Ihyaaud Deen An Effort to Revive Deen in Totality
It is correct that Muslims are facing all types of problems and difficulties. They are surrounded by problems affecting each person individually, and they are also surrounded by challenges which affect them collectively.
However, for any normal intelligent Muslim to pose such a question is quite surprising, let alone an Aalim like yourself who possesses the knowledge of deen, to ask such a question, “What should the Muslims do in the face of such difficulties and challenges?” is greatly surprising.
In the Qur’aan Majeed, Allah Ta’ala has declared that the Deen of Islam which He has granted you is a complete deen (way of life), and through Islam, Allah Ta‘ala has completed His favour and kindness upon mankind. How beautiful are the words of Allah Ta‘ala mentioned in the Qur’aan Majeed:
اَلۡیَوۡمَ اَکۡمَلۡتُ لَکُمۡ دِیۡنَکُمۡ وَ اَتۡمَمۡتُ عَلَیۡکُمۡ نِعۡمَتِیۡ وَ رَضِیۡتُ لَکُمُ الۡاِسۡلَامَ دِیۡنًا
Today, I have completed for you your deen, and (through the completion of deen,) I have completed My favour upon you, and I am pleased with Islam as your deen (your way of life). (Surah Maa’idah v. 3)
Your religion (and way of life) is Islam (i.e. the way of life pleasing to Allah Ta’ala is Islam, and Islam is your only way of life). In this Aayat, Allah Ta‘ala has given us the certificate of our deen reaching completion. What a blessed certificate and award this is, and how happy you should be that Allah Ta’ala, from all the various nations, has divinely chosen this religion of Islam for you.
How can people who claim to follow such a complete and perfect deen, remain in anxiety and worry, saying, “What should the Muslims do in such challenging conditions?”
Allah Ta‘ala and His truthful Rasul (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) have not left any worldly or deeni matter which requires deeni guidance, be it big or small, except that clear commands and injunctions have been issued for our benefit together with explaining to us the benefits and harms of any situation.
Thereafter, the commands were not only explained verbally and documented for our benefit, but the truthful Rasul of Allah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), and his illustrious companions, the Sahaabah (Radhiyallahu anhum) further brought it into practice, thereby practically demonstrating to us the way to correctly practice upon deen.
In essence, the goodness and prosperity of deen and dunya is contained in only following Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) in all facets of life.
However, when we regard following Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) to be outdated, and we regard firmly following his mubaarak sunnah to be narrow-mindedness, then the result of this is that we will face all types of problems in this world and the hereafter. Facing problems in the Hereafter is obvious and well known to us, and the calamities in this world are what we are currently witnessing with our eyes.
Through the blessing of the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) and the Muhadditheen (rahimahumullah), each and every sunnat of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) is recorded in the kitaabs of Hadith.
Keep this before you on one side, all the mubaarak sunnats of our Beloved Messenger Rasulullah (Sallallahu alaihi wasallam), and on the other side, keep before you the difficulties and the crucial condition of the ummah. We find that one after the other, the sunnats of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) are being flagrantly, blatantly, and brazenly abandoned in the lives of the Muslims.
Sadly, this is not the end of it. Rather, it has gone one step further where the sunnah is being opposed, and those who wish to rectify the situation and attempt to draw the attention of the ummah to the problem, such people are labelled as being foolish and ignorant in deen.
Is there any limit to this immense injustice, and in this critical situation, with what face can the Muslims complain about the problems they are facing and what right do they have to shout out in their bayaans that the Muslims are facing destruction in all parts of the world today?!
Allah Ta‘ala states in clear words:
وَ مَاۤ اَصَابَکُمۡ مِّنۡ مُّصِیۡبَة فَبِمَا کَسَبَتۡ اَیۡدِیۡکُمۡ وَ یَعۡفُوۡا عَنۡ کَثِیۡرٍ ﴿ؕ۳۰﴾ وَ مَاۤ اَنۡتُمۡ بِمُعۡجِزِیۡنَ فِی الۡاَرۡضِ ۚۖ وَ مَا لَکُمۡ مِّنۡ دُوۡنِ اللّٰه مِنۡ وَّلِیٍّ وَّ لَا نَصِیۡرٍ ﴿۳۱﴾
Whatever calamity afflicts you, then it is on account of that (i.e. those actions) which your hands have earned, and (you are not afflicted by calamities for every sin you commit, rather) He forgives many sins, and (if He began to seize you with punishment for every sin, then) you cannot (seek refuge in any place and) make Allah Ta‘ala helpless, and you do not have, besides Allah, any protector nor helper. (Surah Shura v. 30-31)
(Ma’aarif-e-Shaikh-ul-Hadith pg. 111)
