About this blog

In recent times a plethora of misconceptions, misrepresentation and myths have been forged about Islam
and Muslims. Many western influentials from politicians, policymakers to judges have taken it upon
themselves to undermine the Islamic beliefs, values and rules so to make it palatable to their
egotistic minds and the secular liberal thoughts.

This blog is dedicated:-

1. To argue the point for Islam in its belief and systems and to refute the misconceptions.
2. To expose the weakness and contradictions of all forms of secularism.

22 Jul 2009

Individualism amongst Muslims

The concepts of individualism and benefit have affected some Muslims to such an extent that our prioritisation of actions becomes clouded by these notions. Thus, some Muslims prioritise actions based on their ability to achieve the action and the benefit derived from it, not on whether it is fard or not.

This can be suitably illustrated by the contracts that we engage in. Let us consider the contract of trading, the contract of marriage and the contract of Khilafah. All three contracts require offer and acceptance. In the case of trading, there is an offer and acceptance from those who buy and those who sell. The benefit for those who sell is the recompense, while the benefit for those who buy is the good or service itself. In the case of marriage, there is an offer and acceptance between the man and woman. The benefit for both man and woman is the physical and emotional fulfilment which results from marriage. In the case of Khilafah, there is an offer from the Ummah and acceptance from the man who will become Khaleefah. The benefit is the complete implementation of Islam, and the ensuing justice.

We find all Muslims rigorously engaging in the contract of trading, even though this contract carries the verdict of mubah i.e. it is allowed. Allah(swt) has left the choice to us whether we engage in it or not. We also find most Muslims spending their effort looking for marriage partners and thus engaging in the marriage contract, even though this contract carries the verdict of mandub i.e we are rewarded for engaging in this contract, but not sinful if we don't. In both examples, there are tangible benefits for the individual.

However, the contract of Khilafah is fard, which means that all Muslims should have this contract on their neck - or be actively seeking to establish the Khilafah so that they can engage in the contract. But to establish this contract requires us to expend effort to change the ideas of other people for no perceived physical benefit compared to the other two. The real benefits of Khilafah in terms of sanctity of life and protection of our values is weighed up against our rational perception of whether we can achieve it or not. Hence the priority attached to this is low, to the point of non-existence. From the viewpoint of verdict, we should be expending as much effort on the Khilafah contract, for it is obligatory for the whole Ummah to be engaged in this contract. Yet, the priority we see is that some Muslims engage in those contracts that are either mubah or mandub and negligent of the contract that is fard.

All this emanates from the concept of individualism where we attach priority on those actions that we can achieve and where there is a tangible benefit. Thus individualism induces people to perform those actions that they can perform easily and where there is benefit to the individual. From this, we can see the origin of the concept of correcting oneself before correcting others. In origin, the concept is not from Islam, for we are obliged to abide by the obligations from Islam, whether that requires a corrective action on ourselves, or on others.

Unfortunately, the concept is pushed by sincere Muslims because they hold the concept of individualism and then interpret Islam accordingly. Thus, hadith related to the individuals actions are quoted to amplify the correction of oneself, while those that amplify correction of society are relegated to low importance because those hadith may require too much effort.
A classic example of this is the hadith that states: 'None of you believe until you wish for your brother what you wish for yourselves' [Muslim]

This hadith is normally narrated to help our Muslim brothers and sisters who are needy of money and food. It is used often to encourage Muslims to donate for the Muslims of Bosnia. Yet, why is the interpretation limited to food and money. Why not wish for our brothers in Bosnia sanctity of life and honour? This would require not only donation of money and food, but actions to physically change their situation, either by Jihad, or through the establishment of an Islamic State, the Khilafah. Yet we find that these two issues are not recognised as an interpretation of the hadith, because the hadith is interpreted from an individualistic viewpoint. This will by definition limit the vision to change to donation of food and money.

As Muslims, it is our responsibility to evaluate all our actions from the viewpoint of fard and haram and fulfill the requirements of each, independent of its benefit or effort required.

[Article taken from Barts & Royal London Islamic Society]
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What they said...

“Islam represented the greatest military power on earth…It was the foremost economic power in the world…It had achieved the highest level so far in human history, in the arts and sciences of civilization...Islam in contrast created a world civilization, poly-ethnic, multiracial, international, one might even say intercontinental.”





[Bernard Lewis, Professor of Near Eastern Studies, Orientalist and Historian, 2001]





"There was once a civilization that was the greatest in the world. It was able to create a continental super-state that stretched from ocean to ocean, and from northern climes to tropics and deserts…the civilization I'm talking about was the Islamic world from the year 800 to 1600… Although we are often unaware of our indebtedness to this other civilization, its gifts are very much a part of our heritage"





[Carly Fiorina, ex-CEO of Hewlett-Packard, 2001]





"For the first three centuries of its existence (circ. A.D 650-1000) the realm of Islam was the most civilized and progressive portion of the world. Studded with splendid cities, gracious mosques and quiet universities where the wisdom of the ancient world was preserved and appreciated, the Moslem world offered a striking contrast to the Christian West, then sunk in the night of the Dark Ages."





[Lothrop Stoddard, Ph.D (Harvard), American political theorist and historian, 1932]





"Medieval Islam was technologically advanced and open to innovation. It achieved far higher literacy rates than in contemporary Europe;it assimilated the legacy of classical Greek civilization to such a degree that many classical books are now known to us only through Arabic copies. It invented windmills ,trigonometry, lateen sails and made major advances in metallurgy, mechanical and chemical engineering and irrigation methods. In the middle-ages the flow of technology was overwhelmingly from Islam to Europe rather from Europe to Islam. Only after the 1500's did the net direction of flow begin to reverse."





[Jared Diamond, UCLA sociologist and Author, 1997]



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[Hamilton Alexander Rosskeen Gibb, Professor at Harvard University, 1932]





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[Edmund Burke, British Statesman and Philosopher, 1789]





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[Graham Fuller, Author and former CIA, 1995]





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[Charles Philip Arthur George, HRH The Prince of Wales, 1993]





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[Richard W. Bulliet, Professor of History and Author, 2004]





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[In his book 'Constantinople', Philip Mansel quotes a rabbi in Turkey writing to his brethren in Europe where they were facing increasing persecution after 1453]





"Praise be to the beneficent God for his mercy towards me! Kings of the earth, to whom his [the Caliph’s] magnificence and power are known, bring gifts to him, conciliating his favour by costly presents, such as the king of the Germans, the king of the Gebalim, the king of Constantinople, and others. All their gifts pass through my hands, and I am charged with making gifts in return. (Let my lips express praise to the God in heaven who so far extends his loving kindness towards me without any merit of my own, but in the fullness of his mercies.) I always ask the ambassadors of these monarchs about our brethren the Jews, the remnant of the captivity, whether they have heard anything concerning the deliverance of those who have pined in bondage and had found no rest."





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[Robert Briffault, Novelist and Historian, 1928]





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[Oliver Joseph Lodge, Writer and Professor of Physics, 1893]





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[Zion Zohar, Jewish scholar at Florida International University, 2005]







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