Drowning in the Social Movement Abyss

Since the collapse of the Khilafah, the Muslim Ummah has fallen deep within the abyss of crisis. It has hung itself with the noose of adversity, whilst the rest of the Ummah has watched helplessly. It has become a stagnant body of water polluted with blood and tears, immobile on the path of resolution. With the incidents in Kashmir, Somalia, and Bosnia, to name a few, some Muslims, out of sincere concern, have tried to heal the Ummah's grotesque body. The birth of social movement, relief organizations, homeless drives, etc., are all a reflection of both concern and ignorance.

Muslims must realize that not just any solution will suffice and the "anything goes" policy of the West is far from Islamic. Before taking an action, we are obligated to refer to Islam in search of a rule.The Ummah should also recognize that Allah alone knows the adequate solution to a problem, and we must implement this solution whether it seems feasible or not. A solution based on whims and passions may imbue Muslims with sin rather than reward.

Prophet Muhammad (saaws) stated,

"The Imam is the caretaker for what is under his authority, and he is exclusively responsible for his citizenship." [Bukhari] According to this hadith, the affairs of the state belong to the Khalifah and the Khalifah alone. These affairs include providing Muslims with food, clothing and protection.To assume responsibility of these affairs permanently is prohibited in Islam. Muslims are allowed to contribute relief aid to Bosnia and its like on a temporary basis. However, organizations like Edhi International and Mercy International are haram to establish and participate in.

It is not enough to say that relief organizations, like the recent U.M.M.A.H. are not permitted by Islam. An adequate solution must also be discussed. Abu Hurairah reported the Prophet's (saaws) saying,

"Behold, the Imam is but a shield from behind which people fight and by which they protect themselves."[Muslim] From this hadith and the one stated earlier, we can conclude that the state is responsible for taking care of the people. We find in the history of Islam many incidents which exemplify this statement. In the time of Omar Ibn Abdul Aziz, the state was so efficient in providing the people with their needs that for every blind individual, a companion was appointed as a guide. In the time of Omar Ibn Al-Khattab, poverty had been eliminated in regions of Africa. Muslims have become Uncle Sam's sheep by distracting themselves with relief efforts. The problem of the Ummah is evolving and gaining great momentum. The solution does not lie in providing some food and clothing. This merely prolongs the misery of those individuals who are faced with adversity. If the problem of Bosnia were to be solved, does this guarantee that this type of incident will never occur again? The problem requires a permanent, effective solution. The Prophet (saaws) set his eyes on establishing the state and not on incidents which blurred his vision. When Ammar bin Yasser's mother was tortured, Rasulallah (saaws) did not involve himself with the issue. This is not to say that the Ummah should ignore the slaughter of Muslims wherever they may by. These events should be addressed while working toward the actual and permanent solution, the Khilafah. Only when the Khilafah is established will the security and needs of all Muslims be insured. The Khalifah Mo'tasim waged an entire Jihad to protect the honor of one Muslim woman who was neither raped nor tortured. Whereas, the Muslim Ummah, without a Khalifah, has watched the rape of 60,000 women in Bosnia from behind a glass box. It is clear where the permanent solution lies.

If the Muslim Ummah is to achieve revival, it must take appropriate steps. The Ummah must realize that the real solution lied in establishing the Khilafah. Only under the flag of Islam will the Ummah achieve mobility in terms of solving its problems. It is only when we Muslims refer back to Islam, in search of solutions, will we cease to be tossed by the tumultuous tides. If we fail to see this, then we may very well drown in the abyss we are obligated to dominate.