Ummah of Tawheed Between the Past and Present (2)

(Friday speech was delivered by Imam Mohamed Baianonie at the Islamic Center of Raleigh, NC on March 31, 2000)

We mentioned that what makes this obligation so specific to this Ummah is that it is the Ummah of the last messenger, the seal of all prophets, sent for all humanity, with him the Deen has been perfected, and after whom there is no prophet.

The task of this Ummah is defined, in that it has to carry the message all over the earth. It has to carry the message exactly like it received it from the messenger (S.A.W.), and with the same method in which it was received it from the messenger. The Ummah has to endure all that this message may require from difficulties like Jehad for the sake of Allah (S.W.T.) as the prophet (S.A.W.) did. In order complete the task, the Ummah has to be a witness for all humanity.

Before we explain the domain of this obligation and the way to perform it, we would like to mention again that the message of this Ummah and its obligations is the message of its prophet and everything that comes with that.

The prophet (S.A.W.) was ordered to call people to Islam. Allah (S.W.T) said in surat An-Nahl, (Verses 125), what can be translated as, "Invite (mankind, O Muhammad) to the way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom and fair preaching."

Allah (S.W.T) said in surat Al-Ma'dah, (Verses 67), what can be translated as, "O Messenger (Muhammad) Proclaim (the message) which has been sent down to you from your Lore. And if you do not, then you have not conveyed His Message."

The prophet (S.A.W.) was ordered to establish Jehad. Allah (S.W.T) said in surat At-Tahreem, (Verses 9), what can be translated as, "O Prophet (Muhammad)! Strive hard against the disbeliveers and the hypocrites, and be severe against them…"

The prophet (S.A.W.) was sent to be a witness for all humanity. Allah (S.W.T) said in surat Al-Ahzab, (Verses 45), what can be translated as, "O Prophet (Muhammad)! Verily, We have sent you as witness, and a bearer of glad tidings, and a Warner."

The Ummah was ordered to perform the same obligation. Allah (S.W.T) said in surat Al-Emran, (Verses 104), what can be translated as, "Let there arise out of you a group of enjoining Al- Ma'roof and forbidding Al-Munkar."

Allah (S.W.T) said in surat Al-Haj, (Verses 78), what can be translated as, "And Strive hard in Allah's cause as you ought to strive."

Allah (S.W.T) said in surat Al-Baqarah, (Verses 143), what can be translated as, "Thus We have made you, a wasat (just and the best) Ummah, that you be witnesses over mankind."

All these points mentioned in the verses and in these Ahadith are very serious, whether to define the role of this Ummah or emphasize the goodness of this Ummah. Allah (S.W.T) said in surat Al-Emran, (Verses 110), what can be translated as, "You (Muslim) are the best Ummah ever raised up for mankind; you enjoin Al-Ma'roof and forbid Al-Munkar and you believe in Allah…"

Let's reflect upon the virtue of this Ummah. What is the difference between the goodness of the Muslim Ummah and the claim of the Jews that they are Allah's chosen people to this day, and that they are the best of all worlds to the last day? What is the difference between the greatness of the Muslim Ummah and the claim of any nationalists that their nation of people is the best and the most civilized?

There are many differences, all of which are due to one fundamental difference: The virtue of this Ummah is not based on ethnic background like the claim of the children of Israel. Nor is it based on racism or stupid nationalism.

It is had ever based on good deeds, principles, values, behavior based on the belief in Allah and enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil. For this reason, it is not restricted to a specific people, race or blood. Rather it is for every Muslim who believes in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, the Last Day and the Qadar; good and bad, and for every Muslim who acts based on his belief, regardless of his race, language, home land or birth. This virtue belonged to Bilal the Abyssinian, to Souhaib the Roman, and to Salman; the Persian, to the same extent that this goodness belonged to the believers from Quraish. In this Ummah people differ among themselves only with Taqwa. The prophet (S.A.W.) said: "An Arab is not better than a non-Arab, nor is a white better than a red, except with Taqwa."

For this reason, this goodness does not belong to a specific person or a specific people. It does not belong to a specific race, regardless of its bad deeds, and any deviations it practices, like the claim of the children of Israel that they are still Allah's chosen people while they rejected Allah and his messengers and committed all kinds of forbidden acts. Or the claim of any nation that it is better than the others regardless of crimes that it commits and stupidities that it may practice. We must keep in mind the virtue leaves the Ummah like it has left the Muslim Ummah, if it rejects its message, and does not perform its obligations. And that virtue will not return unless the Ummah fulfills the message.

It is not Asabiah to a specific people, race, land, or slogan. The prophet (S.A.W.) said: "He is not one of us; whoever calls for Assabiah. And he is not one of us; whoever fought for Asabiah. And he is not one of us; whoever died on Asabiah."

Goodness is not a claim without evidence. Rather it is values, principles, deed and behavior; when they are present, goodness is present, and when they disappear, goodness will disappear even if people still carry Islamic names, and utter with their mouths: "La Ilaha Illa Lah, Muhammad RasuluLah."

How different the reality on this earth and on the Day of Judgment of a claim that is devoid of any truth from a claim that is truthful. Allah (S.W.T) said in surat An-Nisa', (Verses 123 &124), what can be translated as, "It will not be in accordance with your desires (Muslims), nor those of the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), whosoever works evil, will have the recompense thereof, and he will not find any protector or helper besides Allah, whoever does righteous good deeds, male or female, and is a true believer in the Oneness of Allah (Muslim), such will enter Paradise and not the least injustice, even to the size of a Naqira (speak on the back of date-stone), will be done to them."

We goo back to the message of the Muslim Ummah. "La Ilaha Illa Lah" that every messenger came with, is the foundation of every belief with which man becomes in the best shape like Allah (S.W.T.) created him. Allah (S.W.T) said in surat At-Teen, (Verses 4), what can be translated as, "Verily, We created man of the best stature (mould)."

Allah (S.W.T) said in surat Ar-Room, (Verses 30), what can be translated as, "So set you (O Muhammad) your face towards the deen of pure Islamic Monotheism haneefa, Fitrah of Allah, with which He has created mankind. No change let there be in Allah's creation, that is the straight deen…"

The prophet (S.A.W.) said: "Every one is born on Fitrah" But the nature of a building always depends on the nature of the foundation. The building that this Ummah was raised to establish is the greatest building in the history of humanity. It is the implementation of the divine way on earth, confronting Jahiliayh on the entire earth. For this reason, the foundation of this building has to be the strongest foundation in the history of mankind.

Qur'an was revealed for thirteen years in Makkah about one subject; the Aqeedah and its implications. This is because the Aqeedah is the foundation of this huge building. The prophet (S.A.W.) spent thirteen years in Makkah with one concern, building this foundation and strengthening it and reinforcing it so that it can support this huge building. When the prophet (S.A.W.) indeed began building in Al-Madinah, this building reached great highest quickly and strongly in a few years because it was built on a strong foundation.

The foundation was in the souls. It was in the hearts of this believing group of people, the few. Yes, the few, but this group was many times stronger than its size because it carried a strong power of pure and sincere belief in Allah. Enough power to illuminate a huge area lit with its light, not the area of Al-Madinah, not the area of the Arabian Peninsula, but enough power to light the world!

The purest, most complete and the most comprehensive description of belief is the one that was revealed in the Qur'an, and clarified in the Sunnah of the prophet (S.A.W.). This is because Allah (S.W.T.) was preparing with this description the Ummah that is to be a witness for all mankind. This description is: " The best Ummah ."

We do not say that this is the only Ummah that spent its efforts for the sake of Allah. No, around every prophet sent to his people, there was a number of sincere hearts that came together for the sake of Allah. They let go of this world, devoted themselves to the truth that they believed in. They were pleased with Allah (S.W.T.) to be their Lord, with the prophet (S.A.W.) as a messenger and with the hereafter instead of this world.

While moving forward based on this belief, the movement will definitely shake this body. This requires constantly making the foundation stronger so that the advancement will not affect its integrity. The more movement, and the more influential the movement is, the more we need to make the foundation stronger so that it remains one strong body despite the movement.

The movement of this Ummah in all aspects of life was the greatest movement in history. So it was a must - Allah knows best - that the foundation of this building be built very deep and strong. So, Qur’an was revealed for thirteen years just to clarify the reality of Tawheed, implanting it into the human soul, focusing all efforts raising these souls, so that they will carry the most powerful belief that a human heart can carry. All this was a serious factor in making this Ummah the best Ummah. Allah (S.W.T) said in surat Al-Emran, (Verses 110), what can be translated as, "You (Muslim) are the best Ummah ever raised up for mankind; you enjoin Al-Ma'roof and forbid Al-Munkar and you believe in Allah…"

If virtue depends only on belief, then virtue will not be present; other nations have believed. But, virtue depends on the influential movement based on belief, represented by enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil on a universal scale. That is what made this Ummah good.

When the prophet (S.A.W.) was building the Ummah in Al-Madinah, many obligations were revealed concerning all aspects of life, political, economic, social, intellectual, moral, ideological, behavioral, inside and outside. Allah (S.W.T) said in surat Al-Mai'dah, (Verse 3), what can be translated as, "This day I have perfected your deen for you, completed my favor upon you, and I have chosen for you Islam as your deen."

All these obligations were preparing this Ummah for two goals at the same time:

The first goal is that this Ummah is to become steadfast on the path of Allah (S.W.T.). This is a common goal of all believing nations, but to the Ummah of Islam, the goal is for all humanity. The goal touches everyone, the individual a well as the society, man as well as woman, young and old, dealing with friends as well as enemies, the believers as well as the non-believers, warring as well as peaceful. The goals also touch every behavioral act, ideological act and every little thought that crosses the mind.

The Ummah performs the two obligations based on "La Ilaha Illa Lah, Muhammad RasuluLah". The Ummah does not need anything special to become the witness for all humanity. It moves steadfast on the path of Allah (S.W.T.) to present Islam to people through its practical behavior and conduct based on the divine way, inviting them through the practical example to enter Islam. Then, it conveys to all people that this Deen is the only one accepted by Allah (S.W.T.), revoking everything else. It conveys to people that it is obliged by its Lord to call them to Islam and remove all obstacles that prevent the truth from reaching people, and prevent the people from knowing the truth. So that when the Ummah removes the obstacles, people will choose willingly whatever they choose without any compulsion.

The foundation of Da’wa, the foundation of having the Muslim Ummah to be a witness for mankind and the foundation of Jihad is the same foundation of Islam. The Ummah moves naturally with the Deen. Through its movement, it calls the people to Islam, and through its movement it is a witness and through its movement the Ummah does what Da’wa and being a witness require in Jihad.

What is the self-movement of this Ummah with Deen? How did the first generation do it?

There is no room for elaboration, but we highlight very briefly in a general way the most important points:

It is the sincerity of belief in Allah and the Last Day, the seriousness in taking from the book of Allah and the Sunnah, for everything that the people need in their daily life and the sincerity of Jihad for the sake of Allah.

It is the implementation of the meaning of the word "Ummah" correctly based on Aqeedah without any interference from racism, color, language, or land.

It is the implementation of the morals in accordance with "La Ilaha Illa Lah."

All these obligations are not ideals required from the first generation alone that they performed perfectly. Rather, they are everlasting obligations of the Muslim Ummah. Every generation is ordered to perform these obligations to the Last Day. The Ummah will fall short in this life if it does not perform the bare minimum.

What makes the first generation so unique, is the amazing level it reached in performing these obligations. They surpassed the bare minimum, they did what as recommended so that they could get closer to Allah (S.W.T.).

These obligations make this Ummah what it is. For these obligations, this Ummah was raised and because of which the Ummah becomes good. This Ummah will not attain the status of goodness. It will never be the best Ummah until the Ummah performs these obligations, strives to perform them and gives all its efforts to perform them. The Ummah will not perform its duty with wishes and dreams.

These obligations are from the implications of "La Ilaha Illa Lah." This is because all these obligations are divine orders and every order is necessarily from the implications of "La Ilaha Illa Lah." Only then will "La Ilaha Illa Lah" become the strongest, most comprehensive and the most pervasive foundation in history.

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