i wanted to start a really active healthy discussion on an important issue, and to do so i would like to ask whoever reads this, 3 questions :
1. Define the problems of the ummah.
2. What are the solutions to the ummah's problems.
3. How do you fit into that solution
It is hypocritical to provide a solution which you do not fit into yourself, i will reply soon inshaAllah im kind of writing this quite lazily (because its day) and maybe at night when i am slightly more philosophical i will come back to reply with my answers.
This is a really great thread you've started here.
1) There is hardly any love between muslims. At least not like there should be. I don't know how we can ever hope to achieve unity within the Ummah, when there are just arguments and fights. There is always this talk of unity about people, but in a heartbeat it all goes out of the window, and they take their lightsabres out and . . . . . sorry, carried away . . . .
2) Still thinking
3) Will have to think about question 2 first
"I spent thirty years learning manners, and I spent twenty years learning knowledge."
Ill be honest this is quite dissappointing because we are supposed to be thinking about these things 24/7 and if we havent thought of the answers so far there is seriously something wrong and we should start thinking from now.
2. What are the solutions to the ummah's problems.
more faith less repenting and sinning, we need to show the closeness of our ummah
3. How do you fit into that solution
spreading islam inshallah and providing a real example of how an ideal muslims should be not what they are portrayed by in the media and in western societies
that is meaning us as brothers and sisters *the ummah* has set ourselves apart from eachother..the only reason there cud be any problems is if the ummah itself contained them and our ummah is not perfect or even near perfect to what its supposed to be...the problems lie within our ummah. this strictly just through my perspective...we are starting to grow more confused everyday because of our surroundings, and this is wrong because we are letting are surroundings affect us and if that is the case then we are muslims all for the wrong reasons...
i have to go but inshallah i can discuss this later and clearify myself
On my opinion the problems in the ummah is partly to do with every1 arguing over which way of Islam is right e.g. wahabis n shia n sunnis etc. wen in Islam we are'nt allowed 2 do dat.. n one of the major things goin on in the world is how the major worldly powers eg. America are putting so much pressure on the muslim countries and making sure they cant join together to fight bak and attacking the weaker countries not just for the oil but also to put fear into the rest of the world trying to show that we are the super power so watch out o els we might attack u next. they put pressure on any country who goes against them and because the rest of the world is afraid they all join in so they do not be the next victim. Their aim is to attack any country b4 they get attacked 1st an example of this is Iran wit their nukes..
that is meaning us as brothers and sisters *the ummah* has set ourselves apart from eachother..the only reason there cud be any problems is if the ummah itself contained them and our ummah is not perfect or even near perfect to what its supposed to be...
w'salaam
Very true, you see, problems have not arrived wholly because of media, or wars, or XYZ reason, its because mainly the muslims, including myself have not been up to the standard so we have been sent these problems because we deserve it, and, inevitably as a punishment.
format_quote Originally Posted by *charisma*
the problems lie within our ummah
Fairly obvious from the question originally asked, but anyhow, the first proper full answer from a member, come on people dont watch please post your ideas !!!
These are my thoughts and none of you have to agree a tad bit if you don't want to.
In answer to the first question, I think the main problem of the Ummah is unity. For some reason, we are so divided that the theory of the Ummah being a whole body no longer exists. How many of us feel the pain of our brothers and sisters? On the other hand, how many of us be happy and joyful at the good fortune of our brothers and sisters?
Because of the lack of unity, the Ummah has fallen apart. One Muslim cannot tell another Muslim anything without the other Muslim saying something back to them. For example, a brother tells another brother that listening to music is haraam. Rather than taking on board the advice, or even so thanking this brother for pointing out the wrong in him, he will say something back to the brother which he finds at fault within him. Was this the chacrater the sahaba's had within them?
There are plenty of other problems, but I think those can be tackled easily if first of all the Ummah is united at heart of the believers. The prophet said: "None of you will have faith till he wishes for his (Muslim) brother what he likes for himself."
'Tis sad to say that in this day and age, the Muslim Ummah is so far apart that blood is being shed of fellow Muslims just to acheive short success in this world.
Right, that's enough rambling on the first question. Moving on now, I think the solution to all of the Ummah's problems will be to create love and unity between us. Again, I will stress on the importance of the greeting which each of us should be practicing. Most of us give it once, and when not given a reply, we be disheartned and next time forget about giving salaam.
Allah says: "When a greeting is offered you, answer it with an even better greeting, or (at least) with its like. God keeps count of all things."
No matter if you know the person or not, each one of us has a right to be greeted. The prophet said: "A Muslim has a right against his fellow Muslim in six ways.' Asked what were these, the Prophet said: 1. When you meet him, greet him; 2. If he invites you, accept his invitation; 3. If he seeks your advice, give him an honest and sincere advice; 4. If he sneezes and praises God, bless him; 5. If he falls ill, visit him; and 6. If he dies, attend his funeral."
Once love is establised within the Ummah, each one of us can start to help one another in terms of correcting and purifying oneself and faith, and also in other matters such us worldy difficulties.
As to how I fit in? I don't think I do. I am at fault myself, and see myself a bad Muslim and a bad example. With this constant thought in mind, I try to correct myself and as far as helping overcome the problems goes, I only help and give advice on matters and deeds which I myself practice. The worse Muslim in my eyes is one who doesn't practice what they preach.
Again, feel free to disagree to anything that I've said. I could go further on each question, but this will do for now.
Jazak Allah for bring the issue out onto the surface brother.
we have too much wahn
we fear the creation...
we love life
Our Lord! Verily, we have heard the call of one calling to Faith: 'Believe in your Lord,' and we have believed.
Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and expiate from us our evil deeds, and make us die (in the state of righteousness) along with Al-Abrar
Excellent answer by Abdul and Charisma that was like totally cool like!
This is a proper discussion like it's meant to be! Not just an article in the original post and then the replies. I have to compliment you on that one Lateralus63.
The problem of unity goes without saying. How can we ever hope to achieve global unity, if we cannot even unite within ourselves as muslims? Obviously, we must all try to promote unity in all ways possible. (campaign??) We need to learn to overcome our differences and focus on our similarities. The subject of unity is a very long topic indeed. There are countless discussions on forums and many, seemingly endless articles on it, but where is unity? Where is it? Practise what we preach? The moment there is a disagreement over something, unity goes straight out of the window and people are at each others throats. Where is it?
003:103 Surah Al-Imraan) And hold fast, all of you together, to the Rope of Allah, and be not divided among yourselves, and remember Allah's Favour on you, for you were enemies one to another but He joined your hearts together, so that, by His Grace, you became brethren (in Islamic Faith), and you were on the brink of a pit of Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus Allah makes His Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.,) clear to you, that you may be guided.
What else is this rope of Allah but the Qur'an and Sunnah?
We need brother Ahmed Waheed here. I hope he doesn't mind but here is a link to his post.
Also, declaring someone Kaafir is not a good starting point. nuh-uh. In calling someone Kaafir we have already caused disunity. When doing an act or saying something we must tread carefully and ask, 'Would our Prophet Muhammad (SAWS) have done this or said this?
How do I fit in? Act on my own words ^^.
"I spent thirty years learning manners, and I spent twenty years learning knowledge."
An excellent reply by bro abdul, and i do agree with what he is saying, apart from the fact that i think, bro abdul, you do fit in somewhere, you just need to find out how.
Right well its only fair that i write my answer now, im going to write quite a lot, you see i told myself that, if i can write 2 pages on a games review why cant i write more on islam? anyway, here are my answers.
1) I think there are so many problems, so it would only make sense to define the few major ones that cause the trouble and the fundamental trouble makers. I think the root to all of this is being selfish, as humans we were born selfish and it seems this nature has popped up within ourselves and caused us to care more about ourselves and love ourselves, and so, we commit sins like, lazyness, anger, lust, caprice, plotting the list goes on and on. I think one of the major problems is, family problems, a lot of marrige issues, or generally the family is the cornerstone for an islamic community or state and since our families arent exactly in ship shape its caused huge problems and only instills within us the view to disunite, either consciously or subconsiously.
Another problem is passivism, people are never activists, they never get active and do things they just sit there and think all day, not just that but thought itself, how many times has Allah SWT said in the Quran, "This is good for you if only you knew" is he not telling us to THINK? Unfortunately, the traps of the media and egotism run wildly and stop us from thinking about the important things. One quick other big big problem is, marrige in young people in the west, apparently its seen as "impossible" to marry and have education at the same time. Well go figure parents forget half of your childrens iman. If we get married, apparently we cannot be educated and remain dumb, but if we get educated, we start to indulge in all sorts of nasty sins. This is a big problem that really needs to be looked at carefully.
2) As i said somewhere else in LI the key...to all the ummah's problems is Individual Reform because Allah said in the Quran "Allah only changes the situation of a people unless they change themselves from the inside" This is the clear solution lying there right in front of our eyes yet we never bother to look or apply it. I tell you why the situation of the ummah hasnt got any better, because we simply dont deserve it, everything is in Allah's control not ours, if we show Allah we are good muslims he will, inshAllah, bestow us with victory again. Thats all thats required, just change yourself from the inside, present islam in its pure form to the rest of the world, and the media will not be able to say one thing.
3) I guess the foremost goal i wanted to establish is, i wanted to reshape myself and people and develop a new angle from which people look at life and develop some new angles in different fields like photography, psychology, philosophy, oratry, poetry. I think one of my goals would be to write a book, on something i wanted to call soul psychology exploring the different essences. However this is a side goal, if it doesnt go ahead i wouldnt be depressed but nevertheless dissappointed. I also wanted to give a speech to different people, i feel that i am part of the solution by telling people to reshape and reshaping myself so that, when we are all good people, we will deserve what comes towards us in the future events. Basically, telling people how to change, but by utilising psychology and philosophy to do so.
Sorry for the long reply, but it is a very big issue which requires appropriate attention, still awaiting replies from other people, like, hint hint, ansar al haq.
As i said somewhere else in LI the key...to all the ummah's problems is Individual Reform because Allah said in the Quran "Allah only changes the situation of a people unless they change themselves from the inside" This is the clear solution lying there right in front of our eyes yet we never bother to look or apply it.
: Lateralus. I strongly agree with what you've said. The referred verse is as follows:
13:11 ...Verily never will Allah change the condition of a people until they change it themselves (with their own souls)....
This is what I've said on the issue before:
format_quote Originally Posted by Ansar Al-'Adl
And the muslims wonder why they have fallen into destruction?
Let us turn to the Book revealed by Allah Most Wise, and examine the reason behind calamity:
42:30 Whatever misfortune happens to you, is because on the things your hands have wrought, and for many (of them) He grants forgiveness.
30:41 Mischief has appeared on land and sea because of (the meed) that the hands of men have earned, that ((Allah)) may give them a taste of some of their deeds: in order that they may turn back (from Evil).
There is only one cause for the downfall of the ummah- they have left the path of truth enjoined upon them by the Lord Most High.
People have grown careless in the implementation of Allah's laws. They have fallen into sin and have placed the Holy book behind them. The muslims have becomes slaves to their desires and have become attached to the worldly life.
The calamity that muslims have fallen into is due to only one reason- we have abandoned the deen.
Likewise, there is only one path for us to take. There is only one solution to the problems in the muslims ummah. It is not a political solution or societal solution.
it is an individual solution. The muslims should turn their face to Allah and cry out to Him for forgiveness. We must water our deceased hearts with the tears of taqwa. We should make the Qur'an our guide in this life, so it may, by Allah's permission, be our intercessor in the next life. We must turn away from wordly pleasures and focus on the irresistable fate of all human beings-
Death. Only when we consider death and the afterlife will we realize the temporal nature of this life and hasten in our struggle for good.
The soltution is so simple, I'm not sure what else to add to the above.
Anyway.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Surely I was sent to perfect the qualities of righteous character" [Musnad Ahmad, Muwatta Mâlik]
i will reply soon inshaAllah im kind of writing this quite lazily (because its day) and maybe at night when i am slightly more philosophical i will come back to reply with my answers.
Nocturnal? Perhpas your avatar really does represent you.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Surely I was sent to perfect the qualities of righteous character" [Musnad Ahmad, Muwatta Mâlik]
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At least not like there should be. I don't know how we can ever hope to achieve unity within the Ummah, when there are just arguments and fights. There is always this talk of unity about people, but in a heartbeat it all goes out of the window, and they take their lightsabres out and . . . . . sorry, carried away . . . .
and Charisma that was like totally cool like!
Nocturnal? Perhpas your avatar really does represent you.
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