Q. Is it a sign of the Day of Judgment that Muslims today are turned against one another, helping unbelievers against their own brethren, caring little for the betterment of Muslim communities, indulging in the pleasures of this world, etc.? Please comment.
S.E. Ali, (Place not mentioned)
A. It is in the nature of Islam that it gives strength and dignity to a community that truly believes in it and is committed to its implementation in day-to-day life. When a community takes Islam only as a religion it inherited from its forefathers, or reduces it to a set of rituals it may or may not observe, then Islam does not impart its true nature to such a community. God says in the Qur’an: “If you support God, then God will certainly support you and steady your feet.” (47: 7) When the Qur’an speaks of believers supporting God, it implies supporting His cause by implementing His message and advocating it, making it known to people and calling on them to accept it. This is a basic duty of every Muslim, and it applies at the individual and community levels alike.
It should be pointed out that the verb used in the Arabic text for ‘support’ also connotes ‘giving victory’. Thus, when we give such support to God’s message, He will give us support in every way, including victory against our enemies, in war and peace. Moreover, the final phrase in the quoted verse, which says that God will ‘steady your feet’, has also military connotations, implying support in case of war. The same expression is used in the Qur’an in reference to the duty the angels were assigned in the Battle of Badr, the first major military encounter between Muslims and unbelievers.
This clearly indicates that our weakness today and the problems we have are the result of our abandoning the Islamic faith, and turning away from it. When people do that, God leaves them to their own devices, until they realize that they cannot have true power and dignity except through Islam.
This is in a nutshell the present situation of Muslims. As for its being a sign of the Day of Judgment, I am afraid we cannot say so, because this situation may be repeated time after time in human history. What we need to do in order to get rid of our miserable situation today is to start a true revision of our present situation with the aim of starting a genuine Islamic revival that is free from ignorant extremism and rigidity. It should be a revival that brings back Islam in its true nature: Tolerant, caring, compassionate and easy to implement.
Arab News Islam 6 December 2002
