CLASS 2
REASONS OF WEAKNESS OF THE UMMAH
Many people think that our weakness is a result of lack of technology, because we do not possess the scientific knowledge to produce materials or to develop agriculture as other nations do. They may state that the reason for our weakness is the lack of human resources, our backwardness, and our small numbers. Many mistakenly analyse our weakness from this perspective, blaming it on lack of technology, insufficient material wealth, or poor human resources. But, in reality, this type of analysis is short-sighted.
The true cause for the weakness of the Ummah is much greater than any of these reasons. It is not a secular cause but a religious reality, that is, we have not applied our religion as Allah has demanded from us, for He clearly Says in His Book, (what means): “Is not Allah sufficient for His servant?...” (Quran: 39:36) Allah addresses every single Muslim with this verse. He has given us our lives, sustenance, and all the essentials for our existence to continue according to His decree. If people truly deserved such blessings, then they would understand the importance of this verse.
One of the main causes of the weakness of the Ummah is its laziness and laxity in applying the religion of Islam, which results from it having an inferiority complex. This weakness causes a Muslim to sense his own laxity in applying Islam in the manner that Allah orders him to.
We must understand that Islam is not simply possessing a Muslim name or being born to Muslim parents, or saying that one comes from a certain part of the world. Rather, Islam is a way of life, a methodology for living, not only dealing with religious matters but addressing one’s conceptual outlook on worldly matters aswell.
REASONS WHY WE ARE BECOMING WEAK
FOUR HADEETHS THAT FITS US TO THE ‘T’
Breaking our Covenant to Allah
In a Hadeeth in Ibn Majah (authenticated by Albani), the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "O Muhajirun! You may be afflicted with five things. Allah forbid that you should live to see them.
If fornication and adultery should become widespread, then you should know that this has never happened without new diseases befalling the people which their forefathers never suffered.
If people should begin to cheat in weighing out goods, you should realise that this has never happened without a drought and famine befalling the people and their rulers oppressing them.
If people should withhold zakah, you should realise that this has never happened without the rain being stopped from falling; and were it not for the sake of the animals, it would never rain again.
If people should break their covenant with Allah and His Messenger, you should realise that this has never happened without Allah sending an enemy against them to take some of their possessions by force.
If the leaders do not rule according to the book of Allah, you should realise that this has never happened without Allah making them into groups and making them fight one another."
Focus on the first four points, all of them are our own personal deeds especially the fourth point, “If we break our covenant with Allah and His Messenger, we will have an enemy against us to take some of our possessions by force. Is this not what is happening now? And we focus on doing all the marches and protests in front of the oppressors but not rectifying our own affairs.
Thus it is imperative that we, immediately and without procrastination, work on rectifying our own relationships with Allāh and improving ourselves, in order to safely expect the dramatic turnaround we all desire in the Ummah. Our leaders are only a product of the societies they come from; if we want just rulers, let us strive to be just ourselves. And the ultimate justice is being dutiful to Allāh, and living according to how He decreed we should live.
Allāh says in the Qur’ān: “Indeed, Allāh will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.” (Quran 13:11)
Love of this Life
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "The nations are about to call each other and set upon you, just as diners set upon food." It was said: "Will it be because of our small number that day?" He ﷺ said:
"Rather, on that day you will be many, but you will be like foam, like the foam on the river. And Allah will remove the fear of you from the hearts of your enemies and will throw wahn (weakness) into your hearts." Someone said: "O Messenger of Allah! What is wahn?" He ﷺ said: "Love of the world and the hatred for death."Sahih: Related by Abu Dawud (no. 4297)
This hadith explains the first form of weakness, which has befallen the 'Ummah in all corners of the world, as being a result of inclination to this world, love of it, and being preoccupied with it, whilst turning away from the Hereafter, being distant from it and hatred of death. Hatred of death is a sign of loving this world, since the one who loves this world, hates death. Since, with death, comes the meeting with Allah - the Most Perfect.
Points to take from the Hadith
The most important piont that we should take from the warning of loving this world is the Ummah abandoning the Ji haad and abandoning sacrificing our wealth, time and energy for the Sake of Allah.
The disbelievers will try to divide them and also strengthen themselves by calling each other to have their share.
That the disbelievers attentively observe the Muslim 'Ummah and study their condition, when they see a weakness they strike at it.
That the disbelievers do not fear the Muslims because of our own actions and divisions. Because of our abandoning of striving for the Sake of Allah and being willing to sacrifice whatever is needed for the Sake of Allah.
At the time of the Prophet ﷺ when the disbelievers heard that the Prophet was preparing to engage them in battle, they would become fearful and turn on their heels. This is what happened at the battle of Tabuk. At this battle, the Prophet ﷺ travelled a months journey to fight the Romans, when they heard of the Messenger of Allah's, ﷺ, approach they fled. So the Prophet ﷺ said: "I have been given five (things) which no one else before me has been given. I have been aided with fear - a distance of one month's traveling…" (Bukhari & Muslim) Allah the - the Most High - states: "Soon We shall cast terror into the hearts of the disbelievers, for that, they made shirk, for which He had sent no authority." [Al-Qur'an 3:151]
Indeed, fear is a weapon, which Allah implants in the hearts of His enemies. This is why the strength of the Muslims, is not in their great numbers - weapons or wealth - but it is in their 'aqidah (belief) and their adhering to it. Look at our history we have rarely ever won because of being in the majority, it was always because of our strong faith. For today there are plenty of Muslims, but they are like foam, like the foam carried by the waves. And their riches are many but cannot be for them. Rather, it has become the possession of their enemies. For example: The Muslims today approximate over one billion and they grow in number everyday. However, at the same time they are the weakest of nations in every country they are in, being persecuted - why?
Because they have become like foam, like the foam on the waves. Also, the lands of the Muslims possess many riches and minerals, but where does it all end up? The Muslim oil constitutes approximately one third of the world's reserves, but the Muslims are the poorest of people - why?
Because we have abandoned the true teachings of Islam and what it really means to be a part of the Ummah.
Dealing in (Riba) usury & Abandoning Aspects of Islam
The more Muslims started to oppose the teachings of the Quran and Sunnah, the more they divided and their power began to ebb away, which in turn emboldened their enemies. So the Ummah faced humiliation at their hands which only increased with the increase in misguidance, innovated beliefs, disobedience and sins of the Muslims. This is proven by the hadīth of Ibn ‘Umar who narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“When you partake in usury, hold on to the tails of cattle, become satisfied with cultivation and abandon striving for the sake of Allah*, Allah will send upon you humiliation and He will not remove it until you return back to your religion.”(Abu Dawood)
*Using “Striving for the sake of Allah” instead of the real word, because of censorship issues, but InShaAllah you have understood what is said.
Our Messenger ﷺ indeed spoke the truth, for the one who looks at the state of the Muslims today will see that they have become very careless about their religion. They consume riba and they are focused on this world, and they have neglected jihad for the sake of Allaah. And what is the result? Allaah has subjected them to humiliation, and they turn to the east and to the west, humiliated and lowly, asking them for support, and they do not realize [?] that this humiliation will not be lifted from them until they go back to their religion as the truthful Messenger ﷺ said.
Please join our free Certificate course “SINS TAKEN LIGHTLY”, to learn about the widespread sins in different aspects of Life : https://learn-islam.org/sins-taken-lightly (available online now, register and learn)
Also available is the course MAJOR SINS , in this course the 70 Major Sins enlisted by Imam Dhahabi in his book are studied with references and explanations. https://www.learn-islam.org/major-sins
Note these are not part of the ongoing course, it is an independent course that can be done at your own pace and at your own convenience.
OTHER REASONS WHY THE UMMAH HAVE BECOME WEAK
Being Away from the Sunnah
This was covered in the previous points and class but had to be re-emphasized. Unless we get back to our fundamentals in following Islam and try to manipulate we are bound to fail The best of the speech is that of Allah and the best of actions is that of the Prophet ﷺ, we have to be among those who say “We Listen and we obey” just like the best of the Ummah did, the Sahaba!
Looking up to disbelievers
If we are looking up to those who are trying their best to make us leave our religion are we not bound to be weakened? Sadly many of our youth look up to many celebrities, singers, athletes, business people or motivational speakers instead of the real role models from Islam. Is it not ironic that we see almost all the business coaches or motivational speakers talk about things that are prescribed in Islam.
Getting up really early
Having a greater purpose and not just earning money.
Give (be charitable), and you will get much more.
Be honest and work hard
Keep your word and never betray
Do not hold grudges, etc
All the above mentioned are things that the coaches/speakers repetitively promote, sadly Muslims take it from them and are motivated when all of these are mentioned in the Sunnah.
We look up to them and show our best side to them and are harsh amongst each other which is the opposite of what Allah has commanded us. Allaah says, describing the Companions of our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ:
“Muhammad is the Messenger of Allaah. And those who are with him are severe against disbelievers, and merciful among themselves” [al-Fath 48:29]
Our religion permits us (Muslim men) to marry the people of the book (Jewish or Christian) women, but we are not permitted to marry our daughters to them, because they are be considered lower in status than us, and our women are higher in status than them, and one who is inferior cannot prevail over one who is superior. Islam should prevail, not be prevailed over. And we believe in their Prophets but they do not believe in our Prophet.
Our religion forbids us to eat from their vessels unless we cannot find anything else. In that case it is permissible for us to eat from it on condition that we wash it thoroughly. The Prophet ﷺ said, when he was asked about eating from the vessels of the People of the Book: “If you can find any other vessel, then do not eat from them; if you cannot find anything else, wash them and then eat from them.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 5056; Muslim, 3567 – this version was narrated by him).
Our religion forbids us to imitate them in dress or to imitate the way they eat or any of their customs, because our way is superior and their ways are inferior, and the one who is superior should not imitate the one who is inferior. Indeed, our Prophet warned us that the one who imitates them is going to meet the same fate as them in Hell, what a terrible fate! The Messenger of Allaah ﷺ said: “Whoever imitates a people is one of them.” (narrated by Abu Dawood, 3512).
"Never will the Jews and the Christians be satisfied with you, until you follow their way." (Al-Qur'an 2:120).
So are to look up to our role models that are the Prophets & the Sahaba and those who followed them on the right path.
What you see nowadays of the humiliation of the Muslims and the domination of the disbelievers over them is the result of the Muslims’ negligence and failure to adhere to their religion, their failure to prepare to strive for the sake of Allaah*, and their love of this world which kills the love of Allaah and the Hereafter in their hearts. Hence you see that the blood of the Muslims is shed and has become cheap, and their homes are destroyed and counted as worthless, and their lives are counted as cheap because of their weakness. Allaah indeed spoke the truth when He said (interpretation of the meaning): “And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned. And He pardons much” [al-Shoora 42:30]
So our humiliation and weakness are because of what we Muslims have done. We have to work to repel these weaknesses; to fight them, reject them and not to be pleased with them - since it is an evil which has to be rejected. And when we come back to our religion, our glory and pride will come back to us.
Not Enjoining Good & Forbidding Evil
If the ummah fails to do its duty of enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil, wrongdoing and corruption will spread throughout the ummah, and it will deserve the curse of Allaah. For Allaah cursed those among the Children of Israel who disbelieved because they failed in this important duty. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Those among the Children of Israel who disbelieved were cursed by the tongue of Dawood (David) and ‘Eesa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary). That was because they disobeyed (Allaah and the Messengers) and were ever transgressing beyond bounds.
They used not to forbid one another from Al-Munkar (wrong, evildoing, sins, polytheism, disbelief) which they committed. Vile indeed was what they used to do [al-Maa’idah 5:78]
No relation with Masjids
There is no real role of mosques in Muslims’ life in this age. Mosques in many Muslim countries have become no more than a place where the prescribed Prayers are performed. The great role that mosques can play in people’s life is no longer there. This, in turn, has negatively affected our nation. Comparing this to the status of the mosque at the lifetime of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), one finds that the mosque then was the center of leadership, planning for Muslims’ life, and acquiring knowledge.
Two more reasons that will be covered in detail in upcoming classes InShaAllah
The Ummah is amongst the most unfit people in the world.
Fighting over differences of opinions and splitting into sects.
May Allah give us all the hidaayah to do our part to help the Ummah and keep us steadfast. May Allah help the oppressed Muslims and give us all the hidayah and strength to help them to the best of our ability.
TIPS FOR THE TEST
Do not have to memorize the Ayahs & ahadeeth word for word but get a good understanding about what it means and the message in it.
Remember the guidelines.
ATTENDANCE/ASSIGNMENT
Please do this assignment before taking the test, there will be a question asked about the Assignment worth 10 marks in the test: -
I. Invite atleast 15 people to the course (can invite via WhatsApp, Facebook, Email, telegram or word of mouth) 3 Marks. (check the note below for exceptions)
Note:
Those who have already invited whether on Whatsapp, Email or FB, do not need to invite again.
It does not matter, whether people join or not, our job is to invite.
II. Talk to 5 people (friends or family) about any three topics below mentioned below: - (5 Marks)
i. What weakens the Ummah
ii. Sunan that strengthens Unity
iii. How our sins effect the Ummah.
III. Make Dua for the Muslims that are being oppressed around the world and also for those who are not to get their acts right and start helping the Ummah. (2 Marks)
Please take this assignment as a motivation to start talking about Islam and make it part of your regular day (even if you do not know too much, spread the little that you know, as the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said “Convey from me, even if it is one verse”, most of us are too shy to talk about Islam but are ok to talk about anything under the sky.
May Allah make us all amongst those who call others to good by spreading the Deen of Allah and help us in this noble path.
SUPPORT LEARN ISLAM
If you benefit from courses by LEARN ISLAM and want to support us, please do so by buying the book FORGOTTEN SUNNAHS written by Abu Sahl Al Ansari (the founder and admin of LEARN ISLAM).
FORGOTTEN SUNNAHS : https://learn-islam.org/forgotten-sunnahs-book