This inferenceis taken from the following verse:

"And those amongst the people of Israel who rejectedAllah's commands were cursed by Allah through thetongues of Dawood and Isa, son of Mariam. And thecurse was because they rebelled against Allah's com-

mands and transgressed the limits and did not desistfrom the evil that they were doing; and verily it was agrievous lapse on their part."

A further explanation and clarification of the aboveverse of the Holy Quran can be seen from the following"Ahadis" (sayings of the Holy Prophet Mohammad (sallal-laho alaihe wasallam).

(1) It has been narrated by Hadhrat Abdullah bin Ma-sud (radi Allaho anho) that the Holy Prophet (sallallahoalaihe wasailam) was pleased to say:

Muslim Degeneration an d its only Remedy 11- . .J'J J'J a a &I A+ p &I, +JI dj ( \ )

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"Amongst peoples gone by, when somebody com-mitted a sin, the other would reprimand him andwould say: "Fear Allah"; but on the following day

would befriend h im and mix with him as if he hadnever seen him committing the sin. And when Allahsaw them behaving thu s, He confounded the hearts ofsome with those of some, and cursed them through thetongues of Dawood and Isa son of Mariam; and this bc -

cause they rebelled against Allah and transgressed Hislimits."

I, Mohammad swear by Him, Who has control over mysoul: you must enjoin the good and forbid the evil andforce the ignorant wrongdoer into the path of rectitude; elseAllah will confound your hearts and you will be cursed, aswere some of the peoples gone by.

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(2) Hadhrat JAreer (radi Allaho anho) has narrated thatHadhrat Mohammad (sallallaho alaihe wasallam) waspleased to say: "When an indiv idual of a community sins,and the community, in spite of its authority over him, doesnot prevent him from sinning, Allah's punishment de-scends on them even before death, i.e., He subjects them tovarious tribulations in this very world."



12 Muslim Degeneration an d its only Remedy

(3) Hadhrat Anas (radi Allaho anho] has narrated thatHadhrat Mohammad (sallallaho alaihe wasallam) was pleasedto say, "The Kalimah La ilaha Illallaho al~a ys ~b en ef it she in-dividuals who proclaim it, and keeps away from them woesand troubles, unless, indeed, its rights are ignored." The com-panions inquired: "What does the ignoring of its rightsmean?" Replied the Prophet: "It means that when sins are be-ing committed openly they do not prevent or stop them."

(4) Hadhrat Aisha (radi Allaho anha) says: "The HolyProphet, (sallallaho alaihe wasallam) came to me and I couldread from his noble countenance that something extraordinaryhad happened. He did not utter a single word but, having per-formed ablution, repaired straight to the mosque. I, too, stood

by the wall of the mosque to hear what he had to say. TheProphet of Allah ascended the pulpit and, after the usual holyexordium, said: '0 eople, Allah has ordained you to enjointhe good and forbid the evil, lest a time should come whenyou call and He may not respond, you ask for a favour and Hemay not grant it, and you call for help and He may refuse'."

Muslim Degeneration an d its only Remedy 13

(5)Hadhrat Abu Huraira (radi Allaho anho) has narrated:

"Said the Prophet (sallallaho alaihe wasallam): When my"Ummat" (followers) begin to attach more importance tothe world and to regard it as a source of glory, the aweand importance of Islam will vanish from their hearts.When they give up the practice of enjoining good and for-bidding evil, they will be deprived of the blessings ofRevelation, and, when they begin to indulge in mutualrecrimination, they will fall low in the eyes of Allah."

THE ROOT-CAUSE

From the above "Ahadis" it is clear, that the abandon-ment of the act of "Amir bil maruf wa nahi anil munkar" (en-joining the good and forbidding the evil) has usually been theroot cause of "Allah Ta'ala's" anger and displeasure and His

eventual wrath. And if the "Ummat-e-Mohammadiah" be-comes guilty of that neglect and omission, the punishment tohe given to them will be more severe than to the earlierpeople, because they would have failed to recognise their ex-clusive obligation and neglected to fulfil the sole mission intheir life. For this reason, the Holy Prophet (sallallaho alaihewasallam) has enjoined the act of "Amir bil maruf wa nahianil munkar" (enjoining the good and forbidding the evil) "asthe essence and the pivot of the faith of Islam" and the aban-donment of that act as the cause of decay and decl ine of thefaith.

In the "Hadis" of Abu Saeed Khudri , (radi Allaho anho) itis mentioned: 8 h.J%2 E

"When anyone of you witnesses the commission of evil,he should use his hands to prevent it; and if he has notthe power to do this, he should use his tongue; and if hehas not the power to do even this, he should use the pow-

er of his heart; and this last represents the weakest degreeof faith."




There is yet a clearer version of the same "Hadis" from

Ibne Masud (radi Allaho anho):

It is usual for Allah to so arrange that every Prophetleaves behind a group of his companions who perpet-uate His message, who follow it rigorously and pre-serve the holy message exactly in the form in whichthe Messenger left it. Then comes an epoch of mischiefand error, an epoch that witnesses the birth of peoplewho step aside from the path laid down by the

Prophet. Their actions are at variance with their proc-lamations; their activities are not warranted by theholy law. So whosoever arises in defence of Truth andLaw, and opposes the miscreants with his hands, is atrue believer; he who cannot do this but uses histongue, is a believer too; and he who cannot, do eventhis, but uses the power of his heart, is also a believer;but less than this, there is no degree of faith-(Muslim).

The vital importance of Tabligh (the task of propaga-tion] has been further emphasized by Imam Ghazali, (rah-matullah alaih) in the following manner:

"There can be no doubt that the act of "amr bil marufwa nahi anil munkar" is that solid pillar of Islam, onwhich each and every article of faith rests. It is for thisvery mission that Allah Ta'ala deputed all the HolyProphets. If unfortunately, it is ignored or forgottenand its methods and practices are given up, one has tosay that the very purpose of prophethood is totallydefeated and rendered meaningless. Thereafter, theconscience, which is the capital wealth of man, willwither and degenerate. Indolence and dullness of mindwill prevail. The highway to vice and arrogance will beopened up and barbarity will spread in the whole

world. All achievements of man will become danger-ous and even harmful. Human relationship will break


down. Civilization will be ruined. Mankind will be

reduced to utter moral destitution. But, the vividrealisation of all this wi ll come only on the Day ofJudgement, when the entire mankind will be undertrial before the Almighty Allah Ta'ala and called uponto'account for each and every action."

"Alas! alas! the fear has come true, that which wasapprehended is before our eyes.

The tower of knowledge and enlightenment has beendemolished and its benefits and effects have been com-pletely wiped out. Consequently, mutual contempt andhumil iation are rampant. Nothing, of the sublime relation-ship between man and his Creator, is left in human hearts;

on the contrary, man, like an animal, has become the slaveof his passions. Indeed, not only is there a paucity of trueMuslims in this world now, but it is practically impossibleto meet anyone who is prepared to bear the inevitable pri-vations for the sake of propagating Islam.

"Any Muslim who dares to take steps to remove thepresent state of ruin and devastation, endeavours to revivethe act of propagation and comes forward to shoulder that

I

Iheavy responsibility, will surely rank as the noblest andthe most distinguished being among the whole of man-kind."

He said this nearly eight hundred years ago, but hisstatement is very accurately applicable to us today.C0*=

We must ponder and calmly think out what is to be 6 $done in these circumstances. There are some well-known %&causes which seem to be responsible for the apathy and in- ,g 5difference that prevail today. These are discussed below. E 3.- .-

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18 Muslim Degeneration an d its only Remedy Muslim Degeneration an d its only Remedy 19

there will be some who will go astray and become involvedin impiety. In that event, the above verse re-assures therighteous people that as long as they remain steadfast andkeep moving on the right path, no harm can be brought tothem by those who decide to give up the right way of life.

Yet another point is that full enlightenment will bereceived only when all the rules of law of "Shariat-i-Mohammadiah" are accepted and practised, including allthe Divine commands, which naturally cover "Amir bilmaruf wa nahi anil munkar". This interpretation is sup-ported by the following words of Hadhrat Abu Bakr (radiAllaho anho) :

" 0 people! you are given to reading this verse: " 0 youwho believe! you are responsible for your own souls;he who goes astray cannot harm you, while you are onthe path of righteousness," but I have heard theApostle of Allah saying that when people see some-thing evil and do not seek to liquidate it, they willsoon find themselves encompassed by the wrath ofAllah."

The verse in question has been similarly interpreted byall the truly learned personages, such as Imam Nawdvi(rahmat-ullah alaih), who explains in his "Sharah Mus-lim":

"The consensus of opinion of the learned personagesregarding the meaning of h is verse is tha t, "when youhave performed the duty enjoined on you, the remiss-ness of those who refuse to profit by your counsel willnot harm you," as says Allah Ta'ala:

"(No one shall carry another man's burden)"; and ofthe several injunctions addressed to all, one is that

regarding enforcement of good and prevention of evil.Therefore when an individual has performed this duty.and the addressee proves refractory, the former shallnot be penalised for it. He has performed his duty of"amr-o-nahi" and acceptance or rejection of it by theother party is not within his competence. Allah knows

best."

THIRDPeople of distinction as well as the common man, the

learned and the ignorant, all alike, have become indifferentor even averse to the need for the reformation of society.They all seem to have resigned to the fate, that it is diffi-cult, rather impossible these days, for the Muslims to makeany progress to regain their lost glory. Whenever anyscheme for improvement and reformation is presented toanyone, the usual reaction is: how can the Muslims pro-gress in the circumstances when they have neither a state*of the ir own nor any power to rule, neither wealth nor anyfinancial standing, n o army and equipment of war nor anyinfluence, they lack even in physical stamina, mutualagreement and unity of purpose. Even the religious peopleseem to have decided by themselves that, it being the four-teenth century "Hijri" and the people, having drifted sofarther away from the prophetical teachings, the downfallof Islam and the Muslims is inevitable. They maintain that.in these circumstances, it will be useless to make any efforttowards the reformation of Muslims.

It is true that the effects of the apostolic light become

less and less as we are removed farther and farther away

_rom it, but this does not mean that no effort is to be made

,Eto regenerate that light by enforcing "Shariat" and uphold-2 E

ing and defending, with all our energies and power, theway of life taught by Hadhrat Mohammad (sallallaho alaihe

o&fas all am^.E Y.- --

For; had the Muslims before us thought so, there m u

would have been no trace of Islam left anywhere by now, g iibecause there would have been no means through whichthe lessons and the teachings of "Shariat" could havereached us. Therefore, it will be fatal for us not to check the

' he original text was written in 1938 when the Muslilns of th; Indian sub-cont inent were 11ot frec! and did 11ot possoss indc perldci~t politic :al powc:r clr

authority.




present negative attitude towards Islam. We should adopt avi orously positive line for our own sake and also for thefa e of future generations. The time is moving fast, and so

is the pace of deterioration i n the religion of Islam. Thesituation demands a strong, quick and determined effort byone and all for arresting the rot and stopping further degen-

eration of the Muslim society.As a rule, existence of t rue Islam depends entirely

upon the perseverance and collective effort of its followers.Unfortunately, they seem to be deficient in these very re-quirements. We must appreciate that the "Quran" and"Hadis" are full of the lessons in calling the Muslims to beactive and to persevere in the path of Allah. There is a"hadis" about a very pious person who may pray night andday all his life, but he cannot come to the level of one whostrives and sacrifies his pleasure and comfort for the sakeof guiding and helping people to move on the right path ofIslam.

On this very point, many commands and injunctionsin the "Quran" exist. It is clearly brought out that the onewho strives hard in the path of Allah Ta'ala remainssuperior and exalted compared to all other; for example:

"The believers who, without a reasonable excuse, sit athome, cannot equal those who perform "jehad" in thepath of Allah with their lives and wealth. Allah hasraised the sta tus of those who perform "jehad" withtheir lives and wealth as compared to those who stayat home. To the former, He has promised a blessedabode; Allah has exalted the "Mujahideen" over thosewho stay at home, with glorious reward: pompousranks, His mercy and forgiveness; and Allah is For-giving and Merciful."

Although the above verse refers to "jehad" (holy war)

against the infidels and unbelievers in order to uphold theteachings of Islam and subdue and subjugate faithlessness

Muslim Degeneration and i ts only Remedy 21and "shirk" and, although we are unfortunate in not havingthe opportunity of fulfilling that sublime task, we ought notto throw away any chance of doing something, howsoeversmall, in the direction of propagating the truth. Only thencan we expect that one day our humble efforts and insig-nificant perseverance may gather momentum and impetusfor bigger and higher performances.

Undoubtedly Allah Ta'ala has promised to providerotection for the way of life propagated by Hadhrat Mo-

Eammad (sallallaho alaihe wasallam). But, human effortand perseverance have been defined as the only media forits promotion and advancement. The Companions of theHoly Prophet (sallallaho alaihe wasallam) strove untiringlyfor that purpose and, assuredly, they succeeded and werethe recipients of high rewards. They had the honour of re-ceiving Divine help and assistance. We, being their admir-

ers and believers, ought to try and follow them and prepareourselves for the propagation of the "Kalimah" and themessage of Allah Ta'ala. Thus, we will also be favouredwith Divine help and assistance:

"If you (come forward to) help the religion of AllahTa'ala, He shall help you and make you steadfast."

FOURTH

Most of us think that, as we ourselves do not possess

the essential vir tues and qualities of Islam, we are not com- 5

,etent to perform the duty of propagation of those qualities F

e Emong others. This is a clear misunderstanding. Since anobligation has to be fulfilled, particularly when we have

,e,been commanded by Allah Ta'ala for that task, there can be 8 5no question of denying obedience to it. We must set our- .g .2-elves to work in obedience to Divine command. Our ef- @ -

forts then shall. "Insha Allah", gather greater strength andmake us more determined and resolute. In this way, oursustained endeavour on proper lines will one day bring usthe great honour of being dear to Allah Ta'ala. It id againstthe convention and the Sunnat of Allah Ta'ala that, if one

perseveres and strives for His sake (religion), He would notcondescend to bestow favours and kindnesses because the



2 2 Muslim Degeneration and its only Remedy

person was not competent or fit for the task! This point isfully brought out in the following Hadis:

Hadhrat Anas (radiallaho anho) relates: "We inquiredof the Holy Prophet: '0 Prophet of Allah, is it right thatwe should not enjoin virtue unless we practise all thevirtues ourselves, and should not forbid the wrongsunless we ourselves completely abstain from them all?'Nay,' said the Prophet, 'do enjoin others to practisegood deeds even though you do not practise all ofthem, and do forbid evil actions even though you donot abstain from them all'."

FIFTH

Most of us take it for granted that the religious schools,the "Ulema", the saints who have their seats at variousreligious places (Khanqah), and the religious books andmagazines are sufficient activities for the fulfilment of themission of "Amr bil ma'ruf wa nahi anil munkar" (Tab-ligh). These efforts, they think, are enough to meet the re-quirements of Tabligh. Undoubtedly, the presence of 'a11these is absolutely essential and one must 1ook.upon them

with reverence and pay attention to their problems, as thetraces of Islam that exist today owe their existence to thesevery institutions, but they are not enough to meet the situa-tion even partially. The task is stupenduous, consideringour present weaknesses and the extent of the problem. Tobe content with the existence of these few means will be agrave folly on our part.

Even to derive full benefit from these institutions, wehave to create, within ourselves, a true and a deep respectfor the faith of Islam and a burning desire to adopt it in ourpractical life. Up to fifty years back, people did possess reallove, urge and passion for Islam, and there were visible

signs and manifestations of Islamic way of life. In thosedays these institutions could perhaps meet the demand

Muslim Degeneration and its only Remedy 23I adequately. But, today all our sentiments and feelings for

Islam are practically dead, because of the continuous on-slaught on our faith and social structure by various foreignelements and forces. Alas! they have succeeded in theirobject! As, instead of love, we seem to possess a hiddeninferiority complex towards our religion and faith!Obviously, therefore, we must act quickly and wrest the

initiative from the hands of opposite forces and launch astrong counter-effort, whereby we are able to revive thedead spirit of each and every Muslim and rekindle in himthe love and attachment for Islam. Only then can we derivefull benefit from the existing religious institutions which,in turn, can serve the community in a befitting manner.Unless such steps are taken vigorously, the present state ofcomplacency will spread deep and wide, and instead ofthese institutions, which are doing good in this limitedway, may meet the fate of total extinction.

SlXTH

There is a great misunderstanding that, whenever onetakes up the work of enjoining good and forbidding evil, heis not received well by the people. The people invariablytreat him badly, using harsh and insulting language. Also,that sometimes people tend to adopt a mean and contemp-! tuous attitude towards religious workers. This is true, butwe are apt to forget the fact that the performance of the actof propagation means simply to follow in the footsteps ofthe Prophets of Allah Ta'ala, who were always the victimsof the worst type of treatment. That is the usual and des-tined disposition of those who take to this mission! Indeed,all Prophets had to suffer untold miseries on account of

this, as is clear from the following verse: Sh

~23 - = r. e E

I I 8%'

f(, . +I) . &jj&i u 0

E Y.I .-

"And We sent down Prophets before you amongst 4people gone by, and no Prophet came to them but thatthey ridiculed him."

The Holy Prophet (sallallaho alaihe wasallam) once re-marked:

"No Prophet has suffered more than me in the propa-

gation of truth."



24 Muslim Degeneration an d its only Remedy Muslim Degeneration an d its only Remedy 25

It is obvious therefore that there is no justification forgiving rise to such misunderstanding. As we profess to bethe followers of Hadhrat Mohammad (sallallaho alaihe wa-sallam) who himself had suffered in the performance ofthis very mission, but took everything cheerfully and withforbearance, we must also follow his sublime examples andshow patience and calmness while performing the vitalduty of "Tabligh".

SOLUTION

It has been clearly brought out in the preceding pagesthat the current disease in the body of Muslims has sprungfrom the extinction of the true spiri t of Islam in our hearts.As a result, real sentiments and love for Islam are practical-ly dead in us and our belief in it has dissipated. Obviously,when the very source becomes dry, the channels of virtue,good deeds and fine attributes, which can flow from it, arenot to be seen any longer. This is exactly what is evident

today. It has been fully discussed and brought out earlierthat the only means for the building up of th is source, andmaintining a constantly roper flow of religious benefitsErom it, is the act of "Ta ligh", which really and truly isthe life-blood, of Islam. Unless we are able to revive it, wecannot achieve anything in this life because no nation orpeople can rise to glory without having in them the highhuman attributes and character which only the religion ofIslam can give.

We should now clearly feel the disease from which wesuffer and judge the treatment which can bring the remedy.It is now up to us to set about the revival of the obligatorytask of "Tabligh". It will be only then that we can hope toregenerate the true faith of Islam in the masses. By thismeans alone can we recognise and truly understand bothAllah Ta'ala and His Holy Prophet, Hadhrat Mohammad(sallallaho alaihe wasallam), and will be able to clearlyunderstand and finally submit to their commands andwishes. To achieve all this, we will have to adopt the exactmethods and ways which are laid down and were demon-strated by the Holy Prophet (sallallaho alaihe wasallam)himself when he reformed the pagan Arabs. Allah Ta'alasays in the Quran:

"Indeed the Holy Prophet (sallallaho alaihe wasallam)is the perfect example for you to follow."

In this very connection, Hadhrat Imam Malik (rahma-tullah alaihi) said: '.

dji ligjz91?&?T&&

Reformation of the last (part) of this (Mohammad's) Ummatwill not be possible except by adopting the method whichwas used in the beginning (by Hadhrat Mohammad sallal-laho alaihe wasallam).

In the beginning, when the Holy Prophet (sallallahoalaihe wasallam) had started to call the people to Islam, hedid not have a single supporter behind him nor had he anypolitical power or possessions. The Pagan Arabs were arro-gantly independent and self-opinionated. No one amongthem was prepared to listen to reason or truth or obeyanother person. They strongly disliked and were deadlyopposed to the "Kalimah-tul-Haq", which the Holy Prophet

(sallallaho alaihe wasallam) had the sole mission to teach.In these circumstances, one wonders what gave such invis-ible power and force to that one single man, who waswordly poor and without any means, that he eventuallywas able to draw the whole of the Arab nation towardshim. First we ought to carefully think and see what was ittowards which he beckoned the people; initially theyrefused, but came running towards him as soon as they per-ceived the light, and stood by him so close that they neverleft him again. It was the message of Eternal Truth to whichhe called!-that and only that (Truth), which was the HolyProphet's (sallallaho alaihe wasallam) sole mission and aim

in life-and which he so beautifully presented to thepeople! It is:

( 7 d l ) . 4, .g1"That we worship nothing but Allah, and associate g!

one with Him as His compeer or rival, and none of usconsiders another god except Allah."

The propagation of that same very truth can bring thevery same results again.

The Holy Prophet (sallallaho alaihe wasallam) forbadehis followers from looking upon any 'Being' except Allah



26 Muslim Degeneration and its only Remedy Muslim Degeneration and its only Remedy 2 7

Ta'ala for worship or obedience. Not only did he succeedin achieving his aim, but was able to cut all ties betweenhis followers and every alien element, and bound hispeople in one uniform system of life from which they nevertried to break away again. They really became the pictureof:

"Follow that which has been sent to you from the Sus-tainer, and do not follow others (considering them) asProtectors except Allah Ta'ala."

This was the real lesson, which the Ho!y Prophet (sal-lallaho alaihe wasallam) had been commanded (by AllahTa'ala) to teach and spread. It is further clear from the fol-lowing verse:

"0Muhammad! invite people to your Lord with wis-dom and better counsel, and argue with them in suchwise as ,is best; verily your Lord knows the one whowanders' astray from His path, and He knows thosewho are bn the right path."

The highway marked for the progress of the HolyProphet (sallallaho alaihe wasallam) and .his followers isfurther declared i n th e following verses:

"0Muhammad! say, this is my path, and I invite youtowards Allah Ta'ala knowingly, I and my followerstoo: and Allah is all pure and never will I join partnerswith Allah."

To call mankind to Allah Ta'ala and show the rightpath to all those who had gone astray was the only missionand the sole purpose of the Holy Prophet's (sallallahoalaihe wasallam) life. To serve this very purpose, thou-sands of prophets had been deputed before him. As AllahTa'ala says:

"And We did not send any Prophet before you, butthat We revealed upon him that verily there is no godbut Me and so worship Me."

The sacred biography of Hadhrat Mohammad (sallalla-ho alaihe wasallam) and also those of other Prophets indi-cate one single aim as the sole mission of their lives: i.e., tobelieve in One True Allah Ta'ala and His one Divine Per-

sonality and His Attributes. This belief i s the essence of thefaith of Islam. It was to practise and demonstrate this veryfaith that man has been sent on this earth, as will be seenfrom this verse:

I"And We have not created the genii and human beingsbut to worship Me only."

We should by now ought to be able to understand thereal purpose for the creation of man and the way we, par- 5 hticularly Muslims, should live; we also know the true dis- 3 T

ease from which we suffer and its treatment; it should,therefore, not be difficult then to find out how to apply that 8h-h

4 treatment an d regain our lost vitality. If we bear in our 4 5

mind all that has been discussed so far, and with that back- .g

ground act sincerely, any method adopted will "Insha,$ JAllah" prove to be beneficial and successful. However, a

proven successful method is described.

"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."




COURSE OF ACTION

With the very limited knowledge and understandingthat I have about such a vital matter as "Tabligh" (enjoin-ing good and forbidding evil), a scheme of work and actionis described below, for the improvement of Muslims andtheir progress in Islam. Actually, what I have to say is

noth ing else than a brief outline of the practical way of lifewhich had been followed by our ancestors and earlyMuslims.

The FIRST and the FOREMOST thing to do is tochange the aim of our life, from material motives and ac-quisition of .wealth, to the propagation and spreading of Al-lah Ta'ala's "Kalimah" and Islam; to fix as a definite objec-tive for ourselves, the enforcement of the commands an dorders of Allah Ta'ala; and to sincerely resolve: I will obeyevery command of Allah Ta'ala, shall try to practise it inmy dgily life and will not disobey Allah Ta'ala in any cir-cumstances. The fulfilment of this resolution must be made

the main aim of life. We can plan an d act on this broadbase by adopting the following practical scheme and pro-cedure:

(1)To memorise and correctly recite the "Kalimah":

And to understand its literal meaning, as well as whatit actually implies.

That is, to believe, to say, and to act on the faith that

Allah Ta'ala is the only Power, the onlv Authority and theSale Controller of all things, and it is He alone who is to beworshipped and obeyed, and it is He alone who grants suc-cess or failure in life. Success will depend on our trulyadopting the way of life preached an d taught by HadhratMohammad (sallallaho alaihe wasallam) and our acceptinghim as true and last Prophet of Allah.

Having this as ideal, we begin to change our own lifeon the pattern requirements of the "Kalimah".

(2 ) To become punctual and regular in offering ourprayers (naniaz) five times a day. The performance of this

most obligatory duty ought to be strictly in accordancewith the procedure laid down by Hadhrat Mohammad (sal-

lallaho alaihe wasallam), to be periormed in utmost humil-

ity and supplication. The greatness and superiority ofAllah Ta'ala must be held uppermost in mind throughoutthe prayers, whilst maintaining the feelings of one's ownhumbleness and helplessness. In other words, "namaz"should be performed as if one was actually being presentedto Allah Ta'ala in a manner befitting the Height of His

Greatness and Glory. If the procedure of "namaz" is notknown, it ought to be learnt properly with each detail com-mitted to memory.

7

(3 )To develop attachment of body and soul to the HolyQuran in the following manner:

(a) To recite daily a portion of the Quran, howeversmall, with highest respect and reverence for theholy scripture and by understanding its meaning,if possible. If one is unable to understand the

meaning, he may still recite the text with the pur-pose and hope that his salvation and progressdepe nds on it. Simple recitation of the originalwords a nd lines is also a great blessing. If a personis unable to read, he ought to spend a litle timedaily to learn to read.

(b) To ensure that one's own children as well as thoseof the ne ighbours and friends are taught the HolyQuran and other essential religious books as a firststep in their learning.

(4) Some time should be devoted each day to zikr,3% .hich means concentrating on the Omnipotence, the Great-8 8ess, and the Attributes of Allah Ta'ala, and to offer

DUROOD [prayers] for the Holy Prophet (sallallaho alaihe %&7 wasallam). In this connection, guidance should be sought

from a "Sheikh-e-Tariqat" (a learned and saintly person), z;who should be carefully selected for his distinction inpiety and h is capacity to follow "Shariat" and "Sunnah".He may prescribe certain "Wazaif" (special verses) to be re-cited during the times of "Zikr". In case no such holy per-son can be contacted, it is suggested that the following"Wazaif" may be repeated a hundred times (one tasbih of

100beads) each, both in the morning and in the evening:




(a) Third Kalimah,

(b) Durood (praying blessings for the prophet).

(c) Istighfar (seeking forgiveness of Allah) .

(5) Every Muslim must be considered as one's realbrother and must always be given affection, sympathy andsincere attention at all times, particularly when he is inneed. The fact that a person professes the faith of Islamautomatically entitles him to brotherly respect and rever-ence from all Muslims, who must at all times refrain fromcausing him any physical or mental harm.

The above practices should be strictly enforced in

one's own life and, at the same time, efforts should bemade so that other people may follow them as well. Theonly and the best way to achieve this is to devote sometime specially for learning and inculcating in oneself thesefine Islamic qualities, and also persuading others to makesimilar efforts. Thus a joint and collective campaign willautomatically ensure for the growth and expansion of Islamin its true form, which is the real and urgent need of theday.

It was exactly this type of work, which every Prophetof Allah Ta'ala had to do as his sole occupation. For the

sake of th is work, almost all Prophets had to bear untoldmiseries and perils. The worthy Companions of HadhratMohammad (sallallaho alaihe wasallam), as well as manyother distinguished Muslims of the early period of Islam,spent the whole of their lives in striving hard and strug-gling for the religion of Islam in this very manner. Most ofthem sacrificed their lives in the sacred path of AllahTa'ala. It will be our misfortune and enormous loss if wedo not devote a part of our lifetime, however small a periodit may be, towards propagating and perpetuating Islam. Wemust confess that it is due to our negligence in this vitaltask that the Muslim society has reached its present state of

low morale and virtual collapse and, therefore, we mustrise and make manifold efforts.

r Muslim Degeneration and its only Remedy 31

I Previously, the very purpose of being a Muslim was tobe ready to lay down one's life, honour and wealth forupholding Islam and the Kalimah. I n those days, if anyonedid not do that, he was considered to be ignorant and auseless fellow. But alas! today, although we feel proud tobe called Muslims, we remain totally unmoved by the factthat every par ticle of Islam is being destroyed one by one

before our very eyes, and not a finger is moved to checkthis terrible loss. If we realise this we can appreciate thatthe propagation of Islam is our real mission in life, and

7 therein lies our very existence as Muslims and also our1

success, glory and ultimate salvation. The opposite is alsotrue that by neglecting this important task we suffer fromI moral degeneration and social degradation. The onlyremedy for this is that all of us must sincerely repent ourlethargic and injurious past and take immediate steps to re-vive the act of Tabligh as our major occupation. It is onlythen that we can expect the mercy and compassion ofAllah Ta'ala to flow, to bring us triumph and happiness

both in this life and the hereafter.

This does not mean that we should give up everything

1 else, i.e., our profession-trade or employment and takeentirely to this work. It really means tha t, as we devote ourwhole-hearted attention and time to other material voca-tions, we should also attend to this work. As and whensome persons find themselves ready to take up this sacred

1 task, they should try to contact their friends or such per-sons in their neighbourhood who may already be engagedI in this work and spend a few hours a week in their com-pany. The next step will be to spend, under t he guidance of

those people, full three days every month outside in aI locdlity or a village other than one's own. Later, but as 34early as possible, to pass one full month, or better still, for-

6 gty days annually in some distant area in similar manner.g;_i Lastly, the real requirement in "Tabligh" is to spend con-4.5tinuously four months once in the lifetime, in a given place

or area. All these periods are to be spent entirely in the 5 ;pursuit of learning and propagation of the true faith of 5Islam and adopting the actual way of life under the Sacredcode of "Shariat". Thus our efforts will become extensiveand ultimately reach every person, rich and poor, employerand employee, Land-Lord and Peasant, learned andignorant, to join hanas in this work and become bound inthe ties of true Islam as ordained by Allah Ta'ala and theHoly Prophet Mohammad (sallallaho alaihe wasallam),



PROCEDURE TO WORK

The most important factor in the task of Tabligh is themanner an d the method of approach, whic h simply meansto follow closely the lines adopted by the worthy Compan-ions of the Holy Prophet (sallallaho alaihe wasallam) strict-ly in accordance with his teachings and practices. Themethod adopted by the Holy Prophet (sallallaho alaihewasallam) was as follows:

A jamaat or group of at least ten men should beformed. One of them should be selected "amir" (leader).They should get together in a mosque, make ablutions andoffer two "rakaat 'nafil' prayers. After this, all should sup-plicate together and beseech for Divine mercy, help andguidance for success in their efforts and remaining stead-fast and resolute in their task of Tabligh. For all this time,"zikr" shoul d be recited by all, and every precautionshould be taken not to indulge in idle talk. On reaching theplace for "Tabligh", once again the "jamaat" shoul d sup-

plicate and beseech for Allah Ta'ala's mercy and help intheir mission . The place of Tabligh will be the vicinity of amosque of th e locality where the work is to be conducted.A part of the "jamaat" shoul d be detailed to tour the local-ity calmly, and quietly inviting people to the mosque,where "ta'leem, (reading and teaching out of religiousbooks) shoul d be in progress and later the "namaz" (pray-ers) of the time should be offered. After this, one of t hemembers of the "jamaat" should place before the people, inan affectionate and calm manner, the importance andurgency of reviving Islam in each and every Muslim as or-dained by Allah Ta'ala and the Holy Prophet (sallallaho

alaihe wasallam), giving out as simply as possible the car-dinal poin ts of Tabligh and the way to accomplish them.Finally, the people should be persuaded, again in a cordialmanner, to join hands in this sacred task and come out todo the work of Tabligh like the Jamaat itself.

Later, some members of the "jamaat" may accompanythe people to their homes, where the womenfolk shouldalso be addressed and persuaded to do similar duty amollgwomen.

' n formal prayers, a rakaat means one complete action comprising standing,kneeling and bowing by placing the forehead on the ground, two "rakaat"means two such actions.

Muslim Degeneration and its pnly Remedy 33

They should be told to be regular in their daily pray-ers. All this should be done without entering the privateportion of any house. The women should also be told tostrictly follow the cardinal points of "Tabligh" in theirdaily life and observe "pardah" in accordance with the"Shriat".

After this, all such people who may be prepared to jointhe work should be organized into a separate "jamaat",with and "amir" from among themselves. They should firstbe made to work under the gu idance of the members of theoriginal "jamaat". The important point to be rememberedat this stage is that every person engaged on "Tabligh"must fully obey his "amir" and the latter, in turn, shouldensure that hi s personal services and attention are availableto each and every member of h is Jamaat. He must see toevery person's welfare, comforts and morale and, beforetaking any decision, he must consult all his colleagues. Thefollowing general principles of the work of "Tabligh"should be carefully noted at all times.

GENERAL PRINCIPLES

In its real form and sense, "Tabligh" is the most im-portant type of worship of Allah Ta'ala and it amounts to ablessing of very high order. It literally means to follow inthe footsteps cjf the Prophets. Truly, as the work is of a verysuperior character, it must be based on equally high prin-ciples, which ought to be strictly followed throughout.Each participant must feel that it is he who needs to im-prove himself rather than thinking of reforming others.

g

,uring the course of work a nd, even away from it, he must .c Z

try to behave as a perfect Musl im, as a faithful slave of Al-c i

lah Ta'ala, constantly obeying and following the Divine &3commands of "Shariat" and always seeking Allah Ta'ala's 4 $mercy and pleasure. This is the basic requirement and the .g -2soul and foundation of the work of "Tablfgh". Once it is 3-u

deeply and firmly embedded in the hearts of workers, the 5other principles, rules and practices, some of which arenarrated below, will become easy to follow:

(1 ) As far as possible, all expenses, including travel-ling, food etc., must be borne by each individual himself

and , if he can afford, he may quietly assist those compan-ions who may be in need.



34 Muslim Degeneration an d its only Remedy

(2 ) All fellow workers and companions in this workmust be given full respect, shown tolerance, be cared forand encouraged at'all times by one another. Such partici-pation will prove a great blessing for the whole area wherethe "jamaat" may be working.

(3) Conversations, talks and discussions must be con-

ducted in soft and persuasive tones, using simple andpolite language. All types of displeasure with each othermust be avoided. The "ulema-e-karam" (scholars of Mus-lim scripture) must be held in high respect and esteem aswe usually display for the "Holy Quran" and "Hadis", be-cause, it is through these learned personages that AllahTa'ala has blessed us with the true knowledge of Islam andenlightenment. Any disrespect towards them, however in-significant, may amount to contempt of Islam itself, whichin turn may provoke the wrath of Allah Ta'ala for thewhole community.

(4 ) Leisure and free moments must be spent either in

reading good religious books or in the company of piousand learned companions; by this means one will be able tolearn many right things about the faith of Islam, about Al-lah Ta'ala and His apostle. Particular care must be taken ofthe time given to the "Tabligh" work itself, that nothingunimportant, useless or senseless is uttered, discussed ordone.

(5) To endeavour to earn an honest and pure living, tobe most careful and frugal in expenditure, and to con-stantly observe every single obligation, however big orsmall, towards one's family, relations and acquaintances.

(6) No controversial matters or points of secondary im-portance be discussed at any time. The total time must bedevoted to bringing out the Divinity, Oneness and Omni-potence of Allah Ta'ala and to confine all talk to the mainpoints of "Tabligh", which are in real sense the basic prin-ciples to be followed by each and every Muslim at alltimes.

(7 ) Every action, work and speech must be fused withsincerity and honesty of purpose , for an act, howeversmall, but imbued with this quality is destined to bringhigh rewards and plenty of well-being. On the other hand,

an insincere act, however big, will not bear any worthwhilefruit or benefit, either in this life or in the hereafter. Hadh-

67Muslim Degeneration and its only Remedy 35

rat Mu'az (Radi Allaho anho), who was appointed as Gov-ernor of Yemen, begged the Holy Prophet (sallallaho alaihewasallam) to give him some s ecial advice. The Holyfrophet (sallallaho alaihe wasal am) was pleased to say,"Be meticulously honest and sincere in matters of religion:a little done with sincerity is enough". There is yet another"Hadis" in the same connection, "Allah Ta'ala accepts

only such actions and deeds which are performed purelyfor His pleasure and accord". In another place' it is men-tioned "Allah Ta'ala does not look at your face nor at yourproperty, but only at your hearts and deeds". So the crux ofthe matter i s that the work of "Tabligh" must be performedwith all sincerity and honesty, No show or ~u t w ar dppear-ance i s to be put on. The degree of success and progresswill depend entirely on the depth of our sincerity.



SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

A brief sketch of th e work of "Tabligh", its importance

and urgent need have been discussed. It now remains to be

I

judged as to ho w all this can guide us and bring us the de-sired relief and benefits in these times, which are fraught

with confusion, unrest an d rivalries.For this, once again, we have to seek guidance from the

allwise "Holy Quran", which refers to the hard work and

i

endu rance for the faith of Islam as a highly profitable busi-

i

ness, and pu ts it across in the following manner: i

" 0 you who believe! shall I point out to you a tradethat will shield you from a grievous doom? Believe inAllah and His Messenger, and perform "jehad" in Hisway with your wealth and lives. This is best for you, if

Iyou understand. Your Lord will forgive your sins, andyou shall enter Paradise, under which ripple (beau-teous) streams, and stately abodes in everlasting gar-dens ; and this is great success . . .

And another which you covet much, i.e., succourfrom Allah and victory near at hand; and give gladtidings to those who believe."

The above verse describes a trade, which if accepted

promises deliverance from all types of afflictions and pun-ishments. The trade is meant: to have a firm faith in AllahTa'ala and His Apostle and to struggle hard in the path ofAllah, without shirking to use one's life and wealth. Thisagain points to the act of "Tabligh", which can ensure forus everlasting well-being and happiness. It is this simplework which will bring us great benefits, such as the for-

giveness for all our sins, deliberate mistakes and short-comings and high rewards in the life hereafter. So much forthe success in the next life, which really is the greatest

Muslim Degeneration an d its only Remedy 37

triumph for a Muslim, but there is also clear hint for thislife too. We shall get what we cherish most, such as pros-perity, divine help and success against all our adversaries!

I n other words, Allah Ta'ala has demanded two thingsfrom us, firstly to have firm faith in Him and His Apostle.secondly, to struggle hard in His path, giving, if need be,our lives and all that we possess. In return for this, He has

also promised two things: first a beautif91 and peacefulabode in Heaven (Jannat) with a n eternal life, and everlast-ing happiness: and second, glory and success in this life.The first demand on u s i s that of faith (eiman). This isexactly what the "Tabligh" is meant to bring to us, that weshould all be endowed with the wealth of true faith. Thesecond demand is that of striving in the path of Allah,which actually means "jehad". Jehad may ncrmally meanfighting a war against oppressors and non-believers. In thepractical sense , however, it means spreading of Kalimah of

Allah and enforcing of Allah's Commandments, which isalso the ultimate aim of "Tabligh".

It should be clear to us now that the happiness andsuccess in the lif e after death is solely dependent on havingfirm faith in Allah Ta'ala and His Apostle, and in strivinghard in the path laid down by Him. Similarly, the successand prosperity in this life too depend entirely on that veryfaith and on spending all our efforts in the path of AllahTa'ala.

When we ful fil these basic requ irements, firstly of faithin Allah Ta'ala an d His Apostle. and secondly of strugglinghard in their path, through these two attributes alone, we

can adorn ourselves with high moral virtues and excellence

6

,f character. Only then can we fit to receive the promised r Z

vicegerency of Allah Ta'ala a nd His kingdom on earth. 5hich are bound to come as is promised in the HolyO&Quran: 4 Z

.L;i gjLl j*' 1 , 1 ? * , \ j $9ii', . . - P' d -, I

.@dj& &-j\ &jI #w, .& >5 2

...< . * ..

( " 0 ,JI) .=i. &,& 6 GI w p g

"To those of you who believe and do righteous deeds,Allah promises that He will certainly givc dominance



38 Muslim Degeneration and i ts only Remedy

to them in this world as He gave to those before you;and the religion that has been chosen for them shall bestrengthened for them, and He will thereafter certainlytransform their fear into tranquillity, provided theyworship Me and associate none with Me."

The above verse portrays a forthright promise of king-

dom, but through "eiman" (firm faith) and righteous deeds.This was actually fulf illed in the days of the Holy Prophet(sallallaho alaihe wasallam) and remained in effect rightthrough the period on the "Khulfa-e-Rashidin" (the firstfour Caliphs after the Holy Prophet (sallallaho alaihewasallam). Practically the whole of Arabia had become anIslamic State in the days of the Holy Prophet (sallallahoalaihe wesallam) himself and the rest of the countries(Muslim countries of today) mostly joined Islam during theperiod of "Khulfa-e-Rashdin" or immediately after theirtime. Later on too, the promise continued to be fulfilled infavour of a number of Muslim kings and "Khalifas" and it

still awaits materialisation if someone fulfils the con-ditions, as is clear from the next verse:

,.,-.9 41+k"Surely Allahs followers shall dominate"

In these few pages, an analysis of the present situationand a practical solution for improving it has been given; infact the solution is nothing else than the actual Islamic wayof life, which belonged to our forefathers and earlyMuslims.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, it can be said that there is no way togain honour, happiness, peace and tranquillity in this lifeother than to adopt and firmly hold on to the work andsystem of "Tabligh". for which everyone of us must use allhis energies and wealth.

(1 .r d,+ JT~149 j 41+: e I j

"Hold fast to the rope of Allah and do not create dis-sensions."

FINAL A P P ~ A L

This very system has actually been put in to practico, inthe recent past, in the territory of Mewat (an area of Alwar

Muslim Degeneration an d its only Remedy39

State) and a few other districts around Llelhi (India). Thework in that region, has not yet reached the final stage; theprogress of the local Muslims, however, has been quitemarked. The blessing and benefits of the system of"Tabligh" are clearly visible and worth witnessing. If allMuslims collectively resolve to follow the noble examplementioned above and adopt the correct system of life, as

described in this book, there is every hope that, throughthat effort, Allah Ta'ala may obviate all our miseries andadversities and we may be able to regain our faith, the

I power to do righteous deeds and the resultant honour, dig-nity and glory in this life and attain permanent salvation inthe next. The Muslims can then set an example for the restof the World to live in peace, tranquillity and happiness,which is the natural desire of every man on earth.

An attempt has been made to explain as early as poss-ible the real purpose behind the writing of this book, whichis to present to the readers the sketch of a practical way oflife, which about thirty years ago had been initiated andvigorously followed by Hadhrat Maulana Mohammad IlyasSahib, "rahmatullah alaih". He had in fact dedicated all hislife for this sacred purpose and mission. It is up to us, theMuslims of the present time, to understand our obligationstowards Islam and fulfil them in our own interest and thatof the coming generations and the mankind at large. Theway is clear and well set. Let us begin the march and fixour minds on the final goal, which is to acquire the pleas-ure and approval of Allah Ta'ala.

English Muslim Degeneration and Its Only Remedy FazailEAmal

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