Article ☁ THOUGHTLESS SUBSERVIENCE

ACCEPTANCE IS HARD,

SUCCUMBING IS EASIER

Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudri رضي الله عنه narrated The Prophet ﷺ said,

‘You will certainly follow the ways of those who came before you hand span by hand span, cubit by cubit, to the extent that if they entered the hole of a uromastyx [spiny-tailed lizard], you will enter it too.’ We said, ‘O Messenger of Allâh, do you mean the Jews and Christians?’ He said, ‘Who else?’

Complacency, ignorance and indifference are percolating deep amongst many of our Muslim communities.

We Muslims willingly (and expediently) adopt non-Muslim ways, explicitly the “Westernised” secular world in almost everything, that contradict Islâm to blend and conform with the delusion it is a sign of respect and tolerance, a sense of fellowship or social activity, and so on.

All are merely validations to hide behind rather than confront the real reasons for doing so.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH US?

Many of us do not question why we are so eager to yield to the ways of others when the reverse is not true.

Why is it, for example, the number of Muslims celebrating Christmas is embarrassingly high whereas the number of non-Muslims just wishing Muslims a “Happy Eid”, let alone celebrating Eid, is small, including those residing in Muslim populated countries.

How far will we go to “assimilate” to please other than ALLÂH ﷻ?

What will it take before we realise the only ones getting hurt in all of this is our Muslim identity?

With our apologetic tones about our beliefs and only speaking about our way of life as Muslims (i.e. Islâm) when asked to, doing so gingerly so as not to step on toes that may be crushing ours.

It is even apparent in how we greet one another be it in-person, calls, emails, texts and online messaging: the useless and empty “salâm” wasting away simple rewards, or the non-Muslim way of greeting.

We can see it increasingly in how we dress, look, act, the careers we opt for and how we have distorted âyât (Qur’ânic signs) to suit our definitions and ways, only to descend deeper into, and sadly displaying, laziness, ignorance and arrogance.

We are witnessing the increasing number of “Muslim” models, makeup artists, fashion designers, asinine vlogging imitations, social media narcissism, and more, and the incessant and insatiable pursuit of money, materialism, luxury and popularity.

It is even becoming harder to distinguish the Muslim from the non-Muslim be it in appearance, speech or deeds.

Integrating the ways of others does not mean acceptance.

It simply means compromising our beliefs and way of life for another and one we will come to regret in body, mind, heart and soul.

More importantly, how we will feel when we return to ALLÂH ﷻ.

Every gulp of air that goes out in a cause other than the cause of Allâh ﷻ will turn to sorrow and regret on the Day of Judgement.

_{^{Imam Ibnul Qayyim Al-Jawziyyah رحمه الله}}

TOLERANCE AND RESPECT

Both traits intertwine to a high degree.

I will clarify through example. It is my prerogative to CHOOSE to uphold the hijâb. The test of tolerance of those who oppose it is their acceptance of my choice, or not.

Acceptance is not synonymous with agreeing or liking.

So, one is to accept a right of choice, that is tolerance and respect, and yet dislike the choice or decision itself. That is, one can loathe my “practise”, but one’s tolerance accepts and respects my choice to do so.

We Muslims are to be tolerant and respectful of the ways of non-Muslims but do not have to be a part of them when it conflicts with Islâm. We need to be ever so mindful they do not harm our relationship with ALLÂH ﷻ, which will slowly but surely create a fissure in our hearts the more mindless we are, resulting in a disconnect. A disconnect with ourselves as Muslims, a disconnect with ALLÂH ﷻ.

We are not to implement ways that are destroying us in body, ways that are ageing us by damaging our cells, genes and microbiomes,

{يَـٰبَنِىٓ ءَادَمَ خُذُوا۟ زِينَتَكُمْ عِندَ كُلِّ مَسْجِدٍۢ وَكُلُوا۟ وَٱشْرَبُوا۟ وَلَا تُسْرِفُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُسْرِفِينَ}

{O Children of Adam, dress properly whenever you are at worship and eat and drink but do not waste for HE does not like the wasteful.}

_^(07:31)

Or our mind, brain and heart,

Indeed, there is in the body a bite-size [organ], if mended, the whole body will be healed, and if corrupt then the whole body will be ruined; indeed, it is the heart.

_{^{Timeless Words of Beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ}}

Doing so only satisfies an inferiority need for acceptance for all the wrong reasons and not for who we are, all the whilst neglecting the blessings and gracious bounties from ALLÂH ﷻ.

For instance, we can choose to be vigilant about what we consume and ingest (nutrient deficient products, sugar, pills) or insert (vaccines, antibiotics) into our bodies that are unnatural and detrimental to our health and the health of our loved ones, questioning and researching their ingredients, efficacy and risks, rather than following blindly with the contagious herd mentality.

What we are beautifully guided in Islâm to do.

IT IS A CHOICE.

If we do not respect our identities as Muslims, meaning to submit completely to ALLÂH ﷻ, then we do not have the right to expect non-Muslims to do so.

Being a Muslim is a 24-hour way of life until we return to ALLÂH ﷻ.

It is about time we wholly acknowledge ALLÂH ﷻ knows best and Islâm is sufficient and stop taking it for granted because we sorely do.

WAKE UP, LISTEN AND THINK

Defence mechanisms trigger when non-Muslims attack us and when Muslims constructively and objectively criticise the error of our ways (appropriately so) as opposed to introspecting as to why we react the way we do and use our intellects and question.

What happened to (objective and constructive) self-criticism for character growth?

We can adopt and embrace all the good non-Muslims have to offer; not what will stray and distance us away from ALLÂH ﷻ.

{يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ إِنَّا خَلَقْنَٰكُم مِّن ذَكَرٍۢ وَأُنثَىٰ وَجَعَلْنَٰكُمْ شُعُوبًۭا وَقَبَآئِلَ لِتَعَارَفُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ أَتْقَىٰكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌۭ}

{O mankind, indeed We have created you from [a single pair of] a male and a female and made you nations and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allâh is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allâh is Knowing and Acquainted.}

_^(49:13)

Modernity is a lame justification to use for succumbing to our fleeting desires, for every era is considered modern when compared to the previous one.

ISLÂM IS TIMELESS.

When are we going to accept and embrace this without demur?

When are we going to surrender ourselves to ALLÂH ﷻ in time, heart, mind, body, energy and deed?

What exactly are we waiting for?

Whatever justifications we want to give to excuse our malleable ways, they are just that: justifications and excuses – and how creative we become when making them.

We can coexist in many ways without hurting our belief or way of life, free from any dichotomies, whilst remaining authentic to our identity.

What we learn from non-Muslims is their “pride” of belief, by being “proud” of ours and influencing others with our ways.

Unless of course, pusillanimity is our vice and our chosen way of life.

Can we say, in good conscience, our subordination and submission to non-Muslim ways – for submitting it is – is for ALLÂH ﷻ?

Be honest, who are we fooling?

Let us embrace transparency and thoughtful submission for one sole reason: our love for ALLÂH ﷻ and Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, to heal and beautify our hearts with forgiveness, gratitude, patience, truth and mercy from The ALL-Merciful ﷻ, by BEING MUSLIMS.

{قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ}

{Say, [O Muhammad], ‘If you should love Allâh, then follow me, and Allâh will love you and forgive your sins for Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.’}

_^(03:31)

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