An Islamic Society Once More
The “world” today, made up of almost 200 countries, with many having a Muslim-majority population, is a world determined in every way and aspect, from borders to politics, by the colonialist powers, which have been exploiting it. To put it briefly, the world we refer to with a hackneyed expression as “the Islamic world” is not “the world as defined by Islam.”
It is needless to say that it is but a quixotic ideal, a pipe dream to hope that the Islamic society that we might set about building right now, within our limited capabilities, could set a shining example for all other societies and elevate Muslims to rise as an ummah to a position of great esteem, honor, and eminence. However, the onus is on us, not to achieve victory but to make the journey. And surely, Allah doesn’t throw the believers’ hard work to the winds.
You might remember how helplessly a father was carrying his child, a tiny body ravaged by deadly toxins as a result of a chemical attack in Syria in 2013. You might recall his cries of desperation as he rushed the limp body of his dearest loved one to the hospital. He held the lifeless body of his child, who breathed his last in his arms, showing it to the cameras, and shouted: “Where is this world of Islam?”
Truth be told, we witness excruciating scenes like this more than ever in recent times, and each time we are faced with that same burning question. On occasion, the same unanswered question spills forth from our lips when confronted with the attacks against our Muslim brothers and sisters. Attacks that we are helpless to stop, the oppression and massacres that the world has no qualms about, and the many disturbances of unrest and schisms cause us to lower our heads in shame.
This is a loaded question with no veritable answer; it leads to a dead-end, and there’s no one to either direct it to or directly hold responsible. That is because a “world of Islam” such as one that may be called to action does not exist. Despite a population of 1.8 billion, Muslims do not have a “world of Islam”, or a “society of Islam” for that matter.
If they had, the inhuman oppression and destruction in Syria, Palestine, Rohingya, Afghanistan, and East Turkestan couldn’t continue for so many years. If we had a robust, well-bonded society, one that lent itself to ensuring internal cohesion and solidarity, we wouldn’t be placing our hopes in having the help of “the international society.” A society whose only true agenda is to fabricate disingenuous pretexts to either further or maintain the status quo of the cruel order of affairs in this world, every time we find ourselves in dire straits.
The “world” today, made up of almost 200 countries, with many having a Muslim-majority population, is a world determined in every way and aspect, from borders to politics, by the colonialist powers, which have been exploiting it. To put it briefly, the world we refer to with a hackneyed expression as “the Islamic world” is not “the world as defined by Islam.”
Crying foul and complaining won’t heal the wounds
Is this how it is always going to be? Is the cry “Where is this world of Islam?” going to echo into a void, without a hope of ever hearing a response? How much longer are we going to succumb to persecution and blasphemy? We need to realize that expressing our grievances and griping about the need for Muslims to stand together and assume the mantle of a united ummah, to reawaken the solidarity of brotherhood within them, won’t suffice to build the much-needed world of Islam.
It goes without saying, of course, that desperation runs counter to everything we believe in. Also, we are not at all helpless. To achieve a solution, we must take vital steps at every level from individual to family, community, society, and nation.
However, taking these steps in the right direction is only possible by making the correct diagnosis and analysis. It is said in the Qur’an, “Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.” (Ar-Ra’d, 11)
The ayah presents us with a duality of a comforting promise along with an unmistakable threat. In a sense, Allah (jalla jalaluhu) warns us that, if we have a deficiency of iman, fail to enshrine Islam entirely, and in its entirety, as the way of life, and fall short of proving our claim of being a Muslim with good deeds, He will scatter us to the four winds and leave us in abject misery.
It then becomes evident that what we have experienced in the last two centuries is but the manifestation of this ayah.
By making a correct diagnosis and analysis, we mean that we must put ourselves on trial and accept our faults reasonably. What did we do or not do to deserve to find ourselves in this situation? We never had the chance to take a look at ourselves from appointing the blame on others. We chalked all our suffering up to a multitude of external evils and corruptors but never thought to question our vulnerability that handed an open invitation to these malefactors.
A large group straddling the fence
The renowned wise leader of the Bosnians, late Alija Izetbegovic, said the following in a speech commemorating the 1400th anniversary of the revelation of the Qur’an al-Karim:
“When speaking of religion, we usually categorize people into two groups as “believers” and “nonbelievers.” We need to be aware that such a classification is direly superficial and oversimplified. It lacks the third group with the greatest population among them. Members of this group consider themselves “believers” but, in reality, are not of the believers.”
Izetbegovic describes this group as people who somewhat worship Allah, celebrate Eids and religious occasions, fulfill some of the traditions and rituals of the religion while at the same time not having any aversion to committing sins, deceiving others, and earning and consuming haram.
According to him, people who lead their lives as if they will live for a thousand years and guard their wealth, power, and position fervently are guided by their fears. They do not fear Allah as much as they fear losing their deep-pocketed lives, properties, positions of power, and prestige; instead, they falsely believe that seeking safety in the objects and possessions they fantasize to have the power to create influence or change is equal to healthy precaution. The ‘Wise King’ then ties his speech into the burning question of “Why isn’t there a world of Islam despite such a large Muslim population?” with the following assessment:
“When we take the existence of this third group into account, it becomes remarkably easier to comprehend a great many things in this world. We reach the ability to grasp all of the occurrences that have happened and why they have happened as they have.”
The group Alija Izetbegovic refers to as more populous than the believers, and the nonbelievers is the part of society that lives like the people of Jahiliyyah despite claiming to be Muslims. Even if partially tainted by the mentality of Jahiliyyah, it is evident that such communities cannot form an “Islamic society” or “the world of Islam.”
Who are the warnings meant for?
The definition “a massive population that lives like the society of Jahiliyyah despite claims of being Muslims” is, therefore, an inevitable analysis of the largest denomination of Muslims that needs to be met head-on so that we may begin to search for what we have lost where we have lost it. Although this may be our dismaying reality, we do not aim this definition at any particular group, people, or nation. In any case, a sincere Muslim would assume that such warnings and reprimands are meant for his own nafs without feeling any bitterness or offense. They would view such words as an opportunity for critical self-reflection, finding and correcting their flaws, and rejuvenating their iman. This self-reflection is where the solution lies.
When each person puts Islam as the center of their life, without seeking fault in others, strives to be purified of their flaws, and grows into a perfected iman, they will be able to build a truly Islamic society, one that will constitute the kernel of the world of Islam along with other mumins who rally around the guidelines of Islam.
Although it may be desirable that the ideal Islamic society swells effusively in numbers, its essential attribute remains its quality, meaning the sensitive, conscientious stance and determination of its members in living by and perpetuating Islam as a way of life. In regards to this, scholars of Islam have provided various numbers ranging from 3 to 40 for the lowest possible number of people needed to bring forth an Islamic society. These numbers are based on multiple rationales such as the number of people necessary for the Jumuah (Friday) prayer, the number of Muslims when they openly began to invite people to Islam, or the hadiths advising that when three people travel, one of them should be chosen as the leader of the group.
It can then be deduced that, instead of losing hope by observing the current trajectory of the majority of the social structure, it is our first responsibility to try and transform our families, friends, associates, communities, and close circles into “an ideal Muslim society” without being wound up about increasing their numbers.
Inexpediencies and inadequate means are not valid excuses
Suppose the correct form of example is being exhibited to create an influential, effective Islamic society that can proliferate its members. In that case, the lack of numbers or resources has no bearing on the success of the intended course of action. As a case in point, Muslims who led in the first century of Islam with the examples of the sahaba and the tabiin spearheaded the founding of a respected “world of Islam” that established its sovereignty across an aggregate of vast geographical regions stretching across multiple continents from Spain to China.
That was a staggering, exemplary achievement of the first two generations of Muslims, who walked in the footsteps of Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), despite the opposition from the superpowers at the time, such as the Sassanids and the Byzantines. Let us provide a reminder, a comparison from the Age of Bliss, for those who believe that we cannot realize an undertaking such as rebuilding the Islamic society due to lack of means and resources, and the technological superiority of the nonbelievers.
Roughly 85 years before Muslims built the Masjid al-Nabawi in Madinah, whose walls were laid with mud bricks and whose ceiling was covered with date branches, the Byzantines rebuilt the Hagia Sophia for the third time with its current architecture. The Persians had built the Taq-i Kisra around the time Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was born. It was an architectural masterpiece, the magnificence of which was mentioned even in poetry and which was famous for its vaulted archway rising forty meters from the ground. Then what happened to the untouchable superiority of the Byzantines and the Sassanids in wealth, luxury, and technology? What happened to their indomitable armies? How did their world transform into a world of Islam?
What happened was several reformative changes and the consequent results; The first Muslims who were blessed with the honor of entering the fold of Islam abandoned their Jahiliyyah traditions, devoted themselves to Allah as His servants and to Rasulullah as his ummah with a perfected iman. They put everything on the line to live according to Islam, rigorously avoided bending the divine commands to their desires, and were not deceived by the allures of the world. Therefore, Allah (jalla jalaluhu) rewarded their noble actions and behaviors befitting of believers, elevated their honor, and granted them superiority against the forces of unbelievers, who were more numerous and more powerful than they were.
The imperative to rebuild the Islamic society
Today we have an inexorable need for an Islamic society that can instill the Muslims of the world with a sense of purpose in being a united ummah through exemplary iman and exemplary deeds. It is an inescapable responsibility for each of us that this need is given a soothing closure because we have to live in a society and are responsible for its well-being. As much as we are tasked with ingraining Islam in the very fibers of our nafs, it is our shared duty to spread Islam and establish and secure its prevalence on the face of the Earth starting from our immediate social environment.
Statements such as, “I don’t care about the ummah, or the current course of the world at all. I only care about saving myself,” are not valid arguments for someone who truly seeks salvation because such an outlook isn’t conducive to finding it. Allah says in the 104th ayah of the surah Ali Imran in the Qur’an: “And let there be [arising] from you a nation inviting to [all that is] good, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong, and those will be the successful.” The nation mentioned in the ayah is the exemplary Islamic society that we have advocated for building without wasting any more time.
When we factor into our understanding the fact that the previous ayah commands us to “hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and not become divided,” and consider the reasons for the revelation of these ayahs, it becomes clear that this society that we are charged with helping emerge bears the responsibility of warning our brothers and sisters who are jeopardizing the unity of the ummah by letting go of the rope of Allah in favor of other would-be safety insurances. This duty will continue to weigh heavily on our shoulders until we fulfill it by calling other Muslims to the path of truth by setting decent examples ourselves.
Any Muslim who possesses the awareness of being an ummah cannot avoid this responsibility with a casual, indifferent attitude, assuming “someone else will take care of it,” because being an ummah is like being a single body, as indicated by Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). If we are not feeling the same pain, moving to assuage its suffering when a member of the body is ailing, that means we have an inconsistency with our belonging to the unity of the ummah.
To stand up strong once again
Our call to rebuild an Islamic society by starting from our families, friends, and close circles is akin to administering stem cell treatment to paralyzed limbs to recuperate them—it’s an initiative to spark rejuvenating growth in the very roots of the ummah. What is described in the ayahs and the hadiths is the call to restore the ummah of Muslims. With genuine determination and effort, this reawakening can occur with the help of Allah (subhanahu wa ta’ala).
The word “ummah” is used in fundamental source titles and materials to refer to communities and societies of any level or size. For a community of people, the term is associated with a prophet and the religion he brought.
So, the caveat remains for Muslims living in any area to be an “Islamic society,” they must possess the qualities of the “ummah of Islam” or the “ummah of Muhammad” specified in the ayahs and hadiths.
Above all else, these qualities primarily involve accepting Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) as our guide in all things. All other qualities of the Islamic society originate from the manifestation of an earnest submission to and compliance with the Qur’an and Sunnah. There is an apparent benefit, then, in portraying what some of these qualities and their outward realizations are for those embarking on this endeavor to rebuild the Islamic society, even if it only provides a reminder for them in this undertaking.
A believing society
An Islamic society consists of mumins, believers who have total faith in the principles of iman and live according to this faith. However, such a society still isn’t pure, perfect, and sinless like angels. There can always be Muslims in an Islamic society who are sinners, who have flaws, defects, and shortcomings in their faith, actions and in embodying the distinguishing qualities of mumins. What is essential is for the behaviors and conducts of mumins to become the modus vivendi, so to speak, throughout society, effectively limiting the sins, failures, and shortcomings to exceptions.
As a conclusion of this resolving statement, it can be deduced that it is necessary to maintain the goal of outfitting the individuals constituting the Islamic society comprehensively with other qualities that should be decidedly present in such an ideal Islamic social structure. Nevertheless, accomplishing this goal should not be seen as a must for creating the above-defined society.
As we explained earlier, the other qualities of the Islamic society are essentially concomitants of a solid and genuine iman. Two of these are identified in the 143rd ayah of surah al-Baqarah as being a median society and one that carries the responsibility of bearing witness: “And thus We have made you a median [i.e., just] community that you will be witnesses over the people and the Messenger will be a witness over you.”
As described in the initial part of the 110th ayah of surah Ali Imran, “You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah.” The description in the ayah establishes in no uncertain terms that the best nation (ummah) is the Islamic society.
As the Islamic society is one that possesses iman, one should also look for the other qualities that should be present in it as a manifestation of iman while reading hadiths that define true believers and mention the signs of perfected iman, thus enabling ourselves to attain a new perspective to view these hadiths from.
An exemplary society
By virtue of being a “median” or “wasat” society, the society of Islam is a balanced, moderate, steadfast, and just society, which bears witness to the truth and oneness of Allah, presenting the beauty of Islam with its way of life. This act of witnessing or guiding people to the straight path grants it the status of “the best nation.” The fulfillment of the duty of “enjoining the good and forbidding the evil” by a society is primarily possible through its hal—the conduct, comportment, and way of life—and leading by example. Muslims can showcase leading by example by being “a moderate ummah.”
Being moderate means avoiding tipping the scale in either direction, be it ifrat (extremeness) or tafrit (negligence). For this reason the observance of the boundaries and rules set by Allah is paramount and must be taken utmost care to maintain. Tendencies that could lead to excessive behaviors in spending, eating, drinking, entertainment, and even going to extreme measures in warfare are never permitted.
To be moderate is to be steadfast. It is to walk the middle path of Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and his noble companions, the moderate path of Ahlu’s-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaah. There can be no leniency or acquiescence in the society of Islam towards behaviors, notions, or perspectives that can cause Muslims to deviate from the straight path and guidelines of Ahlu’s-Sunnah.
Being moderate also means upholding justice. Those in the position to rule, pass judgment, and administer justice in the Islamic society cannot afford to diverge from justice regardless of whys and wherefores. Rights are handed not to the strong but the rightful. Everyone abides by the fundamental principle of never trespassing upon the rights of others. Not one person subjects another to injustice or oppression.
A society centered on tawhid
The Islamic society is a society of tawhid that is formed into an inseparable social unit with every single one of its members, as if forming a living body, guided towards the same objective, and not allowing their natural differences to create a schism or hostility.
There is no such thing as racial superiority in Islamic society. No matter which nation or people believers might belong to, they are but brothers and sisters to one another. They complement each other in unyielding solidarity.
Decisions are made by putting heads together and seeking solutions in consultation. Decisions taken and finalized in such consultations shouldn’t be opposed.
The duty of zakat is a preventative measure against the emergence of resentment and hostility between the rich and the poor. In an Islamic society, communities, towns, and settlements are not established in a gentrified, stratified, ostracizing social class system based on the residents’ socioeconomic status. Such a gradation of society that disconnects people and brackets them in different living groups is frowned upon.
The minds and hearts of mumins in an Islamic society are clear and at ease regarding the creed of Islam. They follow the guidance of the mujtahid imams and hold tightly onto the aqidah of tawhid (the Islamic creed based on the oneness of Allah). They don’t allow their thoughts to be muddled, misguided, or swayed by the delirious ravings of arrogant, audacious orientalists who belittle the ancient scholars of Islam and try to discredit hadiths.
No matter where they live on Earth, they feel the pain of their Muslim brothers even when half a world away and seek to alleviate it, because they know that, regardless of the distance, they are as one body with their brothers. They don’t turn their backs to the problems of Muslims, don’t wish upon them what they don’t wish upon themselves, and regard any affront directed at them as an affront to their persons.
A society of love, respect, and brotherhood
Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) pointed out the fact that the Islamic society, whose principal component is iman, can only be formed by mumins who love each other for the sake of Allah with the hadith “You shall not enter Jannah so long as you do not affirm belief (in all those things which are the articles of faith) and you will not believe as long as you do not love one another.” (Muslim, Iman).
Mumins love each other as members of the Islamic society and show their love for one another by respecting each other and taking caution not to cause any harm or difficulty to each other. They don’t break each other’s hearts, expose each other’s faults and flaws, talk about them behind their backs, or stain their honor and good name. They are understanding, forgiving, modest, and compassionate towards each other. They treat each other with gentleness and leniency and know better than to harbor any suspicions or misgivings about them.
They are each other’s allies, friends, and protectors, as pronounced in the 71st ayah of surah At-Tawbah. They offer a helping hand in their time of need, set things right when they make mistakes, and, in broader terms, preserve the truth and justice. No matter what the cause is, they do everything in their capacity to reconcile Muslim brothers who find themselves at odds with one another.
They visit others even when they are being negligent, give to those who withhold, don’t unnecessarily take minor issues to over-the-top levels, and respond to malice with kindness. As members of the Islamic society, Muslims do not shun those who make mistakes, stray from the righteous path, or commit sins; they warn them graciously and unobtrusively, and try to detain them from any unsavory actions they intend to carry out. The reason for this benevolence and compassionate forbearance in their approach is that they stand against the sin, not the sinner. They can express their disapproval and discontent at their sinner brothers’ ways but never harbor hatred for them; they keep them in their prayers so that they may mend their ways.
A moral society
As the ummah of a prophet who was sent to “perfect good character,” an Islamic society is one that is of the highest moral fiber, possessing commendable adab, moderation, and kindness. Mumins are confident of each other’s honesty and integrity in such a society. They trust each other, protect anything they are entrusted with, keep their promises, and never lie.
They do not shirk their responsibilities, procrastinate, or burden the people around them and wider society. They do not eye each other’s possessions with envy. Muslims work with the diligent consciousness of jihad and earn their living from halal sources. They are filled with contentment, know enough to settle for, and in fact be happy with, what they have, and do not put themselves in demeaning situations by greedily chasing after worldly gains and resorting to illegitimate means.
They try not to waste water even when performing wudu on the bank of a river; they utilize the blessings and resources given by Allah economically, making sure they don’t cause environmental damage, food shortage, and general deprivation for society.
They are virtuous, dignified, and honorable. They observe mahramiyyah and protect their privacy from being violated. They refrain from foolish, frivolous, lightheaded behavior and make a point of avoiding shamelessness, getting into belligerent situations with ignorant people, idleness and idle talk, and gossiping. They never swell with pride or embarrass themselves under the pretense of humility. They don’t bow and scrape to others just to show respect. They are the mumins who are the same on the inside as the outside and show their colors clearly from the beginning. They keep their hearts and bodies pure and free from hypocrisy or affectation.
They show patience in the face of disasters and trials. Any defeat they endure, they do so without giving into a flurry of panic or desperation.
Together towards the common goal
It’s not impossible to build an Islamic society that bears these qualities. All that is needed is for us to hold by the hand those of our brothers that we can, embracing the guidelines of Islam together without fail or shortfall, and with sincere intention and imperturbable resolution, setting Islam as the predominant practice across every aspect of our lives. This necessity is strongly related to the fact that only those who unite under the banner of Islam can form the Islamic society.
It is needless to say that it is but a quixotic ideal, a pipe dream to hope that the Islamic society that we might set about building right now within our limited capabilities sets a shining example for all the other societies and elevate Muslims to rise as an ummah to a position of great esteem, honor, and eminence. However, the onus is on us, not to achieve victory, but to make the journey.
Brothers in absentia and why the sense of brotherhood is cast aside
The statement “The believers are but brothers” in the 10th ayah of surah Al-Hujurat makes us brothers with Muslims living halfway across the world even if we have never seen or heard of them.
However, the news propagated by the mainstream media would have us distrust this brotherhood, and allowing ourselves to be misguided by absorbing its intentionally misconstrued content could lead to outcomes in which we create fractures in the brotherhood we should cherish and nurture. We tend to have ill-natured opinions about some Muslim societies, and spread hatred and grudges against them on the grounds of Islamic sensibilities.
Even if we assume that some of these accusations are true, it’s unequivocal that the proclaimed transgressions can only be deemed relevant within and exclusive to a limited time period or ascribed to the past administrative officials of the countries against which such claims are directed. We cannot and should not generalize such injustices to an indefinite time frame or entire nations and generations.
In further consideration, it leaves no room for doubt that taking a hostile approach will further stoke the fires for the administrations that have no qualms about committing to such an egregious and morally remiss course as banding together with those who are proponents of kufr. Such a degrading, unmitigated stance will only serve to hurt the innocents living under such administrations.
Let us not forget that the rights of brotherhood persist in absentia and should be abided by when our brothers are in remote locations of the world as well. True chivalry is not to spout our anger but to stifle it.
Ahmet Nafiz Yaşar
