We are quick to make assumptions, backbite, curse, and hurt one another. If we truly self-reflect, we would see that we do not follow the way of the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلمwhen it comes to how we interact with others. We can be arrogant and dismissive to the point where many of us are just keeping relations with each other for the sake of having company, even if it is bad company, Subhan’Allah. Have we actually analyzed the kind of conversations we have at our gathering places? How vulgar and disgusting our speech can get, how men degrade women and how women ridicule one another? Is this the way of our Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم? I think not.
Narrated ‘Aisha RA: The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم did something and allowed his people to do it, but some people refrained from doing it. When the Prophet learned of that, he delivered a sermon, and after having sent Praises to Allah, he said, “What is wrong with such people as refrain from doing a thing that I do? By Allah, I know Allah better than they, and I am more afraid of Him than they.” (Bukhari)
This hadith tells us that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلمknew Allah SWT better than any of us and that he feared Allah SWT. The most perfect of creation صلى الله عليه وسلمfeared Allah, then who are we to not be afraid of Him and follow the way of the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلمto please Him? If we truly care about the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلمand how he is being represented, then we should truly be looking at ourselves as his Ummah and see if we are fulfilling our roles and making sure that people see his example through our morality and manners, Insha’Allah. We do not want anyone making negative assumptions about our Deen or the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم based on our actions.
However, it isn’t just our character that is not on par with the example of our Beloved Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلمwhen it comes to Adhab, it is also our outward appearance and cleanliness. Muslims should be known for their discipline, organization, and for our impeccable hygiene and clean environments, yet we are lacking in all these aspects personally and as a community. Wherever we dwell, litter and refuse are apparent on every street corner and alley. Our places of business and, sadly, even most of our Mosques would not meet even basic sanitary standards (the washrooms are a whole other conversation).
Abu Malik al-Ash’ari reported: The Messenger of Allah ( صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: “Cleanliness is half of faith…” (Muslim)
Our Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم was very careful when it came to personal hygiene
as well as the cleanliness of his mosque and the community at large. The discipline of our Beloved صلى الله عليه وسلمand the Sahabah RA was such that they would constantly be cleaning their teeth, staying in Wudu, sweeping, cleaning, and laundering. They were not lazy when it came to these things, because these are beloved to Allah SWT and He loves to see us and our surroundings clean, so that we are ready for sacred conversations and worship, Alhamdulillah.
“Indeed, Allah loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify themselves” [The Noble Qur’an 2:222]
Where is our passion and love for following in the footsteps of our Beloved صلى الله عليه وسلم
and honouring this extremely important Sunnah? We protest and leave the area in such horrid conditions that if the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلمwas to see our state, he would be disappointed instead of being happy with us, Subhan’Allah. This is not his legacy or what he commanded.
6. And, if that isn’t enough, how about the fact that there is not one Muslim country that can claim that they have implemented the law of Allah SWT. We protest, tear apart our own infrastructure, leave a trail of destruction and garbage behind us for anyone insulting Allah and His Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلمor not letting our women wear Hijab in their countries (although women in most of our households do not wear it), yet our countries are even worse. We have no vision and no passion except to act like we don’t like the West outwardly, yet attempt to replicate them in everything we do inwardly, Subhan’Allah. We promote their dress, their entertainment, their standards of beauty and freedom, praise their intellect and progression, yet we begin yawning when it comes to our own way of life granted to us by Allah SWT and His Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم. So who should we really be
offended by? Them or us? Is this not a huge double standard?
We love to live in their countries and would love for their systems to be implemented in our’s. We have no real connection to Islam except the rituals of Salah, Fasting and Hajj and our wayward celebrations, but that is where it ends. We do not love Allah’s Book, His Laws, the way of His Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلمas we should, otherwise our state and our focus would be on greater matters. We would make our countries livable for the Muslims across the world so that they do not have to go begging the non-Muslims for anything. They would not have to become slaves to their systems and their laws. Yet, we don’t want to put in the real work and then wonder why everyone is not running to take our side. We have nothing to stand on and when we behave like we do without knowledge or intellect the result is that it takes people further away from the Deen of Allah, instead of bringing them closer.
And Allah SWT says:
“Allah has promised those of you who believe and do good that He will certainly make them successors in the land, as He did with those before them; and will surely establish for them their faith which He has chosen for them; and will indeed change their fear into security—˹provided that˺ they worship Me, associating nothing with Me. But whoever disbelieves after this ˹promise˺, it is they who will be the rebellious.” [The Noble Qur’an 24:55]