IN THE NAME OFALLAH, THE
BENEFICENT, THE MERCIFUL
WHAT IS OUR POSITION AND WHAT IT DEMANDS?
[Shamim A Siddiqi,
Introduction: I haven’t come here to lecture you. That you have been listening a lot every now and then. I want to talk to you, heart to heart, just to tell you in your ears: “What is your position and what it demands from you.” That is all.
1. Allah created man and this universe with what it contains for humans [Ref: Luqman – 20 & Al-Baqarah -29]:
* He then put the Question to all the progenies of Adam: “Alastu berabbekum”. Am I not your Lord”, the Sustainer? Qalu, “Bala” [All replied, “definitely]
- This connotes that every human being is committed to be obedient to His Creator
* This is the first largest circle of obedience to Allah – Unconscious Muslims;
- Among the humans those who accept Allah as their Lord are known as “Muslims”
* It is the second greater circle of Obedience to Allah within the First Circle–
Muslims of all ages and all times fall in this category;
* Muslim Ummah is the latest – Conscious Muslims within the large human circle
* The best of people raised to establish Ma’roof and shun away “Munkar” [3:110]
- From amongst the Muslim Ummah, emerges the group of Conscious Muslims who are committed to call the humanity to fold of Allah [Khair], fight against Munkar and establish Ma’roof. It is the Core Group, the nucleus, within the two broad circles [Ref: 3: 104]
In sequence: You, the Members of General Assembly of ICNA formulate the Core Group and come under the especial category of Allah’s blessed people: [Ref: Al-Nisa: 69]
This is our position
by our choice and commitment to the ideology of ICNA
* Allah gave you Tawfeeq to work hard to be amongst these privileged “Abd” of Allah
- Let us be conscious of this Position and I congratulate you for that. Currently there are about 425 MGA’s from amongst the 7 million Muslims of America = .00064% only
- The existence and
survival of the IMOA depends on realization of this position and be
conscious of it.
* This Position of
being conscious Da’ee Ilallah demands from each of us to struggle hard as committed
workers of Allah’s Deen;
* No revolution could
ever succeed without producing this team of Da’ees
2. How Rasulullah (S) did it: He needed three things: “i “Guidance; “ii” A team of workers: [We call them Sahabah] “iii” a land to build a model society accordingly.
* Allah (SWT) went on sending the guidance and completed it in 23 years;
* Rasulullah (S) continued to build his team of devoted/committed/trustworthy workers;
* He made relentless efforts to find some place to establish the HQ of the IM of the time;
- Through these efforts, He (S) got the requisite team, established the “process” of Iqamatuddeen” and spelled out the Methodology of Dawah Ilallah till the doomsday. We have no choice but to follow it., irrespective of the fact where we are and what are the circumstances.
- The Process: Dawah, Organization, Tarbiyah, Peaceful Resistance, Hijrah & Qital
- Methodology: Al-Nahal Verses 124 -128:
3. The Adage of Imam Malik (RA) refers to fulfill the same condition.
* It would be possible only if we fulfill the demands of our position as
the nucleus of the Islamic Movement. Let us share to gather what this
position demands from us at individual and collective levels.
4. DEMANDS OF OUR
POSITION - We can be effective Conscious
Da’ees through:
I. Acquiring working
knowledge of Islam: Aqeedah, Ebadah, basic Fiqh [the problems of Taharah,
Salah, Sawm, Zakah etc.] rights of parents, wife and children, principles
controlling the social, economic and political life of Muslims and Islamic
society, rights of minorities, have-nots, neighbors etc., etc. through study
of the Qur’an, Sunnah, the Seerah of Rasulullah (S) and at least ten of his
companions;
- What is our position in this respect? How much our life is attached to the Qur’an? Are we living by it? What is the quantum of our study of Seerah and Islamic literature?
II. Understanding this country, its people and their problems: Our Addressees – knowing this country better than a Senator and a Congressman
- A Prophet is raised from amongst his own people, knowing
their habits and traditions; - - A Da’ee of today in
- What is our position in this respect? How many of us are reading a top daily news paper and Magazine of this country? [A Survey – 2 ¾ % of 19 MGA’s] How many of us have studied history, Geography and socio-cultural-economic problems of the land and can speak about them with confidence? How many of us know about religious, social, political and cultural activism rampant in this country? Etc., etc.
- That is the reason we are shy of going in the field for Dawah and involve in dialogue with the people of the land. What we are going to do to break this taboo?
III. Building trustworthy
character through self-development process:
- What training programs we are holding/attending for joint studies, practice speeches on given topics, memorizing the Qur’an/Ahadith, exhorting workers to offer Tahajjud at home, sharing the capsule Verses of the Qur’an in depth, Inculcating the qualities of Taqwah, Sabr, Shukr and Tawakkal Alallah, dependence on Rizq-e-Kafaf etc., etc.
- These are the basic ingredients to build the requisite character in our workers – Our position on this earth and the committed institution of MGA ship demands it.
- This the distinctive feature between the IMOA and other Jamaah. We have to feel it, promote it and practice it to be the effective Da’ee Ilallah in this country or elsewhere in the world.
IV. Developing
habit of sacrificing time, talents and resources in the way of Allah:
- This is the crux of the problem – Our POSITION and its attainment hinges on it;
- It is the criterion to measure the volume of our commitment, judge our Iman and the depth of involvement in the Movement,
- Nothing belongs to us; all that we have is “Amanah” in our hands
- Equal emphasis is given in using Time- talents - resources: Islamic Movement needs all the three things together. Qur’an exhorts for it; Where Muslims are expending these Amanah in general?
- INFAQ is the life
artery of the Islamic Movement: “wa mimma razaqnahum yanfeqoon” [It shows the
expending habit of Muslims]
* Al-Imran – 92:
*Al-Baqarah – 274:
* Al-Tawbah -111 [& Ghazwah Tabuk]
- What is our condition in this respect? How far we have developed this habit?
- How we are meeting our commitments?
- You and your Baitulmal: All Programs depend on your support in all respect:
* Programs &
Projects: Dawah, Tarbiyah, Translation &
Publications, Message, Young Muslims; Why-Islam; Nazm and Tours, New Muslims
conference; Special Da’ees
Training Program, Qur’an Week –Introducing Qur’an to every one; Dawah
literature & Dawah Workshops; ICNA Book Service – all depend on your
financial support
- Regular Contributions: Value it with your “commitment; compare it with Batil’s efforts
- Special Commitment of $500.00 by each MGA as resolved in General Assembly in NY
- Fund raising pledges in convention
* Assurance as Chairman Baitulmal: Every penny is expended with extreme precaution
V. Be Part of a Jamaah: “Wa Kunu Maas Sadeqeen”: {Al-Tawbah – 119] be active participant in the IM
- Struggle for Iqamatuddeen is a collective effort. Alone we
cannot make it. Hence, Jamaah is our
basic Need
* “Yadullahey Alal-Jamaah”
– Examples: Ch Ghulam Mohd. ; Mian Tufail Saheb;
* Rasulullah (S) from
the very first day established the Jamaah of five persons:
- Utility of Jamaah:
* Takes care of your
personal problems and provides help in distress;
* Gives vision &
guidelines to the people at every turning point for every issue;
* Helps in increasing
your understanding of Islam through various programs;
* Rebuilds and remodels
your character and inculcate intrinsic values in you;
* Comes to help at
time of trail & tribulations – it becomes a source of strength;
* Helps in removing
inconsistencies from your life pattern, thoughts and expression;
* Prepares you to
bear the onslaughts of Batil with Sabr and Hikmah;
* Thus, provides the
requisite trustworthy leadership at local, national and International
levels both for the Ummah and the humanity at large.
- The position of Iman with Taqwah and Ehsan creates the natural urge
in a Muslim to be the integral part of the Islamic Movement;
-
But
if there is no such Jamaah in existence, it would be the automatic demand of
his position to work and establish a Jamaah of his own in consultation with like
minded brothers/sisters. A death without Jamaah will tantamount to death of
Jahiliyah.
Conclusion: Summation of our position and what it
demands:
Our position on earth is that of Da’ee Ilallah. We have to develop
ourselves into a team of effective Da’ees by acquiring the knowledge of Allah’s
Deen, that of this country, its people and their problems, developing a
trustworthy character in self, fostering the spirit of sacrifice to the brim of
our capacity and struggling through the organized efforts of the Jamaah in a
continuous process till either Allah’s Deen is established in its totality or
we give up our life in that pursuit.
I am sure: each of the workers present here will feel it as the echo of
his or her heart and commit afresh to attain the goal and objective of the
Jamaah with total devotion and maximum amount of sacrifice of time, talents and
resources at individual, family, national and at global levels.
May Allah give us Tawfeeq to be worthy of this position and help us to
accomplish what it demands from us individually and collectively under the able
guidance of the Jamaah. Amen
Shamim A Siddiqi
Chairman Baitulmal,
ICNA