Our Way of Realizing Islam in the World of Reality

Having decided on some objectives as our aims and aspired hopes, we took some time to ponder and contemplate. We found out that the only way that leads us to the desired end is a bumpy way full of barriers and obstacles. It is a road filled with challenges and hardships. Nonetheless, we did not stand with hands tied cursing the darkness. We rather loved to light up the candles of right and torches of guidance.

We thumbed through the Prophetic biography so as to follow in the Prophet's footsteps and see how he enlightened the whole world with the glimmering light of Islam. We read about the Prophet's decisions when it came to treating the maladies of his people. We came to know about the Prophet's methods of disseminating his message and propagating his Call. We acquainted ourselves with the mechanisms he (PBUH) used to face the challenges of his time. In this search, we came across more than one method and numerous options. We perceived the variety of the mechanisms deployed by him (PBUH). Thus, we followed suit. The Prophet (PBUH) did not cling to one given method. Had he (PBUH) confined himself to one method invalidated with the passage of time and the changes of realities, Islam would have become a stand-still religion.

Yet, Islam is a realistic religion characterized with constancy and resilience. This is to adapt itself to the real world and different developments of different ages and places. Islam never neglects the facts of the real world, for it is a religion living in reality carrying within it the best example of idealism and realism in its clearest sense. Therefore, Islam has not stopped at setting noble objectives and highlighting the lofty goals of its Message. Rather, it has added to these several principles and values: livable facts. Islam has also put numerous mechanisms, methods and options to attain its lofty goals. All these methods suit all conditions and can handle any of the upgrades and developments. This makes the followers of Islam and its guidance the most effective ones in attaining goals and objectives.

Islam has been sent down as a realistic religion. It maps out many ways for its followers and presents them with many legitimate options. The total of these ways and options takes into consideration the changing nature of things: from strength to weakness, from dignity to humiliation, and from progress and renaissance to backwardness and degradation. They also heed the difference between bedouinism and civility. Thus, Islam presented Muslims with many legitimate options and formulated many of the divinely supported Prophetic policies. Of these options are the following: 

Enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil: this is in response to Allah's order, "Let there arise out of you a band of people inviting to all that is good, enjoining what is right, and forbidding what is wrong: they are the ones to attain felicity." Al 'Imran: 104

Patience and perseverance: this is in accordance with Allah's words, "O ye who believe! Persevere in patience and constancy; vie in such perseverance; strengthen each other; and fear Allah; that ye might prosper." Al 'Imran: 200

Cooperation in charity and piety and alliance to uphold righteousness, set wrongs right and fending off hostile attacks. For Allah says, "Help ye one another in righteousness and piety." Al Ma'idah: 2

Migration: this is in compliance with Allah's admonition, "when angels take the souls of those who die in sin against their souls, they say: 'In what (plight) were ye?' they reply: 'Weak and oppressed were we in the earth.' They say: 'Was not the earth of Allah spacious enough for you to move yourselves away (from evil)?' Such men will find their abode in Hell- what an evil refuge!" Al Nisa': 97

Seeking support: the Prophet (PBUH) offered his honorable self to the Arab tribes in the season of Pilgrimage to shelter, support and protect him from those who neither believed nor followed him. Reconciliation and truce and pacifism: this is in response to Allah's words, "But if the enemy incline towards peace, do thou (also) incline towards peace" (Al Anfal: 61) Allah also says, "… and such settlement is best." Al Nisa': 128

Co-existence: this is the choice made by the Prophet (PBUH) for his Companions who migrated to Abyssinia.

Seclusion and impartiality: this goes in conformity with the Prophetic Hadiths, "There will be an affliction in which he who sits is better than he who stands, he who stands is better thsn he who walks, and he whpo walks is better than he who runs. If present, be the killed one and not the killer, ye servant of Allah!"

Deterrence and Jihad (Fight in Allah's Cause): this conforms to the divine words, "Go ye forth, (whether equipped) lightly or heavily, and strive and struggle, with your goods and your persons, in the Cause of Allah. That is best for you, if ye (but) knew." (Al Tawbah: 41(

ـ The Call for Allah Almighty: Allah says, "Invite (all) to the Way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching" (Al Nahl: 125). This is also in response to Allah's order, "Say thou: 'This is my Way: I do invite unto Allah – on evidence clear as the seeing with one's eyes- I and whoever follows me. Glory to Allah! And never will I join gods with Allah!'" (Yusuf: 108). The Call for Allah is the one choice the Prophet (PBUH) was committed to all along his life: in all stages of his mission and in all conditions. For a measure, all the other choices and methods were used in a way that serves this one choice. They were subordinate to it. This is not surprising, for the Call for Allah is the master of all choices and mechanisms.

The Call for Allah:

_ The Call for Allah is well deserving of being the master of all options and methods, for the latter are not but in its service. All the other choices and mechanisms pave the way for the Call for Allah, which ranks second after the prophecy. Allah says, "Who is better in speech than one who calls (men) to Allah, works righteousness, and says, 'I am of those who bow in Islam'?" (Fussilat: 33(

Given that the Call to Allah is the best amongst words and deeds, it is entrusted by Allah Almighty to His Messengers and Prophets. The Call to Allah is the job of Prophets and a blessed crown worn by the faithful propagators for Islam. No Prophet or Messenger abandoned the Call of his nation to Allah, Glory be to Him. It was rather an approach for conveying the divine Messages. It is a religious and doctrinal task the Prophets never did and must not ever give it up.

_ The Call to Allah was adopted by the Prophet (PBUH) in his endeavor to guide people to the Right Path, establish the state of Islam and founding its civilization. The Prophet (PBUH) never let go of the Call to Allah. It was a foundation he built on and the master of all other tasks.

The Prophet (PBUH) lived his life in a way described by Allah in a few words. When Khadija, may Allah be pleased with her, called him to rest and sleep and asked him to take it easy on himself, the Prophet (PBUH) said, "the time of sleep has gone, Khadija!". From this day onward, the Prophet (PBUH) never slept but took naps reflecting on a nation's concerns and a message's burdens as well as the consequences of the Call to Allah. On deathbed when the Prophet's pain reached its peak on deathbed, Fatima wept and said, "What an extreme pain my father is suffering!' The Prophet (PBUH) heard this, looked at her recalling the burdens of 23 years for the sake of this great Cause, described by Allah, "Proclaim the (Message) which hath been sent to thee from thy Lord." (Al Ma'idah: 67). He (PBUH) looked at Fatima and said, "Your father will never suffer again after today, Fatima!"

Thus, the Prophet (PBUH) lived his life as described in the Qur'an in the following few words, "…as one who invites to Allah's (Grace) by His leave, and as a Lamp spreading Light." (Al Ahzab: 46(

Today, we follow the example of Muhammad, our beloved Prophet (PBUH) seeking guidance in his biography and Tradition. In the meantime, we know that the Islamic Call has to face huge challenges and impediments. The Call to Allah is the means to detain people from following the calls of polytheism and atheism. It is the Call to Allah that rescues the crowds that fall victims to myriad wrong calls. The Call to Allah, further, is a magnificent dam standing in the face of the torrents of destructive and misguiding wrong calls.

_ The Islamic Call should show human beings purity and innocence: starting with the Profession of faith till removing whatever is harmful from the road.

The Call to Islam should teach the ignorant to be knowing, wake the heedless to be alert and preach the arrogant to be humble. It should guide the disbeliever to faith, the polytheist to monotheism, the religious fabricator to the sunnah and the sinner to obedience. The Islamic Call should spread goodness and righteousness all over the world. With virtue of this call, the light will be overwhelming, the right will prevail, darkness will dissipate, sins will vanish, virtue will rule and man will elevate to a loftier state. The Call to Allah Almighty is the irreplaceable choice and the indispensable option. The Call to Allah is the only way to be taken regardless of all the changing circumstances and conditions and in defiance to all the developments that erupt.

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