I Wanted To Change The World: For Muslims Who Want To Change The World
I’m a Muslim and I want to change the world. I want to unite all Muslim countries and make one super Muslim state of Khilafah as prophet Muhammad wanted us to be. If you are also a Muslim and want the same this poem might help you on the way as it helps me inshallah.
When I was a young man, I wanted to change the world.
I found it was difficult to change the world, so I tried to change my nation.
When I found I couldn’t change the nation, I began to focus on my town.
I couldn’t change the town, so I tried to change my family.
Now, as an old man, I know the only thing I can change is myself.
And suddenly I realize that if long ago I had changed myself, I could have made an impact on my family.
My family and I could have made an impact on our town.
Their impact could have changed the nation and I could indeed have changed the world.
Quran's Call for Unity
Discussing
historical facts or jurisprudential differences should not in any way
discourage Muslim unity since the majority of Muslim historians from all
schools of thought agree on similar historical facts. Differences
between the philosophers, scholars and thinkers of the schools of
thought can be either constructive or destructive. If they lead to the
fragmentation of the Muslim nation, then they are unacceptable, as the
Holy Qur'an says:
"But they have broken their religion among them into sects, each group rejoicing in its belief."[303]
Such
groups of people support ideas which are not based on the truth and use
them only to serve their own purposes, whereas the Holy Qur'an refers
all arguments to one source:
"And
obey Allah and His Messenger, and do not dispute with one another lest
you lose courage, and your strength depart, and be patient; surely,
Allah is with those who are patient."[304]
The
weakness of the Muslim world due to this type of disunity can
unfortunately be witnessed today. However, constructive differences are a
sign of a healthy society in which people compete for what is best:
"If
Allah willed, He would have made you one nation (religion) but that He
may test you in what He has given you. So strive (as in a race) in good
deeds."[305]
Differences
in scientific and jurisprudential opinions can lead to progress and
prosperity, and, on a philosophical level, are beneficial if they lead
to certainty (yaqin) since all people must doubt, question, and
differ from a matter before arriving at the truth. Therefore, Islam
does not reject reasoning in the field of jurisprudence (ijtihad) as long as it is not contaminated with politics or personal aims and conceit. Thus all Muslim scholars agree that the mujtahid
(juristic scholar) receives two rewards for every correct decision and
even one for every incorrect one, for he is endeavoring with all his
effort to reach the correct decision.
Nevertheless,
Muslim unity is one of the goals of Muslim society and is an obligation
on all Muslims, both individually and collectively. Allah says in the
Holy Qur'an:
"Truly, your nation is one united nation, and I am your Lord,"[306] and: "Verily this (your nation) is one nation, and I am your Lord, so keep your duty to Me."[307]
Throughout the twenty-three years of his propagation, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh&hf) emphasized the unity of his nation and called them "my nation (ummati)." The Holy Qur'an actually gives six meanings to the word ummah:
a group of people, an example, adherence to a religion, a religion
itself, the time, and a group that follows one tradition and one way. It
would not be used for a group that did not follow one tradition and one
way.
The concept of unity itself is discussed in the Holy Qur'an on three levels. Foremost is the unity of humanity:
"O
mankind! We have created you from a male and a female, and made you
into nations and tribes that you may know one another. Verily, the most
honorable of you with Allah is the one who has piety."[308]
The
aim of this unity is to direct all the racial, tribal, and religious
differences into a constructive direction. Thus the emphasis on "knowing
one another" (li-ta'arifu) emphasizing that people find mutual
understanding rather than conflict so that no one denies another's
rights for life and prosperity.
Within the unity of humanity, the unity of the People of the Book (or the monotheistic religions) is referred to:
"Say
(O Prophet Muhammad): O People of the Book! Come to a word that is just
between us and you, that we worship none but Allah, and that we
associate no partners with Him, and that none of us will take others as
lords besides Allah. Then if they turn away, say: Bear witness that we
are Muslims."[309]
The Holy Qur'an reiterates that the People of the Book were asked to worship only Allah:
"And they were commanded not except that they should worship Allah and worship none but Him alone."[310]
The
essential monotheistic unity of the People of the Book exists, but it
should not, however, be taken to mean that there are no differences
between their different rules and laws. While the original way (din) is one throughout all monotheistic religions, the practical implementation - i.e. the law - is different:
"To each among you We have prescribed a law, and a clear way. If Allah
willed, he would have made you one nation but that He may test you in
what He has given you."[311]
Of course, the third unity that the Holy Qur'an speaks of is the unity of the Muslim nation:
"And hold fast, all of you together, to the rope of Allah, and be not divided among yourselves."[312]
Muslim
unity has two fundamentals, one of which is to uphold the Holy Qur'an
as the constitution of life, and the second of which is to accept our
mutual responsibility towards each other as Muslims, for the Messenger
of Allah (pbuh&hf) has said:
"Whoever does not care about the affairs of the Muslims is not one of
them," and, "Whoever hears a man calling 'O Muslims!' and does not
respond is not a Muslim."
He (pbuh&hf)
also used the parable of the human body to describe the Muslim nation.
If one part suffers, the entire body will suffer. One of the greatest
achievements of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh&hf) was to unite hundreds of fragmented Arab tribes throughout the Arabian Peninsula into a single, strong nation. When he (pbuh&hf)
united them, he did not eliminate differences of opinion between them,
but he enabled them to have dialogue with each other and come to a sense
of mutual understanding. Under this philosophy, the Muslim nation was a
powerful nation in the past, and only with this understanding will it
be able to return to this respected position among the nations of the
world and have the same significant role that it did in the past.
A
modern example which the Muslim countries should examine is the
European Union in which several states of different languages, cultures,
ethnicities, religions, and political agendas have unified under one
monetary system, economic agenda, and political front. The Muslim
governments could be similarly united if they so chose. The first steps
to this unity are the regular conferences and seminars which are held by
Muslim intellectuals and scholars and aim to bridge the gap between the
schools of thought.
In
short, differences of opinion, when properly channeled, are an asset to
the intellectual growth of the Muslim nation and are a sign of the
vitality of the Islamic culture. The competition arising between
different scholars from all schools of thought should encourage them to
strive with their maximum effort to reach the best decisions and,
ultimately, the truth. Diversity should not lead to division and
fragmentation but in fact is part of unity just as it was in the society
created by the Messenger of Allah (pbuh&hf) 1,400 years
ago. We would like to invite all the scholars and intellectuals of Islam
to a continuing discussion of the juristic and philosophical issues
under the umbrella of la ilaha illa Allah Muhammad rasul Allah and with the spirit of brotherhood and faith. And ultimately we ask Allah the Almighty for His guidance and wisdom.
O
ye who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared, and die not except
in a state of Islam (submission to Allah. And hold fast - all of you
together - to the rope of Allah, and be not divided among yourselves,
and remember Allah's favor on you, for you were enemies, one unto
another, but He joined your hearts together so that by His grace you
became brethren. And you were on the brink of a pit of fire, and He
saved you from it. Thus Allah makes his signs clear to you, that you may
be guided. Let there arise out of you a group of people inviting to all
that is good, enjoining the good and forbidding the evil, and it is
they who are the successful. And be not as those who divided and
differed among themselves after the clear proofs had come to them. It is
they for whom there is an awful torment on the Day when some faces will
become white, and some faces will become dark. As for those whose faces
will become dark (to them it will be said): "Did you
reject faith after accepting it? Then taste the torment for rejecting
faith." And as for those whose faces will become white, they will be in
Allah's mercy. Therein they shall dwell forever. These are the verses of
Allah. We recite them to you in truth, and Allah wills no injustice to
mankind.[313]